As part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Seventh School of American Studies was ceremonially opened.

The opening ceremony featured remarks by Marija Bjelopetrović, Director of the American Resource Center; Prof. Dr. Maja Kovačević, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade; Maria Stavropoulos, Spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Serbia; and Prof. Dr. Dragan R. Simić, Founder and Director of the Center for United States Studies at the Faculty of Political Science.

Marija Bjelopetrović, Director of the American Resource Center, stated that it was a great honor and pleasure for the Center to have been selected as the venue for the Seventh School of American Studies. Reflecting on the Center’s activities over the past year, she highlighted the numerous lectures and events hosted there.

“On October 7, we will celebrate a wonderful first anniversary of being in this space and organizing a wide range of programs. We look forward to welcoming even more students to workshops covering diverse topics, from innovation to politics, culture, entrepreneurship, and many other fields,” Ms. Bjelopetrović said.

Prof. Dr. Maja Kovačević, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, emphasized the strong reputation of the Center for United States Studies, which has long been dedicated to examining various aspects of American politics and society. She also underscored the importance of fostering connections among young people who share similar interests.

“It is important to organize educational programs such as this one and to ensure that the University extends beyond its own walls to engage with young people from different backgrounds. For years, the Center for U.S. Studies has carried out numerous projects examining both the political system and other dimensions of life in the United States,” Dean Kovačević noted.

Explaining the significance of the School, Maria Stavropoulos of the U.S. Embassy in Serbia stated that it brings together some of the brightest young minds in Serbia, who will engage deeply with American history as well as the role of the U.S. economy and political system in the contemporary world. She introduced this year’s topics, which include U.S. alliances in Asia, trade, relations between the United States and Yugoslavia, and a range of other social and political issues.

“This School is not focused solely on America’s past; it is equally dedicated to understanding an America that continues to evolve. Efforts to strengthen relations between the United States and the Republic of Serbia are best advanced in environments such as this,” Ms. Stavropoulos stated.

Prof. Dr. Dragan R. Simić, Founder and Director of the Center for U.S. Studies, reflected on the history of the School of American Studies, emphasizing that its mission has always been to bring students closer to an understanding of the role of the United States in the contemporary international order, including its foreign and security policy, as well as its culture. He noted that this year is particularly significant, as it marks 250 years since the establishment of the principles that shaped the development of a nation that has undergone an extraordinary journey.

“Few countries in world history have experienced a transformation from colony to superpower so closely connected to the strength of ideas and values as the United States. American history represents a continuous dialogue between ideals and reality, making the American experience significant not only for Americans but for people around the world,” Professor Simić concluded.

Lectures will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Milan Krstić of the Center for U.S. Studies, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade, on “Donald Trump and the Schools of American Foreign Policy”; Prof. Dr. Saša Mišić from the Faculty of Political Science on “Yugoslavia and the Commemoration of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976”; and M.A. Vuk Mišković of the Center for United States Studies on “U.S. Alliances in Asia: The Cases of Japan and South Korea.”

Madeline Mahon, Cultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Serbia, will lead the discussion “Time Capsule” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States and deliver the lecture “The History of American Cultural Diplomacy: How Culture, Education, Media, and People-to-People Exchanges Have Shaped U.S. Diplomacy.”

Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Milošević from the Faculty of Political Science will present “From Free Trade to Protectionism: The Transformation of U.S. Trade Policy in the 21st Century.” Prof. Dr. Ivan Vujačić, professor in the master’s program in U.S. Studies at the Faculty of Political Science and former Ambassador of FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro/the Republic of Serbia to the United States, will lecture on “The United States Through the Lens of the Gilded Age: Back to the Future.”

Additional lectures will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Simona Čupić of the Center for American Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, on “America in 50 Concepts,” and by Prof. Dr. Dragan R. Simić, Founder and Director of the Center for U.S. Studies of the Faculty of Political Science, on “Andrew Jackson: The Man, the Era, and the Legacy.”

The lecture “The Complex Dynamics of the 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections” will be presented by Prof. Dr. Marko Dašić of the Center for U.S. Studies of the Faculty of Political Science, while Prof. Dr. Stevan Nedeljković of the Center for U.S. Studies of the Faculty of Political Science will speak on “The Global and Domestic Context of U.S. Midterm Elections.”

Mr. Dragan Živojinović, Teaching Associate at the Center for U.S. Studies of the Faculty of Political Science, will deliver the lecture “The Rise and Fall of American Power During the ‘Short’ and ‘Long’ 250 Years.” The final lecture, “Conquering the Heights, “will be given by Prof. Dr. Radina Vučetic, Director of the Center for American Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade.

This year’s School of American Studies has brought together 65 participants and will run from September 28 to October 6, 2026.

The school is organized by the Center for U.S. Studies of the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade, in cooperation with the American Resource Center (ARC).

Written by the PR team of the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade

The original news article can be found on this link: Svečano otvorena VII Škola američkih studija | Fakultet političkih nauka