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Date May 2017 Marks available 2 Reference code 17M.1.BP.TZ0.17
Level Both SL and HL Paper Paper 1 - first exams 2017 Time zone TZ0
Command term What Question number 17 Adapted from N/A

Question

The sources and questions relate to Case study 2: Kosovo (1989–2002) – Causes of the conflict: Ethnic tensions between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians, rising Albanian nationalism.

Source Q

Julie Mertus, a professor of law, writing in an academic history book, Kosovo: how myths and truths started a war (1999).

Politicians manipulate public fears in order to suit their own needs to stay in power … An antidemocratic coalition within Serbia began to formulate a nationalist ideology and produce propaganda. Serbs were said to be the victims of Albanians in Kosovo; they needed the protection of a strong leader like Slobodan Milosevic … In an atmosphere of economic and political insecurity, the victimization ideology begun in Kosovo caught on quickly …

Over time, the nationalism became radicalized: difference was framed in terms of perceived physical differences in skin, nose, ears, sexuality … A gendered imagery of Albanian men and women was adopted. In the Serbian and Yugoslav presses, Albanian men were accused of violence against women, although Kosovo had the lowest reported incidents of sexual violence in Yugoslavia. Albanian women were portrayed as mere baby factories, despite statistics indicating that childbirth rates of urban Albanian women and those of other urban women in Yugoslavia were nearly identical. Accused in the past of being culturally inferior, Albanians were increasingly depicted as also being genetically inferior.

The sources and questions relate to Case study 2: Kosovo (1989–2002) – Causes of the conflict: Ethnic tensions between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians, rising Albanian nationalism.

Source R

V Mićović, a Serbian researcher, gathering data for a graduate thesis “Socijalna distanca i etničke stereotipije kod srednjoškolaca madjarske i srpske nacionalnosti” [Social distance and ethnic stereotypes in high school students of
Hungarian and Serbian nationality] (1986).

160 seventeen-year-old ethnic Serbian and Hungarian High School students living in Serbia were asked questions about their ability to accept other nations. Given 50 proposed attributes, both positive and negative, students chose the ones they considered typical of each nation.

These are the Serbian students’ perceptions of Albanians.

 

How, according to Source Q, were Albanians portrayed by Serbian propaganda?

[3]
a.

What does Source R suggest about the perceptions some Serbian high school students had of Albanians in 1986?

[2]
b.

Markscheme

The above material is an indication of what candidates may elect to write about in their responses. It is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive and no set answer is required. Award [1] for each relevant point up to a maximum of [3]

a.

The above material is an indication of what candidates may elect to write about in their responses. It is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive and no set answer is required. Award [1] for each relevant point up to a maximum of [2].

b.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.

Syllabus sections

Prescribed subjects: first exams 2017 » 5. Conflict and intervention » Case study 2: Kosovo (1989–2002) » Causes of the conflict » Ethnic tensions between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians; rising Albanian nationalism
Prescribed subjects: first exams 2017 » 5. Conflict and intervention » Case study 2: Kosovo (1989–2002) » Causes of the conflict
Prescribed subjects: first exams 2017 » 5. Conflict and intervention » Case study 2: Kosovo (1989–2002)
Prescribed subjects: first exams 2017 » 5. Conflict and intervention
Prescribed subjects: first exams 2017

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