Jovan TEOKAREVIC

Professor Jovan Teokarevic teaches at Natolin a course titled "Western Balkans: EU Enlargement, External Influences, Post-Conflict Transition". The course focuses on the European Union's relations with six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, emphasizing their low preparedness for EU membership and the challenging accession conditions. It analyzes ongoing negotiations hampered by enlargement fatigue and explores the political and economic challenges following the 1990s military conflicts, as well as the rising influence of EU rivals like Russia, China, and Turkey. Regional cooperation, crucial for both EU integration and ethnic peace, is highlighted alongside security and post-conflict reconciliation issues. The interdisciplinary approach combines political, legal, economic, and international perspectives. Ultimately, the course aims to illustrate the complexities of the EU integration process in the region compared to previous enlargement waves and to assess the effectiveness of the EU's transformative power amid current geopolitical challenges.

He is Professor of Comparative Politics at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia, where he had previously finished his BA, MA and PhD studies. Before joining the University of Belgrade he was research fellow at the Institute for European Studies (Belgrade). His research has focused on post-communist transition, politics in the Balkans, EU and NATO enlargement and EU-Western Balkan relations.

Professor Teokarevic is author of seven books: Western Balkans Between Deep Crises and Uncertain Perspectives; Demokratizacija i evropeizacija Balkana; Of Friends and Foes: Balkan Nations in Serbian Press; Tranzicija i integracija; Druga Evropa: od demokrature do demokratije; Ni rat ni mir: srpska politika na razmedju vekova; Bezbednost Evrope i širenje NATO-a.

He also edited or co-edited twelve books.

He’s been teaching the following courses: “EU Integration and EU Enlargement”, “Comparative Politics”, “Political Systems of New Democracies”, “Constitutional and Political Systems in South-Eastern Europe”, “Transition and Consolidation of Democracy” (at the Faculty of Political Sciences, bachelor and master programs, University of Belgrade); “The EU and the Balkans”, “Regional Cooperation and External Influences” (at the Master program of the Vienna University); “Balkans” (at the NATO Defence College in Rome); “EU Foreign Policy” (at the Diplomatic Academy of the Serbian/ FR Yugoslav Foreign Ministry).

Between 2012 and 2019 Teokarevic was academic coordinator of the Belgrade University’s Interdisciplinary Master Program in South-Eastern European Studies (joint degree with the University of Graz, with many partner universities across Europe). 

He was also founder and Director of the Belgrade Centre for European Integration (BeCEI, 2002-2010) and co-editor of the “European Forum – Monthly for European Integration”, published by BeCEI. He was Chairman of the Governing Board of the Open Society Foundation Serbia, 2013-2018. He speaks English, French, Italian and Russian languages.