Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laura Kromják from ELTE University Delivers Lecture on Intergenerational Justice and Refugee Protection at IUS

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laura Kromják from the Department of Global and Development Studies at ELTE University in Budapest, Hungary, delivered a lecture at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) titled “Intergenerational Justice and Refugee Protection: Fostering Resilience and Rights Across Generations.”

The lecture took place as part of an Erasmus+ academic visit organized by the IUS Department of Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) in collaboration with the IUS Balkan Studies Center (BSC). It drew on her book Intergenerational Trauma in Refugee Communities, co-authored with Dr. Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic of Saint Louis University and published by Routledge in 2025.

A central focus of the lecture was the experience of second-generation Bosnian Americans in St. Louis, Missouri, a major center of Bosnian resettlement in the United States following the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Drawing on qualitative research and oral histories, Dr. Kromják explored how family silence, inherited memories, parental trauma and questions of identity can influence younger generations’ understanding of their heritage and sense of belonging. She also highlighted young people’s agency and resilience as they navigate multiple cultural identities and build their own futures.

The discussion underscored the importance of studying diaspora communities to better understand the enduring effects of displacement and develop more inclusive, rights-based approaches to refugee protection across generations.

The Erasmus+ visit provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen academic exchange and institutional collaboration between IUS and ELTE University, encouraging dialogue on migration, diaspora studies, memory, refugee protection and intergenerational justice.