| Despite international efforts to find a lasting solution to the territorial dispute between Serbia and its province of Kosovo, the region continues to experience bursts of violence. Scholars disagree on the solutions to this dispute. The purpose of this historical case study was to identify long-term peaceful solutions by focusing on the conflict of the 1990s, including the historical conditions that continue to foster ongoing unrest. The theoretical framework that guided the study was Mearsheimer's international relations theory with the subdiscipline of Kant's foreign policy analysis and Kubalkova's constructivism. Research questions focused on the historical context leading up to this geopolitical conflict, the potential solutions generated by the unilateral declaration of the independent state of Kosovo, and a precedent for the international community and academia. Data were collected through interviews with 12 experts in international policy and the Balkan region. Historical case analysis findings revealed the importance of understanding the region's history and geopolitical issues in developing peaceful solutions to the Kosovo problem. Key recommendations included abandonment of unilateral and constitutionally unlawful acts by Kosovo leaders; international respect of Serbia's territorial integrity, guaranteed by United Nations Resolution 1244; and the global integration of Serbia and Kosovo, including a path towards European Union membership. The implications for social change include informing policy makers, academia, and the international community about the region's historical and geopolitical complexities, in the hope of generating greater insights into the prospects for long-term peace, economic stability, and regional prosperity. |
