Academic Bio
Nada Petković’s primary area of interests are the languages and literatures of the Former Yugoslavia, cultural anthropology of the region, and urban studies with a particular interest in recent state and city branding. A native of Belgrade, Petković joined the University of Chicago as a Fulbright scholar in the late eighties and prefers to refer to herself as Yugoslav. Her background is in comparative literature and theory of literature at the University of Belgrade, and general and Slavic linguistics at the University of Chicago. Her teaching and research focus on languages and cultures of the Former Yugoslavia, second-language acquisition, cultural anthropology, and urban studies. She has taught and lectured on many topics concerning the rich history of the region and its diverse cultures and traditions, with a particular interest in recent state and city branding. Her projects include the book Balkan Epic: Song, History, Modernity, co-authored with Philip V. Bohlman, a textbook/reader, Po naški through Fiction: A Structural Reader of Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian Prose, ‘Idemo dalje’: Intermediate B/C/S teaching materials, and other work on language pedagogy and grammar. Her background in comparative literature inspires her love for literary translation and her translation projects. She is the recipient of numerous grants and honors, including Fulbright and Mellon Foundations, Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning, and the University of Chicago.