Also in Berlin, but this time directly related to the Balkans, is the seminar series Ottoman Urban Studies, organized by the Zentrum Moderner Orient; starting from October 30, 2006, twice per month (on Mondays 1700-1900) during the academic year 2006/7. Announcement and schedule can be found here. Lectures are grouped into 4 thematic categories: I - The roots of urban governance in the Ottoman Empire; II -Aspects of the Ottoman Urban Old Regime: Government, Economy, Society; III - New Trends in the Social History of Ottoman Towns; and IV - New Perspectives on the Ottoman Urban Reforms and the rise of nationalism. Speakers include Donald Quataert, Malte Fuhrmann, and Ilber Ortayli. Some presentation titles: "Urban Governance in Byzantine Cities and Questions on the Passage to Ottoman rule", "Power and Loyality in Herzegovinian Cities before 1876", "Methodological Aspects of the New Social History of Ottoman Towns", and "Lower Class Austro-Hungarian and German Immigrants in Ottoman Cities".

Not directly related to SEE, but still an interesting development, the TU Berlin is now offering a 4-semester MA program in Historical Urban Studies. Information in German and English can be found here.

Last year an Association of Multiethnic Cities of SEE, PHILIA has been founded, funded by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, with the goal "to increase regional cooperation and normalization of relations amongst the multiethnic cities of SEE, as well to develop new forms of cooperation between the municipalities and NGOs." 60 towns are already members now eligible for small grants issued within the network. The website provides some basic additional information about this interesting project, but seems not yet to be fully functional.