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Rr. Elez Berisha, Nr.56 Zona Industriale Fushë Kosovë 10000 Prishtinë Republika e Kosovës

[email protected]

Dr. sc.

Shpend Voca

Responsible for internships and student activities
Teaching and Research Experience
  • 2022-present – Assistant Professor (AAB College, Department of Psychology)
    Social Psychology (BA course)
    Organizational Psychology (BA course)
    Cultural Psychology (BA course)
  • 2015-2022 – Lecturer (AAB College, Department of Psychology)
    Social Psychology (BA course)
  • 2025-present – Post-doctoral Researcher (Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia)
    Brno Lab of Intergroup Processes
    Research project: Research of Excellence on Digital Technologies and Wellbeing (CZ.02.01.00/22_008/0004583)
  • 2022-2025 – Post-doctoral Researcher (Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia)
    Brno Lab of Intergroup Processes
    Research project: The Role of Distinct Types of Social Norms in Improving Conflictual Intergroup Relations (23-06170S)
  • 2016-2018 – Coordinator for Student Activities (AAB College, Department of Psychology)
Education and Training
  • 2015-2020 – Social Psychology PhD
    Dissertation Topic: Intergroup Relations in Post-Conflict Societies: Promoting Intergroup Contact and Forgiveness Among Former Adversaries
    Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 2006-2008 – Applied Conflict Transformation Studies MA – Multidisciplinary Studies
    University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • 2001-2004 – Psychology BA
    University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo
  • 2018 – Certificate, Staff and Education Development Association, England
    Learning-Centred and Reflective Teaching: From Theory to Good Practice
  • 2005-2006 – Certificate of Achievement – Psychological Practice with Survivors of Torture and Organized Violence
    Medical Foundation for the Care of Torture of Victims and University of Prishtina
Membership
  • 2022-present – European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) – Full member
  • 2020-present – Kosovo Psychological Association
Language Skills

Mother tongue Albanian. Others: English, Turkish and Serbian

Funding/Scholarships/Awards
  • 2023 – EASP Collaborative Research Grant (“Intergroup Contact and AntiGypsyism” – Principal Investigator in cooperation with Anna Kende and Nyul Boglarka, Eötvös Loránd University)
  • 2023 – Study visit, Eötvös Loránd University
  • 2020 – PhD scholarship, Masaryk University
  • 2019 – PhD scholarship, Masaryk University
  • 2018 – Ministry of Science, Education, and Technology, Kosovo
  • 2017 – Best paper award for presentation. International Conference in Tirana
  • 2006/07 – Student scholarship for MA studies, Kosovan Nansen Network
Publications
  • Voca, S., Telaku, N., & Van Assche, J. (2024). Right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and attitudes toward peace and war: The role of symbolic and realistic threat. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13059
  • Kende, A. Nyul, B., Hadarics, M., … Voca, S., & Lasticova, B. (2024). Addressing anti-Gypsyism with context-dependent psychological tools: Research review, meta-analysis and secondary analysis of prejudice against the Roma. European Review of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/10463283.2024.2362123
  • Rupar, M., Voca, S., & Graf, S. (2024). The Link Between Social Norms and Reconciliation and Behavioural Intentions in Post-Conflict Societies. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000730 [joint first author]
  • Voca, S., Graf, S., & Rupar, M. (2023). Victimhood beliefs are linked to willingness to engage in intergroup contact with the former adversary through empathy and trust. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 26(3), 696–719. https://doi.org/10.1177/136843022210848
  • Zingora, T., Birtel, D. M., … Voca, S. (2023). Development of prejudice against immigrants and of behavior that limits COVID-19 transmission and in 6 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Journal of Social Psychology. 53(4). 645-663. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2928
  • Rupar, M., Graf, S., & Voca, S. (2022). Contact with former adversaries through mass-media is linked to forgiveness after dyadic and multiethnic conflicts. European Journal of Social Psychology. 52(5-6), 963–982. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2878
  • Voca, S. (2019). Student pair work as a tool to promote active learning among students in Kosovo. In ‘Early career academics’ reflections on learning to teach in Central Europe’. Gabriela Pleschová and Agnes Simon (eds.). ISBN: 978-1-902435-63-3. [book chapter]
  • Voca, S., & Graf, S. (2018). The effects of indirect intergroup contact on willingness to engage in direct intergroup contact. Journal of Social Issues, 12(1), 47-57.
  • Voca, S. & Kamberi, M. (2018). Dealing with the past intergroup violence. Revista Thesis, 6(3), 3-17.
Manuscripts Under Review
  • Rupar M., Graf, S., & Voca S. – Stories about intergroup help from past and unrelated conflicts shape reconciliation through moral elevation. Political Psychology
  • Voca, S., Boglarka, N., Murtezaj, D., & Kende, A. – The effects of positive and negative extended intergroup contact under normative and non-normative conditions on anti-gypsyism. British Journal of Social Psychology
Manuscripts in Preparation
  • Voca, S., Rupar M., & Graf, S. – The effects of group apology on intergroup forgiveness: The role of the sense of power, forgiveness beliefs, and ingroup and outgroup norms.
  • Voca, S., Van Assche, J., & Telaku, N. – Shared territorial ownership, ingroup superiority, and support for peace and war: The role of comparative victimhood beliefs.
  • Rupar M., Voca, S., Graf, S., & Bobowik, M. – Acknowledgment of ingroup crimes and reconciliation.
Conferences
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2025, 03-06 July). The effects of group apology on intergroup forgiveness: The mediating role of the sense of power and moderating role forgiveness beliefs. International Society of Political Psychology, Prague, Czechia.
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2025, 22-23 May). The Link Between Social Norms and Reconciliation and Behavioural Intentions in Post-Conflict Societies. Interdisciplinary Conference on Social Norms, Cohesion, and (De)Polarization, Utrecht, Netherlands.
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2024, 11-12 September). The effects of group apology on intergroup forgiveness: The role of the sense of power, forgiveness beliefs, and ingroup and outgroup norms. Czech Academy of Sciences, Trest, Czechia.
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2023, 30 June-04 July). The Link Between Social Norms and Reconciliation and Behavioural Intentions in Post-Conflict Societies. General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Krakow, Poland.
  • Voca, S., Graf, S., & Rupar, M. (2022, 14-17 July). Comparative Victimhood Beliefs are Linked to Willingness to Engage in Intergroup Contact With a Former Adversary Through Empathy and Trust. International Society of Political Psychology, Athens, Greece.
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2019). Information about Former Adversary from the Mass Media is Linked To Reconciliation: The Role of Empathy and Anger. Interdisciplinary Conference on War Trauma, Collective Memory and Transitional Justice, Prishtina, Kosovo.
  • Voca, S., Rupar, M., & Graf, S. (2018, 6-8 September). The Role of Ingroup Norms in the Link between Indirect Forms of Contact and Willingness to Meet the Former Adversary. European Association of Social Psychology, Slovak Research and Development Agency and International Society of Political Psychology.
  • Voca, S., & Graf, S. (2018, 5-7 September). The Effects of Mass-Mediated Contact and Collective Victimhood on Willingness to Engage in Direct Contact with the Former Adversary in Kosovo. Faculty of Human Sciences, Social Cognition Center Cologne.
  • Voca, S., & Graf, S. (2017, 17-18 November). The Effects of Indirect Intergroup Contact on Willingness to Engage in Direct Intergroup Contact. International Conference in Tirana