1,320 research outputs found
Der Balkan -- Ein neues Pulverfass Europas?
No full textThe author examines the historical background of nationalism in theBalkan peninsula after the collapse of Communism. The Balkan region hasalways been considered as an area of confrontation of the Great Powers; aquestion is posed nowadays, namely in what measure the actual inter-Balkanconflicts are being fomented by certain Powers and whose interests they serve.Particular importance is attached to the Declaration of Independence of theformer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the author explains why thisnot-yet recognized mini-state cannot claim the historical name of Macedonia.Finally, the author also expresses the view that the collapse of communismcreates the appropriate circumstances for a United Europe, the main characteristic of which will have to be the homo universalis
Balkan Wars
No full textThe paper deals with the political situation in Serbia on the eve of the wars and gives an overview of military activities during the first Balkan war (Kosovo, Battle of Kumanovo, Battle of Monastir), the capture of Durres, Tirana, Shkodra (Albanian campaign) and the second Balkan war (Battle of Bregalnica). The author examines the international political situation after the Balkan Wars and the question of how much they influenced the beginning of the First World War. The successes of the Serbian army in the First Balkan War, especially the crossing of Albania and the exit to the Adriatic Sea, left a great impression abroad
Patterns of national identity development among the Balkan orthodox Christians during the nineteenth century
No full textThe paper analyses the development of national identities among Balkan
Orthodox Christians from the 1780s to 1914. It points to pre-modern political
subsystems in which many Balkan Orthodox peasants lived in the Ottoman Empire
at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The Serbian and Greek
uprisings/revolutions are analyzed in the context of the intellectual climate
of the Enlightenment. Various modes of penetration of the ideas of the Age of
Revolution are analyzed as well as the ways in which new concepts influenced
proto-national identities of Serbs and Romans/Greeks. The author accepts
Hobsbawm’s concept of proto-national identities and identifies their
ethno-religious identity as the main element of Balkan Christian Orthodox
proto-nations. The role of the Orthodox Church in the formation of
ethno-religious proto-national identity and in its development into national
identity during the nineteenth century is analyzed in the cases of Serbs,
Romans/ Greeks, Vlachs/Romanians and Bulgarians. Three of the four Balkan
national movements fully developed their respective national identities
through their own ethnic states, and the fourth (Bulgarian) developed
partially through its ethnic state. All four analyzed identities reached the
stage of mass nationalism by the time of the Balkan Wars. By the beginning of
the twentieth century, only Macedonian Slavs kept their proto-national
ethno-religious identity to a substantial degree. Various analyzed patterns
indicate that nascent national identities coexisted with fluid and shifting
protonational identities within the same religious background. Occasional
supremacy of social over ethnic identities has also been identified.
Ethnification of the Orthodox Church, in the period 1831-1872, is viewed as
very important for the development of national movements of Balkan Orthodox
Christians. A new three-stage model of national identity development among
Balkan Orthodox Christians has been proposed. It is based on specific aspects
in the development of these nations, including: the insufficient development
of capitalist society, the emergence of ethnic states before nationalism
developed in three out of four analyzed cases, and an inappropriate social
structure with a bureaucratic class serving the same role as the middle class
had in more developed European nationalisms. The three phases posed three
different questions to Balkan Christian Orthodox national activists. Phase 1:
Who are we?; Phase 2: What to do with our non-liberated compatriots; and
Phase 3: Has the mission of national unification been fulfilled? [Projekat
Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177011: History of political ideas
and institutions in the Balkans in the 19th and 20th centuries
The Balkan Migration Route
No full textThe purpose of the chapter is to assess and link the issues of migration flows with the accession process of the Balkan countries and the European Union enlargement policy. The chapter argues that, despite the recent changes in the EU commission’s policy towards the candidate countries, there is more to be done to foster the process and encourage domestic reforms in the countries. The chapter examines the process of migration along the Balkan migration route from 2001 till 2021 and its influence on the European Union policy and the policy of Balkan countries. The author links the issue of migration flows with the accession process of the Balkan countries, traces the connection between the issue of migration flows with the European Union enlargement, and analyzes the legal steps taken by the EU and the countries of the region in order to control the process of migration
Balkan States and Great Powers – Conflicts and Disputes in the First Half of the 20th Century
No full textThe author analyzes the policy of great powers towards the Balkan countries and nations, through the two Balkan wars (1912, 1913), the Great War and World War II until the formation of the Cold War order after it. The author asks questions about the geopolitical role of the great powers that influenced the construction of a lasting peace system in the Balkans during the period in question. The leaders of the Balkan independence movements realized that they had to rely on the assistance of great powers in their endeavours, hence the “original sin” of international relations in the Balkans became the growing influence of stronger players, the scale of which is unmatched in any other region of the Old Continent. The support given to Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece or Albania in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by the great powers in their struggle for independence and sovereignty extended to all areas of international relations after the constitution of nation-states and continues to accompany them to this day, taking various forms. It must be hypothesized that the influence of the great powers has had a destructive effect on the construction of a lasting peace system in the Balkans
European Dimension of the Balkan Crisis
No full textIn this text the Balkan crisis caused by the break-up of the Yugoslav federation is analysed in the international context. The author inquires into the causes of the dissolution of Yugoslavia, which as well demonstrated the crisis of the European Union (EU). The basis for both developments is the end of the Cold war, although Yugoslavian disintegreation also stems from adition international factors which have been present from the very beggining of this state in 1918. The diagnosis is that the helplessnes and discord among European countries vis-a-vis the Balkan war comes, paradoxically comes from the excess of power in the EU, which is not adequately aggregated and subjected to a single command. The author concludes that the future outcome of the Balkan war will be ultimately determined by interests and mutual relations of the superpowers USA and RUssia
The European Union's Balkan development policy
No full textAfter more than a decade of cooperation between the European Union and the formerly socialist Balkan countries, the latter-in stark contrast to a number of other ex-socialist countries-are characterised by severe transition problems, poor economic conditions, political instability and proneness to military conflict. Against this background, our author evaluates the EU's past and present Balkan development policies, concluding with some suggestions towards a new strategy of cooperation. © 2001 HWWA and Springer-Verlag
Balkan Vampires: Society, Politics, Representation
No full textBalkan Vampires examines how vampire motifs from Balkan folklore have permeated modern sociocultural and political realms, exploring their role in rural traditions and transformation under global influences. The book builds on extensive fieldwork conducted in village communities across Serbia, the cradle of vampire lore, where the author has been able to record numerous stories, memories, and testimonies of residents. The research reveals the vampire not merely as a mythical figure but as a potent symbol in cultural and political discourse. The chapters demonstrate that vampire narratives are not just remnants of traditional rural beliefs but are actively engaged in shaping contemporary cultural and social identities. The author analyzes the persistence and adaptability of vampire motifs, demonstrating their relevance in expressing community fears, challenging societal norms, and navigating the tensions between local traditions and global influences. Drawing on a wealth of ethnographic material, the book will be of interest to scholars of anthropology, cultural studies, folklore, demonology, history, and beyond
Migration along the Balkan route
No full textThe article examines the issue of the Balkan Migration Corridor, which has been operating on a permanent basis for many years, despite the efforts of the Balkan Peninsula and the European Union. The aim of the article is to analyze the migration processes in the Balkans and its impact on the EU and European countries. The author offered basic terms related to the topic of migration along with definitions. reviewed the literature on this issue and noted the main research of Western scholars related to the topic of the article. The intensity of migration processes in the above-mentioned region is determined by the economic and political situation in migrant donor countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, etc. The article lists the countries that show the greatest and least commitment to migrants. The attitude of EU member states turned out to be more positive towards migrants than the attitude of the Balkan countries
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