A Modern History of the Balkans: Nationalism and Identity in Southeast Europe

(Hardback)

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The history of the Balkans has been a distillation of the great and terrible themes of 20th century history-the rise of nationalism, communism, fascism, genocide, identity and war. Written by one of the leading historians of the region, this is a new interpretation of that history, focusing on the uses and legacies of nationalism in the Balkan region. In particular, Professor Veremis analyses the influence of the West-from the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise and collapse of Yugoslavia. Throughout the state-building process of Greece, Serbia, Rumania, Bulgaria and later, Albania, the West provided legal, administrative and political prototypes to areas bedevilled by competing irredentist claims. At a time when Slovenia, Rumania, Bulgaria and Croatia have become full members of the EU, yet some orphans of the Communist past are facing domestic difficulties, A Modern History of the Balkans seeks to provide an important historical context to the current problems of nationalism and identity in the Balkans.

Reviews

Overall, Veremiss work is a solid introduction to modern Balkan history, and gives the reader ample insight into the processes which have shaped the history of this European region, while also providing incisive questions about its future. This book would be a valuable primer for the interested lay-person, and a sound starting point for the undergraduate student of the Balkans. * Journal of Contemporary History *

Author Bio

Thanos Veremis is Professor of Political history at the University of Athens and also a Member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP); Director General of the International Center for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS); President of the National Council of Education; and on the Advisory Board of the European History Quarterly. He gained his PhD at Trinity College, Oxford and has been Visiting Professor at Princeton. He is the author of many books on the Balkan region, including Greece: The Modern Sequel (with John Koliopoulos, 2002) and The Balkans (2005)