Balkans as Europe, 1821-1914

This collection of essays argues that the Balkans were at the forefront of European history in the century before World War I, anticipating many (West) European developments. The Balkan states became fully independent nation-states in the second half of the nineteenth century and looked beyond traditional state formation strategies to alternative visions rooted in militarism or national political economy. Relationships between identity and geopolitics were also transformed, leading to the creeping substitution of ideas of religion and ethnicity for the idea of state belonging or subjecthood.

Format: Hardback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2018
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The Balkans played a pivotal role in European history during the century preceding World War I, with a focus on state formation and the interplay between identity and geopolitics. This collection of essays presents a fresh perspective on the Balkans, challenging the notion that it was a conflict-ridden region and instead highlighting its significance as a fully-fledged European region. Contributors to the volume argue that the Balkans did not lag behind the rest of Europe but rather anticipated many developments in the decades before and after 1900.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Balkan states achieved full independence as nation-states. As they sought to consolidate their sovereignty, these countries explored alternative visions rooted in militarism or national political economy, leading to significant changes in Europe and the world. The weakening of the Ottoman Empire and the practice of informal diplomacy by more powerful states further transformed the relationships between identity and geopolitics.

As the contributors to this volume demonstrate, the result of these transformations was the creeping substitution of ideas of religion and ethnicity for the idea of state belonging or subjecthood. This phenomenon would pervade the whole of Europe by the 1920s and 1930s, shaping the political landscape and contributing to the outbreak of World War I.

The essays in this collection offer a comprehensive analysis of the Balkans' role in European history, exploring various themes such as state formation, nationalism, ethnicity, religion, and geopolitics. They draw on a range of sources, including historical documents, scholarly research, and contemporary analysis, to provide a rich and nuanced understanding of the region's complex history.

By placing the Balkans at the center of European developments, this collection challenges the traditional narratives that have marginalized the region and seeks to re-evaluate its significance in shaping the course of European history. It provides valuable insights into the complex relationships between identity, geopolitics, and power that have shaped the region's past and continue to influence its present and future.

Weight: 468g
Dimension: 162 x 235 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781580469159