Thanos Veremis:

Moderni Balkan: Kratak vodič za nacionalizam, politiku i uspon i pad nacionalne države

Ovaj autor je pokušao 1) letimičnu analizu historije Balkana, 2) komparativnu studiju ekonomija na Balkanu, vojna i nacionalistička uvjerenja i na kraju 3) raspravu o nedovršenom poslu na Kosovu, Bosni, Albaniji i Bivšoj Jugoslovenskoj Republici Makedoniji. Čitatelj će takođe otkriti da ova knjiga ne ponavlja konvencionalnu zapadnjačku mudrost kad je riječ o Balkanu. To je pomalo oprečna predstava koja može provocirati učenjake da povedu nove rasprave o fenomenu Balkana.

05.08.2015.

Thanos Veremis:

The Modern Balkans: A Concise Guide to Nationalism, Politics, the Rise and Decline of the Nation State

This author has attempted 1) a cursory analysis of Balkan history, 2) a comparative study of Balkan economies, the military and nationalist creeds and finally 3) a discussion of unfinished business in Kosovo, Bosnia, Albania and FYROM. The reader will also discover that this book does not reproduce the conventional western wisdom in dealing with the Balkans. It’s somewhat contrarian slant however may provoke scholars into new discussions of Balkan phenomena.

05.08.2015.

Thanos Veremis u ovoj knjizi povezuje veliki dio savremene historiografije Balkana i nudi jasnu,pristupačnu priču. Knjiga ima obiman historijski doseg, od devetnaestog do dvadesetprvog stoljeća. Ima tri glavna dijela: prvi obuhvata stvaranje novih nacionalnih država i nacija bez države; drugi nudi tematsku povezanost između ove historije Balkana i one o širem svijetu, u odnosu na pitanja nacionalizma i identiteta; a treći istražuje “nedovršen posao” u današnjem vremenu – pitanja koja su prisutna i predstavljaju izazov za region i njegove saveznike.

Balkan je često bio izvor zabune za strane promatrače, izazivajući osjećaj odvojenog identiteta ili ‘različitosti’. ‘Balkan’ i ‘balkanizacija’ su bili pežorativni termini korišteni da opišu ili odbace druge kontekste. Nema sumnje da je region bio od geostrateške važnosti u savremenom razvoju Evrope i usponu i padu carevina i ‘velikih sila’. Tokom 1990-ih Zapad je užasnuto gledao na ratove koji su proizašli iz pada Jugoslavije. U skorije vrijeme Evropska unija je započela niz strategija koje bi mogle dovesti do priključenja drugih zemalja iz regiona. Osnove ovog historijskog terena su teme od čega se sastoji nacija, tenzije jasnih nacionalizama i sposobnost nacionalnih država da postignu svoje zacrtane ciljeve.

Knjiga ima širok historijski doseg, od devetnaestog do dvadesetprvog stoljeća. Ima tri glavna dijela: prvi obuhvata stvaranje novih nacionalnih država i nacija bez država; drugi nudi tematsku povezanost između ove historije Balkana i onih šireg svijeta, u odnosu na pitanja nacionalizma i identiteta; a treći istražuje ‘nedovršen posao’ u današnjem vremenu – pitanja koja su prisutna i predstavljaju izazov za region i njegove saveznike.

In this book, Thanos Veremis synthesises much of the contemporary historiography of the Balkans and provides a clear, accessible narrative. The book has a broad historical reach, from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. It has three main sections: the first covers the emergence of the new nation states and the stateless nations; the second makes thematic connections between this Balkan history and that of the wider world, with respect to issues of nationalism and identity; and the third explores the ‘unfinished business’ of the present – the issues that linger and challenge the region and its allies.

The Balkans has often been a source of confusion for foreign observers, leading to a sense of a separate identity or ‘otherness’. ‘Balkan’ and ‘Balkanisation’ have been pejorative terms transferred to describe or dismiss other contexts. Undoubtedly, the region has also been of geostrategic importance in the modern development of Europe and the rise and decline of empires and ‘great powers’. In the 1990s, the West looked with horror at the wars emanating from the collapse of Yugoslavia. More recently, the European Union has embarked on a set of strategies that may lead to the accession of further countries from the region. Underlying this historical landscape are the themes of what constitutes a nation, the tensions of distinct nationalisms, and the capacity of nation states to achieve their stated goals.

The book has a broad historical reach, from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. It has three main sections: the first covers the emergence of the new nation states and the stateless nations; the second makes thematic connections between this Balkan history and that of the wider world, with respect to issues of nationalism and identity; and the third explores the ‘unfinished business’ of the present – the issues that linger and challenge the region and its allies.

Uvod

Osim opće religiozne tradicije, tu su i drugi elementi koji prolaze kroz nacionalne države devetnaestog vijeka u jugoistočnoj Evropi. Nacionalizam, vitalni zapadnjački uvoz, će dokazati trajni uticaj unutar i između mladih nacionalnih država u regionu. Nacionalizam kao moćna vjera će proći mnoge transformacije prije nego što se suoči sa zapadnjačkim ultimatumima u drugom dijelu dvadesetog vijeka.

U ovom djelu pokušaćemo pokrenuti preovlađujuću nacionalističku temu koja je išla ruku pod ruku sa drugim značajnim zapadnim uticajima na Balkanu.

Kroz cijeli proces stvaranja država Grčke, Srbije, Rumunije, Bugarske i kasnije Albanije Zapad je ponudio legalne, administrativne i političke prototipe ovom manje razvijenom dijelu evropskog kontinenta namučenog suprotnim iredentističkim zahtjevima.

Naša namjera je, osim toga, da u sažetoj formi predstavimo gore navedene elemente zajedno sa političkim naglaskom modernih balkanskih država i da razmotrimo njihovu sadašnju reinkarnaciju kao i njihove odnose sa drugim državama.

Kako monumentalno djelo Leften Stavrianosa ne može biti sažeto a da se ne izgubi čar njegove priče, student regionalne politike koji želi da se istakne u njegovom/njenom polju još mora sagledati cjelokupno djelo: Balkan od 1453 (Holt, Rinehart & Winston 1963, Hurst & Co, 1999). Traian Stojanović i njegovi Svjetovi Balkana: Prva i posljednja Evropa (M.E. Sharpe, 1994) nudi izvode trajne mudrosti o toj temi. Ovo je ipak djelo koje treba konsultirati nakon što se osigura osnovno znanje o jugoistočnoj Evropi. Drugi istaknuti naučnici o Balkanu, kao što su Charles & Barbara Jelavić i Robert Lee Wolff, uveliko su se bavili modernom historijom regiona ali njihova djela treba još dopuniti.

Ovaj autor je pokušao 1) letimičnu analizu historije Balkana, 2) komparativnu studiju ekonomija na Balkanu, vojna i nacionalistička uvjerenja i na kraju 3) raspravu o nedovršenom poslu na Kosovu, Bosni, Albaniji i Bivšoj Jugoslovenskoj Republici Makedoniji. Čitatelj će takođe otkriti da ova knjiga ne ponavlja konvencionalnu zapadnjačku mudrost kad je riječ o Balkanu. To je pomalo oprečna predstava koja može provocirati učenjake da povedu nove rasprave o fenomenu Balkana.

Autor je stoga pokušao da bude selektivan u svom korištenju sekundarnih izvora, od kojih su mnogi bez kritičke potke u gustini jugoslovenske krize. Odvajanje bitnog od trivijalnog i činjenica od strastvenog ubjeđenja dio je zadatka kod učenja historije.

Preface

Besides a common religious tradition, there are other elements that run through the nineteenth century nation states of South Eastern Europe. Nationalism, a vital western import, will prove a lasting influence within and between the young nation states of the region. Nationalism as a powerful creed will undergo many transformations before it confronts western ultimatums at the last part of the twentieth century.

In this work we will attempt to pursue the pervasive nationalist theme that went hand in hand with other significant western influences in the Balkans.

Throughout the state-building process of Greece, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and later, Albania, the West provided legal, administrative and political prototypes to this less developed part of the European continent, bedevilled by competing irredentist claims.

Our intention, furthermore, is to present the above elements alongside political highlights of the modern Balkan states in concise form and discuss their current reincarnations and of course their relations with other states.

Since Leften Stavrianos’ monumental work cannot be abridged without losing the charm of its narrative, the student of regional politics that wishes to excel in his/her field must still look into the entire oeuvre: The Balkans since 1453 (Holt, Rinehart & Winston 1963, Hurst & Co, 1999). Traian Stoianovich with his, Balkan Worlds: The First and Last Europe (M.E. Sharpe, 1994) offers extracts of lasting wisdom on the subject. This is nevertheless a work to be consulted after having secured a basic knowledge of South Eastern Europe. Other prominent scholars of the Balkans, such as Charles & Barbara Jelavich and Robert Lee Wolff, have dealt extensively with the modern history of the region but their works need updating.

This author has attempted 1) a cursory analysis of Balkan history, 2) a comparative study of Balkan economies, the military and nationalist creeds and finally 3) a discussion of unfinished business in Kosovo, Bosnia, Albania and FYROM. The reader will also discover that this book does not reproduce the conventional western wisdom in dealing with the Balkans. It’s somewhat contrarian slant however may provoke scholars into new discussions of Balkan phenomena.

The author has therefore tried to be selective in his use of secondary sources, many of which appeared without critical care in the thick of the Yugoslav crisis. Separating the essential from the trivial and facts from passionate conviction, is part of the task of teaching history.

Thanos Veremis [LSEE – Istraživanje o jugoistočnoj Evropi] Thanos Veremis je odavno međunarodno priznat kao istaknut autoritet za modernu političku historiju Balkana. Dok je predavao historiju Balkana i politiku na Prncetonu, Fletcher School of Law&Diplomacy i the University of Athens, autor je shvatio da sažeta historija događaja i predstavljanje ponavljajućih tema, može biti korisno za neupućenog učenika i studenta. Veliki dio istraživanja za ovu knjigu kompletiran je za vrijeme autorovog staža u Helenskoj opservatoriji LSE (januar-maj 2010). LSEE ima misiju da promovira bolje razumijevanje Balkana u svijetu, kroz svoje doprinose i javne rasprave.

Thanos Veremis [LSEE – Research on South Eastern Europe] Thanos Veremis has long been recognised internationally as a pre-eminent authority on the modern political history of the Balkans. During his years of teaching Balkan history and politics at Princeton, the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and the University of Athens, the author realised that a concise history of events and the presentation of recurring themes, would be useful to the uninitiated scholar and university student. Much of the research for this book was completed during the author’s term at the Hellenic Observatory of the LSE (January – May 2010). LSEE has a mission to promote the better understanding of the Balkans internationally, through its own scholarly contributions and by facilitating informed public debate.

Tekst je prvobitno objavljen na London School of Economics portalu.

This article was originally published on the London School of Economics portal.

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