Reviews (1)

The propaganda war
A great book to understand why the Yugloslav people went to war in 1991. MacDonald shows how the Holocaust was instrumentalized during the nineties by both Croats, Muslims and Serbs, in order to portray the other republics as evil enemies bound on the destruction of the other nationalities. By claiming a role as victim, nationalist leaders like Milosevic and Tudjman could rally support for a war against the other republics, relying heavily on Yugoslav history. Croats were portrayed as descendants of the fascist Ustasa-regime, which ruled Croatia during WW II and persecuted Jews and Serbs alike. This "genocidal nature", Serb nationalists claimed, wasn't erased by history and manifested itself again, and therefore legitimized a "defensive war". Croat nationalists told the same horror stories to prove the Serbian "genocidal nature", which would explain why independence and a war against Serbs were necessary for the Croatian people to survive. Although McDonald often repeats the same message, he does succeed in making clearwhy Croats, Serbs and Muslims went to war in 1991. Mind that this is an academic book, primairly aimed at historians and university students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Croatia    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Eastern Europe - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. International Relations - General    9. Media Studies    10. Nationalism    11. Propaganda, Serbian    12. Serbia    13. Serbia and Montenegro    14. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Genocide    16. International relations    17. Propaganda    18. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (2)

Great Read!
Great read. Very accessabile to all interested in what the international community is doing in post-conflict societies.
Excellent case study in administration
Anne Holohan's book is a must-read for all managers, administrators, peacekeepers and development and aid workers. She takes two municipalities in Kosovo after the intervention in 1999 and compares how their paths towards development and reconstruction diverged. The book is fast-paced and eminently readable, particularly chapters 3 and 4 that are peppered with personal, and at the same time, relevant anecdotes. The second chapter that deals with sociological theory while of interest to academics can probably be skipped by the layperson. Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. Communication and technology    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. History    6. International Relations - General    7. Intervention (International law)    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Political Freedom & Security - General    10. Political Ideologies - Democracy    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Serbia and Montenegro    13. Social Science    14. Sociology    15. United Nations    16. Afghanistan    17. Iraq    18. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    19. Political structures: democracy    20. Sociology, Social Studies    21. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Architecture    2. 20th century    3. Architecture    4. Architecture Of Specific Structures    5. Belgrade    6. Belgrade (Serbia)    7. Buildings, structures, etc    8. Criticism    9. History - General    10. History - Specific Styles    11. International Architecture - European    12. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    13. Serbia    14. Yugoslavia    15. Architecture / History    16. History of specific subjects    17. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    18. Theory of architecture   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (6)

Typically abstruse "instant history"
This book's ultimate value for future historians, I predict, will be as a guide to source documents.Its analyses are already dated and rendered anachronistic by "facts" on the ground.
Important but Incomplete
The American View
There are 724 footnotes in this book, of which 720 seem to be for English-language sources, mostly American. And the trust in American sources is complete. For example: there's a section on the Racak massacre, with no mention that some French and German papers have cast doubts on the evidence, only a 200-word quote from American observer William Walker. For example: the famous appendix to the Rambouillet accord (granting NATO troops the right to bivouac and billet and make use of any facility anywhere in Yugoslavia) was just boilerplate that would have been deleted on request -- and the backup for this revelation is interviews with an American general and an American envoy. Why didn't they ask Yugoslavs too?Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. History    4. History & Theory - General    5. International Relations - General    6. Kosovo (Serbia)    7. Military History - 1990-    8. Nato    9. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza    10. North Atlantic Treaty Organization    11. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    12. Political Science    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics/International Relations   

Subjects:  1. Politics/International Relations    2. 21st century    3. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    4. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    5. Serbia    6. Southeast Europe    7. War crimes   

Reviews (1)

Passable Introduction to Serbian History
With the difficulty of finding an introduction to Serbian history that is both brief and unbiased, this book should serve as a passable introduction to Serbian history.Cox does an excellent job of condensing a large and complex history into a very short space.Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    2. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    3. Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Serbia    8. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    9. History / Europe / General    10. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Subjects:  1. 1918-1945    2. History    3. Regimental histories    4. Serbia    5. Srpski dobrovoljački korpus    6. World War, 1939-1945    7. Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. History    3. International    4. International Relations - General    5. Intervention (International la    6. Intervention (International law)    7. Kosovo (Serbia)    8. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    9. Political Science    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics/International Relations    12. International relations    13. Peacekeeping operations    14. Political Science / General    15. Southeast Europe   

Reviews (3)

Making Sense of a Mess
Beyond being a lively and dramatic account of the variety of expatriot politics within the different Croat, Serb, and Kosovar diasporas -- and between them and their homelands -- "Homeland Calling" explains much of the fractious politics within and between the remnant units of Yugoslavia; and it deftly touches on critical Euro-American policy making as well.Hockenos' concise and well-placed summaries of both remote and recent historical events set the stage for understanding the first-hand accounts of key participants' maneuvers that he so carefully weaves into his text."Homeland Calling" goes a long way toward clarifying the complexities of a crucial decade of Balkan politics and war.

Homeland Calling
"Homeland Calling" by Paul Hockenos records the role that the diasporas played in the Balkans wars in the 1990s.Hockenos' enthusiastic and intriguing account of the individuals that he introduces to the reader rapidly struck a chord. His characters often seem larger than life -the man next door turns out to be a character in a Graham Greene novel, organising underground networks and smuggling arms to support an ethno-national ideal.Hockenos provides a peephole into the workings of these intricate networks and provides an insight into the motivations behind these actions.What of the role of these diasporas in the post-conflict Balkans?Hockenos explores the dilemma of the willingness to support the war, but reluctance to help build the democratic institutions which would ensure a lasting peace. Examining Diaspora Communities
Hockenos does an excellent job investigating the diaspora communities outside of the former Yugoslavia which were so instrumental in affecting the region.The depth of access is impressive.Hockenos makes solid connections between the diaspora communities and the former Yugoslavia, both contemporarily, during the Second World War and inter alia.This subject was just waiting to be written on, other writers of the region have temptingly made passing references but Hockenos packeged it all up.Although Hockenos made a valid disclaimer concerning objectivity and bias he obviously has strong feeling about nationalism and his own views of what happened in the former Yugoslavia are apparent.The intent of the book was as much an indictment of nationalist diaspora communities as it was an analysis.Hockenos is clearly hostile to the Croat nationalists and sympathetic to the Kosovars.However, here he is in multitudinal company and I don't think Hockenos, himself, would shy away from an anti-nationalist moniker.A deeper investigation of the Serb communities in Western Europe and the Croat communites in South America would add much to an already good work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1980-1992    2. Causes    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Eastern Europe - General    5. Emigration & Immigration    6. Foreign countries    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. International Relations - General    11. Nationalism    12. Politics and government    13. Serbia and Montenegro    14. Yugoslav War, 1991-1995    15. Yugoslavia    16. Yugoslavs    17. Civil war    18. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    19. Immigration & emigration    20. Southeast Europe   

Subjects:  1. Bosnia and Hercegovina    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. History    4. Kosovo (Serbia)    5. Political    6. Social Science    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. War and society    11. Yugoslav War, 1991-1995    12. Bosnia-Herzegovina    13. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural    14. Sociology, Social Studies   

Subjects:  1. Journalism    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    5. Television - History & Criticism    6. Television - Reference    7. Bosnia-Herzegovina    8. Croatia    9. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    10. Media studies    11. Performing Arts / Television / Reference    12. Propaganda    13. Serbia    14. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (2)

What Serb Glory is all about!
This book consists of interviews with about a dozen CENTENERIAN women (women 100+ years old!) in Montenegro compiled in 1990 by A Serb-American. One woman is a Serb muslim, the other a Catholic Albanian and there's a Muslim Albanian and the rest are Serb women. Warrior Women
This is an exraordinary book that reminds women everywhere of the unbelievable struggle of our ancestors to survive. The women in this book could have been from anywhere in a different time, enduring the worst that the world had to offer, yet they emerge from these pages with a unique strength and dignity in spite of it all. I'd highly recommend this book, not simply as an athropological study, but to anyone seeking where they came from. Because this is a book about the history of us all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Centenarians    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Interviews    7. Montenegro    8. Oral biography    9. Serbia and Montenegro    10. Social History    11. Social life and customs    12. Women    13. Women - 20th Century History    14. Women's Studies - General    15. Humanities    16. Women's studies    17. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

History is Contemporary
Alex Dragnich's attempt to compress a multifaceted millenium of Serbian history into 160 pages is bold, and could be considered audacious in a lesser man. So much has to be left out, and what is included has to be treated with such economy and such precision, that many a professional would cringe at the task.
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Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Serbia    7. History / Europe / Eastern   

Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. Congresses    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. History    6. International Relations - General    7. Kosovo (Serbia)    8. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza    9. North Atlantic Treaty Organization    10. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    11. Political Science    12. Politics - Current Events    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics/International Relations    15. World politics    16. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    17. International relations    18. Political Science / International Relations    19. Political activism    20. Serbia    21. Southeast Europe    22. Warfare & Defence    23. c 1990 to c 2000   

Subjects:  1. Armed Forces    2. Campaigns    3. Civil War, 1998-1999    4. Current Affairs    5. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    6. History    7. History - General History    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Military & War    10. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza    11. North Atlantic Treaty Organization    12. Peace    13. Political    14. Politics/International Relations    15. Yugoslavia    16. Battles & campaigns    17. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    18. Serbia    19. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia    20. c 1990 to c 2000   

Subjects:  1. 1980-    2. Albanians    3. Autonomy and independence move    4. Autonomy and independence movements    5. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    6. Eastern Europe - General    7. Ethnic relations    8. History    9. History - Military / War    10. History: World    11. Kosovo (Serbia)    12. Military - Other    13. Serbia and Montenegro   

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Communication, International    3. Current Affairs    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. International Relations - General    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Military & War    10. Military - Strategy    11. Politics and war    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Technology    14. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    15. Serbia    16. Theory of warfare & military science    17. War & defence operations   

Reviews (1)

Not as good as I hoped.
Yes, this book contains wideranging analysis of the 1999 NATO air war against Yugoslavia, but the analysis is surprisingly biased in tone and focus. Explanations of American diplomacy are idealised and too darned patriotic to be much use, and Ms. Albright's gross strategic blunders get under-reported. From start to finish the war was wrong, misguided and dreadfully executed. Some of these points get made in passing, some in point. But all stuff-ups are other people's fault, especially NATO partners, and America hardly gets its propagana-driven reputation tarnished. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. International Relations - General    6. Kosovo (Serbia)    7. Military - General    8. Military policy    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. United States    12. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    13. Political Science / International Relations    14. Serbia    15. USA    16. War & defence operations   

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Criminal justice, Administration of    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Human rights    7. International Relations - General    8. Kosovo    9. Kosovo (Serbia)    10. Peace    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Serbia    14. Conflict resolution    15. International institutions    16. Warfare & Defence    17. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (1)

Wonderful ethnohistory for a much-ignored area!
Boehm very astutely tackles a society in the often misinterpreted and misunderstood Balkan peninsula. He combines ethnographic and historical inquiry in a very methodical and comprehensive approach to the concept of blood feuds as they existed in tribal Montenegro before it attained nation status. He not only details the doings of the blood feud, but also gives a necessary background of cultural values and social structure that supported this cultural phenomenon. Most importantly, he convincingly brings to light the ideological compulsion and perspective of the Montenegrins themselves, in justifying how the blood feud could be a culturally accepted institution without stigma, a concept alien to most Western sensiblities. His writing style is never dry, and he minimalizes the use of jargon...it is a wonderful intro to the processes of ethnography and ethnohistory, while also delving into a sadly neglected region of the world. A must read for anthropology buffs or anyone seeking cultural data on this part of the world!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. Ethnology And Ethnography    4. History - General History    5. Montenegro    6. Social life and customs    7. Vendetta    8. Social & cultural anthropology    9. Social Science-Anthropology - Cultural