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Reviews (1)

a wasted opportunity by Colovic
Because I'd read the British edition which was translated correctly as "The Politics of Symbol in Serbia", I didn't get what I bargained for. What I hoped would be an analysis of crowd psychology and nationalism, turned out to be a political polemic against the Milosevic regime and the kind of nationalism that allegedly brought that regime to power. Thus, the translation of the US edition: "Politics of Identity in Serbia: Essays in Political Anthropology" is really an incorrect translation of the original Serbian title. However this is actually a good thing, since the title of Colovic's book in Serbian is "Politika Simbola u Srbiji" - that isn't a good title at all to describe the subject matter of this book.
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Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Group identity    3. History & Theory - General    4. Nationalism    5. Political aspects    6. Political culture    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Serbia    10. Serbia and Montenegro    11. NATIONALISM_YUGOSLAVIA    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    13. SERBIA_HISTORY    14. SERBIA_POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT    15. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (5)

The most definitive history of this period ever written
I am not surprised that this book has unanimous 5 star reviews. John Treadway is a legendary figure in Balkan studies, and is quite rightly regarded as the world authority on the Montenegrin history of this period. He is uniquely able to make the study of Montenegro in the run up to World War One both scholarly and accessible, an all too rare feat in historical writing these days. Buy 10 copies of this book and give them to any historians you know to teach them how to write history properly. Christopher Catherwood, author of THE BALKANS IN WORLD WAR TWO (Palgrave, 2003)

Treadway's genius shines through
John Treadway has been the most authoratative, brilliant and generally outstanding scholar of Balkan history in recent years, and this is the wonderful book that made his well deserved reputation.You simply cannot understand the�Balkans without reading this magnificent book.

Amazing book
Brilliant study about Montenegro and its relationship with Austria-Hungary but also with Russia and Balkan countries, especially Serbia. This excelent book is based on critically confirmed facts and scientific knowledge. Professor Treadway stresses eternal wish of Montenegrins and their king Nicholas I Petrovic Njegos to restore medieval Serb Empire of Dusan Nemanjic: "Ambitious for his dynasty as well as his country and incited by the nationalism of his people, Nicholas dreamed of uniting all Serbs under his aegis and sitting upon Dusan's throne in Prizren" [page 201] I recommend this book to everybody who cares for knowledge. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. History - General History    3. International Relations - General    4. Military - World War I    5. Politics/International Relations    6. History / Austria & Hungary    7. World history: First World War   

Subjects:  1. Albanians    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Ethnic relations    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Kosovo    9. Kosovo (Serbia)    10. Serbia    11. Serbia and Montenegro    12. World - General    13. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -   

Reviews (8)

Di Giovanni makes the Balkan madness all too visible...
...for us, her readership, that is.
A. Donn
Madness Visible isa powerful and extremelymovingaccount of war. It reads like a novel, but its not and this isalso why it's so harrowing.So muchis contained in a sentence,on a page(action,danger , fear , sorrow) thatsometimes you feel compelled to put it down and re-read the passage over, just to be able totake it all in. Janine di giovanni is able to give us unobstructed access to the frontline of war.Is it possible that human beings in our world should continue to be subjected to so much madness and suffering?

Madness Visible: A Memoir of War

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Subjects:  1. 1961-    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Civil War, 1998-1999    4. Di Giovanni, Janine,    5. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Kosovo    10. Kosovo (Serbia)    11. Military - Other    12. Military History (General)    13. Modern - 20th Century    14. Personal narratives, British    15. Serbia    16. Travel    17. Ushtria ñClirimtare e Kosovèes    18. Current Events / International    19. Di Giovanni, Janine    20. Journeys   

Reviews (3)

Universally significant - not just a book about Serbia
Gordy identifies the methods by which the Milosevic regime, which obviously provided few benefits to its people, nonetheless maintained its power.Gordy identifies these methods as the "destruction of alternatives-" the removal of alternative political ideas, or of cultural institutions, such as popular music, that would enable individuals to unite in thought in a manner distinct from, and therefore threatening to, the regime. Top-notch research and writing
Gordy's basic premise is that the rather unpopular, corrupt and war-mongering regime controlled by Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia during the 1990s retained its hold on power by eliminating any meaningful alternatives to itself. He provides a very detailed account of how this was done in the fields of culture, politics, the media and the economy. Since the book was written and published in 1999, when Milosevic was still in power in Serbia, the basic question posed by the study, i.e. how does he manage to stay in power, should be replaced with how did he manage to stay in power so long? Otherwise, this is a vitally important study, as the matters Gordy covers here illuminate many aspects of political culture in Serbia during the 1990s - and help readers understand the country's current political malaise as well. Despite the many changes that have occurred since Milosevic's fall from power, the legacy of the `destruction of alternatives' he helped institute will continue to dog Serbian society for years to come (and, looking over the fence from Croatia, I have to add: just as the legacy of Franjo Tudjman still haunts and troubles Croatian society today and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future).

Turbo Folk and the Cut-Out Bin of History
Struggling to understand how Slobodan Milosevic managed to tighten his grip on power in Serbia despite a disasterous decade of war and economic decline?Or would you just like to know why authoritarian regimes produce such terrible pop music?Eric Gordy's "Culture of Power in Serbia: Nationalism and the Destruction of Alternatives" is a good place to start for both questions.Though written before the war in Kosovo and Milosevic's subsequent fall from power, the book provides a useful framework for understanding both the durability of his regime and the fragility of its popular support.Prof. Gordy argues that Milosevic maintained power not through any skill in governing (the record on that score is pretty clear), but by systematically dismantling any alternatives that Serbian civil society could muster.As one would expect, Gordy covers in some detail Milosevic's attempts to co-opt, stifle and crush rival political parties and media organizations.What is unique about this book is the long chapter devoted to the underground music scene in Belgrade.The regime rightly perceived a threat to its political as well as cultural dominance, and rallied its forces behind a smarmy concoction dubbed "Turbo Folk".... This musical atrocity does not, of course, compare to those committed in Bosnia and Kosovo, but it is a chilling read nonetheless.Gordy clearly brings a mastery of Serbo-Croatian literary and musical idiom to this section.One wishes only that the book were accompanied by a CD.Though written from a sociological perspective, this book is full of lively if understated prose, and offers much to engage the non-specialist and general reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1945-1992    2. 20th century    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Europe - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Nationalism    9. Political History    10. Political Ideologies - Communism & Socialism    11. Politics and government    12. Serbia    13. Serbia and Montenegro    14. Social life and customs    15. Totalitarianism    16. Political leaders & leadership   

Reviews (1)

An important study of ethic rivalry and nationalism
This readable and well researched study of the Serbian community in Croatia sheds bright light on the political, ethic, and regional rivalries that endure in the tragedy of modern Yugoslavia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1800-1918    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Croatia    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia    6. Europe - General    7. History    8. History & Theory - General    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Political History    12. Political Process - General    13. Politics and government    14. Serbs    15. European history: from c 1900 -    16. History of specific racial & ethnic groups    17. Political parties    18. c 1900 - c 1914   

Subjects:  1. Dedijer, Vladimir    2. Diaries    3. Guerrillas    4. History: American    5. Personal narratives, Serbian    6. Underground movements    7. World War II - Europe    8. World War, 1939-1945    9. Yugoslavia    10. Biography: historical    11. European history: Second World War    12. History / General    13. Second World War, 1939-1945    14. Warfare & Defence    15. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Kosovo (Serbia)    7. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza    8. North Atlantic Treaty Organization    9. Peace    10. Serbia    11. Serbia and Montenegro   

Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Europe    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Politics and government   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    2. History & Theory - General    3. History: World    4. Political Science   

Subjects:  1. Air & Space    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. History    4. International    5. International status    6. Kosovo (Serbia)    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. War (International law)    12. International law of territories    13. Kosovo (Serbia)--History--Civil War, 1998-    14. Law / Air & Space    15. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    16. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. 168 B.C.-1453 A.D    2. Architecture byzantine    3. Architecture religieuse    4. Architecture, Byzantine    5. Church architecture    6. History    7. Macedonia    8. Macédoine (République)    9. Serbia    10. Serbie   

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. History    6. History Of Education    7. History Of Higher Education    8. History: World    9. Intellectuals    10. Serbia    11. Serbia and Montenegro    12. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    13. History / Europe / Eastern    14. Social classes    15. Social history    16. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (3)

Still flawed
I am honored that Mr Bellamy himself responded to my critique. Since, he commits (or repeats) several errors that are key to an understanding of this complicated issue, I offer a brief reply. Gockel's facts flawed
I don't know which version of the ICTY transcript Matthias Gockel read, but may I shed some light on what he wrote. A flawed book
There are many factual errors in this book.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1980-    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. Diplomatic history    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. Ethnic relations    6. History    7. International Relations - General    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Military & War    10. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    11. Political Science    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics/International Relations    14. Civil war    15. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    16. International relations    17. NATO    18. Peacekeeping operations    19. Political Science / International Security    20. Serbia    21. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. History / Europe / General    2. society,history,journey,Montenegro,tradition,customs of nations,Dalmatia,Herzegovina,Ragusa,Uscocs,Slavonic nations   

Reviews (1)

Deceiving Title, Invaluable Book
This book does an excellent job in describing the institutionalization of ad-hoc, temporary forms of protection applied by EU states when faced with specific refugee crisis. As the two researchers clearly demonstrate, refugee situations such as that of Bosnia, manage to get all EU countries to commit to a harmonization of asylum policies, however, no common EU policy was applied when the Kosovo crisis followed. The insights on national debates of several EU countries offer solid evidential basis for Van Selm's broader theoretical discussion on societal security, xenophobia and comprehensive approach.
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Subjects:  1. Albanians    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. Ethnic relations    4. Europe    5. European Union    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. International Relations - General    10. Kosovo    11. Kosovo (Serbia)    12. Political History    13. Political refugees    14. Serbia    15. Serbia and Montenegro    16. Western Europe - General    17. EU & European institutions    18. EU (European Union)    19. Refugees    20. Southeast Europe   

Subjects:  1. History    2. John Paul    3. Kremna (Serbia)    4. Orthodox Eastern Church    5. Prophets    6. Serbia    7. Yugoslavia   

Reviews (1)

Sulzberger used Milton's title for a non-fiction, non-poetic
author stole milton's title, so can I. Doran William Cannon author, Paradise Regained, 1999 ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1911-    2. 20th century    3. Authors, Serbian    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Dissenters    9. Djilas, Milovan,    10. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    11. General    12. Yugoslavia    13. European history: from c 1900 -    14. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia    2. History - General History    3. Jovanovic, Vladimir   

Reviews (1)

Useful survey of NATO's illegal attack
This collection of essays examines the origins, course and aftermath of NATO's attack on Kosovo (March-June 1999). Part I's nine essays look at the war's background and history. Part II presents ten diverse opinions on NATO's attack and consequent occupation of Kosovo. There is also a selection of relevant documents, including the notorious Appendix B of the Rambouillet Text, and a chronology of events. Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Kosovo (Serbia)    8. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza    9. North Atlantic Treaty Organization    10. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    11. International relations    12. Peacekeeping operations    13. Political Science / International Relations    14. Serbia