BALKANS (AND WESTERN BALKANS) AS NEGATIVE POLITICAL TERMS

Dr. Marija Đorić, Assistant Director for Scientific Research

Abstract

The paper analyzes the negative perception of the Balkans, with special reference to the Western Balkans, as a newly introduced political concept. The author explains the historical and political environment through which the negative image of the Balkans is built, indicating that this region was separated and precipitated as “otherness” in relation to Europe. Based on that analogy, the author explains how the Western Balkans now find themselves in a position of “otherness” in relation to the rest of the Balkan countries (which have become articles of the EU). The violent past, the “curse of small differences” and unresolved political conflicts make the Western Balkans a problematic region under the watchful eye of major powers. The point where the interests of all the countries of the Western Balkans can coincide is European integration, which indicates the “common destiny” of this region.

References

Balkan Peace Index. 2023. „Infographic“.5 februar 2024. https://bpi.mindproject.ac.rs/

Cohen, Roger. 1995. „A Balkan Gyre of War Spinning Onto Film“.New York Times, section 2, 12 March

Cvijić, Jovan. 1991. Balkansko poluostrvo, drugo izdanje, sabrana dela, knjiga 2. Beograd: SANU, Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva

Cvijić, Jovan. 1987. Antropogeografski spisi. Beograd: SANU, Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva

Despotović, Ljubiša и Glišin Vanja. 2021. „Geopolitički identitet Republike Srbije i strategija nacionalne bezbednosti“.Politika nacionalne bezbednosti (1)

Despotović, Ljubiša. 2016. „Antinomija nacionalne (ne)moći: globalizacijski i geopolitički kontekst nacionalne bezbednosti Srbije“. Politika nacionalne bezbednosti (2)

Durham, Mary Edith.2008. Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle.Book Jungle

Euronews Albania. 2021. „What do Albanians think about ‘Open Balkan?”. 16. decembar 2021. https://euronews.al/en/ what-do-albanians-think-about-open-balkan/, 01.12.2021.

Galtung, Johan. 2009. Mirnim sredstvima do mira: mir i sukob, razvoj i civilizacija. Beograd: Službeni glasnik

Hammond, Andrew. 2016. The Balkans and the West: Constructing the European Other, 1945 2003. London: Routledge

Herbert, Vivian. 1904. The Servian Tragedy with some Impressions of Macedonia. London: Grant Richards

Hirschman Charles, Preston Samuel, and Vu ManhLoi. 1995. “Vietnamese Casualties During the American War: A New Estimate”.Population and Development Review 21(4)

Hoffmann, George. 1963. The Balkans in Transition. Princeton: VanNostrand

Hoffmann, George. 1963. The Balkans in Transition. Princeton: Van Nostrand

Howden, Smith Arthur. 1908. Fighting the Turk in the Balkans, An Americn’s Adventures with the Macedonian Revolutionists. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Huntington, Samuel. 1997. The Clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. New York: Touchstone New York Times, 20. decembar, 1918.

Nišić, Stanko. 2002,Globalnasila i bezbednostBalkana. Beograd: VIZ

Stanković, Marko, Krstić Zoran. 2023. „Perspektive srpsko-albanskih odnosa u svetlu inicijative ‘Otvoreni Balkan“.Nacionalni interes (2)

Stepić Milomir. 2012. „Zapadni Balkan: primer geografskog raspojmljivanja i geopolitičkog manipulisanja”. Nacionalni interes (3)88

НАЦИОНАЛНИ ИНТЕРЕС – бр. 1/2024, година XX, vol.47 Марија Ђорић БАЛКАН (И ЗАПАДНИ БАЛКАН) КАО НЕГАТИВНИ…89

Surlić Stefan, Lazarević Andrijana i Kolarski Ljiljana. 2022. „Integracija vs. suverenizacija.

Otvoreni Balkan” u okvirima statusnih i indetitetskihs porova.” Srpska politička misao 77 (3) doi: 10.22182/ spm. 7732022

Todorova, Marija. 1998. Imaginarni Balkan. Beograd: Čigoja štampa Vision of Humanity. 2024. „What is the Global Peace Index?“. 01.02.2024. https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/#/

Vuletić, Dejan. 2018. „NATO i Zapadni Balkan“.Vojno delo(7)

Džuverović, Nemanja. 2023. „Balkan Peace Index 2022: Trends and Analysis”. Journal of Regional Security. 18 (2)

Westheider, James. 2011. Fighting in Vietnam: The Experiences of the U.S. Soldier. Mechanicburg: Stackpolebooks

International Republican Institute. 2022. „IRI Western Balkans Poll Shows Support for Pro Western Institutions, Persistent Ethnic Tensions, and Commitment to the Open Balkan Initiative”.29.jun 2022. https://www.iri.org/news/iri-western-balkans-poll-showssupport-for-pro-westerninstitutions-persistent-ethnic-tensionsand-commitment-to-the-open-balkan-initiative/

Reuters. 2008. „Deaths in Vietnam, other wars undercounted – study“. 12. januar 2024.
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN19285476/;

UN. 2024.„Humanitarian response in Gaza ‘completely dependent’ on UNRWA, says relief chief“. 15. januar 2024. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1146067, 01.02.2024