B0246 - CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF THE BALKANS

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The aim of this module is to provide an overview of 20th century history of SEE seen through the prism of larger systems/empires, to try to detect how big powers were coping with the region, trying to absolve it, make it more like them. It should show how new “imperial” players were introduced, how, for example, communist system was differently organized in 4 communist countries in the region. South Eastern Europe was for centuries part of different imperial systems, influenced from different centers. It was also a region where different empires were colliding. The border between the Eastern and the Western Roman Empire was running through the SEE. Both for the Byzantium and the state of Charlemagne region was on the very edge of their imperial domains. In the late medieval period and later, parts of the region were border areas of the Ottoman, Habsburg and Venetian systems (Triplex confiniuim). Therefore, three imperial systems were colliding, or being forced to cooperate, in SEE. It all changed with the Balkan wars and the WWI. The Ottoman Empire (later Turkey) was de facto pushed from the region. The Habsburg Monarchy seized to exist in 1918. However, the old imperial systems, practices and traditions did not evaporate. New realities were created, but they were usually based in the old practices, sometimes as a pure negations (the Ottoman tradition was always and everywhere negative example, even justification of present-day hardships), or very positive, even posh symbols of the glorious past (Habsburgs in some parts of SEE). Hitler Germany had special, but not fully developed idea, for the region. After WWII the Communist “empire” was created in the biggest part of SEE. As the Soviet controlled system it was reduced first after the Yugoslavs left in 1948, then the Albanians in the 1960’, but it nevertheless remained “red”. Even more, the Yugoslavs for a short period forged an military alliance with the two NATO members, Greece and Turkey. Transition that followed the end of the Cold War resulted in, probably for the first time ever, the same aim of all countries in the region - to join or to remain – part of the European Union. Student is expected to acquire a sound knowledge of the most relevant historical events in the 20th century Balkans, to develop an in-depth knowledge of integrative and disruptive factors, the role of communism and nationalism, the impact of the external factors and agencies in the regional stabilization/destabilization.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Tvrtko Jakovina