Outcast Europe: The Balkans, 1789-1989 by Tom Gallagher

Outcast Europe: The Balkans, 1789-1989 by Tom Gallagher

Examining two centuries of Balkan politics, from the emergence of nationalism to the retreat of Communist power in 1989, this is the first book to systematically argue that many of the region's problems are external in origin. A decade of instability in the Balkan states of southeast Europe has given the region one of the worst images in world politics. The Balkans has become synonymous with chaos and extremism. Balkanization, meaning conflict arising from the fragmentation of political power, is a condition feared across the globe. This new text assesses the key issues of Balkan politics, showing how the development of exclusive nationalism has prevented the region’s human and material resources from being harnessed in a constructive way. It argues that the proximity of the Balkans to the great powers is the main reason for instability and decline. Britain, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and finally the USA had conflicting ambitions and interests in the region. Russia had imperial designs before and after the 1917 Revolution. The Western powers sometimes tolerated these or encouraged undemocratic local forces to exercise control in order to block further Soviet expansion. Leading authority Tom Gallagher examines the origins of these Western prejudices towards the Balkans, tracing the damaging effects of policies based on Western lethargy and cynicism, and reassesses the negative image of the region, its citizens, their leadership skills and their potential to overcome crucial problems.

"This is a challenging, illuminating and very readable account of the cleavages and conflicts within and between Southeast European states and their relations with the great powersIt is certainly the kind of book that will appeal to non-academic as well as academic readers wanting to know more about his region and its turbulent past."- Robert Bideleux, University of Wales, Swansea

Tom Gallagher is Chair of Ethnic Peace and Conflict at the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780415375597
ISBN 10	0415375592
Title	Outcast Europe: The Balkans, 1789-1989
Author	Tom Gallagher
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Taylor & Francis Ltd
Year published	2005-03-23
Number of pages	336
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.