'Balkanization' and the Euro-Atlantic Processes of the (Western) Balkans

Rezensionen / Stimmen

"This well-researched book is the most thorough examination of the 'balkanization' discourse in contemporary politics. Through unprecedented archival research, Veliu Ashiku demonstrates the discursive power of 'balkanization' and its profound impact on the aspirations of (Western) Balkan countries to join the EU and NATO. The book brilliantly deconstructs the complexity and mutating nature of the 'balkanization', and it is a must-read for anyone interested in European identity discourse, state labeling, and regional integration." - Gezim Visoka, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dublin City University, Ireland

"To a historian like myself, usually suspicious of political science modeling, this book is untypically gratifying. The author offers a chronological journey, tracing the roots of 'balkanization' from the tumultuous times of the First World War, and guiding readers through the myriad events that have defined the region in the modern era. It is perhaps for the best that Western politicians will not read this book, but it will be broadly appreciated by those interested in and caring about the Balkans." - Maria Todorova, Gutgsell Professor of History Emerita, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States

"This book inverts the discourse of the EU/NATO enlargement as the benevolent spread of guarantees to peripheral others and demonstrates instead how the fragmented, balkanized, heathens may be necessary for Western unity. Richly documented genealogy of 'balkanization' and masterfully analyzed discursive games between Western and Balkan politicians expose the limits of techno-bureaucratic approaches to European integration, demanding a fundamental re-think of the European project from the perspective of its margins." - Aida A. Hozic, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Florida, United States