
Founding a Balkan State
Albania's Experiment with Democracy, 1920-1925
Robert Clegg Austin(Author)
University of Toronto Press
Published on 26. September 2012
Book
Hardback
248 pages
978-1-4426-4435-9 (ISBN)
Description
Founding a Balkan State examines the pivotal period in Albanian history when the country's fundamental goals and directions were most hotly contested. In 1920, liberal Albanian leaders - led by the US-educated Bishop Fan S. Noli - began working to introduce democracy to the country, hoping that it would lead to modernization, prosperity, and overturning the legacy of five hundred years of Ottoman rule. In 1924, these leaders mounted a successful revolution; by 1925, however, their forces were in retreat. Albania soon slid into dictatorship under Ahmed Bey Zogu - first as president, then as self-proclaimed king.
Founding a Balkan State provides the only comprehensive assessment in English of these events. Robert C. Austin first delves into the country's weak domestic and international position both before and after the First World War, then assesses the internal and external challenges posed to its state- and nation-building efforts. Austin shrewdly demonstrates how the missed opportunities of Albania's political transition affected the course of Balkan history for decades to come.
Founding a Balkan State provides the only comprehensive assessment in English of these events. Robert C. Austin first delves into the country's weak domestic and international position both before and after the First World War, then assesses the internal and external challenges posed to its state- and nation-building efforts. Austin shrewdly demonstrates how the missed opportunities of Albania's political transition affected the course of Balkan history for decades to come.
Reviews / Votes
'Austin's excellent survey is a welcome addition to the scholarship.... Students of the modern Balkans will benefit most from this work.' - Isa Blumi (Slavic Review vol 72:04:2013) 'Austin's book is a very important and valuable groundbreaking work that is likely to have a major influence on future studies of the Zogist period.' - James Pettifer (Canadian Journal of History, vol 68: autumn 2013)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Toronto
Canada
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
10 illustrations; 2 maps
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4426-4435-9 (9781442644359)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
12/2012
1st Edition
University of Toronto Press
€56.95
Available for download
Person
Robert C. Austin is an associate professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.
Content
Contents
Preface
Map 1 Albania
Map 2 The Disputed Regions of Vermosh and Saint Naum
1 Internal and External Challenges
2 Creating a Revolutionary Situation
3 Fan Noli in Power
4 Albania's Neighbours - Yugoslavia and Greece
5 Great Britain, Italy, and the United States
6 The League of Nations and the Soviet Union
7 Traitor One Day, Patriot the Next
8 Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Map 1 Albania
Map 2 The Disputed Regions of Vermosh and Saint Naum
1 Internal and External Challenges
2 Creating a Revolutionary Situation
3 Fan Noli in Power
4 Albania's Neighbours - Yugoslavia and Greece
5 Great Britain, Italy, and the United States
6 The League of Nations and the Soviet Union
7 Traitor One Day, Patriot the Next
8 Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index