Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know® - Softcover

Judah, Tim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195373456 ISBN 13: 9780195373455

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its independence, becoming the seventh state to emerge from the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. A tiny country of just two million people, 90% of whom are ethnic Albanians, Kosovo is central-geographically, historically, and politically-to the future of the Western Balkans and, in turn, its potential future within the European Union. But the fate of both Kosovo, condemned by Serbian leaders as a "fake state" and the region as a whole, remains uncertain.

In Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know®, Tim Judah provides a straight-forward guide to the complicated place that is Kosovo. Judah, who has spent years covering the region, offers succinct, penetrating answers to a wide range of questions: Why is Kosovo important? Who are the Albanians? Who are the Serbs? Why is Kosovo so important to Serbs? What role does Kosovo play in the region and in the world? Judah reveals how things stand now and presents the history and geopolitical dynamics that have led to it. The most important of these is the question of the right to self-determination, invoked by the Kosovo Albanians, as opposed to right of territorial integrity invoked by the Serbs. For many Serbs, Kosovo's declaration of independence and subsequent recognition has been traumatic, a savage blow to national pride. Albanians, on the other hand, believe their independence rights an historical wrong: the Serbian conquest (Serbs say "liberation") of Kosovo in 1912.

For anyone wishing to understand both the history and possible future of Kosovo at this pivotal moment in its history, this book offers a wealth of insight and information in a uniquely accessible format.

What Everyone Needs to Know® is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.

About this title

About the Author

Tim Judah is a correspondent for The Economist covering the Balkans. He is the author of Kosovo: War and Revenge, and The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia.

Reviews

Judah, a correspondent for the Economist who has covered the Balkans during years of great change and upheaval, takes up the daunting challenge of explaining Kosovo's—and its region's—history to a novice reader. His emphasis is on the past 20 years, with enough about earlier years to explain issues that linger. The small state of Kosovo, with its predominantly ethnic Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia earlier this year. The relationship between Albanians and Serbs has been a complex dance of changing allies and hegemons, as well as continuing animosity, with refugee populations frequently stranded on the wrong side of a changed border. Judah does a commendable job of telling the dense story in an understandable fashion. Because the region changes so quickly, an up-to-date history like this is welcome. Readers seeking a more in-depth treatment will be well served by Miranda Vickers's Between Serb and Albanian: A History of Kosovo, now ten years old, or Paul Hockenos's more recent Homeland Calling: Exile Patriotism and the Balkan Wars. Suitable for popular collections.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York
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Economist correspondent Judah’s primer on Europe’s youngest country packs a surprising amount of nuance into a slim volume. This is good, for his is an exceedingly complex and politically fraught topic that would seem to permit little clumsiness. Though his stated goal is to provide the basics—Who are the Albanians? Who are the Serbians?—even these are difficult questions to answer without engaging in a fairly sophisticated discussion about ancient and recent history, national identity, and, of course, the war. As Judah understands, histories are constantly being reshaped for political gain, and shifting allegiances and the activities of one’s neighbors can all define the contours of national identity. His analysis is thus considerably strengthened by the author’s command of the Balkans’ fluid and occasionally opaque demographics. Emphasizing political and ethnic variables, this book will unfortunately not tell you everything you need to know about the region’s music, art, or cuisine. Tracking recent events up through and including Kosovo’s spring 2008 independence, however, it remains a solid introduction to an important topic. --Brendan Driscoll

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195373456
• ISBN 13: 9780195373455
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208