Imagining the Balkans

Maria Todorova begins Imagining the Balkans with a striking opening sentence: "A specter haunts Western culture: the specter of the Balkans." In a sense, this book consists of an in-depth explanation of how this "ghost" is created and used, and what functions it performs. According to Todorova, the discourse built around the Balkans also plays a critical role in establishing the self-image of the "West". The Balkans, which are subject to a different stigma than the "East", represent the other within the West itself. The author, who is also sensitive to the differences within the West, opposes a homogeneous concept of the "West" and examines the common points in the Balkan imaginations of various Western nations, as well as the different (and changing over time) emphases. With her incredibly rich knowledge, Todorova not only presents the history of the very striking images created from the outside perspective regarding the peninsula, she also researches the inside views of various Balkan nations, and even gives priority to this subject. It investigates to what extent being from the Balkans has an important place in the identities of the nations in question. For example, although the Balkans are an Ottoman legacy, it examines why being a Balkan remains in a marginal position within the various binary oppositions that establish Turkish national identity. Perhaps the most dazzling aspect of the book is that it grounds all concrete problems and evaluations with very sophisticated theoretical discussions. Envisioning the Balkans is a masterpiece that is considered a classic in many respects and whose importance is indisputable.



Number of Pages: 440

Year of Printing: 2006


Language: Turkish
Publisher: Iletisim Publishing

Number of Pages: 440

First Print Year: 2003

Language Turkish