Civic and Uncivic Values in Macedonia


Book Description

One of the central challenges facing Macedonia, along with other Yugoslav successor states, is to develop civic values and to combat such uncivic values as ethnic intolerance, religious bigotry, and homophobia. This volume brings together specialists in Macedonian affairs to offer insights into the experiences and values of the Macedonians.




Civic and Uncivic Values in Macedonia


Book Description

One of the central challenges facing Macedonia, along with other Yugoslav successor states, is to develop civic values and to combat such uncivic values as ethnic intolerance, religious bigotry, and homophobia. This volume brings together specialists in Macedonian affairs to offer insights into the experiences and values of the Macedonians.




Civic and Uncivic Values in Kosovo


Book Description

This volume is driven by the conviction that the key to the establishment of stable liberal democracy anywhere in the world and, in this case, in Kosovo lies in the completion of three interrelated tasks: first, the creation of effective political institutions, based on the principle of the separation of powers (including the independence of the judiciary); second, the promotion of the rule of law; and, third, the promotion of civic values, including tolerance or ethnic/religious/sexual minorities, trust, and respect for the harm principle. In fact, there are problems across all three measures, including with judicial independence, with the rule of law, and with civic values. On the last of these, research findings show that the citizens of Kosovo rank extremely low on trust of other citizens, low on engagement in social organizations, and tolerance of gays, lesbians, and atheists, but high on trust in the political institutions of their country and in pride of their newly independent state.




Civic and Uncivic Values in Poland


Book Description

Poland, like many societies across the world, is becoming more polarized in diverse areas of life, as contending forces seek to advance incompatible agendas. The polarization over values in Polish politics was evident already before communism collapsed but became more obvious in the following years and reached a crescendo after the October 2015 parliamentary elections, which brought a right-wing party into power. This volume focuses on the years since 1989, looking at the clash between civic values (the rule of law, individual rights, tolerance, respect for the harm principle, equality, and neutrality of the state in matters of religion) and uncivic values (the rule of a dictator or dictatorial party, contempt for individual rights, bigotry, disrespect for the harm principle, unequal treatment of people whether through discrimination or through exploitation, and state favoritism of one religion over others). The authors address voting behavior, political parties, anti-Semitism, homophobia, the role of the Catholic Church, and reflections in history textbooks, fi lm, and even rock music. This volume makes clear that for the foreseeable future the conflict in Poland between traditional, conservative values and liberal, civic values is likely to continue, provoking tensions and protests.




Building Democracy in the Yugoslav Successor States


Book Description

Building democracy in societies that have known only authoritarian rule for half a century is complicated. Taking the post-Yugoslav region as its case study, this volume shows how success with democratisation depends on various factors, including establishing the rule of law, the consolidation of free media, and society's acceptance of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities. Surveying the seven successor states, the authors argue that Slovenia is in a class by itself as the most successful, with Croatia and Serbia not far behind. The other states - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo - are all struggling with problems of corruption, poverty, and unemployment. The authors treat the issue of values as a policy problem in its own right, debating the extent to which values have been transformed by changes in education and the media, how churches and women's organisations have entered into the policy debate, and whether governments have embraced a programme designed to effect changes in values.




Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989


Book Description

The collapse of the communist monopoly across Central and Southeastern Europe in 1989-1990 initiated a process of rapid change. This updated second edition comprehensively describes the post-communist trajectory of the states of Central and Southeastern Europe, encompassing democratization, privatization, corruption, and war.




The Aftermath of War


Book Description

At a time when most observers saw war in Europe as belonging to an ever more distant past, the wars of Yugoslav succession shattered this illusion. The direct and indirect consequences of these wars for people in the region are still not fully understood, but it is clear that the war has had far reaching social and political consequences for each national society as a whole. This groundbreaking volume provides a series of analyses of experiences and social attitudes in the Western Balkans in the aftermath of those wars. Based on survey data from 22,000 respondents, the editors have created a volume which contributes to our understanding of both specific war-related effects as well as a detailed description of contemporary attitudes and values across these societies. This book will be of interest to academic specialists and students interested in the effects of war on psychological health and on ethnic relations in the Western Balkans as well as how this applies to other post-conflict societies. It will also be of interest to sociologists, political scientists, and historians studying differences in attitudes between the countries, ethnic groups, and generations in this region related to diverse topics from ethnic tolerance to states’ responsibility for equality and gender roles.




Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia


Book Description

Located in the middle of the Balkans, North Macedonia reflects the turbulent history of the region. The country emerged from former Yugoslavia in the 1990s without violence but struggled to achieve international recognition due to a dispute with neighboring Greece over its name and symbols. The name issue was resolved only in 2018 with the signature of the Prespa Agreement reviving prospects for membership in NATO and the European Union (EU). Yet North Macedonia’s story goes centuries back, to the Middle Ages, the period of Ottoman Rule which lasted until 1912, and the various reincarnations of Yugoslavia. The historical dictionary traces the country’s past and present with a wealth of articles on issues, events, institutions, personalities shaping political, economic and cultural life. It looks at the majority Macedonian as well as other ethnic communities such as the Albanians, Turks and the Roma. There are also entries on North Macedonia’s relations with neighbors, in history and today, as well as with global powers. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about North Macedonia.




The Macedonian Slavs in the Greek Civil War, 1944–1949


Book Description

In this study of Macedonian Slavs in the Greek Civil War, the author examines how their participation in the conflict, and the attempts by other groups to manipulate them, gave rise to modern issues that continue to affect politics in the region today. The Macedonian Question has confounded academics, politicians and the people of the Balkans since the nineteenth century. While the countries have resolved the territorial component of the Macedonian Question, the critical and confusing question surrounding the ethnic and linguistic identity of the people of the region continues to be the source of international debate. Part of the reason for this confusion is because the history of the Macedonian Question is shrouded in nationalist polemics. The role of the Macedonian Slavs involvement in the Greek Civil War is particularly contentious and embedded in nationalist polemics, which has impacted academic inquiry. This book argues that the preponderance of Macedonian Slavs within the communist forces during the Greek Civil War influenced the actions of all the major actors involved, and is a significant factor in shaping the modern Macedonian national identity.




Ethnonationality’s Evolution in Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia


Book Description

This book is centred upon the concept of ‘ethnonationality,’ investigating how its meanings and functions have changed across political regimes, time, and generations. Piacentini explores two similar yet different realities, Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia (now North Macedonia) – both former Yugoslav republics, multiethnic, and currently characterised by consociational arrangements and ethnic politics. This temporal perspective encompasses both the Yugoslav and post-Yugoslav period, empirically exploring two generations living together in the same family, each socialised by different macro-environments and socio-political and economic conditions. The book explores which ideas, rules, and patterns of behaviour related to ethnonationality have been transmitted between the generations. Ethnonationality’s Evolution in Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia will be of interest to students and scholars across a range of disciplines, including sociology, politics, and conflict studies.