Balkan as Metaphor: Between Globalization and Fragmentation

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The term "Balkan" exists at the intersection of tragedy and myth, serving as a metaphor that has been both embraced and misused in academic discourse by various political factions. It has been co-opted by multiculturalism, postmodernism, and postcommunism, often used pejoratively to critique excessive specialization or nostalgically to evoke Europe's lost people—its wild warriors and passionate geniuses. This exploration delves into the concept of the Balkan as a metaphor and the significance of Balkan identity in contemporary culture. By examining Balkanism as both a body of knowledge and a critical discourse, the work parallels Edward Said's "Orientalism." Sixteen authors, primarily from the Balkans, utilize Western academic frameworks such as postmodernism, poststructuralism, and psychoanalysis to analyze diverse topics including the rhetoric of Balkanization, the Kosovo war, the Western portrayal of Serbs, Balkan cinema, human rights, Byzantinism, and the cultural imagery surrounding violence and victimhood. This book aims to establish a new field of study while resisting fragmented representations of the Balkans, which often reduce the region to mere geopolitical entities within the global market.