Ethnic Nationalism: The Tragic Death of Yugoslavia

From Publishers Weekly
Sociologist Denitch examines the collapse of Yugoslavia and the disastrous ethnic war that has resulted. Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Following After the Flood: World Politics and Democracy in the Wake of Communism (LJ 3/15/93), Denitch again examines the demise of communism-this time turning his attention to Yugoslavia. The result is a polemic written by a self-conscious "anti-nationalist Serb" in a spirit of "anger, pity, [and] sorrow." Sympathy for social democracy and the potential of former Yugoslavia informs his useful rebuttal to vacuous interpretations of the country's victimization in historic feuds. Denitch blames Yugoslavia's demise on numerous factors: decentralization and ethnic mobilization in place of democratization; the presidents of Serbia and Croatia; the "rogue" army leadership; and foreign influences such as premature recognition and the "echo effect" of events in Eastern Europe. Denitch's analysis is plausible, but his failure to deal with the genocidal mass violence undercuts his argument. To claim that the "know-nothing politics" of Yugoslavs and European soccer fans have "a great deal in common" ignores the duration, scale, and psychology of the current war and the consequences of former Yugoslavia's nationality policy. Recommended for larger academic libraries.Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ.-ErieCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.


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Following After the Flood: World Politics and Democracy in the Wake of Communism (LJ 3/15/93), Denitch again examines the demise of communism-this time turning his attention to Yugoslavia. The result is a polemic written by a self-conscious ``anti-nationalist Serb'' in a spirit of ``anger, pity, [and] sorrow.'' Sympathy for social democracy and the potential of former Yugoslavia informs his useful rebuttal to vacuous interpretations of the country's victimization in historic feuds. Denitch blames Yugoslavia's demise on numerous factors: decentralization and ethnic mobilization in place of democratization; the presidents of Serbia and Croatia; the ``rogue'' army leadership; and foreign influences such as premature recognition and the ``echo effect'' of events in Eastern Europe. Denitch's analysis is plausible, but his failure to deal with the genocidal mass violence undercuts his argument. To claim that the ``know-nothing politics'' of Yugoslavs and European soccer fans have ``a great deal in common'' ignores the duration, scale, and psychology of the current war and the consequences of former Yugoslavia's nationality policy. Recommended for larger academic libraries.-Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ.-Erie


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