Balkan Babel: The Disintegration of Yugoslavia from the Death of Tito to Ethnic War

by Sabrina P. Ramet

A veteran observer of the Yugoslav scene, Sabrina Ramet describes here the interlocking forces shaping a country on the verge of fragmentation.

Arguing that cultural and religious values underpin political behavior, she traces the steady deterioration of Yugoslavia's social and political fabric over the past decade. This decline, she maintains, is deeply rooted in historical trauma and memory and was foreshadowed in the cultural sphere. Ramet explores the unfolding political debates from 1980 to 1986, the growing crisis triggered by the ascent to power of Slobodan Milosevic to power in Serbia, and the dramatic collapse of the existing political order beginning in 1989. She ties these events to the often-overlooked religious and cultural elements of society that have influenced political change. At this point, she contends, no aspect of Yugoslav life--from the media to gender relations to rock music--has escaped the strife-ridden nationality debate or the country's steady political decay. Ramet closes with an analysis of the military conflicts of 1991 and the quickening pressures to break up the country. This book is based on extensive field work in Yugoslavia, involving wide-ranging interviews in five republics over a period of a decade. The result is the most comprehensive survey of recent political, cultural, and religious trends in that polyglot society.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, War

384 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 1992

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramet has become one of the only Western authors I'll even trust to write about the Balkans because she understands the region like none other. This book offers a truly comprehensive take on how Yugoslavia fell apart, from Titoist policies to the role of religion and culture to the role of the West. She does not dive into detail about the war itself but talks instead about the political machinations.
I've seen a few other reviews critique her for not being objective enough and blaming it all on Serbia, which is missing the case. The author lists examples of war crimes conducted by all sides, not just by Serbian forces, but the truth is that Serbian nationalism and Milosevic's megalomania started the war and were responsible for the worst atrocities. To not admit this for some kind of forced objectivity would be deliberately lying.

[Cem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed much more than i usually do. The book brings essays of the author together. Therefore a wide variety of topics are included. However, the transitions are not smooth.

Sadly there are no good books about the subject - at least to my knowledge.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm writing a paper for my ethics class on the deliberate destruction of libraries, monuments and museums during the 1990s Balkan Wars---as a means to eradicate cultural information and cultural heritage. so far this book is only marginally helpful but still kinda interesting. The chronological history is concise and straightforward, but the parts I thought to be more relevant to my paper topic are well, not. The author attempts to look at several forms of traditional and contemporary culture (i.e. rock music) on top of juggling all of the other collisions of culture known to this part of the world.

[Blogul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating subject, but boring, convoluted and vague approach.
The author knows her stuff (good history researcher) but is unable to pass it on to the readers (very, very poor writer).
Not recommended.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was for my Serbia essay, and Ramet is alright, but not to many things to say. It was a straight forward read. I enjoyed the aspects of Yugoslav autonomy that she helped explain why Yugoslavia was set to destruction. She also showed how Milosevic used many different ideas to help strengthen the idea of greater serbia.