Zusatztext [Imagining the Balkans] gained the status of a classic and it can certainly be regarded as one of the most influential books about (Southeast) European history of the past decades ... Maria Todorova's book has not lost in importance in the 20 years since it was published. It was a 'must-read' when it came out and it remains so today. Informationen zum Autor Maria Todorova is Gutgsell Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Klappentext Imagining the Balkans examines how an innocent geographic appellation was transformed into a powerful and widespread pejorative designation. In a new afterword, Maria Todorova discusses the reaction to her dubbing of the term Balkanism and recent events in the Balkans. Zusammenfassung Imagining the Balkans examines how an innocent geographic appellation was transformed into a powerful and widespread pejorative designation. In a new afterword, Maria Todorova discusses the reaction to her dubbing of the term Balkanism and recent events in the Balkans. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface Introduction: Balkanism and Orientalism: Are They Different Categories? Ch 1:: The Balkans: Nomen Ch 2:: "Balkans" as Self-designation Ch 3:: The Discovery of the Balkans Ch 4:: Patterns of Perception until 1900 Ch 5:: From Discovery to Invention, from Invention to Classification Ch 6:: Between Classification and Politics: The Balkans and the Myth of Central Europe Ch 7:: The Balkans: Realia-Qu'est-ce qu'il y a de hors-texte? Conclusion Afterword to the Updated Edition Notes/ Bibliography/ Index

Autorentext
Maria Todorova is Gutgsell Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Klappentext

"If the Balkans hadn't existed, they would have been invented" was the verdict of Count Hermann Keyserling in his famous 1928 publication, Europe. Over ten years ago, Maria Todorova traced the relationship between the reality and the invention. Based on a rich selection of travelogues, diplomatic accounts, academic surveys, journalism, and belles-lettres in many languages, Imagining the Balkans explored the ontology of the Balkans from the sixteenth century to the present day, uncovering the ways in which an insidious intellectual tradition was constructed, became mythologized, and is still being transmitted as discourse.

Maria Todorova, who was raised in the Balkans, is in a unique position to bring both scholarship and sympathy to her subject, and in a new afterword she reflects on recent developments in the study of the Balkans and political developments on the ground since the publication of Imagining the Balkans. The afterword explores the controversy over Todorova's coining of the term Balkanism. With this work, Todorova offers a timely, updated, accessible study of how an innocent geographic appellation was transformed into one of the most powerful and widespread pejorative designations in modern history.

Zusammenfassung
Imagining the Balkans examines how an innocent geographic appellation was transformed into a powerful and widespread pejorative designation. In a new afterword, Maria Todorova discusses the reaction to her dubbing of the term Balkanism and recent events in the Balkans.

Inhalt

• Preface

• Introduction: Balkanism and Orientalism: Are They Different Categories?

• Ch 1:: The Balkans: Nomen

• Ch 2:: "Balkans" as Self-designation

• Ch 3:: The Discovery of the Balkans

• Ch 4:: Patterns of Perception until 1900

• Ch 5:: From Discovery to Invention, from Invention to Classification

• Ch 6:: Between Classification and Politics: The Balkans and the Myth of Central Europe

• Ch 7:: The Balkans: Realia-Qu'est-ce qu'il y a de hors-texte?

• Conclusion

• Afterword to the Updated Edition

• Notes/ Bibliography/ Index