NEW “Balkans Constantinople to Communism” Roman Byzantine Medieval Ottoman Islam

Description: The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism by Dennis P. Hupchick. DESCRIPTION: Hardcover with Dust Jacket: 468 pages. Publisher: Palgrave; (2002). ISBN: 0312217366. The very name of “The Balkans” may conjure up images of otherness, springing as it does from a colloquial Turkish word for “mountain”. The mystery and otherness inherent in that word may explain why the Balkans has long been a misunderstood region in the Western mind. Some have seen it as the spawning place of the Byzantine Empire, while others see it as one of the places where Islam took hold and flourished. The violent chaos and human tragedies in Bosnia and Kosovo brought the ongoing tragedies of the Balkans into the spotlight, allowing commentators to talk about “centuries-old religious and ethnic hatreds”, “the legacy of Islamic Ottoman domination”, “communist dictatorial traditions”, “’new’ nationalism”, and “economic inequalities” as sources of the conflict. In reality, how effective are an of these statements in determining the roots of the region’s problems? In “Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism”, Dennis P. Hupchick dispels these commentaries as either inaccurate or misleading as he takes the reader on a historical journey through the varied cultural evolutions on the Balkans from antiquity through the collapse of communism. Hupchick looks at the arrival of the Avars, Slavs, and Bulgars in the sixth and seventh centuries; the rise of Slavic Orthodox Serbia in the fourteenth century; the conquest of the Balkans by the Ottoman Turks; the impact of the Crimean and World Wars; the rise and fall of Communist domination; and the uncertainties and tragedies of the post-Communist period. Throughout, Hupchick takes into account the cultural complexities of the region and clearly explains them for Western readers. For the way in which it demystifies history, “The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism” is the new standard against which all other histories of the region will be judged. CONDITION: Unblemished except for VERY slight edge and corner shelf wear to dustjacket and covers (including a teeny-tiny 1/4 inch closed, neatly mended edge tear to the backside of the dustjacket at the spine heel. Pages are pristine; clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. Condition is entirely consistent with new stock from a bookstore environment wherein new books might show minor signs of shelfwear, consequence of simply being shelved and re-shelved. Satisfaction guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK. PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW. PUBLISHER REVIEW: REVIEW: The tragedies of Bosnia and Kosovo are often explained away as the unchangeable legacy of "centuries-old hatreds”. In this richly detailed, expertly balanced chronicle of the Balkans across fifteen centuries, Dennis Hupchick sets a complicated record straight. Organized around the three great civilizations of the region--Western European, Orthodox Christian, and Muslim--this is a much-needed guide to the political, social, cultural, and religious threads of Balkan history--with a clear, convincing account of the reasons for nationalist violence and terror. Dennis P. Hupchick is Associate Professor of History at Wilkes University, Pennsylvania. He is a former Fulbright Scholar to Bulgaria, and the past president of the Bulgarian Studies Association. He is the co-author of “The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Balkans” and “The Palgrave Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe”. PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS: REVIEW: Hupchick offers a comprehensive introductory survey of the history of the Balkans in its entirety. He follows the traditions of the great historians of the region, such as Charles and Barbara Jelavich (“The Establishment of the Balkan National States”) and fills the gap left by so many books from the past decades by offering a historically impartial overview of the region (not just of the former Yugoslavia but also of Greece, Albania, Romania, and Bulgaria). Moreover, Hupchick does not focus solely on nationalism, an interpretation that overwhelms present scholarship. He also outlines all the events that have profoundly shaped the Balkans, starting with the rise of Byzantium and ending with the fall of communism. Although this work will serve as a solid reference for specialists, it successfully targets non-specialists and students wishing to acquaint themselves with the rich cultural traditions left by the three major civilizations that collided in this region: Islamic, Western Christian, and Eastern Orthodox. REVIEW: The violent chaos and human tragedies in Bosnia and Kosovo commonly have been attributed to "centuries old religious and ethnic hatreds", "the legacy of Islamic Ottoman domination", "communist dictatorial traditions", "new nationalism" and "economic inequalities". This volume dispels such explanations as either historical or misleading generalities. By surveying the history of human group identity in the Balkans within the context of political cultures created by three civilizations - Orthodox Eastern European, Islamic, and Western European - during the past 15 centuries, Dennis Hupchick demonstrates that the roots of the turmoil lie in the historically recent disruptive impact of Western nationalist concepts on two traditionally national civilized societies. REVIEW: A definitive guide to this turbulent and complicated region traces the Balkans across fifteen centuries, centering around the three great civilizations of the region--Western European, Orthodox Christian, and Muslim, and detailing the political, social, cultural and religious facets of Balkan history. Dennis Hupchick demonstrates that the roots of the turmoil in Bosnia and Kosovo lie in the historically recent disruptive impact of Western nationalist concepts on two traditionally national civilized societies. REVIEW: A comprehensive introductory survey of the history of the Balkans in its entirety. Hupchick offers an introduction to an area whose history is little known to a general public. READER REVIEW: REVIEW: Exploration of the ancient homeland of Byzantium through modern times. Hupchick serves up an accessible and balanced history of the Balkans from the rise of the Bulgar state in the seventh century to the fall of communism. To take the reader effortlessly through 1,400 years of history in a region where the Hellenic, Slav, and Ottoman worlds met, mingled, and clashed, where numerous empires have risen and fallen, is no mean feat. It is the period since the birth of the nation-state and death of the Ottoman empire, dominated by two world wars and two "isms," that makes the author agnostic about the region's future. Often in but not of Europe, these states may transcend the past's "divisive, ruinous nationalisms" and break free of the authoritarianism rooted in the "Orthodox-Byzantine and Ottoman past." But he is not sure. A very enlightening and compelling read, highly recommend to all enthusiasts of Central Europe’s history. I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. This book is shipped FOR FREE via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). All domestic shipments and most international shipments will include free USPS Delivery Confirmation (you might be able to update the status of your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site and free insurance coverage). A small percentage of international shipments may require an additional fee for tracking and/or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about a little wear and tear to the book in transit, I would suggest a boxed shipment - it is an extra $1.00. Whether via padded mailer or box, we will give discounts for multiple purchases. 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Location: Lummi Island, Washington

End Time: 2024-03-26T05:58:09.000Z

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