Publisher's Synopsis
Vesna Drapac provides an insightful survey of the changing nature of the Yugoslav ideal, demonstrating why Yugoslavism was championed at different times and by whom, and how it was constructed in the minds of outside observers. Covering the period from the 1850s to the death of Tito in 1980, Drapac situates Yugoslavia in the broader international context and examines its history within the more familiar story of Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
This approachable study also explores key themes and debates, including:
the place of the nation-state within the worldview of nineteenth-century intellectuals
the memory of war and commemorative practices in the interwar years
resistance and collaboration
the nature of dictatorships
gender and citizenship
Yugoslavia's role from the perspective of the 'Superpowers'.
Drawing on a wide range of sources in order to recreate the atmosphere of the period, Constructing Yugoslavia traces the formation of popular perceptions of Yugoslavia and their impact on policy toward Yugoslavs. It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the history of this fascinating nation, and its ultimate demise.
