Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans
(New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997)
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Summary: The concept of the other developed in Edward Said's Orientalism are applied to the Balkans. She describes the geographical perception of the Balkans and describes the Western view of the part of Europe through travelogues. She focuses on the main Western European countries (Britain, France, Germany) and the United States. She also examines the response with the Balkans, with a focus on Bulgaria.
Evaluation: Imaging the Balkans is an important book in opening a broader discussion on the Western perception of the Balkans and Eastern Europe in general. A 'must' read for everybody interested in the region and in the national perceptions.
Author: Maria Todorova is a professor of history at the University of Florida. She left her home country Bulgaria in 1988, where she also received here eduction in history.
Some of the Main Points:
In the 19th century the British tend to see the Balkan people as barbarians and are arrogant towards them, thus being rather favourable to the Ottoman rulers. Disraeli in his youth during a tour of the Ottoman Empire considered joining the army to crush a revolt by Albanians. Later he maintained the pro-Ottoman point of view. Turkophiles were more among the aristocracy and pro-Christian among the liberal middle class. Only in 1860’s the existance of Slavs entered the public mind in Britain. Neophyt Rilski (author of the first Bulgarian grammar): ”It is, however, a pity that so great a country, whose children are free to travel where they please, and publish what they please, should remain in such profound ignorance of the Christians in a country where she is on such intimate terms with the Turks.” (p. 98) The revolts in Bosnia and Serbia in 1876 lead to rising awareness of the Slavs and Serbs in Britain.
Uneasiness within the Empire was frequently juxtaposed on the Ottoman Empire: Ireland -> Macedonia, Women’s rights-> Harem, the poor in Victorian Britain->poverty in the Balkans. 101 Suspicion towards many Balkan Slavs because of possible Russian influencs. 1
Until the end of the 19th century the US view coincided closely with the British view, in accounts and diplomacy (to counter Russian imperialism in the region together).
European elites could more closely identify themselves with the Ottoman rulers, than with the Balkan subjects, the so-called aristocratic discourse.
While the British struggled more with adopting an anti-imperial discourse, the American could identify with anti-imperialist movements, while maintaing arrogance and contempt towards peasants.
There never was one Western discourse on the Balkans, but several, depending on the country and background (aristocrat, liberal etc.)
With the beginning of the 20th century the Balkans are increasingly seen as terrorist and threatening. The image of the good-natured Balkan people is evaporating. The assination of Ferdinand is the ”original sin.”
Many western observers found their ”pet nation” in the Balkans
Agatha Christie in ”The Secret of Chimneys” imaginary Balkan country: ”Herzoslovakia: principle rivers unknow. Principle mountains, also unknown, but fairly numerous. Capital, Ekarest. Population, chiefly brigands. Hobby, assasinating kings and having revolutions.”
The description of the Balkan wars was as non-European event, against European progress. With the outbreak of WW1 the Balkans were acutally the messanger of Europeaness.
After WW2 the Balkans were again lost for Europe. Greece, the heartland of the Balkans was taken out and included in the Mediterranean region. Greece became Westernised as an outpost of democracy against communism
The separatness of the Balkans justfied the non-involvment of Europe in the Yugoslav war: ”Why does war need to be Balkan? The Spanish civil war was Spanish, not Iberian or Southwest European; the Greek civil war was never Balkan; the problem of Northern Ireland is fittingly localized-it is called neither Irish, nor British, not English, which it precisely is.” (p.186)
The Balkans served as the other for Europe, absorbing externalized political, ideological and cultural frustrations. Since Europe tends to invent the counterpart to its own movements (racism, antiracism etc.), it has yet to invent the opposite to Balkanism....
Links on Maria Todorova and the book
UF Professor book aims to correct Western image of the Balkans gives a brief synopsis of the book and statements by Maria Todorova.
UF Professor Explains How Balkans Got Their Reputation is an interview with the author on the reception of the book.
Milica Bakic-Hayden, "Nesting Orientalisms: The Case of Former Yugoslavia" Slavic Review 54, no. 4, (Winter 1995): 917-931 The essay by Milica Bakic-Hayden is closely related the topic of Maria Todorova's book and a valuable contribution.
Edward Said, Orientalism: a Brief Definition (from Orientalism, New York: Vintage, 1979.) This excerpt offers the definition used by Said on Orientalism, which is discussed by Todorova.