Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States (Religion and Global Politics)

Reporting from the heartland of Yugoslavia in the 1970s, Washington Post correspondent Dusko Doder described "a landscape of Gothic spires, Islamic mosques, and Byzantine domes." A quarter century later, this landscape lay in ruins. In addition to claiming tens of thousands of lives, the former Yugoslavia's four wars ravaged over a thousand religious buildings, many purposefully destroyed by Serbs, Albanians, and Croats alike, providing an apt architectural metaphor for the region's recent history. Rarely has the human impulse toward monocausality--the need for a single explanation--been in greater evidence than in Western attempts to make sense of the country's bloody dissolution. From Robert Kaplan's controversial Balkan Ghosts, which identified entrenched ethnic hatreds as the driving force behind Yugoslavia's demise to NATO's dogged pursuit and arrest of Slobodan Milosevic, the quest for easy answers has frequently served to obscure the Balkans' complex history. Perhaps most surprisingly, no book has focused explicitly on the role religion has played in the conflicts that continue to torment southeastern Europe. Based on a wide range of South Slav sources and previously unpublished, often confidential documents from communist state archives, as well as on the author's own on-the-ground experience, Balkan Idols explores the political role and influence of Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic, and Yugoslav Muslim religious organizations over the course of the last century. Vjekoslav Perica emphatically rejects the notion that a "clash of civilizations" has played a central role in fomenting aggression. He finds no compelling evidence of an upsurge in religious fervor among the general population. Rather, he concludes, the primary religious players in the conflicts have been activist clergy. This activism, Perica argues, allowed the clergy to assume political power without the accountability faced by democratically-elected officials. What emerges from Perica's account is a deeply nuanced understanding of the history and troubled future of one of Europes most volatile regions.

reporting From The Heartland Of Yugoslavia In The 1970s, Washington Post Correspondent Dusko Doder Described A Landscape Of Gothic Spires, Islamic Mosques, And Byzantine Domes. A Quarter Century Later, This Landscape Lay In Ruins. In Addition To Claiming Tens Of Thousands Of Lives, The Former Yugoslavia's Four Wars Ravaged Over A Thousand Religious Buildings, Many Purposefully Destroyed By Serbs, Albanians, And Croats Alike, Providing An Apt Architectural Metaphor For The Region's Recent History.

rarely Has The Human Impulse Toward Monocausality—the Need For A Single Explanation—been In Greater Evidence Than In Western Attempts To Make Sense Of The Country's Bloody Dissolution. From Robert Kaplan's Controversial Balkan Ghosts, Which Identified Entrenched Ethnic Hatreds As The Driving Force Behind Yugoslavia's Demise To Nato's Dogged Pursuit And Arrest Of Slobodan Milosevic, The Quest For Easy Answers Has Frequently Served To Obscure The Balkans' Complex History. Perhaps Most Surprisingly, No Book Has Focused Explicitly On The Role Religion Has Played In The Conflicts That Continue To Torment Southeastern Europe.

based On A Wide Range Of South Slav Sources And Previously Unpublished, Often Confidential Documents From Communist State Archives, As Well As On The Author's Own On-the-ground Experience, Balkan Idols Explores The Political Role And Influence Of Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic, And Yugoslav Muslim Religious Organizations Over The Course Of The Last Century. Vjekoslav Perica Emphatically Rejects The Notion That A Clash Of Civilizations Has Played A Central Role In Fomenting Aggression. He Finds No Compelling Evidence Of An Upsurge In Religious Fervor Among The General Population. Rather, He Concludes, The Primary Religious Players In The Conflicts Have Been Activist Clergy. This Activism, Perica Argues, Allowed The Clergy To Assume Political Power Without The Accountablity Faced By Democratically-elected Officials.

what Emerges From Perica's Account Is A Deeply Nuanced Understanding Of The History And Troubled Future Of One Of Europes Most Volatile Regions.

foreign Affairs

this Is The First Political History Of The Three Principal Organized Religions In Postwar Yugoslavia And Its Successor States: The Croatian Catholic Church, The Serbian Orthodox Church, And The Islamic Community. Perica Carefully Explores The Relationships Of Each To Tito's Yugoslavia, To One Another, To The Wars, And To The New States. The Serbian And Croatian Churches, In Particular, Have Long Arrogated The Definition Of Nationhood To Themselves. Because Ecumenical Moments In Yugoslavia Were Few, Empathy For Those Of Another Faith Was Limited, And Commitment To An Open-armed, United Yugoslavia Was Weak, The Link Between Religion And Nationalism Was Neither Liberal In The Communist Period Nor Benevolent During Communism's Collapse. All Too Often, The Role Of The Churches — At Times The Leadership, At Other Times The Clergy — Has Been To Enlarge The Sense Of Victimhood And To Justify Revenge.

Based On A Wide Range Of South Slav Sources And Previously Unpublished, Often Confidential, Documents From Communist State Archives, As Well As On The Author's Own On-the-ground Experience, Balkan Idols Explores The Political Role And Influence Of Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic, And Yugoslav Muslim Religious Organizations Over The Course Of The Last Century. Vjekoslav Perica Emphatically Rejects The Notion That A Clash Of Civilizations Has Played A Central Role In Fomenting Aggression. He Finds No Compelling Evidence Of An Upsurge In Religious Fervor Among The General Population. Rather, He Concludes, The Primary Religious Players In The Conflicts Have Been Activist Clergy. This Activism, Perica Argues, Allowed The Clergy To Assume Political Power Without The Accountability Faced By Democratically Elected Officials.--jacket. Religion, Ethnicity, And Nationhood -- The First Strife : The Crisis Of The 1930s, War, And The Cease-fire Of The 1960s -- The Other Serbia : The Serbian Church In The Communist Federation -- The Catholic Church And The Making Of The Croatian Nation, 1970-1984 -- The Bosnian Ulema And Muslim Nationalism -- United We Stand, Divided We Fall : The Civil Religion Of Brotherhood And Unity -- Mary-making In Herzegovina : From Apparitions To Partitions -- Flames And Shrines : The Serbian Church And Serbian Nationalist Movement In The 1980s -- The Second Strife : Religion As The Catalyst Of The Crisis In The 1980s And 1990s -- Religion As Hallmark Of Nationhood -- The Twilight Of Balkan Idols. Vjekoslav Perica. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 309-324) And Index. On 8 June 2000, as the war between the NATO alliance and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was concluding, the cover page of the Belgrade weekly NIN featured a blue-helmeted UN soldier (apparently from an African country) on guard duty in front of the fourteenth-century Byzantine church of Gracanica near the Kosovo battlefield of 1989. This text explores the political role and influence of Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic, and Yugoslav Muslim religious organizations in the Balkans during 20th century. The author rejects the notion that a ""clash of civilizations"" has played a central role in formenting aggression