Apr 25, 2023

A Concise History of Serbia

Dejan Djokić

Hosted by Iva Glisic

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Summary

Dejan Djokić's book A Concise History of Serbia (Cambridge UP, 2023) covers the full span of Serbia's history – from the sixth-century Slav migrations through until the present day – in an effort to understand the country’s position at the crossroads of east and west. The book traces key developments surrounding the medieval and modern polities associated with Serbs, offering fresh interpretations and revealing a fascinating history of entanglements and communication between southeastern and wider Europe, which often had global implications. In structuring his inquiry around several recurring themes including migration, shifting borders, and the fate of small nations, Djokic challenges some of the prevailing stereotypes about Serbia and reveals the vitality of Serbian identity through the centuries.

Dejan Djokić is Professor of Modern and Contemporary History and Founding Director of the Centre for the Study of the Balkans at Goldsmiths College, University of London. In June 2023, he will join the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, as Professor of History. Djokic’s research brings together three main strands of inquiry: the Yugoslav war; the global and cultural history of the Cold War; and the history of Southeastern Europe since the Middle Ages. His publications include Nikola Pašić and Ante Trumbić: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (2010) and Elusive Compromise: A History of Interwar Yugoslavia (2007), as well as contributions to numerous edited volumes, including New Perspectives on Yugoslavia: Key Issues and Controversies (2011).

Iva Glisic is a historian and art historian specialising in modern Russia and the Balkans.