With their recently declared independence from one another in the aftermath of the breakdown of the USSR, Serbia and Montenegro are coming into their own, all while keeping their long histories of traditions and customs alive and growing. A blend of Eastern traditions with European cultures provides a unique foundation for these Balkan countries. Narrative chapters examine every day contemporary life in Serbia and Montenegro, focusing on topics such as daily religious practices, gender roles, family life, cuisine, fashion, literature, art and architecture, and more. This volume is the perfect addition to high school and public libraries, and is even ideal for college students studying abroad.

The Balkans—the gateway between East and West—are also Europe's soft underbelly, a rough neighborhood where organized crime and terrorism present a constant threat. This eye-opening book details how 15 years of misguided Western interventions, political scheming, and local mafia appeasement, compounded by a massive infusion of Arab cash, fundamentalist Islamic preaching and mosque-building have allowed radical Islamic groups to fill in the cracks between internal ethnic and religious schisms and take root in key areas of the Balkans. With all eyes currently focused on the widening conflict in the Middle East and the terrorist threat coming from the region, the West is in danger of overlooking a potent new battleground in the greater war on terror—the Balkans. This historically volatile region saw some of the worst violence of the late 20th century in the Yugoslav Wars of Secession. During these conflicts, stunningly shortsighted and politically motivated policies of the United States and its allies directly allowed Islamic mujahedin and terrorist-related entities to establish a foothold in the region—just as with the progenitors of the Taliban a decade earlier in Afghanistan. Although the 9/11 attacks caused a partial reassessment of Western policy, it may already be too late for a region still largely ignored. The proliferation of foreign fundamentalist groups has had a cancerous effect on traditional Balkan Islamic communities, challenging their legitimacy in unprecedented and often violent ways. Well-funded groups like the Saudi-backed Wahabbis continue to exploit internal schisms within local communities, while the international administrations in Bosnia and Kosovo have actually strengthened the grip of local mafia groups—business partners of terrorists. Worst of all, the Western peacekeepers' chronic don't rock the boat mentality has allowed extremist groups to operate unchallenged. Nevertheless, regional demographic and cultural trends, coinciding with an increasingly hostile attitude in the larger Muslim world over Western military actions and perceived symbolic provocations, indicate that the lawless Balkans will become increasingly valuable as a strategic base for Islamic radicals over the next two decades. Utilizing the post-al-Qaeda tactics of a decentralized jihad carried out through small, independent cells (leaderless resistance) while seeking to fundamentally and violently remold Muslim societies, such Balkan-based extremists pose a unique and tangible threat to Western security.

This new addition to Greenwood's Histories of the Modern Nations series provides a comprehensive introduction to the intertwined histories of Croatia and Slovenia, two Balkan nations and former members of the Yugoslav Federation. The recent histories of Croatia and Slovenia have been relatively stable, as both countries have merged successfully into modern Europe. But how did these countries arrive at such a place? The History of Croatia and Slovenia provides factual overviews of these countries' political systems, geographical details, significant individuals, and more. The volume opens with the prehistoric and ancient roots of these states, though this history predates their modern ethnic and linguistic identities as we know them. Chapters cover the Roman period, followed by barbarian waves and the countries' subsequent absorption into the Venetian, Hungarian, and Holy Roman Empires. The modern period of national awakening in the nineteenth century, when the ethno-genesis of modern Croatia and Slovenia began, is covered in great detail. The volume additionally covers subsequent turbulent events such as WWI, WWII, the Holocaust, Communist Yugoslavia, and its civil wars of the 1990s, through the events of 2019. Written in approachable yet scholarly language, this volume is ideal for high school and university students, as well as any reader interested in Balkan or European history. Covers the oft-overlooked contributions to European development made by various ethnic groups no longer extant, such as the Avars, and the unexpected modernity of former civilizations, such as the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) Provides a critical view of the past century of political turbulence in this part of the Balkans, objectively discussing the mixed roles of local and foreign protagonists and their continuing legacies Includes a chronology of important events in the histories of both Croatia and Slovenia, providing students with an at-a-glance overview of the two countries' histories Provide biographies of those who have made important contributions to the countries through history in an appendix of Notable People in the History of Croatia and Slovenia Provides readers with detailed information on further resources for their personal research in an annotated bibliography

A fundamental resource for anyone interested in the long-term ramifications of the European migration crisis, this book objectively assesses how Europe's future course will be impacted by the key security, political, and economic trends and events stemming from the migration crisis. The November 13, 2015 Paris terrorist attacks marked the definitive moment when the migration crisis became associated with terrorism, stoking an increasingly heated debate over the perceived dangers of migration, Islam, and extremist politics in Europe. The sudden emergence of migration as the mobilizing factor for European security, political discourse, and socio-economic realities has profoundly affected Europe's contrasting perceptions of its own identity and values, precipitating an increasingly global response to tackling migration challenges in Europe and worldwide. Migration, Terrorism, and the Future of a Divided Europe: A Continent Transformed chronicles the turbulent events of the 2015-2016 migration crisis, creating a context in which future political, economic, social, and security trends in Europe can be understood. The study also examines in detail the deep history of the ideological origins and histories of treaties and policies that have defined the European Union and its guidance of the crisis. Readers will gain insight into the origins, factual realities, and projected ramifications for the continent's future security, politics, and socio-economic identity; the impact of media coverage on public perception; the differing policies and rhetoric of rival right- and left-wing parties in Europe; and the new security threats arising from a widened terrorist threat matrix that will comprise new targets, methods, and logistics. Finally, the book outlines the larger policy actions and trends expected, on the global level, towards handling future migration crises, and explains how this will have an impact on Europe. This important new work is the cumulative result of author Chris Deliso's extensive academic background in European history and thought; his on-the-ground presence in the target region before, during, and after the crisis; and his interviews with security officials, diplomatic figures, and practitioners directly involved with shaping the policies that were visible during the crisis. Offering a broad historical context, the text portrays the current crisis within the context of a much longer institutional and ideological divide that has existed in Europe and shaped policies for almost a century. Presents a contextualized, multidisciplinary study of the migrant crisis that covers everything from organized crime and terrorism to media ethics, economic aspects, and the history of ideas Discusses U.S. security and economic interests in Europe, how these interests will be impacted by the crisis, and measures the United States is likely to take to confront challenges Provides insights from an author and journalist who has 15 years of regional experience, has an academic background in European history, and has interviewed European decision makers and practitioners involved with handling the crisis