Friday, February 29, 2008

"Muslim Identity and the Balkan State" ed. by Hugh Poulton and Suha Taji-Farouki

I have read most of the collected essays in this fine collection:

Muslim Identity and the Balkan State

Published in 1997, no doubt some of the data and interpretations are now dated; also, because the status of Bosnia was very much in doubt in late 1996 when this volume was being prepared for publication, the editors chose not to discuss the Muslims of Bosnia. Rather, this book looks at the Pomaks of Bulgaria and Greece, ethnic Turks throughout the Balkans, the Slavic Muslims of Macedonia, ethnic Albanian Muslims in Macedonia, Kosova, and Albania proper, and the Slavic Muslims of the Sandzak.

The book can be read in its entirety, or individual essays can be read independently. For a general reader intersted in gaining a broader perspective on the complexities and varieties of different Muslim communities throughout the region, this book is an easily readable resource.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Quote: "...the editors chose not to discuss the Muslims of Bosnia."

Well, their decision not to discuss Bosniaks rather strikes me as an ignorance. Hmmm... mind boggling...

Kirk Johnson said...

I should have explained their reasons for doing so, since the editors actually did address the issue. The book is specifically about Muslims in the Balkan State; in 1996 and early 1997, when this book was being prepared for publication, the future status and even existance of the Bosnian state was very much in doubt. The editors felt that the situation was too much in flux and uncertain to use as an example.

There was no effort to conceal the fate of the Bosniaks. I apologize for giving that impression.