"Zrozumieć Bałkany" is not just a story about politics and history, but also a guide to the everyday life, culture and people who make up this extraordinary part of Europe. Dr Zuzanna Sielska begins by asking where the Balkans are located and which countries belong to this region. She describes the shared state of Yugoslavia – bittersweetly, with nostalgia and critical distance – and the conflicts of the 1990s, which forever shaped the political and social the landscape of the countries that emerged after its collapse.
The author breaks down contemporary states and societies into their constituent parts: Serbia, including Kosovo and Metohija, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia. The book is a mixture of essays, reportage and popular science reflections on identity, memory and everyday life. Its pages contain analyses of conflicts and national myths, as well as colourful stories about travel, cuisine, music and Balkan weddings.
This is a journey through a region where nothing is black and white, and each encounter and each story allows for a better understanding not only of the Balkans, but also of Europe itself.
The meeting will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Source and edit: Press Office, University of Lodz
Photos: The author's archive
