Nationalism, National Identity and Conflict in Southeast Europe

Looking into the intricate relationship between nationalism, national identity, and conflict, this book offers a comparative approach to understanding the enduring tensions in Southeast Europe. Alexis Heraclides examines the complex dynamics of five nations - Albanians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Macedonians, and Turks - and four key axis of conflicts: Greece and Turkey, Greece and Macedonia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, and Greece and Albania.

Through in-depth analysis, the Heraclides explores how historical narratives and the denial of other's identities fuel protracted rivalry and hinder conflict resolution in the region. From the roots of national identity formation to the manifestations of "us" versus "them" mentalities, this work sheds light on the critical interplay between identity and foreign policy.

This study is essential for scholars and anyone seeking to understand the deep-seated nationalisms that continue to shape the political landscape of Southeast Europe.

Contents

Chapter 1. Foreign policy analysis updated: towards the nationalist identity and conflict nexus 3

PART I. Ethnogenesis: Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians, Turks and Macedonians 13

Chapter 2. Greek nationalism, identity and narrative. 19

Chapter 3. Bulgarian Nationalism, Identity and narrative. 39

Chapter 4. Albanian nationalism, identity and narrative. 59

Chapter 5. Turkish nationalism: national identity and narrative. 79

Chapter 6. Macedonian nationalism and national identity. 95

PART II. National Identity and Conflict: four case studies. 119

Chapter 7. Greece and Turkey: a classic conflict of national identities and historical narratives 123

Chapter 8. Greece and Macedonia: national identities and narratives and the non-acceptance of the Other 157

Chapter 9. Bulgaria and Macedonia: non-acceptance of the Other and national identities and narratives. 195

Chapter 10. Greece and Albania: entanglements, national identity and historical narrative 229

In lieu of a conclusion. 267

Bibliography. 271



About the Author:

Alexis Heraclides is professor emeritus at the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences (Athens). His more recent books are The Macedonian Question and the Macedonians: A History (Routledge, 2021) and with Ylli Kromidha, Greek-Albanian Entanglements since the Nineteenth Century: A History (Routledge, 2024). He is also editor with Gizem Alioglu Çakmak, of Greece and Turkey in Conflict and Cooperation: From Europeanization to De-Europeanization (Routledge, 2019).