The war in Kosovo and the accompanying ethnic cleansing has catapulted this region to the centre stage of Western attention after so many years of relative silence and indifference. Already in the... Show moreThe war in Kosovo and the accompanying ethnic cleansing has catapulted this region to the centre stage of Western attention after so many years of relative silence and indifference. Already in the 1980s, many analysts pointed out that tensions between Albanian and Serbian nationalism and divisions between the Christian Serbs and the (mainly) Muslim Albanians were growing, and were turning the province into a dangerous Balkan hotspot. Comparisons were drawn, especially by Serbian nationalists, with the famous Battle of Kosovo fought between the Ottoman Turks and Balkan Christian forces in 1389 - a 'clash of civilizations' between two deeply antagonistic and incompatible nations. In light of the recent developments, it is logical that the rift between Albanians and Serbs is now perceived as a hard and fast line of division. Yet Kosovo has had a history of coexistence, with considerable movement across this ethnic and religious frontier, through economic ties, cultural diffusion, religious exchange and conversion. Throughout history, the ethnic and religious barriers have been anything but watertight. Show less
The curse below was revived with a vengeance at the 600th anniversary commemoration of the death of Serb Prince Lazar at the battle of Kosovo in 1389. Religious nationalists in Serbia accuse not... Show moreThe curse below was revived with a vengeance at the 600th anniversary commemoration of the death of Serb Prince Lazar at the battle of Kosovo in 1389. Religious nationalists in Serbia accuse not only the Ottoman Turks who fought Lazar, but also the Balkan Muslims of today of being stained with the blood of Christ-prince Lazar. Show less