National Identity and Ethnic Conflicts in the Balkans
Abstract
Abstract
The Balkan Peninsula has historically served as a space of profound demographic and cultural diversity, frequently subjected to external pressures to integrate into unified geopolitical structures. This paper examines the turbulent geopolitical transformations in the region following the collapse of continental empires after the First World War, which catalyzed early movements toward national self-determination. Within this framework, numerous ethnic groups sought international recognition and formal statehood under the prevailing global order. This study further analyzes the destabilizing effects of the Second World War, which exacerbated regional fragility and triggered extensive waves of population transfers and forced migrations. Driven by the ideological pursuit of ethnically homogeneous nation-states, these demographic shifts were structurally enforced by state-sponsored propaganda and the hegemonic policies of regional governments. By exploring these processes, this paper demonstrates how state-led demographic engineering projects deeply altered the ethnic landscape of the Balkans, ultimately establishing a legacy of potential conflict hotspots that continues to shape contemporary regional dynamics.
