Problem or potential? Revitalising Trepča and building the peace in Kosovo
Problem or potential? Revitalising Trepča and building the peace in Kosovo

Summary/Abstract: The outlines of the recent history of Kosovo are, no doubt, familiar to the readers of this journal. The struggle for political power between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo was the spark that set off over a decade of conflict that (as at the time of the writing of this article, when a simmering conflict in Macedonia is being managed only through substantial international involvement in a carefully balanced peace process) may not yet be finished. A story that may be less familiar to readers, however, is that of the Trepča industrial complex and its potential role in the peace process. The international community’s efforts to revitalise this key facility illustrate not only the challenges faced in building peace in Kosovo and the Balkans, but also the potential value of an integrated, multi-disciplinary, multi-partner approach to peace building. In particular, the story of Trepča highlights the under-appreciated value of economic regeneration as part of the processes of peace-building and democratisation. The story of Trepča illustrates the challenges which face regeneration and also the complex linkages between revitalisation and peace-building.

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