The Pitfall OF False Objectivity or what Foreign Balkan Scholars Should not Remain Silent about
The Pitfall OF False Objectivity or what Foreign Balkan Scholars Should not Remain Silent about

Summary/Abstract: The author examines the issue of objectivity in research on the Balkans conducted by scholars from outside the region in light of the revolutionary changes that Southeast Europe has gone through since the collapse of communism. This profound trans-formation is also projected in the form and findings of local historical and philological re-search, which often suffers from ills such as manipulative interpretations and ideologically motivated revisions of history, the critical affirmation of nationalist narratives and values in literature, and the politicization of language. What stance should foreign Balkan scholars take towards these phenomena? What pitfalls await them? How can they avoid false objectivity, simplification, and essentialism? And what should foreign Balkan scholars not remain silent about? These are the basic questions the author addresses in the paper.

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