Overview

This book focuses on the western Balkans in the period 1820-1912, in particular on the peoples and social groups that the later national history would claim to have been Albanians, providing a revisionist exploration of national identity prior to the establishment of the nation-state.

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9780230110182

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Reviews

Blumi's argument is certainly sound, and he offers intriguing glimpses of local society and local politics that are rarely seen elsewhere. -- Slavic Review Reinstating the Ottomans will--and it should, I believe--provoke strong reactions, but this is only a strength of the book because its well-founded conclusions and meticulously established observations--if not new facts--is a much needed challenge to any student not only of the western Balkans but of the Ottoman Empire as a whole as well as of south-eastern Europe. His historical scholarly methodology reflects a strict observance of the rigorous basic rules of the modern historical science, namely that the historian should show how things actually happened. This is what Blumi does. The same basic rules also require that the historian should refrain from judging the past. This is the tendency Blumi takes to task when questioning the categories used by the national historiography. Blumi fruitfully applies insights from social science and literary studies among others in his analysis of the sources. This approach enables him to identify--and 'give a voice' to--those who were governed. --Mogens Pelt, Associate Professor in International History at Saxo Institute, History Section, University of Copenhagen<br> This book beautifully traces the coincidences and personalities during the crucial second half of the nineteenth century when the new states emerged, and shows how the Ottoman state responded and how states, borders, and bureaucracies descended across the Balkans. By focusing on the regions which remained with the Ottoman Empire longest, Blumi sketches a rich narrative of people who did not identify as Albanians, Ottomans, or Muslims, but whose ambiguity of identity was a defining mark of the region at least until the early twentieth century. The book is not only a rewarding read for those interested in the history of Balkans, but it also helps us understand the present in this part of Europe better and forc

Reinstating the Ottomans will--and it should, I believe--provoke strong reactions, but this is only a strength of the book because its well-founded conclusions and meticulously established observations--if not new facts--is a much needed challenge to any student not only of the western Balkans but of the Ottoman Empire as a whole as well as of south-eastern Europe. His historical scholarly methodology reflects a strict observance of the rigorous basic rules of the modern historical science, namely that the historian should show how things actually happened. This is what Blumi does. The same basic rules also require that the historian should refrain from judging the past. This is the tendency Blumi takes to task when questioning the categories used by the national historiography. Blumi fruitfully applies insights from social science and literary studies among others in his analysis of the sources. This approach enables him to identify--and 'give a voice' to--those who were governed.

Author Information

ISA BLUMI Assistant Professor of History at Georgia State University, USA.

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