Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The aim of this volume is to analyse and put into debate various practical facets of intelligence/diplomatic activities in the Balkans and to provide a better understanding on what an historical perspective can add to our explicit understanding of intelligence and diplomacy more generally. The book consists of twelve chapters by authors from various academic institutions in nine European countries. The proposals themselves organically imposed a thematic selection, which clarified the chronological issue as well: new insights, sources, and interpretations from young promising scholars and their various national historiographic schools. There are some logical limits to the scope of the volume and some challenges of writing on Balkan intelligence and diplomatic history. In the end, as Winston Churchill said and as this book shows, the Balkans have always produced more history than it could consume. A similar regional approach for the Balkans has not yet been done. This is the first obvious contribution of the present volume, filling this obvious gap in the existing literature. Despite a temporal range of centuries and radically different historical conditions, the studies in this volume are united by a common idea: the intimate relationship between diplomacy and intelligence. We highlight historical perspectives that solidify this connection and emphasize that their working unity can add value to our understanding of intelligence and diplomacy more generally. We hope, it pushes new insights today and, even more importantly, new research in the future amongst all who know the Balkans will forever be critical when it comes to both Intelligence Studies and Diplomacy.
Synopsis
Bringing together twelve experts from nine countries, this volume explores intelligence and diplomatic activities, both historical and contemporary, in the Balkan region. Covering a wide range of periods and radically different historical conditions, the various contributions are united by a common theme: the intimate relationship between diplomacy and intelligence.
Subjects include: the Venetian dragomans of Zara; 'informal diplomacy' between Bulgaria and Turkey; 'diplomacy without a state' (Adam Czartoryski's 'embassy' in Paris); diplomacy and diplomats in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918-1943); case studies on diplomats Otto von Essen, Stojan Novakovič, Adam Czartoryski, Josip Djerdja, and Jovan Dučic; British policy toward Albania during the Second World War; diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Albania; the 1992 'arms delivery scandal' in Bulgaria; and the normalization of Bulgarian bilateral relations with Turkey.