The Bosnian Muslims: Denial Of A Nation

By Francine Friedman

Book Overview

Although their plight now dominates television news worldwide, the Bosnian Muslims were until recently virtually unknown outside of Yugoslavia. Who are these people? Why are they the focus of their former neighbors' rage? What role did they play in Yugoslavia before they became the victims of ethnic cleansing? Why has Bosnia-Hercegovina, once a model of ethnic tolerance and multicultural harmony, suddenly exploded into ethnic violence?Focusing on these questions, Friedman provides a comprehensive study of this national group whose plight has riveted governments, the press, and the public alike. With a name reflecting both their religious and their national identity, the Bosnian Muslims are unique in Europe as indigenous Slavic Muslims. Descendants of schismatic Christians from the Middle Ages, they converted to Islam after the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia.The book follows them as they went from victims of crusades during the Middle Ages to members of the ruling elite within the Ottoman Empire; from rulers back to subjects under Austria-Hungary; and later subjects again, this time under the Serbs in the interwar Yugoslav Kingdom and the Communists after World War II. The Bosnian Muslims have survived through it all, even thriving during certain periods, most notably when they were recognized by Tito as a nation.Meticulously tracing their turbulent history and assessing the issues surrounding Bosnian Muslim nationhood in Yugoslavia, Friedman shows us how the mixed secular and religious identity of the Bosnian Muslims has shaped the conflict in which they are now so tragically embroiled.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813320968
• ISBN13: 9780813320960
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

An Inciteful Well Thought Out Book.

Dr. Friedman has published a thoughtful and well-researched book. She lays out an accurate history of the Bosnian Muslims throughout time, providing a comprehensive look at the unfolding of events that led to their religious and societal strife. Her work provides a useful tool for further research.

Excellent introduction to understanding the Balkans

I've had the opportunity to study under Dr. Friedman throughout my undergraduate and graduate career. While her classes were difficult and research driven, her book allowed for a starting point for further research. I also must admit it was and still is a book I could easily pick up to read again. Dr. Friedman's book successfully shows the reader the trajedy of the ethnic conflicts that have taken place in the Balkans. Her book's strength is showing the historical context for the social and relgious problems between the serbs, muslims, and croats. No single book could hope to fully explain the complexity of the socio-political problems that have taken place in Bosnia, but it should help anyone wanting to have a basic understanding of Balkan politics.

A complex description of a complex tragedy

Upon reading Dr. Francine Friedman's "The Bosnian Muslims," I now have a much greater understanding of the Bosnian War and Balkan Crisis. Though wordy at times, "The Bosnian Muslims" provides a thorough description of the history, exploitation, and violent confrontations of this volatile and troubled region.