Naslov
From the Balkans to the Southeastern Europe: Terminology and Development Issues

Autori
Švob-Đokić, Nada

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Skup
Political and Economic Analysis of the Relations between the EU and Southeast Europe - Future Perspectives and Eventual Role of Japan

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 20.09.2006. - 22.09.2006

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Plenarno

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
Balkans; Southeastern Europe; Development

Sažetak
The terms Balkans and Southeastern Europe have been rather widely discussed in the last decade of the 20th century, often in controversial ways. The origins of both terms still remain “ an issue of political and spiritual geography” , which involves emotional and political interpretations reflecting a deep and long lasting regional identity crisis. (A brief overview of the terms and their meanings will be presented.) Notwithstanding the conceptual differences between the terms Balkans and Southeastern Europe, they also reflect some similarities: the terminology in both cases is rather inconsistent ; geographical borders of the region remain loose and are still changing ; hegemonic influences (particularly of the EU) are constantly present, etc. However, the intra-regional consistency increases, which is linked to general processes of democratization and systemic transition. Both of them are framed by the late processes of modernization and post-industrial economic and social development that lead Southeastern Europe to the creation and identification with the concept of the modern European region. The region of Southeastern Europe is, in geographical, historical and cultural sense, both a part of Central Europe and the Mediterranean. It connects them and inherits from both of them, gradually evolving from a regional construct imbued in historical Balkan heritage into a modern European region accepting new diversity qualities characteristic of the overall European integration processes. Southeastern Europe has not yet been fully constituted as a region in the modern sense, but it displays tendencies of flexible mutuality: promotion of mutual trade, common development projects, sharing of infrastructure, reestablishment of cultural links, etc. The new societies are being built, and the processes of their consolidation are structurally comparable. Their ability to develop self-consciousness based on education, knowledge, respect for the others, flexible communication, creativity, etc. might define their future and support the full integration into the all-European context.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija

POVEZANOST RADA