Record Details

Moments and Significance of Balkan Diplomacy at the Start of the Twentieth Century

Sarajevo Journal of Social Sciences: Inquiry

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Moments and Significance of Balkan Diplomacy at the Start of the Twentieth Century
 
Creator Paul-Claudiu, Cotirlet
 
Subject —
Southeast Europe, Nationalism, Borders, Conflicts, Balance of Power.
—
 
Description Historically, the Balkan Peninsula is marked as an area where the Ottoman Empire made its influence known. The notion of Balkan space is often thought of in a negative way, being associated with the so called „Powder Keg of Europe”. At the start of the nineteenth century, the peninsula was divided by the Ottoman and Habsburg empires. One century later, the same lands are divided up by six states. No less than 11 wars and countless armed conflicts were necessary in order to get to this result. For the Europeans that lived at the start of the last century, the Balkans represented a terra incognita, a particular area, slightly explored, constantly avoided, carrying the burden of violence. A territory filled with terror and endless strife, conjuring up unpleasant images: political instability, secret societies, and atrocities. This study shows the manner in which diplomacy tried to play a major role in this region’s stability through its fundamental concepts (summits, international conferences, parliamentary diplomacy, the international activities of transnational and subnational entities, the unofficial diplomacy of non governmental elements, as well as the work put in by numerous international civil employees). Also, it will incline towards the last phase of the balance of power system, more specifically on its ending through the first Balkan war. Diplomacy is often mistaken for „foreign policy” or „external relations”, but the terms are not synonymous. Diplomacy is the main, yet not the only tool of foreign policy. On the other hand, foreign policy establishes goals, provides strategies and enforces measures that must be used in order for complete those goals. Diplomacy is therefore the main substitute for using violence, force or subversive tactics; it is the peaceful way in which two or more states can negotiate a common foreign policy.
 
Publisher International University of Sarajevo
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2017-12-22
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
—
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://inquiry.ius.edu.ba/index.php/Inquiry/article/view/53
10.21533/isjss.v2i1.53
 
Source Inquiry; Vol 2, No 1 (2016)
2303-7105
2303-7105
10.21533/isjss.v2i1
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://inquiry.ius.edu.ba/index.php/Inquiry/article/view/53/27
10.21533/isjss.v2i1.53.g27
 
Coverage —
—
—
 
Rights Copyright (c) 2016 Cotirlet Paul-Claudiu
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0