Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia
Located in the middle of the Balkans, North Macedonia
reflects the turbulent history of the region. The country emerged
from former Yugoslavia in the 1990s without violence but struggled
to achieve international recognition due to a dispute with
neighboring Greece over its name and symbols. The name issue was
resolved only in 2018 with the signature of the Prespa Agreement
reviving prospects for membership in NATO and the European Union
(EU). Yet North Macedonia’s story goes centuries back, to the
Middle Ages, the period of Ottoman Rule which lasted until 1912,
and the various reincarnations of Yugoslavia. The historical
dictionary traces the country’s past and present with a wealth of
articles on issues, events, institutions, personalities shaping
political, economic and cultural life. It looks at the majority
Macedonian as well as other ethnic communities such as the
Albanians, Turks and the Roma. There are also entries on North
Macedonia’s relations with neighbors, in history and today, as well
as with global powers.
This second edition of Historical
Dictionary of North Macedonia contains a chronology,
an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary
section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on important
personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and
culture. This book is an excellent resource for students,
researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about North
Macedonia.
Editor’s Foreword
Preface
Reader’s Notes
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Maps
Chronology
Introduction
THE DICTIONARY
Appendix A: Facts about North of
Macedonia
Appendix B: Institutions and Officeholders in
Macedonia
Bibliography
About the Author
North Macedonia has had a rocky history since it declared
independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, which this reference book
explores. Part of the problem was the name, as Macedonia has historic connotations relating to
neighboring Greece, stretching back to the time of Alexander the
Great. As a result, Greece blocked North Macedonia’s entry into the
EU, and the Balkan country was able to enter the UN only as the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Greece finally reached a
historic agreement with the country, which changed its name from
the unofficial Republic of Macedonia to the official Republic of
North Macedonia in 2018–2019. This volume by Bechev (Univ. of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill), now in its second edition, covers the
country's ancient history through this more recent turbulent
history to the middle of 2018. There are entries on North
Macedonia’s ethnic groups, political groups, historical events, and
prominent figures. The book includes two maps, a letter/character
pronunciation key, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a
chronology, and an extensive bibliography.
Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
Product Details
- Title : Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia
- Author: Bechev, Dimitar
- Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
- Publication Date: 2019
- ISBN: 9781538119624
Dimitar Bechev is Research Fellow at the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe (Yale UP, 2017) and Constructing South East Europe: the Politics of Balkan Regional Cooperation (Palgrave, 2011). Dr. Bechev holds a D.Phil from the University of Oxford.