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Post by nomatchcheck on Apr 4, 2004 9:49:53 GMT -5
The Balkans are now less off the global agenda and when you hear Croatia you start remembering this breath-taking landscape and great summer adventures.. and now, when the atrocities of the war are now only examined by the historians, it might be a very rewarding experience to get acquianted with the Croatian writer, Dubravka Ugresic who explores the Balkanian social, literary and political complexities in a very interesting and ironic way. She is a migrant now, so she can afford showing her country in a different uncompromising perspective.
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Post by spacer on May 21, 2004 18:05:44 GMT -5
Croatia beautiful country, heads towards EU now breaking the ties with "traditional" Balkan warlike propaganda and agenda, but the hatred is still present in many Croats' hearts.
After Slovenia it is the second post-Yugoslavian country which is on a good track to heal the wounds of war and be like the peace-loving other Western Europeans.
Still do you remember deserted Serbian houses in Kraina?
Are these dillemas in her book?
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Post by nomatchcheck on May 28, 2004 12:28:01 GMT -5
I do remember those deserted villages, destroyed houses, actually when I talk about Croatia, I always mention those pictures as unforgettable, sad, but unforgettable, maybe because in fact they were the only tangible traces of war I've ecountered in my whole life.
Dubravka Ugresic left Yugoslavia because of the war and never wanted to come back for good, chosing this uncomfortable status of a migrant, which she stresses, allows her a different perspective at both the eastern, post comunist country and the western world. She teaches at American and as far as I remember Dutch universities - in her book 'Reading Forbidden' (the one I read) she is maybe not so much concerned with the atrocities of the war as she explores differences between Eastern European and American mentality. She does it in a very funny and intelligent manner, still, not without some deeper philosophical tissue. She agrees with the inferior position of home/eastern european intellectuals, but at the same time she finds her Balcan background experience extemely enriching, unique and inspiring.
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