Austria-Hungary’s “civilizing mission” in the Balkans a view from Belgrade (1903-1914)
The conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary in the years preceding the First World War is looked at in the global context of the “age of empire”. The Balkans was to Austria-Hungary what Africa or Asia was to the other colonial powers of the period. The usual ideological justification fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institute for Balkan Studies SASA
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Balcanica |
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| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-7653/2017/0350-76531748107K.pdf |
| Summary: | The conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary in the years preceding the
First World War is looked at in the global context of the “age of empire”.
The Balkans was to Austria-Hungary what Africa or Asia was to the other
colonial powers of the period. The usual ideological justification for the
Dual Monarchy’s imperialistic expansion was its “civilizing mission” in the
“half-savage” Balkans. The paper shows that the leading Serbian intellectuals
of the time gathered round the Srpski književni glasnik (Serbian Literary
Herald) were well aware of the colonial rationale and “civilizing” ambitions
of the Habsburg Balkan policy, and responded in their public work, including
both scholarly and literary production, to the necessity of resistance to the
neighbouring empire’s “cultural mission”. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of
Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 177011: History
of political ideas and institutions in the Balkans in the 19th and 20th
centuries] |
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| ISSN: | 0350-7653 2406-0801 |