The Formation of Croation National Identity: A Centuries-Old Dream? by Alex J. s> Bellamy (review)

Abstract

REVIEWS 557 differences between the two nationalist regimes are also left unexplored. Arguably, despite its terrible record of ethnic cleansing, Milo'sevic'sregime was less ideologically ethnocentric than its Croatian counterpart, both on account of its orthodox Communist prejudices and its appeals to the latent pro-Yugoslav(not only Serbian) sentiments of key constituencies (e.g. army officers).The differencein the fates of the respective rulingparties is telling: while Milosevic's Socialists are on the margins of Serbian political life, Tudjman's HDZ is in power (although in a very different edition). Finally, relating the changes in ideological appeals to the developmental phases of regime development (along the lines suggested by Ken Jowitt) would have added much to the book. Despite these weaknesses,Malesevic has written a readableand good bookwhich offersa good startingpoint forthe comparative and empiricalstudyof ideologies. Department ofSociology V. VUJACIC Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH Bellamy,AlexJ. 7heFormation ofCroatian National Identity: A Centuries-Old Dream? Europe in Change. Manchester University Press,Manchester and New York,2003. X+ 2 I I pp. Notes. Bibliography.Index. C45.??. ALEX BELLAMY has followed his importantbook on the internationalaspects of the I999 Kosovo events with this strong contribution on nationalism in Croatia. Developed from his PhD work, the book combines theoretical treatmentof nationalismwith empiricalinvestigationof the Croatiancase. As such, the new volume makes a contribution in both areas. The work on nationalism identifies what Bellamy continually refers to as a 'great divide', although the division identifiedbetween the workof Gellner and Smith is far less sharp than that of Gellner and Kedourie. In this sense and the additionalsense of perhapsnot addressingthe literatureon nationalismmore comprehensively- the book does not make a majorcontributionto the study of national identity and ethnicity. Indeed, no mention of George Schopflinin the context is quite peculiar on my reading, given that his treatment of the triangulationof ethnicity, civic society and the statewould have added much to this analysis. So too would a stronger appreciation of the work of John Breuilly which, although cited, does not seem fully to be engaged. This is because the strong empirical examination of Croatian nationalism in the I990S would have made more sense if the perspectives of those authors had been introducedmore clearlyinto the equation. On the one hand, Schopflin's interactivemodel is confirmedby Bellamy'swork. On the other, referenceto Breuilly would have foreshadowed the conclusion that Bellamy draws regarding the Croatian nationalist project under FranjoTudjman this is that, according to Breuilly, nationalism is a political force related to the mobilization of political supportwith reference to some aspect of statehood. Once the goals identified in the mobilization are achieved or cease to be significant, the nationalist movement will lose force and dissipate. This, as Bellamynotes, iswhat happened in Croatia.He correctlyidentifiesthegreater complexity in social and political life that existsnot only in the Croatiancase, 558 SEER, 83, 3, 2005 but in all cases where nationalism arises. He argues that the Croatian nationalism of the I990S- what he calls 'Franjoism'- was a mobilization force that brought together differentparts of Croatian society in support of Croatia's independence and, later, territorialintegrity.However, once those goals were largely achieved, the aggregatingeffectof 'Franjoism'gave way to growing differences. These different elements were always present, as the author points out. By focusing on five differentareasof social practice in the empirical heartland of the book chapters five and six Bellamy shows how initial, or apparent, homogeneity disguised 'disputesabout the meaning of Croatian national identity' (p. 104). The six areas he selects are the economy, football, the region of Istria,language, education and the Roman Catholic Church. These cases are the third level of analytical abstractionin his study, building on discussion of frames and competing conceptions of national identity. The six areas representsocial practice, where discourseon national identity blends with other concerns, such as the transnational characterof the Roman Catholic Church(althoughBellamywronglycallsthis 'multinational'), or the traditional identity of football clubs, to create a political environmentthat can both bolsternationalism,or serveto challenge and undermineit. In the end, the realbenefitof Bellamy'sbook is thatit shows throughclose examination how thiswas the case in Croatia. King'sCollege London JAMES Gow Plokhy, Serhii and Sysyn, Frank E. ReligionandNation in ModernUkraine. Canadian Instituteof Ukrainian Studies Press,Edmonton and Toronto, 2003. XVi+ 2I6...