Paul Lowe

Kenneth Morrison

Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo

El Binni Abdallah

War Hotels is a gripping exploration of hotels in wartime and in other times of crisis, told through the prism of now iconic hotels that were frequented by foreign correspondents, diplomats, aid workers, politicians, paramilitaries and spies in conflicts in Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lebanon, Iraq, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. It focuses on hotels that became closely associated with the brutal conflicts in which they were a part, such as the Europa Hotel in Belfast, the Continental and the Caravelle in Saigon, the Commodore in Beirut, and Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn. Building upon the research undertaken for the Al Jazeera documentary series of the same name, this book tells the stories of these hotels in even more fascinating detail, drawing upon in-depth interviews with those who witnessed the tumultuous events that took place within or in the immediate environs of the buildings. By using war hotels as a locus of memory and a lens through which to convey the human stories and the conflicts, they provide not only viable ‘micro-histories’ but a rich vein of historical narratives and moving personal recollections.

War Hotels

Elizabeth Roberts

One of the few remaining unexamined pieces of the Balkan jigsaw, the Sandzak is heir to a complex and contested history. From the emergence and collapse of the first medieval Serbian kingdom, through the Ottoman occupation, the Balkan Wars, the First and Second World Wars and the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the history of Sandzak is one characterised by tumult and flux. Yet despite the 'Sandzak Question' being the focus of the Great Powers in the years preceding the First Balkan War, it remains something of a mystery to both scholars and students of European history. This book attempts to demystify the enigma.

A History

The Sandzak

In May 2006, following a passionate and closely fought referendum in which nearly 90% of those eligible voted, Montenegro finally regained the status of an independent nation--the most recent chapter in a highly turbulent history. But how did the Balkans forge this tiny republic? What sets it apart from the other dominant powers in the region and what will be its future role on the world's stage? Montenegro: A Modern History charts the country's contemporary history in accessible and comprehensive form. Beginning with its recognition as an independent state at the Congress of Berlin in 1878, Kenneth Morrison traces the country's evolution through its incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, its disproportionate role during the Yugoslav wars of 1941-1945, its contribution to the bloody collapse of Yugoslavia and finally the achievement of independence. He explores the forces that have shaped the republic of Montenegro and questions where this will lead in the future, examining the fundamental issues of Montenegrin identity and statehood in the context of Balkan and European politics, society and history. This full and authoritative history will be essential reading for everyone interested in the political and social dynamics of Europe's newest state.

A Modern History

Montenegro

This book provides the most comprehensive study to date of political and social developments in Montenegro from the processes that led to the disintegration of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Montenegro's eventful trajectory towards independence and, later, towards Euro-Atlantic integration. Kenneth Morrison draws upon an extensive range of primary and secondary sources to illuminate the key developments in Montenegro during three decades characterised by political, social and economic flux. Beginning with the 'happening of the people' in 1988 and concluding with a detailed analysis of political developments in the first decade since Montenegro gained its independence, the author addresses the themes of nationalism, identity, statehood and the party political dynamics in both the Montenegrin and the wider Southeast European context.

Nationalism, Identity and Statehood in Post-Yugoslav Montenegro

Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn on the Frontline of Politics and War charts the rich history of the city’s famous Holiday Inn hotel. Describing in detail the tumultuous events that took place within its walls and in its immediate environs, this book explores the opening of the building in advance of the 1984 Winter Olympics through the early 1990s when the hotel was utilized by political elites through to the siege of Sarajevo, when the hotel became the main base for foreign correspondents. Kenneth Morrison draws upon a plethora of primary and secondary sources, and includes extensive interviews with many participants in the drama that was played out within the confines of the hotel, contextualizing the case of the Holiday Inn by analyzing how hotels are utilized in times of conflict.

Sarajevo’s Holiday Inn on the Frontline of Politics and War

The Siege of Sarajevo remains the longest siege in modern European history, lasting three times longer than the Battle of Stalingrad and over a year longer than the Siege of Leningrad. Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo provides the first detailed account of the reporting of this siege and the role that journalists played in highlighting both military and non-military aspects of it. The book draws on detailed primary and secondary material in English and Bosnian, as well as extensive interviews with international correspondents who covered events in Sarajevo from within siege lines. It also includes hitherto unpublished images taken by the co-author and award-winning photojournalist, Paul Lowe. Together Morrison and Lowe document a relatively short but crucial period in both the history of Bosnia & Herzegovina, the city of Sarajevo and the profession of journalism. The book provides crucial observations and insights into an under-researched aspect of a critical period in Europe's recent history.

Kenneth Morrison

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