Who analyzed perceptions of the Balkans as Europe’s internal Other?

The analysis of the Balkans as Europe’s internal Other has been significantly shaped by Vesna Goldsworthy. In her work, Goldsworthy explores how the region is often viewed through a lens of exoticism and as a site of difference within the broader European context. This perception has historical roots, where the Balkans were often depicted as a chaotic and marginalized place, contrasted with the perceived civility of Western Europe.

Goldsworthy's contributions are pivotal in understanding how cultural and political narratives have framed the Balkans as 'other' within European identity, emphasizing issues of Orientalism, nationalism, and the interaction between East and West. Her insights help illuminate the ways in which cultural representations influence political realities and contribute to ongoing stereotypes about the Balkans in contemporary discourse.

Other scholars, like Edward Said, focus more broadly on Orientalism and the East-West dichotomy but do not concentrate specifically on the Balkan context. Larry Wolff discusses the construction of national identities in Eastern Europe, while Walter Mignolo addresses concepts of coloniality and the geopolitical aspects of knowledge, but none analyze the Balkans in relation to European identity as specifically as Goldsworthy does.