The disintegration of the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and a divisive civil war has disrupted many local social, cultural, and scientific activities in this Balkan state. Relationships among various ethnic groups are in turmoil. Violence, forced migration, and ethnic cleansing have undermined any attempt at peaceful reconciliation. Yet, despite disruption of communication among the three major cultural groups during the conflict, scientific research and publication have managed to survive in many areas, including the war-torn city of Sarajevo.
Attempts to unify the region have always been undermined by intense nationalism. Current conflict is no exception. The hostilities began after 1990, when leaders of the six Yugoslav republics-Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Montenegro-failed to find a way to reorganize the country. The Serbian Communist leader Slobodan Milosevic pushed for a united, Serb-dominated Yugoslavia, while the majority of other leaders wanted separation.
The northwestern Balkan regions of Slovenia and ...
