This volume allows a new generation of scholars from the Balkans and beyond to shed light on
some of the struggles the region faces. The combination of post-communist and post-conflict
transition together with the current economic and financial crisis pose difficult challenges
for the Western Balkans.What is the state of democracy in the region? Are the countries of the
Western Balkans stuck somewhere between authoritarianism and genuine democracy? What are the
remaining obstacles to state building? What effect has the crisis had on young people in the
Western Balkans?These are some of the questions the authors of this volume seek to answer. The
studies look at different countries and combine methods from various disciplines ranging from
political science history economics and law to sociology anthropology and cultural studies.
