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Social Science Cultural

Waiting for Macedonia

Identity in a Changing World

by (author) llka Thiessen

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Oct 2006
Category
Cultural, Customs & Traditions, Women's Studies
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781551117195
    Publish Date
    Oct 2006
    List Price
    $40.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442603219
    Publish Date
    Oct 2006
    List Price
    $24.95

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Description

Waiting for Macedonia gives insight into one of the most moving moments in post-war European history: the hope for a new Europe in the years following the collapse of communism. In this ethnography, Thiessen explores the different ways in which identity has been negotiated in Macedonia since the disintegration of Yugoslavia. In contrast to more familiar approaches to the Balkans—which emphasize tradition, rural life, and women in the contexts of kinship and marriage—Thiessen here investigates the everyday habits of a group of young professional women in Skopje. Using research data spanning eight years (1988-96), she traces key aspects of their life, including family relationships, television and shopping habits, cafe life, and attitudes to work. At the same time, she also raises larger questions about Macedonian, Balkan, and Eastern European notions of identity, suggesting that western discourses about former socialist countries may in turn be influencing the way young urban Macedonians see themselves.

About the author

Ilka Thiessen is a Professor of Anthropology at Malaspina University-College (Nanaimo, BC). She has written extensively on Macedonian culture and identity.

llka Thiessen's profile page