Geopolitical Turmoil in the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean

This edited book will examine the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean from multidimensional geo-strategic, political-economic, socio-cultural/religious and demographic perspectives. It analyzes the conflicting geopolitical interests of the major and regional powers, as well as those of NATO and the European Union, with a focus on energy, democracy and corruption, shifts in population, as well as religious political influence. The authors argue that the US, NATO and EU leaderships can no longer afford to ignore the two regions if the increasing potential for conflict is to be averted. The Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean are returning to a major position in the contemporary geostrategic nexus since NATO began a new expansion into the Balkans by bringing Montenegro in 2017 and North Macedonia in March 2020 into membership, after its previous expansion to Slovenia in NATO's Big Bang in 2004 and to both Albania and Croatia in 2009.

Examines the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean from multidimensional political, economic and social perspectives Analyses the conflicting interests of the major and regional powers, as well as those of NATO and the EU Argues that the US, NATO and EU leaderships can no longer afford to ignore the two regions

Autorentext
Hall Gardner is Full Professor of History and Politics at The American University of Paris, France.

Inhalt
Chapter 1. Widening Gyre in the New Near East: Alliances in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.- Chapter 2. EU Enlargement and Regional Geopolitics of the Western Balkans.- Chapter 3. Autocratic Powers, the Balkans and Democratic Decline.- Chapter 4. Italy, the Balkans and the East Mediterranean: Regional NATO-E.U. Integration.- Chapter 5. Turkey and the Western Balkans.- Chapter 6. Active or reactive? Greek foreign policy in East Mediterranean and Southeast Europe.- Chapter 7. An Analysis of Albanian Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy Interests.- Chapter 8. The Eastern Mediterranean, Africa and Libya After Qaddafi: Conflict, Terrorism, & Migration.- Chapter 9. Energy and Regional Geopolitics in the Western Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean.- Chapter 10. The Western Balkans and the Geopolitics of Populations.- Chapter 11. Western Balkans and environmental issues.- Conclusion.
<b