When Ethnicity Did Not Matter In The Balkans: A... Apr 2026

John V. A. Fine Jr.’s When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans challenges the "ancient hatreds" myth by illustrating that pre-19th-century regional identities were fluid and based on religion or locality rather than modern ethnic labels. The study highlights that rigid nationalism was a later construct, with groups often sharing cultural traditions before the rise of nation-states. For more information, visit University of Michigan Press . When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans