Podcast Summary:

New Books Network – Dejan Djokić, "A Concise History of Serbia" (Cambridge UP, 2023)
Date: December 31, 2025
Host: Eva Glisic
Guest: Dejan Djokić, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation with historian Dejan Djokić about his book, A Concise History of Serbia. Spanning from the 6th century to the present, the book offers a sweeping yet detailed account of Serbian history, focusing on the role of migration, the challenges of writing national histories today, and how Serbia’s complex past intersects with broader European contexts. Djokić and host Eva Glisic discuss his methodology, key themes, and surprising findings, unpacking both the enduring myths and neglected narratives of Serbia’s past.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Origins & Methodology

• Djokić’s Background and Approach ([02:23])
  • Originally a historian of 20th-century Yugoslavia, Djokić took on earlier Serbian history out of necessity for this project, deepening his expertise in medieval and early modern periods.
  • The book grew to almost 600 pages, making it the longest in Cambridge’s Concise Histories series. Djokić describes it as “de facto two volumes”—pre-modern and modern histories in one.
  • The structure blends chronology with recurring themes, especially migrations, empire, and borderlands.
  • Targeted to both non-specialists and experts, the book seeks to fill gaps left by previous Serbian histories, which often focus only on modernity or omit minorities’ roles.

“I approached history of Serbia as a historian of 20th century Yugoslavia.” (Djokić, [02:23])

• Challenges of Writing a National History in a Transnational Age ([08:30])
  • Djokić grapples with the tension between national narratives and transnational approaches, ultimately concluding that the enduring relevance of the nation state justifies the project.
  • Highlighting how Serbia is both a physical space and an idea, often shaped by imperial and migration histories.

“I understand Serbia not necessarily just as a nation state, but also as a space that emerged in a borderland, in a trans imperial region in which goods and ideas and peoples moved despite imperial borders.” (Djokić, [09:53])

The Early Centuries: Elusive Beginnings

• Scarcity of Early Sources and Myths of Origin ([14:56])
  • Most claims about early Serb/Croat migrations come from much-later Byzantine sources and romantic 19th-century historiography.
  • Asserts that many medieval Serbian nobility were only identified as ‘Serbs’ in the 19th century for nation-building purposes.

“All of these… Serbian nobles from the 13th and 14th century became Serbs in the 19th century.” (Djokić, [19:27])

Serbia Between Empires: East and West

• Navigating the “Crossroads” Identity ([21:49])
  • Medieval Serbian rulers did not see themselves in modern east-west terms; they considered themselves west of Constantinople.
  • The 13th-century Serbian kingdom was religiously mixed—some rulers were Catholic, others Orthodox—and both papal and Byzantine connections were cultivated for political advantage.
  • Architecturally and culturally, Serbian churches displayed Western (Venetian, Dalmatian) influences, blending Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

“Some of these kings… were Catholics. Also, [Stefan Nemanjić] received the crown from the Pope in 1217. Only two years later… Serbia becomes… officially Eastern Orthodox.” (Djokić, [24:14])

The Ottoman Era: Realities vs. Myths

• From “Occupation” to Integration ([29:09])
  • Djokić avoids the term ‘Ottoman occupation’, noting the conquest spanned nearly a century and involved alliances as much as warfare.
  • Post-conquest, Serbia ceased to exist as a defined territory; the Ottoman administration did not maintain a province named “Serbia.”
  • The Ottoman period was one of profound population movements, social and physical migrations, conversions, and evolving identities.
  • The narrative of an unbroken “Ottoman yoke” is misleading—oppression, migration, and coexistence all varied widely over these centuries.

“There is no more Serbia. Serbia disappears… after 1459. And there is not nothing called Serbia within the Ottoman structure.” (Djokić, [32:57])

Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Nation-Building

• Intellectual and Cultural Movements ([40:57])
  • The spread of Enlightenment ideas was not limited to Western Europe; Habsburg Serb intellectuals played a pivotal role in forging Serb national consciousness.
  • Figures like Vuk Karadžić and Dositej Obradović were central, with influences from Russia, German Romantics, and European intellectual circles.
  • The concept of a Serbo-Croatian language and nation was shaped as much by these currents as by the hard fact of 19th-century politics.

“I tried to emphasize in my book, I tried to place it in the context of Europe at the time, rather than to approach it from the perspective of the 1990s wars…” (Djokić, [43:43])

Perpetual Conflict: 20th Century Serbia

• Serbia as a “Perpetually Postwar” Society ([49:02])
  • Massive losses in both world wars shape the collective memory and political culture; inflated numbers often obscure accurate historical reckoning.
  • Fratricidal civil conflicts are as significant as wars with external foes—Serb-on-Serb violence and intra-Yugoslav struggles persistently resurface.
  • Djokić challenges myths of Serbian exceptionalism or “special path,” seeing both victimhood and victory narratives as central.

“Serbia may be seen as a perpetually post-war society…” (Djokić, [49:09])

From Yugoslavia to the Present

• Post-Yugoslav Conflicts and Contemporary Legacy ([55:07])
  • The wars of the 1990s echo dynamics from earlier periods, minus the unifying force of the partisans; nationalist violence, emigration, and unresolved statehood (especially re: Kosovo and Montenegro) continue to haunt Serbia.
  • Demographic decline and identity debates remain unresolved.

“Serbs also, again, have this narrative that, that they’re kind of, maybe now they’re losers… but they… fought against a more powerful enemy, especially NATO…” (Djokić, [55:57])

• Continuities and Discontinuities ([59:02])
  • The book explores nuanced continuities—not just through church or state, but migrations, population exchanges, and mixed identities that survive imperial, national, and modern transitions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On National Histories:

  “I’m writing a national history in an age of transnational and global histories… at first I did not necessarily want to write this history, but I’m glad I did it.” (Djokić, [08:52])

• On Serbian Exceptionalism:

  “My argument is largely based on Veid Kovuja’s excellent paper… I reject [Serbian exceptionalism], but at the same time there are developments that are specific to Serbia.” (Djokić, [52:13])

• On Research Surprises:

  “Serbian was [supposedly] the language of Ottoman diplomacy… but was this language really called Serbian? I was surprised that nobody traced this and tried to problematicize this constant repetition…” (Djokić, [63:19])

• On Misconceptions:

  “One [myth] that is maybe common but for different reasons is this special path in history… I kind of reject both theses as too simplistic and try to find the middle ground…” (Djokić, [60:34])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [02:23] Djokić’s background, approach, and methodology.
• [03:59] Structure and ambitions of the book; discussing themes and audience.
• [14:56] Origins of the Serbian people—sources, uncertainty, and historiographical myths.
• [21:49] Serbian medieval rulers navigating empires and religious identities.
• [29:09] Ottoman era: conquest, administration, and the transformation of Serbia.
• [40:57] Enlightenment, Romanticism, and the forging of modern Serbian identity.
• [49:02] The trauma and legacy of 20th-century wars; Serbia’s political culture.
• [55:07] The aftermath of Yugoslavia’s dissolution and challenges to contemporary Serbian society.
• [59:02] Historical continuity, population movement, and the pitfalls of mythmaking.
• [63:19] Surprises encountered during research and debunking “accepted truths.”
• [67:36] Undervalued narratives: women, Jews, folklore, and popular culture.
• [68:25] Djokić’s upcoming projects: a microhistory of the Yugoslav Army.

Tone and Language

Djokić’s tone is precise, reflective, and often skeptical of nationalist or simplistic interpretations. He weaves personal experience with rigorous analysis, often referencing both Serbian and international historians. Glisic prompts with thoughtful, informed questions, and affirms the value of complexity and pluralism in historical scholarship.

Concluding Notes

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in Serbian or Balkan history, national identity, or the challenges of writing sweeping syntheses in the age of transnational and global approaches. Djokić’s book and this discussion offer new frameworks for understanding not just Serbia, but the entangled histories of Eastern and Central Europe as a whole.

For readers and listeners intrigued by:

• The construction and deconstruction of national histories
• Migration and borderlands as drivers of history
• The Ottoman legacy in the Balkans
• How myth and reality intertwine in shaping modern identities
• Connections between Serbian experiences and wider European contexts

The episode, like Djokić’s book, promises both breadth and depth—dispelling myths, raising new questions, and encouraging a more nuanced appreciation of Serbia’s dynamic past.