{"id":43959,"date":"2024-12-17T21:10:22","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T21:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=43959"},"modified":"2024-12-17T21:10:22","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T21:10:22","slug":"james-m-robertson-mediating-spaces-literature-politics-and-the-scales-of-yugoslav-socialism-1870-1995","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=43959","title":{"rendered":"James M. Robertson, \u201eMediating Spaces: Literature, Politics, and the Scales of Yugoslav Socialism, 1870\u20131995\u201c"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A sweeping account of Yugoslav socialist thought in the era of global modernity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Throughout the twentieth century in the lands of Yugoslavia, socialists embarked on multiple projects of supranational unification. Sensitive to the vulnerability of small nations in a world of great powers, they pursued political sovereignty, economic development, and cultural modernization at a scale between the national and the global – from regional strategies of Balkan federalism to continental visions of European integration to the internationalist ambitions of the Non-Aligned Movement

In Mediating Spaces James Robertson offers an intellectual history of the diverse supranational politics of Yugoslav socialism, beginning with its birth in the 1870s and concluding with its violent collapse in the 1990s. Showcasing the ways in which socialists in Southeast Europe confronted the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of globalization, the book frames the evolution of supranational politics as a response to the shifting dynamics of global economic and geopolitical competition. Arguing that literature was a crucial vehicle for imagining new communities beyond the nation, Robertson analyzes the manuscripts, journals, and personal correspondence of the literary left to excavate the cultural geographies that animated Yugoslav socialism and its supranational horizons. The book ultimately illuminates the innovative strategies of cultural development used by socialist writers to challenge global asymmetries of power and prestige.

Mediating Spaces reveals the full significance of supranationalism in the history of socialist thought, recovering a key concern for an era of renewed geopolitical contestation in Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figures ix
Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 3
1 \u201cA Cramped and Rusty Building\u201d: Globalization, Serbian Socialism, and the Limits of the Nation State, 1870-1914 25
2 Balkanizing Europe: The Early Comintern and the Yugoslav Avant-Gardes, 1918-26 44
3 Literary Capital in an Age of Global Crisis: The Political Economy of Translation on Europe\u2019s Periphery, 1928-34 66
4 The Popular Front, World Literature, and Rapprochement with Europe, 1934-38 98
5 The Slavic Vanguard of the Balkan Revolution: Race and Region in Yugoslav Stalinism, 1941-48 125
6 Cultural One-Worldism and the Geographies of Non- Alignment, 1948-68 158
7 The Cultural Spaces of Late Socialism: European Integration, Yugoslav Fragmentation, 1974-95 188
Conclusion 221

Notes 231
Index 295<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Reviews<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA major contribution to the intellectual history of leftist thought in South East Europe and a compelling interpretation of the development of socialist thought in the region.\u201d Dragana Obradovic, University of Toronto<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYugoslavia\u2019s experience was one of forming a political federation of separate spaces during most of the 20th century, which dissolved by the next century. This book will be of most interest to historians and political scientists. Recommended.\u201d Choice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

James M. Robertson is assistant professor of history at the University of California, Irvine.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Details<\/p>\n\n\n\n

324 Pages, 6 x 9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 maps, 7 photos<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ISBN 9780228021377<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 2024 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.mqup.ca\/mediating-spaces-products-9780228021377.php<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43960,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knjige","category-novosti"],"acf":{"facebook_opis":""},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Robertson.jpg?fit=400%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52516,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=52516","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":0},"title":"Marko Grde\u0161i\u0107, Mislav \u017ditko, \u201eSocialist Economics in Yugoslavia: A Critical History\u201c","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"17. travnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"This book presents a critical history of Yugoslav socialist economics, from its inception in the late 1940s to its dissolution in the late 1980s. After the dramatic break with the Soviet Union in 1948, Yugoslavia found itself in urgent need of a third way: A socialist trajectory which would not\u2026","rel":"","context":"U "Knjige"","block_context":{"text":"Knjige","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=8"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Zitko_Grdesic.jpg?fit=350%2C535&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":52580,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=52580","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":1},"title":"Conference “Living in the aftermaths: Trauma, politics and survival in Yugoslavia and successor states, 1945 \u2013 present”","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"21. travnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"The conference aims to explore how war-related psychological distress was experienced, narrated, debated and reframed in Yugoslavia in the second half of the twentieth century. It asks how the theme of wounded psyche and wartime suffering was addressed and acknowledged in political, psychiatric and broader cultural discourses of socialist Yugoslavia,\u2026","rel":"","context":"U "Novosti"","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Battle_of_Neretva_Picasso_poster-Conference-Living-in-the-aftermaths.webp?fit=564%2C954&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Battle_of_Neretva_Picasso_poster-Conference-Living-in-the-aftermaths.webp?fit=564%2C954&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Battle_of_Neretva_Picasso_poster-Conference-Living-in-the-aftermaths.webp?fit=564%2C954&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53372,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=53372","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":2},"title":"Predstavljanje knjige Marije Vulesice \u201eFrom Zagreb to Palestine. Yugoslav Zionist Aid Networks for European Jews, 1933\u20131941\u201c u Grazu","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"15. svibnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"U ponedjeljak, 18. svibnja 2026. u 17 sati u Grazu bit \u0107e odr\u017eano predavanje Marije Vulesice i predstavljanje njezine knjige \u201eFrom Zagreb to Palestine. Yugoslav Zionist Aid Networks for European Jews, 1933\u20131941\u201c. Op\u0161irnije: https:\/\/historiografija.ba\/historija-u-javnosti\/dogadjaji\/Predstavljanje-knjige-From-Zagreb-to-Palestine https:\/\/juedischestudien.uni-graz.at\/de\/neuigkeiten\/from-zagreb-to-palestine-yugoslav-zionist-aid-networks-for-european-jews-1933-1941 Dodatne obavijesti: https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=49777","rel":"","context":"U "Novosti"","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49777,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=49777","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":3},"title":"Marija Vulesica, \u201eFrom Zagreb to Palestine: Yugoslav Zionist Aid Networks for European Jews, 1933-1941\u201c","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"21. studenoga 2025.","format":false,"excerpt":"In the spring of 1933, Yugoslav Jewish communities founded several local aid committees for Jewish refugees from Germany. Very soon, the Zionist led Zagreb local committee took over the management and organisation of all refugee help. Its staff built up connections with Jewish organisations at home and abroad. However, contacts\u2026","rel":"","context":"U "Knjige"","block_context":{"text":"Knjige","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=8"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Marija_Vulesica.jpg?fit=800%2C490&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54121,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54121","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":4},"title":"ZGODOVINA NA \u0160PICI: YUGOSLAVIA AND CAMBODIA: ENTANGLED HISTORIES OF NON-ALIGNMENT","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"16. lipnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"You are kindly invited to a new lecture in the History on the Edge series, which will take place on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the INZ premises or via the ZOOM link: https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/85093074535?pwd=chFdSCgScVg8fw1djh3bVz8h9gqWtm.1 . In the new season, lectures will take place at 3 p.m. and if you will\u2026","rel":"","context":"U "Novosti"","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ZNS_predavanje.jpg?fit=1086%2C567&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ZNS_predavanje.jpg?fit=1086%2C567&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ZNS_predavanje.jpg?fit=1086%2C567&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ZNS_predavanje.jpg?fit=1086%2C567&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ZNS_predavanje.jpg?fit=1086%2C567&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54066,"url":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?p=54066","url_meta":{"origin":43959,"position":5},"title":"CALL FOR CHAPTERS: YUGOSLAV WOMEN HISTORIANS: GENDER, KNOWLEDGE, AND PROFESSION IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY","author":"Branimir Jankovi\u0107","date":"12. lipnja 2026.","format":false,"excerpt":"Type: Edited Volume Language: English Publisher: Institute for Recent History of Serbia Editors: Dr. Nata\u0161a Mili\u0107evi\u0107, Senior Research Associate, Institute for Recent History of Serbia\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prof. Dr. Michael Antolovi\u0107, Faculty of Education in Sombor, University of Novi Sad Contact: jugoslovenske.istoricarke@yahoo.com Timeline: October 15, 2026: Abstract submission deadline June 30, 2027:\u2026","rel":"","context":"U "Novosti"","block_context":{"text":"Novosti","link":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CPF-Gender.png?fit=1200%2C460&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CPF-Gender.png?fit=1200%2C460&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CPF-Gender.png?fit=1200%2C460&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CPF-Gender.png?fit=1200%2C460&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/historiografija.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CPF-Gender.png?fit=1200%2C460&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43959"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43961,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43959\/revisions\/43961"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/historiografija.hr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}