Lecture: Alternative Projects for the Organization of the Yugoslav Region during the Great War
As part of the lecture series “Yugoslavia – Continuity, Trials, and Challenges,” Miloš Vojinović, research associate at the Institute for Balkan Studies of SASA, will present a lecture titled “Alternative Projects for the Organization of the Yugoslav Region during the Great War” on Wednesday, March 5, at noon, in the SASA Grand Hall.
The turbulent history of the 20th century has led Serbian and Yugoslav historians to focus on the pivotal year of 1918. The reasons for such research direction are justified. This is the year that paved the way for the 20th-century history. Other significant years, such as 1941 and 1991, derive much of their historical significance from 1918—whether through its temporary disruption in 1941 or its ultimate dissolution in 1991. However, the prevailing orientation towards the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, made it seem that the creation of Yugoslavia was the only possible outcome of war and not an alternative among myriads of solutions.
In his lecture, Miloš Vojinović will explore the most important unrealized projects for the organization of the Yugoslav region – with different plans in case of the victory of the Entente Powers or the victory of the Central Powers. The importance of studying these failed plans does not lie in pursuing contra-factual history i.e. this approach does not provide an alternative history – what history could have looked like. Turning to these topics might offer a fresh perspective to the old questions: What conditions shaped the decisions made during the First World War? And why were these alternative solutions abandoned or left unfulfilled?
Miloš Vojinović completed his Bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from the Faculty of Philosophy. He earned his doctorate from the Humboldt University of Berlin. He has been a visiting researcher at Princeton University, the German Historical Institute in London, the Centre for the History of Economics at the University of Cambridge and the College for the Study of Work and Life Cycles in Global History in Berlin.
After completing his postdoctoral studies at the European University Institute in Florence, he returned to the Institute for Balkan Studies of SASA. He authored the book ‘Political Ideas of Young Bosnia (published in Belgrade in 2015, second print in 2024) and edited volumes of historical records such as ‘Sarajevo Assassination: Photographs (Novi Sad 2024) and ‘Visions of the Future: Yugoslav Region between 1914 and 1918 – Thematic collection of documents (Novi Sad, 2024).