Since the early 1990s Southeast European Studies have undergone profound changes being shaped by the wars of Yugoslav succession and the ramifications of post-socialism, coupled with democratic deficiencies, which characterize most of Southeast Europe. The countries which it encompasses rest uneasily on the periphery of the developed variant of Western capitalism, but they have nonetheless to contend with the challenges of adjusting to a market economy. The imprint of these contexts on academic research has led to a discussion of the role of Southeast European Studies. It is the task of this volume to summarize and raise awareness of this discussion.

Christian Promitzer, Siegfried Gruber and Harald Heppner work at the Research Area Southeast European History and Anthropology which is part of the Institute of History at the University of Graz.