Summary
In February 2003, Biljana Plavsic, an ex-Bosnian-Serb leader, became the highest-ranking politician from the former Yugoslavia to be found guilty of war crimes. Her sentence of 11 years in prison is an important step in the reconciliation and rehabilitation process that has been hampered by reluctance on the part of governments and individuals to come forth and face war crimes indictments. The war in Bosnia ended in 1995 with the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which created a two-tier government in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A multi-ethnic national government took charge of foreign and economic policy and two regional governments, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska, managed internal affairs. This new volume in the Nations in Transition series provides an in-depth look at the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country's ethnic conflict and its history, and the difficulties it faces in implementing the terms of the peace agreement.
Comprehensive in scope, Bosnia and Herzegovina begins with an overview of the country's history, from Roman times to the present. In a style that is easy to understand, the book continues to examine the complicated government structure and diverse religious community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as its economic situation, culture, daily life, and major cities. An invaluable source of information for students and general readers, this volume is a great starting point for research on this still fragile democracy.
Specifications
24 black-and-white photographs and illustrations. 1 map. Index. Bibliography. Chronology.
About the Author(s)
Michael A. Schuman is a freelance writer who has more than 25 books to his credit. He has written a number of biographies for young adults, including books on Elie Wiesel and Richard Nixon, as well as a book on the state of Delaware. His numerous articles have been published in several magazines and more than 150 newspapers, including New York Daily News, Newsday, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The San Francisco Examiner, and The Los Angeles Times.