In May 1980, Josip Tito died after ruling Yugoslavia for more than three decades. In his absence, the Yugoslav League of Communists put in place a collective, power-sharing model. A politician from each of the country’s national units would take their turn as the head of state. But by the early 90s, Yugoslavia was on the brink of collapse. The rise of two nationalist leaders, Slobodan Milošević of Serbia and Croatia’s Franjo Tuđman, was followed by the outbreak of civil war.

Catherine Samary, historian of the Balkans and author of several books including Yugoslavia Dismembered, joins Long Reads to discuss this history. This is the second part of a two-part interview. You can find the first part here: https://shows.acast.com/jacobin-radio/episodes/long-reads-life-death-yugoslavia-samary-part-1

Read her piece for New Left Review, "A Utopian in the Balkans," here: https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii114/articles/catherine-samary-a-utopian-in-the-balkans

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Long Reads is a Jacobin podcast looking in-depth at political topics and thinkers, both contemporary and historical, with the magazine’s longform writers. Hosted by features editor Daniel Finn. Produced by Conor Gillies, music by Knxwledge.

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