ALegal Geography of Yugoslavia's Disintegration explains the violent break-up of the former Yugoslavia in early 1990s in the context of two legal principles- sovereignty and the self-determination of peoples. The author recounts Yugoslavia's history, with a focus on the country's internal, administrative divisions, and aspirations of different ethnic groups in order to effectively explain the genesis of the international community's political decision to recognize the right of secession for the largest administrative units of Yugoslavia. Trobovich, a Serbian author writing from the perspective of a disengaged scholar, tackles her subject matter with clarity and detail and offers an intriguing analysis of Kosovo's future status; international recognition of secession; implications of Yugoslavia's disintegration for other conflicts invoking right to self-determination; and international intervention in ethnic conflicts.

"The question of the borders of a new State that emerges following secession is a matter largely ignored by scholars, especially in the context of Yugoslavia's meltdown that commenced in the 1990s. Trbovich's book fills this important gap... [Her] extensive analysis of the relevant historical, political and legal literature has produced an interdisciplinary study full of insights otherwise not available in the literature published to date. This scholarly work is a valuable addition to the existing literature on the still unfolding disintegration of Yugoslavia. Policy makers and scholars will benefit from reading it."--Peter Radan, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University |k No