“What is sevdah?” an old man asks a boy. “Sevdah is when my father is…
Magazine
The latest stories from the Balkans and everything to its East.
Call for Submissions on Ukraine and Russia
Dear readers, Balkanist has published dozens of new as well as more established writers since…
On Missing the World Cup (and Supporting Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk)
I miss the World Cup. I miss the passion of it. I miss the heartbreak…
The “Utopian-Dystopian” Architecture of Contemporary Kazakhstan
Astana became the bureaucratic and political seat of Kazakhstan in 1997. Then known as Akmola,…
Queer As Turbofolk (Part I): “Eastern Europe Is Homophobic”
You’ve read Lily’s How to write about the Balkans piece. Here’s my take on how to write…
The Story of Sevdalinke, Part I: The Saz
Standing at the sliding metal gate that shields his courtyard from the neighborhood, Ćamil Metiljević…
I’m Lovin’ It (Most of the Time): A Brief History of McDonald’s in Serbia
Russian courts on Wednesday ordered the closure of three McDonald’s restaurants in Moscow for the…