Kosovo and Two Dimensions of the Contemporary Serb-Albanian Conflict

Abstract

In debates over the Kosovo conflict,¹ scholars and policy-makers have focused largely on broadly conceived Serb-Albanian relations, centred on: the conflicting nationalist ideologies of Serbs and Albanians; the status of Kosovo; and relations between Belgrade and Priština (or Pristina/Tirana). Yet such a focus can be misleading. Another, equally important, dimension of the Kosovo conflict is the Albanian-Serb conflict within the province. Yet over the past two decades scholars and policy-makers have not taken into account the grievances and behaviour of local actors, particularly those of the Kosovo Serbs, within the climate of the changing political context within which they have struggled. The failure of local and external political actors — before, during and after the rule of Milošević, including that of representatives of the international organisations involved in the post-war reconstruction and institution building — has strongly contributed to the atmosphere of intractability that threatens to undermine a major opportunity to reach a fair and sustainable solution.