Zwischen „allgemeiner Geschichtswissenschaft“ und historischer Regionaldisziplin: Die südosteuropäische Geschichtswissenschaft heute

The changes in East and Southeast Europe since 1989 have raised the question how the historical research of the Balkans positions itself in relation to the general discipline of historical science and in relation to neighbouring disciplines. Can the historical research of the Balkans claim to be a separate “regional science” anymore or does it have to integrate itself more into the general historiography and become a “normal” historical science dealing just with a particular region? The paper discusses the relation of historical research of Southeastern Europe to overall theories and questions in historiography during the last three decades and how both can be brought closer together within a more general perspective of European history.