Macedonia has had a troubled and remarkable history. From ancient Macedonia, the country of Alexander the Great, through Roman dependency, Bulgarian rule and Ottoman principality, the modern nation state is a complex mixture of ethnicities,historical allegiances and religious beliefs. United with Yugoslavia under Tito, and with a modern history of Albanian resistance and disputes with modern Greece, it is also absolutely central to the stability of the Balkan region. This is the first anthropological survey of the Republic of Macedonia, which seeks to untangle the many complexities of the country; addressing Sufism, Islamic influence, the role of ethnic Serbs, Albanians, Greeks and Bulgarians, the cultural heritage of Macedonia and its modern political relevance. This is essential reading for students and scholars of Balkan studies, international relations and anthropology.

Victor C. De Munck is Associate Professor in Anthropology at the State University of New York (SUNY), USA.

Ljupcho Risteski is Associate Professor in Ethnography and Anthropolgy at Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, Macedonia.