Im not from Europe. Can someone explain what are the Balkans exactly and why there’s “beef” between them?
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To some extent it’s likely related to geography and mountains affecting cultural interaction
Rugged mountain valleys often lead to isolated cultural pockets that become engulfed by other cultures
There are lots of examples from around the world where there are cultural disuptes in diverse mountainous areas, often related to enclaves/exclaves and isolated cultural pockets
Examples such as the Basque region, the Nagorno-Karabakh problems in Armenia/Azerbaijan, even the Appalachians in the US, Georgia and Russia, Afghanistan, Celtic peoples in Scotland way back in the day, etc.
Rugged mountains have a way of isolating cultural groups and allowing disparate cultures to form on either side of the mountains at close proximity and then when this combines with modern industry and politics it often gets out of hand.
The mountains block cultural interactions between cultures that may technically live only a short distance away, so it sometimes leads to more diversity than in a flatter area where everyone can interact more easily. And cultures can become isolated inside a single mountain valley surrounded by another group outside the valley.
You also see a less confrontational version of it in the US and Canada where the west coast developed a different culture than the interior separated by mountains and everyone is always arguing. I think west and east Oregon is a stark example. Or the central valley in cali, or the lower mainland in BC.
No this isn’t a rule and yes there are more exceptions than examples, but it’s hard to say this never happens. I never said this was the dominant factor before someone jumps down my throat, obviously this doesn’t explain everything
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