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Kosovo

This reference presents essays that discuss not only the historical background of Kosovo, but also the ethnic cleansing there and the events leading to the trial of Slobodan Milosevic. The first chapter provides the background information and uses primary sources, such as articles from periodicals, State Department and judicial reports and the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. The second chapter presents information on the genocide in Kosovo from multinational perspectives, essays and speeches on whether or not the events in Kosovo meet the criteria of a genocide and reports on incidents of rape as a weapon of war the systematic execution of Albanian males of fighting age. Chapter three recounts personal experiences of victims of the Serbian forces, a peace worker who was imprisoned, a witness of atrocities, and young victims from the region. I don’t think many of our students know about the genocide in Kosovo, and I think fewer understand the root of the problems; this book does a good job explaining it. There are exercises at the start of each chapter, including analysis of data and political cartoons, writing prompts and group activities. The reference includes a timeline, maps, and lists of websites and books for further information.  I see this as an excellent addition to a high school library, both for students looking for more information on genocide or teachers interested in developing a lesson/unit on the topic, particularly one supported by primary source documents.