Mark Nunan, a long time DMA member and prolific convener and presenter, will provide a focus on Slovenia, its history and place historically in Europe and in the geopolitics of the 20th century—the nature of the country, its experience in the world wars, its post-war assimilation by Yugoslavia, and its eventual emergence as an independent nation.
Slavoj Žižek, philosopher and Director of the Birbeck Institute of the Humanities at London University is the best-known Slovenian public intellectual. He has pointed to the many paradoxes characterizing the Balkans, and his home country, as follows.
“This very alibi confronts us with the first of many paradoxes concerning Balkan: its geographic delimitation was never precise. It is as if one can never receive a definitive answer to the question, “Where does it begin?” For Serbs, it begins down there in Kosovo or Bosnia, and they defend the Christian civilization against this Europe’s Other. For Croats, it begins with the Orthodox, despotic, Byzantine Serbia, against which Croatia defends the values of democratic Western civilization. For Slovenes, it begins with Croatia, and we Slovenes are the last outpost of the peaceful Mitteleuropa. For Italians and Austrians, it begins with Slovenia, where the reign of the Slavic hordes starts. For Germans, Austria itself, on account of its historic connections, is already tainted by Balkanic corruption and inefficiency. For some arrogant Frenchmen, Germany is associated with the Balkanian Eastern savagery—up to the extreme case of some conservative anti-European-Union Englishmen for whom, in an implicit way, it is ultimately the whole of continental Europe itself that functions as a kind of Balkan Turkish global empire with Brussels as the new Constantinople, the capricious despotic center threatening English freedom and sovereignty. So Balkan is always the Other: it lies somewhere else, always a little bit more to the southeast, with the paradox that, when we reach the very bottom of the Balkan peninsula, we again magically escape Balkan. Greece is no longer Balkan proper, but the cradle of our Western civilization.”
That’s a lot to think about! Mark will try to sort it out.
Mark, who currently lives in Slovenia, was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1953. At an early age, he moved to Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1976. He continued his education at Stanford University, where he was awarded a master’s in 1979 and a Ph.D. in 1983. Mark also studied at L’ENS (L’école normale supérieure) and at the University of Paris-Sorbonne in Paris as part of his Ph.D. program.
Mark started his career at COS Inc. in 1982 in Palo Alto, Calif., and then transferred to Paris and New York City, where he retired as a senior vice president in 2018. COS is a private firm that provides business and economic development services, assisting companies and governments to research, develop and implement new business expansion opportunities globally.
Summary
Mark Nunan, a well researched and illustrated presentation, shared the history, geopolitical significance, and cultural identity of the Slovenes. He discussed Slovenia’s historical governance under various empires, including the Romans, the Holy Roman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and later Yugoslavia. He emphasized Slovenia’s unique cultural and linguistic identity, highlighting the role of poet France Prešeren in shaping national consciousness.
Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia in the 20th century but declared independence in 1991 after a brief 10-day war. Mark explored the complex dynamics within Yugoslavia, including Tito’s leadership, ethnic tensions, and Slovenia’s strategic exit from the federation. He highlighted Slovenia’s economic and political progress since joining the EU and NATO in 2004, emphasizing its stability, safety, and modern infrastructure.
In addition to the geopolitics, Mark also shared a glimpse of what a visitor will encounter in Slovenia—scenic landscapes, from the Alps to the Adriatic, and outdoor attractions, including hiking, paragliding, and thermal spas. He also touched on the country’s rich history in religious traditions, architecture, and beekeeping. Nunan concluded with reflections on Slovenia’s transformation from an overlooked region to a thriving, independent nation with a strong European identity.
Attendees engaged with questions about Slovenia’s political climate, its role in the EU, and cultural aspects, showing great interest in the country’s evolution and present-day status.