This book investigates state-building, distorted identities, and separatism in the Republic of Moldova. It presents research on the historical preconditions and spread of the secessionist movement in Transnistria, the war in the Dniester River valley, and the diplomatic deadlock of the Transnistrian problem. It examines the conflicting positions that political parties, the public, and experts have taken towards the problems that challenge the nation- and state-building processes in this post-Soviet state. Additional focal points include the reassertion of Russia's power in the post-Soviet space, Ukraine's effort to become a major political player in the region, and Romania's attempt to retrieve its influence in Moldova.
This study demonstrates that separatism generates mutually exclusive nation-building projects on the territory of a single state, that international actors play a significant role in this process, and that domestic and external factors hinder the development of a resolution of the so-called "frozen conflict" over Transnistria.
Honorable Mention, 2024 Taylor and Francis Book Prize in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Canadian Association of Slavists.
This book investigates state-building, distorted identities, and separatism in the Republic of Moldova. It presents research on the historical preconditions and spread of the secessionist movement in Transnistria, the war in the Dniester River valley, and the diplomatic deadlock of the Transnistrian problem. It examines the conflicting positions that political parties, the public, and experts have taken towards the problems that challenge the nation- and state-building processes in this post-Soviet state. Additional focal points include the reassertion of Russiäs power in the post-Soviet space, Ukraine¿s effort to become a major political player in the region, and Romaniäs attempt to retrieve its influence in Moldova.
This study demonstrates that separatism generates mutually exclusive nation-building projects on the territory of a single state, that international actors play a significant role in this process, and that domestic and external factors hinder the development of a resolution of the so-called "frozen conflict" over Transnistria.
"Eduard Baidaus' Unsettled Nation. Moldova in the Geopolitics of Russia, Romania, and Ukraine (Ibidem Press, 2023) is a thorough analysis of identity issues in Moldova. Moldova has appeared in the news more often since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. If one wants to learn about the situation in that country this book is the best place to start. The book addresses many topics as part of the author's deep analysis of post-Soviet Moldova. The work is unprecedented, as there has been no earlier research output on Moldova comparable in breadth and detail. It is an encyclopedia of the early and modern history of Moldova, which chronicles the awakening and growing nationhood. It allows the reader to reconsider colonialism and anti-colonialism under different circumstances. The book has an international and national significance as the bilingualism issues are compared with those in Canada. The book does not shy away from the issue of Transnistrian republic, a resonant contemporary problem. On the contrary, breakaway Transnistria's origins and related issues are thoroughly explained. The volume is impressive in its size and scope, drawing on multiple sources, such as archives, earlier literature, and interviews. It shows how Moldova, stuck between Russia and Ukraine's power struggles on the one hand and historic and linguistic connections with Romania on the other, has been trying to find its own way. The book is of high interest to scholars and students of Moldova, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Russia, as well as colonialism, postcolonialism, and a rise of nation-states and national identities."
The Canadian Association of Slavists' Taylor & Francis Book Prize in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Book Prize Committee 2024
