I am getting ready to travel to Serbia, Kosovo, and Montenegro for three weeks for the State Department. In Serbia, I'll be lecturing about American democracy over the course of a week at the University of Novi Pazar, a majority Muslim town in the Sanjak region near the Serbian border with Montenegro. In Kosovo, I am talking primarily about different models of managing ethnic divisions in democratic countries--an appropriate topic as Kosovo is currently administered by the United Nations and divided between its Albanian majority and Serbian minority. Finally, I am finishing up in Montenegro. Hopefully, this time I'll avoid dislocating my shoulder during my visit to this beautiful country which has become independent since I last visited it in 2004.
As this blog about Maryland and not about the Balkans, I'm pleased that Kevin Gillogly has agreed to pinch hit at take over while I'm away. Here is how he describes what he has been up to politics-wise for the past few years:
I have lived in Silver Spring / Wheaton since the early 90's and got involved in local elections when my state senator ran a long-shot race for Congress; he won. Emboldened by Chris Van Hollen's win in 2002, I joined the Democratic Party as a precinct official in District 18. In 2006, I joined up with another long-shot race that of Marc Elrich for County Council for At Large. My track record is 2 for 2 for local issues. Recently moved out of District 18 and now live in Colesville a few blocks south of the proposed ICC. Hmmm maybe that should be my third battle. Good things always happen in threes.Kevin is a lively observer of the local political scene so I am pleased that he has agreed to drop in while I'm away. If you're curious about what I am doing in the Balkans, you can drop by The Agonist. Internet permitting, I am hoping to blog there about my travels.
