wordcrafter: "balkanized – fragmented into small and hostile units"
arnie: "I'd suggest a minor change: fragmented into small and mutually hostile units."

Very interesting. I'm not entirely sure of the definition either. Let's collect a dozen or so some quotes, concentrating on major media, and then see if we'd make this or other changes. Here are a examples-in-use, starting with wordcrafter's; other can add more.

1. Narrowcasting also deepens America's political and cultural balkanization.– New Republic, Feb. 3, 1995
2. ... the 9/11 commission report recommended sweeping changes (and budgetary centralization) in the Balkanized U.S. intelligence system. - MSNBC News, Sept. 3, 2004
3. ... the inefficient, overlapping structure of American intelligence gathering ... the inefficient, overlapping structure of Congressional oversight? ... the House Intelligence Committee - one of the competing patches in the crazy quilt of at least 17 committees that have made a disaster of Congress's responsibility to oversee the government's intelligence operations. The notion that there could be some greater good than Balkanized power wielding remains a non-starter in the House. - New York Times, Aug. 16, 2004
4. Also, operation of the North American grid is dangerously balkanized. Although electricity flows over long-distance power lines without regard to political boundaries, its operation is divided among 140 independent "control areas." Consolidating those areas would increase reliability and efficiency. - Business Week, Aug. 12, 2004

Review-Journal Online Tuesday, December 16, 1997

COLUMN: Jon Ralston ...
"Hudnut spoke about the goal of "moving regionalism along," warning against the danger of Balkanization, with each local jurisdiction moving in its own direction. Hudnut said the valley should strive for "smart growth," which he later defined as "the opposite of dumb growth," or unlimited urban sprawl. ..."

Interesting here. Notice that all the cites so far are from the US press? I looked for a UK example of balkanized, but could find not a single one in the sites of the Times (a slow search), the Telegraph, or the Guardian.

Is this a term that you Brits don't much use? Or am I searching poorly?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wordnerd,

Remember that we have an alternative spelling, "balkanisation/balkanise". A search on the UK Google News brings up five entries for "balkanisation" here.

"Balkanise" brings up another five here.

During the recent series of civil wars in Yugoslavia, Crown Prince Alexander wrote a letter to the papers appealing for something, I can't remember what, but I was struck by his word for what he feared was happening in his country: Lebanonisation, the breaking up into factionally controlled regions.

I'm not sure whether Lebanonisation is exactly the same as Balkanisation, or whether it is finer grain, or whether he felt he couldn't talk about the further balkanisation of the Balkans.

And as an aside, what relationship is Crown Prince Alexander to the Yugoslav throne, last held by his father, if he is not precisely the claimant, pretender, or heir (as he doesn't style himself King Alexander)?

And as an aside, what relationship is Crown Prince Alexander to the Yugoslav throne, last held by his father, if he is not precisely the claimant, pretender, or heir (as he doesn't style himself King Alexander)?

From the Yugoslavian royal family's website:

"After a long illness King Peter II died in 1970 in Denver Colorado USA. Although the Crown Prince decided at the time not to use the title of King - which would have had little meaning in exile - he never renounced his title, or the dynastic right to the throne."

Aspirant. I was in the pub and had this moment of illumination and thought he was probably the aspirant to the throne.