Following the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, Croatian was declared
officially to be a separate language, distinct from Serbian, and
linguistic issues became highly politicized. This book examines the
changing status and norms of the Croatian language and its relationship
to Croatian national identity. It focuses on the period following the
creation of an independent Croatian state in 1991, but encompasses
broader historical developments to provide a context for understanding
the contemporary linguistic situation. The complex history of language
standardization in the Yugoslav lands and the emphasis on language
planning in Croatia make this an especially interesting case study that
offers insight into wider debates about linguistic identity, language
policy, and language planning issues in general.