Which scholars' work primarily focuses on the perception of the Balkans?

The work of Vesna Goldsworthy and Edward Said is pivotal in understanding the perception of the Balkans. Edward Said, in his influential book "Orientalism," discusses the construction of narratives around the East by the West, shaping how regions like the Balkans are perceived in western discourse. This framework emphasizes the stereotypical representations that often marginalize and misrepresent these regions.

Vesna Goldsworthy, in her own scholarship, particularly in works like "Inventing Ruritania," directly addresses the perceptions of the Balkans and the ways in which Western narratives influence and distort the identity of Balkan cultures. Goldsworthy critically engages with the literature and media representations that have contributed to the exoticism and othering of the Balkans in the Western imagination.

Both scholars are essential in exploring and unraveling how historical and cultural narratives impact perceptions of the Balkans, making their combined contributions relevant to this question.