A very hearty welcome back to all our readers! The past year has been another successful one for Balkanistica. In this issue we present a second consecutive volume of individually submitted, peer-reviewed articles, review articles and reviews.

Balkanistica remains academically healthy, but it could in fact be thriving. Submissions of manuscripts to the editor for consideration of publication remain stable and adequate, but given a less-than-one-third acceptance rate, which the journal appropriately enjoys, more submissions would be preferable. Consider submitting yourself, and, by all means, encourage your colleagues to submit.

For several years now, Balkanistica has purposely tried to encourage and promote the publications of younger scholars and newer people to the field. This is the way to a greater future. But established scholars, please do not forget Balkanistica! Your submissions are few, and we need you.

And while we are on the topic of submissions, a quick check behind the scenes here at Balkanistica would show anyone that there is a dearth of submissions of materials on topics dealing with the countries of Albania, Greece and Romania. I am increasing efforts to attract manuscripts in these areas, but please, I could use your help. The financial support for the publication and distribution of Balkanistica, supported by the South East European Studies Association (SEESA), also remains firm, and membership in this organization, which provides as a member benefit a yearly subscription to Balkanistica, is growing, but slowly. Encourage your colleagues to join SEESA, but, above all, ask the library of the institution with which you affiliate to order Balkanistica. Every little bit helps, and everyone will be the better for it.

So what lies beyond? Well, those of you suffering from both triskaidecaphobia and a fear of the new millennium can brace yourselves for volume THIRTEEN of Balkanistica in the YEAR 2000. My best sense of the immediate future of Balkanistica is that in the next five years or so we will see several new volumes of independently submitted articles and reviews with a thematic volume appearing somewhere among them. I have approached -- and have been approached by -- several scholars with some fascinating ideas for thematic volumes, and I plan to look into them. If you yourself have an idea for a special volume, I am only an e-mail message away.

Before I close, I would like to thank in this volume the scholars who have given of their time and professionalism over the past year to serve as manuscript reviewers for Balkanistica: Howard Aronson, Jim Augerot, Bert Beynan, Jimmie Cain, William Crowther, Robert Elsie, Mark Elson, John Fine, Martha Forsyth, Francine Friedman, Jane Hacking, Dennis Hupchick, Valentina Izmirlieva, Charles King, Linda Nelson, Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble, Jan Perkowski, Steven Roper, Maria Todorova, Gary H. Toops and Emil Vrabie. You have the journal's thanks.

Until next time, enjoy.

Donald L. Dyer
March 1, 1999
Oxford, Mississippi