Abusing democracy in the Western Balkans: Evidence from recent field research
Light lunch provided
Populism can be both a mode of political participation and a mode of political domination, as it is shown by the consolidation of populist regimes in Serbia and FYR Macedonia. The linguistic turn in the study of populism has sidelined the social and organizational study of populism, as well as the means which populist leaders use once in power. Aleksandar Vucic and Nikola Gruevski rely on a distinct populist discourse, but also on social class bases and organizational means which are characteristic of populism. Evidence from recent interviews in Belgrade and Skopje is used to discuss to what extent populist rule is associated with a backsliding from electoral democracy and the emergence of a new type of political regime, as another round of parliamentary elections approaches, in these two countries. Comparable trends of derailment of democracy, based on a variety of other causes, can be traced in other West Balkan countries.
Date: 23 February 2016, 12:30 (Tuesday, 6th week, Hilary 2016)
Venue: St Antony's College - North Site
Venue Details: Seminar Room, European Studies Centre, 70 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HR
Speaker: Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos (University of Athens, Greece)
Organising department: European Studies Centre
Organiser: Sarah Moran (St Antony's College, Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: sarah.moran@sant.ox.ac.uk
Host: Paul Betts (St Antony's College, University of Oxford)
Part of: SEESOX
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editor: Julie Adams