SERBIA’S POLITICAL IDENTITY IN THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXT

The legacy of the 1990s, profound changes in the international context and home-grown challenges decisively shape Serbia’s contemporary political identity. This research project will explore the impact of important shifts in international relations, European integration and conflicts in our region on Serbia’s place in the international community and its choice of optimal foreign policy strategy. It will investigate obstacles to further improvements in the quality of democracy, governing capacity at the national, regional and local levels and in the quality of public policies, especially social policy, and develop specific proposals to overcome these obstacles. The Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade, will provide extensive material and other forms of support to researchers involved in this project. The researchers will organise several academic conferences and roundtables and publish research monographs, edited books, articles in competitive international and national academic journals as well as policy papers. Findings will be used by academics and researchers in this and related fields, political actors in government, political parties and civil society associations, and by higher education institutions in Serbia and the wider region. The project will support research and professional development of young researchers.