Stigma, Fear and Foreign Policy

This book tells a story about the stigmatization of Serbia and how the country has managed its stigma since 2001. It contributes to the theoretical understanding of the foreign policy of stigmatized states by examining how they select stigma-management strategies in relations with former adversaries. It also offers a stigma-centered lens for analyzing the political dynamics in the Western Balkans.

The central argument is that Serbia’s decision-makers grappled with a “destigmatization dilemma,” perceiving that actions aimed at facilitating Serbia’s destigmatization within international society could simultaneously undermine its security in regional relations with former adversaries. This produced a dillema between prioritizing destigmatization or security concerns. Through an examination of Serbia’s relations with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the book explores how decision-makers navigated this dilemma, focusing on two key perceptions: the level of threat posed by the former adversary, and the perceived importance of the bilateral relationship for its destigmatization goals.