Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.52328/t.5.1.3
Discursive traces of small states: shaping of Serbia's and Croatia's identities and roles at the United Nations
Marko Kovačević
orcid.org/0000-0002-6799-0411
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
Abstract
In 30 years after the breakup of the socialist Yugoslavia, Serbia and Croatia as small states differently envisaged their place in regional and global context. Such difference is demonstrated by their different relationships toward international organizations such as the European Union, NATO or the United Nations. This article, as its central interest takes the United Nations as a multilateral forum or an arena where small states importantly represent and shape their foreign policy identities and roles. Relying on the constructivist foreign policy analysis and role theory, I focused on the key stages in
the development of Serbia's and Croatia's foreign policy narratives as active member states of the United Nations. Although both of these post-Yugoslav states perceive themselves as active, such activity belongs to two different, theoretically conceptualized strategies of small states. I argue that Serbia, due to the complexity of Kosovo problem mostly leads defensive autonomous strategy that is bounded by its proclaimed military neutrality, whereas Croatia being a small EU and NATO member is closer to integrationist influence seeking under the same constellation with its Euro-Atlantic partners. By analyzing the official diplomatic discourses of both states at the UN General Assembly between 2000 and 2020, I show how and to what degree their discourses on regional, European and global politics converge or diverge, and discuses what that means for their respective places in the world.
Keywords
international relations; foreign policy; small states; Serbia; Croatia; United Nations; General Assembly
Hrčak ID:
279344
URI
Publication date:
20.6.2022.
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