Borderland Narratives and Regional Identity: The Role of Security Stereotypes in Shaping Discourses on EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans
Borderland Narratives and Regional Identity: The Role of Security Stereotypes in Shaping Discourses on EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the dynamics of the establishment of the Western Balkans’ regional identity, emphasising the European Union’s (EU) influential role in shaping this identity amidst ongoing EU integration challenges, focusing on the perception of the region as a borderland of Europe. The main hypothesis in the article is that enduring Balkanistic narratives, which include perception of the region as a borderland that requires Western supervision continue to shape perceptions of the (Western) Balkan identity, particularly within the context of the EU accession. Starting from a brief overview of their origins, the article focuses on the analysis of security-related stereotypes, which are associated with the position of a borderland and their role in shaping contemporary debates on EU enlargement in the Western Balkans. Based on discourse analysis of public statements and speeches made by the EU officials in the period from 2014 to 2024, the research provides insights into how these stereotypes are interpreted in political statements about security aspects of enlargement, assessing their implications on perception of the regional identity.

• Details
• Contents