The Concept of National Interest and the International Position of Serbia
The Concept of National Interest and the International Position of Serbia

Author(s): Vojin Dimitrijević
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Sociology, International relations/trade, Nationalism Studies, Inter-Ethnic Relations
Published by: CEDET Centar za demokratsku tranziciju
Keywords: realism; idealism; Serbia; Načertanije; Garašanin; nationalism; self-determination; territorial integrity; Aland Islands; League of Nations; Russia; Austria; Serbia; Montenegro; Croatia; Macedonia
Summary/Abstract: National interest is one of the key concepts in “realist” theorizing about politics: “political realism” has been a method of interpreting political relations for a very long time. Until recently, the realist school dominated the study of international relations, starting from the premise that the basic motive of the actors In these relations is to serve their national interest, transformed into power. For a very long time the perception in Serbia has been that of a nation rather than a state; that Serbia does not exist beyond “Serbdom” and that history appointed it to represent overall Serbian interests. The debate on the state interest was to become possible only after Serbia unambiguously achieved full independence as a sovereign state, something that has happened only recently. However, the question remains whether “national interest" in today’s Serbia has actually become a useful analytical concept.

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