NATIONALISM and PUBLIC OPINION on EU INTEGRATION: the CASE of SERBIA Eline Berghuis- Van Westering May 2012
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NATIONALISM AND PUBLIC OPINION ON EU INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF SERBIA Eline Berghuis- van Westering May 2012 NATIONALISM AND PUBLIC OPINION ON EU INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF SERBIA NATIONALISM AND PUBLIC OPINION ON EU INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF SERBIA Master thesis Conflicts, Territories and Identities Author: Eline Berghuis- van Westering Student number: 4075897 Supervisor: Dr. W.M. Verkoren Second supervisor: Prof. Dr. H.J. van Houtum University of Nijmegen 29 May 2012 Photos on the title page: 1. A man holding a sign which reads: ‘We don’t want into EU’, during a protest against Serbia’s EU integration on 11 October 2011. A few days before the European Commission announced they would postpone the decision of whether Serbia would be granted candidacy, conditioning Serbia first to make more progress in the dialogue with Kosovo. 2. Former Serbian President Boris Tadic together with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barosso at a press conference after talks in Brussels on 28 February 2012. A few days later Serbia received the news they were granted EU candidacy. - 2 - E. BERGHUIS - VAN WESTERING Preface This thesis has been written as part of the master specialisation programme ‘Conflicts, Territories, and Identities’ of Human Geography at the Radboud University of Nijmegen. The first exploratory phase of my thesis took place in Belgrade, where I conducted a three month internship from April till July 2011 at the Netherlands Embassy. Through this internship and the people I met here, I was able to get familiar with Serbia and learn a lot about the dynamics in this country. I thank the Embassy staff, and in particular my supervisors Tsjeard Hoekstra and Laurent Stokvis, for the instructive and wonderful time I was able to have here. Back in the Netherlands, the actual writing started, which was not always an easy task. I thank my friends who supported me in this process through their listening, encouragement and sometimes just a simple coffee- or lunch break. I also thank my supervisor Willemijn Verkoren, without whom I would not have been able to deliver such a consistent research. Thank you for your clear and constructive comments and rapid responses. The finishing of my thesis also marks the end of my period as a student. I am thankful for having had the opportunity to study and develop myself inside and outside the university. I thank my parents who have always supported me in this – not only with financial means. Above all, I thank Dion, who even became my husband during the writing of this thesis. You have witnessed my ups and downs through all of this and I know you must be almost as relieved as I am, that I finished this thesis today. Thank you for your patience, advice and encouragement. Eline Berghuis- van Westering Utrecht, 29 May 2012 - 3 - NATIONALISM AND PUBLIC OPINION ON EU INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF SERBIA Table of contents List of abbreviations ......................................................................................................................... - 6 - Executive summary .......................................................................................................................... - 7 - Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................... - 8 - 1.1 Research goal and questions ........................................................................................... - 9 - 1.2 Relevance ......................................................................................................................... - 10 - 1.3 Case study Serbia............................................................................................................ - 12 - 1.4 Methodology ................................................................................................................... - 12 - 1.5 Outline of the thesis ....................................................................................................... - 13 - Chapter 2: Theoretical background on nationalism and EU integration ....................... - 15 - 2.1 European integration ..................................................................................................... - 15 - 2.1.1 Goal and history of European enlargement ........................................................ - 15 - 2.1.2 Accession procedure and criteria ......................................................................... - 17 - 2.1.3 Conditionality ......................................................................................................... - 18 - 2.1.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... - 18 - 2.2 Identity ............................................................................................................................. - 19 - 2.3 Nations and nationalism ............................................................................................... - 21 - 2.3.1 The origin of nations and nationalism ................................................................. - 21 - 2.3.2 The power of nationalism ...................................................................................... - 24 - 2.3.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... - 26 - 2.4 Nationalist parties and EU integration ........................................................................ - 26 - 2.4.1 The influence of domestic politics ........................................................................ - 26 - 2.4.2 Nationalist strategies .............................................................................................. - 27 - 2.4.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... - 29 - 2.5 Public opinion on European integration ..................................................................... - 29 - 2.5.1 Determinants of support for European integration ........................................... - 30 - 2.5.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... - 32 - 2.6 Conclusion chapter 2 ...................................................................................................... - 32 - - 4 - E. BERGHUIS - VAN WESTERING Chapter 3: Serbian nationalism ................................................................................................ - 34 - 3.1 Preview of the case study .............................................................................................. - 34 - 3.2 Introduction Serbia ......................................................................................................... - 35 - 3.2.1 Historical description ............................................................................................. - 35 - 3.2.2 Current situation ..................................................................................................... - 37 - 3.3 Serbian nationalism during the conflict ..................................................................... - 39 - 3.4 Serbian nationalism nowadays ...................................................................................... - 41 - 3.5 Conclusions chapter 3 ..................................................................................................... - 46 - Chapter 4: Serbia’s EU integration .......................................................................................... - 48 - 4.1 Steps towards accession ................................................................................................. - 48 - 4.2 ICTY cooperation and Kosovo ................................................................................... - 49 - 4.3 The elite’s framing of EU integration .......................................................................... - 52 - 4.4 Conclusion chapter 4 ....................................................................................................... - 55 - Chapter 5: Public opinion on European integration in Serbia ................................................. - 57 - 5.1 Public opinion on EU integration ................................................................................. - 57 - 5.2 Determinants of support ............................................................................................... - 59 - 5.2.1 Utilitarian thesis ...................................................................................................... - 59 - 5.2.2 Domestic politics..................................................................................................... - 60 - 5.2.3 Social identity .......................................................................................................... - 61 - 5.2.4 Nationalism ............................................................................................................. - 62 - 5.3 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... - 63 - Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendation ...................................................................... - 64 - Bibliography .................................................................................................................................... - 68 - - 5 - NATIONALISM AND PUBLIC OPINION ON EU INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF SERBIA List of abbreviations DS Democratic Party DSS Democratic