Social Movements in the Balkans: Rebellion and Protest from Maribor to Taksim - Paperback

by Florian Bieber (Editor), Dario Brentin (Editor)

From Slovenia to Turkey, social movements and protests have shaken the political systems of Southeast Europe. Confronting issues such as austerity, the provision and privatisation of welfare, public utilities and public space, corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, environmental concerns and authoritarian tendencies, these revolts have also served as conduits for broader social and political discontent. While they have contributed to the defeat of unpopular policies and practices and the fall of governments, perhaps their most significant impact has been in creating dynamic political and social actors and contributing to the realignment of the political space.

This volume sheds new light on the wave of protests and emerging social movements. Placing individual protests in a wider context, it highlights connections between different social movements and discusses parallels with similar movements from recent history. The contributors include both well-established scholars and up-and-coming researchers who engage with both activist and academic perspectives to identify the similar and varying dynamics of both the protests and the governments' responses to them.

Building upon studies of social movements, the book will be of interest to scholars examining political dissent, protests and mechanisms of mobilisation in the region.

Author Biography

Florian Bieber is a Professor of Southeast European History and Politics at the University of Graz, Austria and director of the Centre for Southeast European Studies at the University of Graz and coordinator of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG). He was previously Lecturer in East European Politics at the University of Kent, UK. He received his M.A. in Political Science and History and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Vienna, as well as an M.A. in Southeast European Studies from Central European University (Budapest).

Dario Brentin is a University Assistant at the Centre for Southeast European Studies at the University of Graz. He is also currently completing his PhD thesis at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London working on the topic of sport and national identity in post-Yugoslav Croatia. He obtained his Mag. Phil. in Political Science and Eastern European History at the University of Vienna. He has taught at University of Vienna and has since been a Visiting Lecturer at University of Copenhagen and University of Brighton.