This book tells a story about the stigmatization of Serbia and how the country has managed its stigma since 2001. It contributes to the theoretical understanding of the foreign policy of stigmatized states by examining how they select stigma-management strategies in relations with former adversaries. It also offers a stigma-centered lens for analyzing the political dynamics in the Western Balkans.

The central argument is that Serbia’s decision-makers grappled with a “destigmatization dilemma,” perceiving that actions aimed at facilitating Serbia’s destigmatization within international society could simultaneously undermine its security in regional relations with former adversaries. This produced a dillema between prioritizing destigmatization or security concerns. Through an examination of Serbia’s relations with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the book explores how decision-makers navigated this dilemma, focusing on two key perceptions: the level of threat posed by the former adversary, and the perceived importance of the bilateral relationship for its destigmatization goals.

Milan Krstic is an Associate Professor at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Science. He holds degrees from the University of Belgrade and the LSE. His research focuses on stigmatization in international society, Balkan relations, and U.S. foreign policy.

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
2. “Every Scar Tells a Story”: Stigma in International Relations
3. “Should I Cool It or Should I Blow?”: The Model of Destigmatization Dilemma
4. “Balkan’s Coming Home”: Stigmatization of Serbia during the 1990s
5. “Make Serbia World Again”: Serbian Stigma Management After the Fall of Milo.evi.
6. You labeled me, I’ll label you”: Serbian Stigma Management in Foreign Policy towards Croatia (2001–2020)
7. “Do Not Use the G-Word”: Serbian Stigma Management in Foreign Policy towards BiH (2001–2020)
8. Conclusion
Index
About the Author