The notion of ‘the West’ in the Serbian national imaginary

Abstract

This article deals with the imagery of ‘the West’ in contemporary Serbia. In an analysis of interviews with young Serbian intellectuals, it evaluates how they use the metaphor of the West to construct their self-image. Furthermore, it discusses how Serbian responses to European stereotyping and ‘Othering’ of the Balkans can function as a form of celebratory appropriation, acceptance and exploitation of these stereotypes. It explores the ‘self-exoticization’ process as a reaction to the real or imagined western stereotyping that is detected in Serbian narratives, with the overall objective of demonstrating the urgency of critically rethinking the notion that the identity of European remote areas mirrors western interests and stereotypes. Serbian narratives echo the ongoing struggle over the definition and purpose of belonging to Europe in relation to a global economy. Memories, traditions and stereotypes of belonging are not just invented, but also actively encouraged and negotiated within Serbian society.