Serbia and the Otpor Movement

Paper Summary:

The paper studies the Serbian Otpor movement's actions and organizational structure in an attempt to obtain a greater understanding of its ability to succeed and its importance as a harbinger of emerging social movements in the 21st century. The paper examines the actions and ideas of Otpor as derived from the American political theorist Gene Sharp, using a framework grounded in Douglas North's institutional change theory. The paper emphasizes how the Otpor model is different from other revolutions because its movement sought to transform authoritarian institutions into democratic institutions, without regard for economic agendas in the short term. The paper then explores the organizational structure of Otpor using theoretical concepts adapted from Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri's ideas on "multitude." The paper includes an appendix on the pronunciation of Serbo-Croatian words and on the various Serbian cities.

Outline:
Introduction
Thesis
Background: Institutionalized Authoritarianism
The lowering of transaction costs for democratic exchange
Turning informal tendencies into weapons of resistance
Destruction of the Enemy's Institutions (Pillars of Support)
Harbinger of Multitude
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's first name means "freedom" in Serbo-Croatian. His wife's first name, Mira, means "peace." For over a decade, Milosevic's rule and his name became synonymous with very different realities. "Stagnate," "stalled," or "static" may have been more appropriate names for the authoritarian, as Serbian society became frozen into a cultural and political vacuum filled only by Milosevic and his reactionary view of how Serbia should function. After four brutal wars, the obtainment of pariah status on the world stage, a deflated economy, the continued erosion of democracy and the proliferation of state-controlled media, Serbia did not appear to be fertile ground for dreamers to plant the seeds of hope."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Agence France Presse. "Yugoslav Students Protest Against Aggression by NATO and Milosevic," 24 March 2000
• Amnesty International (2000) "Yugoslavia: Annual Report,"http://web.amnesty.org/report2000/countries/445feb9f97b52b9e802568f200552985?OpenDocumt
• B92. (14 April 2003) "Delegation Satisfied With Washington Talks," http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=22379&dd=14&mm=04&yyyy=2003
• B92. (28 July 2000), "Film to open Otpor Election Campaign," http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=3679&dd=28&mm=07&yyyy=2000
• B92. (8 July 2000) "Jul is Cool Otpor Festival," http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=3216&dd=08&mm=07&yyyy=2000

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