Deconstructing Balkan Particularism: The Ambiguous Social Capital of Southeastern Europe

Abstract

This article is concerned with particularism in the post-communist Balkans. First, it discusses notions such as particularism and social capital in a post-communist context, attempting to relate these two concepts to each other. Second, it provides a descriptive picture of particularism, informal behaviour and social capital in Southeast Europe based on a comparative survey conducted in 2003 in five countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Third, it constructs explanatory models of social capital and discusses the policy implications for the region’s Europeanization.

Keywords: particularism, post-communist, Balkans, social capital, corruption