Aufhebunga Bunga

Aleksandar Vučić's coalition won the recent (21 June) Serbian parliamentary elections amidst a mass boycott. We talk to Balkanist editor Lily Lynch about what Vučić represents - violent ultranationalist or technocratic centrist? We also take time to discuss geopolitical rivalries over Kosovo.  Plus: cigar socialism, Yugoboomers and the enduring appeal of Balkan orientalism. According to Julian Assange, the future always comes to Serbia first - what does this mean?  Intro clip: Vučić's very creepy virtual rally | Outro clip: The Big Z  Readings: Abramović, Žižek and Milanović: Yugoslavia’s First and Last Global Public Intellectuals, Srdjan Garcevic, The Nutshell Times The Tito–Castro Split and the End of Cigar Socialism, Lily Lynch, Balkanist Vucic’s nationalist party wins landslide victory in Serbian poll, Valerie Hopkins, FT West is best: How ‘stabilitocracy’ undermines democracy building in the Balkans, Srda Pavlovic, LSE blog