Left-wing populist challenge to the liberal international order in the case of the New Balkan LeftMahmutović, Melika (Avtor) Lovec, Marko (Mentor) liberal international orderthe Balkansleft-wing populismIRcrisisThis dissertation, situated within the discipline of International Relations (IR), examines the political practices associated with the left-wing populism in the post-Yugoslav Balkans, with a particular focus on the New Balkan Left (NBL) and its relationship with the core tenants of the liberal international order (LIO) amid its widely debated crisis. The research is structured around three core elements: (1) the post-Yugoslav Balkans as a particular arena of investigation, paradigmatic due to its liminal and semi-peripheral position within the LIO; (2) left-wing populism as a political project rooted in the tradition of the Left utilising populist logic as a tool of mobilisation, and (3) the LIO as an international order that manages relations within and between states, functioning as a hegemonic order making project advocating liberal internationalism as a universal framework for peace, prosperity, and cooperation. Engaging with poststructuralist IR and poststructural-discourse theory as developed by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the dissertation challenges the state-centrism of IR, by introducing new relevant actors and political arenas. It also highlights the complexities of addressing multiple political registers while mobilising diverse social demands into a unified political front. Additionally, the post-Yugoslav Balkans are positioned as a source of IR diversification, as a space from which the study of global politics and the LIO may be decentred. The analysis reveals that populism constitutes only one dimension of the NBL project, evident in its adoption of an antagonistic view of the political arena. However, its contestation of the LIO is primarily geared toward transformation rather than destruction, ultimately contributing to the LIO’s resilience amid crises. The case of the NBL thus demonstrates that left-wing populism, whether in power or in opposition, does not seek to delegitimize liberal institutions but is committed to their proper functioning and improvement.M. Mahmutović20252025-10-01 07:30:35Doktorsko delo/naloga174302sl