Socialist Yugoslavia's Foreign Policy: Continuity and Change, 1945–1957

• In Event: History and Politics in the Balkans: From Yugoslavia’s Regime-Change to the Early Cold War

Abstract

This paper delves into the intersection of memory and politics in post-WWII Yugoslavia, focusing on the continuity and change in its foreign policy from 1945 to 1957. While socialist Yugoslavia was often portrayed as a progressive, modern socialist state, its internal dynamics were shaped by authoritarian practices that mirrored those of other Eastern Bloc countries. This paper investigates how the internal mechanisms of control, including state repression and ideological suppression, informed Yugoslavia's foreign policy. It considers how Tito’s efforts to present a progressive image of Yugoslavia on the global stage conflicted with domestic realities and examines how these conflicting narratives were remembered and reconstructed in both domestic and international contexts. By studying this period through the lens of memory and statecraft, the paper aims to contribute to understanding the complexities of postwar Yugoslav state-building and its international posture.

Author

• Nina Markovic, Macquarie U (Australia)