Is Resistance Possible Under Semi-peripheral Capitalism?

Abstract

This paper asks what forms of resistance can be articulated by actors situated in a semi‑peripheral context, taking Serbia as its case study. The argument is developed in three steps. The first part reconstructs the historical conditions under which the current regime emerged in the post‑socialist period. The second part links the logic of the present uprising to Serbia’s longer tradition of resistance, exploring its various dimensions. The third part examines the horizon of possibilities opened up by this still unfolding situation, and assesses the political relevance of what the student protesters have so far achieved. Throughout, the study grapples with the intricate relationship between structural constraints and human agency. I raise a measured scepticism about whether the movement’s gains can be effectively converted into lasting change, and I highlight significant tensions between capitalist imperatives and the commitment to „horizontal democracy” – in a country that, at the same time, pursues a „multi‑polar” geopolitical stance and seeks integration into the European Union.