Contentious Activists or Loyal Mercenaries? Mapping Illiberal Civil Society in Serbia
How have hybrid regimes in the Western Balkans remained remarkably stable despite sustained public dissent? Existing explanations emphasize institutional capture, elite patronage, and international support, leaving comparatively little attention to the role of state-civil society relations. My research argues that the stability of hybrid regimes depends not only on their control of political institutions, but also on how they cultivate relationships with civic actors. Using Serbia as a case study, this project maps state-civil society relations to examine how different configurations of these relationships shape strategies of mobilization, legitimation, and stabilization in contemporary hybrid regimes. In doing so, it advances new understandings of hybrid governance while providing actionable insights for donors, policymakers, and civil society practitioners working to strengthen democratic resilience.
