Managing Controversy: U.S. Stability Seeking and the Birth of the Macedonian State

Abstract

This article attempts to explain why the U.S. recognition of Macedonia's independence was such a long and controversial issue that lasted from 1991 to 2004. Based on a defensive positionalist model, this essay suggests that the search of regional stability in the South Balkans was the consistent interest pursued by the U.S. toward Macedonia, and that this preference justifies the slowness with which the U.S. granted recognition. The article also runs counter to the ethnic lobby argument, which is increasingly regarded as a major determinant of American foreign policy toward self-determination movements. More specifically, the analysis casts serious doubt on the proposition that the Greek-American community, through its mobilization, compelled the U.S. government to delay Macedonia's recognition, despite what some liberals have argued.

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