Banović, Branko and Milenković, Marko and Milenković, Miloš (2025) Nationalism, clientelism, and green transition: Econativism and environmental politics in Pljevlja, Montenegro. East European Politics and Societies, 39 (4). pp. 981-1000. ISSN 0888-3254
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This article explores the interplay between environmentalism, nationalism, and clientelism in the town of Pljevlja, Northern Montenegro. The environmental and economic transformations driven by European Union integration have placed Pljevlja at the center of both ecological degradation and political struggles. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines political anthropology, mining studies, and legal analysis, the study examines the rise of “econativism,” where environmental and nationalist discourses merge to form powerful local movements. Through ethnographic research conducted in two phases between 2015 and 2023, the article highlights how environmental issues, especially air pollution, are intertwined with identity politics, ethnic clientelism, and shifting political dynamics. The findings reveal that opposition parties successfully used environmental concerns in the lead-up to Montenegro’s 2020 political changes, only for environmental activism to decline after their ascent to power. The case study of Pljevlja offers critical insights into the potential and limitations of econativism as a political force, emphasizing that identity-driven narratives can co-opt ecological activism which dissipates when political goals are achieved.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Institutional centre: | Centre for legal research |
| Depositing User: | D. Arsenijević |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Dec 2025 08:05 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Dec 2025 08:05 |
| URI: | http://iriss.idn.org.rs/id/eprint/2870 |
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