Alexander Mesarovich earned his PhD (Politics) at the University of Edinburgh. His thesis analysed the impact of informal political networks on the EU accession processes of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. Since finishing his PhD, Alexander has been a teaching assistant at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Stirling and has worked as a Temporary Lecturer in Politics at the University of Strathclyde. He has also worked on the H2020 projects ENGAGE, on EU external action, and REDEMOS, on EU democracy support to the Eastern Partnership. Alexander has published in Europe-Asia Studies, written book chapters and working papers, presented at numerous conferences, and has contributed to research for the US government’s Chairmans Action Group advising the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
At the EUI, Alexander will be studying the impact of transnational linkages on the diffusion of illiberalism and populism across Central and Eastern Europe. This will involve using Social Network Analysis paired with elite interviews and field work to understand the impact of such connections on the diffusion of populist political frames and illiberal policy. Alexander’s research interests include populism and illiberalism, diffusion, Europeanization, informality, the politics of Central and Southeastern Europe, and EU politics more generally. He has run undergraduate seminars on UK politics, political theory, and comparative methodology, and has lectured on US National Security Policy, EU internal and external politics, and democratization.