Book review: rival power: Russia in Southeast Europe by Dimitar Bechev

In Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe, Dimitar Bechev offers a nuanced and cool-headed account that challenges dominant narratives surrounding Europe, Dimitar Bechev offers a nuanced and cool-headed account that challenges dominant narratives surrounding Russia’s influence in Southeast Europe. With the book emphasising the role of pragmatism over ideology when it comes to understanding relations between Russia and the Balkan states, this meticulously researched study is essential reading, recommends Tena Prelec

Serbian parliamentary election 2016: a gamble that almost backfired

On 24 April, Serbs were called to the polls only two years after the previous parliamentary contest, half-way through the government’s mandate. Reports in the international press focused on the elections being a test for the ruling party’s ‘pro-European’ positions against the advancement of the nationalist far right. Tena Prelec argues that this is only part of the picture, and far from being the most important matter

Fatmir Besimi: wire-tapping scandal is taking Macedonia ‘in the opposite direction’

Better integration among different communities and more equal spending of funds is key to Macedonia’s future, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Besimi says in an exclusive interview with LSEE’s Tena Prelec. He talks about the recent wire-tapping revelations, the controversial education reform, freedom of the media, the Skopje 2014 project and the naming dispute with Greece

Croatia’s local elections: key takeaways and the duels to watch in the second round

Croatia held a first round of voting in local elections on 21 May, with the second round scheduled for 4 June. Tena Prelec assesses the results of the first round and previews some of the key mayoral races to watch as voters go back to the polls. The elections will be particularly noteworthy as they will give an indication of the trends ahead of expected early parliamentary elections later in the year

Neuroeconomics: How Neuroscience Can Inform Economics

Neuroeconomics uses knowledge about brain mechanisms to inform economic analysis, and roots economics in biology. It opens up the "black box" of the brain, much as organizational economics adds detail to the theory of the firm. Neuroscientists use many tools— including brain imaging, behavior of patients with localized brain lesions, animal behavior, and recording single neuron activity. The key insight for economics is that the brain is composed of multiple systems which interact. Controlled systems ("executive function") interrupt automatic ones. Emotions and cognition both guide decisions. Just as prices and allocations emerge from the interaction of two processes—supply and demand— individual decisions can be modeled as the result of two (or more) processes interacting. Indeed, "dual-process" models of this sort are better rooted in neuroscientific fact, and more empirically accurate, than single-process models (such as utility-maximization). We discuss how brain evidence complicates standard assumptions about basic preference, to include homeostasis and other kinds of state-dependence. We also discuss applications to intertemporal choice, risk and decision making, and game theory. Intertemporal choice appears to be domain-specific and heavily influenced by emotion. The simplified ß-d of quasi-hyperbolic discounting is supported by activation in distinct regions of limbic and cortical systems. In risky decision, imaging data tentatively support the idea that gains and losses are coded separately, and that ambiguity is distinct from risk, because it activates fear and discomfort regions. (Ironically, lesion patients who do not receive fear signals in prefrontal cortex are "rationally" neutral toward ambiguity.) Game theory studies show the effect of brain regions implicated in "theory of mind", correlates of strategic skill, and effects of hormones and other biological variables. Finally, economics can contribute to neuroscience because simple rational-choice models are useful for understanding highly-evolved behavior like motor actions that earn rewards, and Bayesian integration of sensorimotor information

Saša Radulović: My plan is to become Mayor of Belgrade and use that platform to win Serbia’s next parliamentary election

Serbian opposition leader Saša Radulović, a former Minister of the Economy and leader of Dosta je Bilo (Enough is Enough), has ambitious plans. Speaking to EUROPP editor Tena Prelec, he elaborates on why he feels Serbia has lost its way under Aleksandar Vučić’s leadership, gives details of the media blackout he alleges his movement suffers from, and explains why he believes the image of Russia as an ally and protector of the Serbian people has been artificially created by Serbia’s political elites. As he reveals, his plan is to run in upcoming elections in Belgrade, from where he hopes to set a precedent in terms of good governance and to gain more visibility for himself and his movement, with a view to launching a strong campaign in the next parliamentary elections

Petrit Selimi: “The sight of our athletes marching in Rio de Janeiro will be the pinnacle of state-building for Kosovo”

A government reshuffle is imminent in Kosovo after the troubled election of Hashim Thaci as President on 4 March. In an interview with EUROPP editor Tena Prelec, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Petrit Selimi, discusses the issues of recognition and state-building, recent problems with the opposition using tear gas in Kosovo’s parliament, high-level corruption, and Kosovo’s participation in the upcoming Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro

Five minutes with Bekim Çollaku: “Greece and Romania could soon recognise Kosovo”

Five EU states still refuse to recognise Kosovo as an independent state, but progress has nevertheless been made in efforts to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo through EU-supported talks. In an interview with Tena Prelec, Bekim Çollaku, Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration, discusses the recognition issue, high levels of migration into the Schengen Area from people in Kosovo, and the on-going talks with Serbia

Labour donor John Mills on the UK election: “The Tories have moved into Labour’s economic territory – the two need to work together on delivering a swift Brexit”

Ahead of the 8 June UK General Election, EUROPP Editor Tena Prelec speaks to entrepreneur and Labour Party donor John Mills, who chaired the Labour Leave campaign. He gives his views on the need for a radical change in Britain’s economic policy – and explains how a hard Brexit could create a favourable environment for it