Alexander Mesarovich

Alexander Mesarovich serves as a Max Weber Fellow at the Florence School of Transnational Governance and Max Weber Programme for Postdoctoral Studies at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. Prior to his current position, he worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Edinburgh and University of Stirling, and as a Temporary Lecturer in Politics at the University of Strathclyde. His academic journey began with a PhD in Politics from the University of Edinburgh, where his thesis analyzed the impact of informal political networks on the EU accession processes of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia.

Dr. Mesarovich's research focuses on populism and illiberalism, diffusion processes, Europeanization, informality in politics, and the politics of Central and Southeastern Europe. His methodological approach combines Social Network Analysis with elite interviews to examine transnational linkages and their impact on political developments. His work has been published in prestigious journals including Europe-Asia Studies and International Studies Quarterly, and he has contributed research for the US government's Chairman's Action Group advising the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on the intersection of populism, European integration, and informal political networks in Southeastern Europe. The research demonstrates sophisticated analysis of how transnational connections facilitate the diffusion of illiberal political practices across national boundaries, particularly examining case studies from the Balkans region. His work bridges comparative politics with international relations theory through empirical studies of EU enlargement processes.

As a dedicated educator, Mesarovich has taught undergraduate seminars on UK politics, political theory, and comparative methodology, along with lectures on US National Security Policy, EU internal and external politics, and democratization processes. His current research project at EUI, UnLib, investigates how transnational linkages influence the spread of populism and illiberalism across Central and Eastern Europe.