Dr Othon Anastasakis

Othon Anastasakis is the Director of the European Studies Centre and Director of South East European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX); Senior Research Fellow at St Antony’s College; Senior Research fellow and Tutor at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA); Associate at the Department of Politics and International Relations

He teaches “South East European politics and European integration” for the OSGA and “EU politics” for the Department of Continuing Education, Oxford.

He is currently the Principal Investigator of two research projects: “Greek Diaspora Project at SEESOX”; and the OX/BER funded Migration Diplomacy and EU-Turkey relations

He received his BA in Economics from the University of Athens, his MA in Comparative Politics and International Relations from Columbia University, New York and his PhD in Comparative Government from the London School of Economics. He holds additional degrees in French literature and politics from Paris IV and in Spanish literature, history and history of art from the Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo.

Research interests

Balkan comparative politics, global and regional geopolitics, transition and democratisation in Southern and South Eastern Europe, Greek foreign policy, Greek-Turkish relations, European populism and extreme right, Russia in South East Europe, Greek and South East European diaspora, Turkey and the EU, Turkish foreign policy in the Balkans, EU’s enlargement Diaspora studies.

Books

Diapora engagement in times of severe economic crisis; Greece and beyond (with Pratsinakis, Kalantzi and Kamaras) Palgrave Macmillan, 2022

The Greek Military Dictatorship: Revisiting a Troubled Past 1967-1974 (with Katerina Lagos) Berghahn Publishers September 2021

The Legacy of Yugoslavia: Politics, Economy and Society (with Adam Bennett, David Madden, Adis Merdzanovic) IB Tauris/Bloomsbury 2020

Aligning Monetary Policy with Financial Stability: Objectives, responses and interaction in times of uncertainty in South East Europe
(with Adam Bennett, Charles Enoch and Gent Sejko) SEESOX 2017

The past is never dead: Balkan legacies of the Great War (with David Madden and Elizabeth Roberts) Palgrave Macmillan, 2015

Defining a New Reform Agenda: Paths to sustainable convergence in South East Europe (with Peter Sanfey and Max Watson) SEESOX 2013

Reforming Greece: Sisyphean task or Herculean challenge? (with Dorian Singh) SEESOX 2012 

From Crisis to Recovery; Sustainable Growth in South East Europe (with Jens Bastian and Max Watson) SEESOX 2011

Greece and the Balkans: Memory, Conflict and Exchange (with Dimitar Bechev and Nicholas Vrousalis) Cambridge University Scholars Press, 2009

In the Long Shadow of Europe: Greeks and Turks in the era of Postnationalism (with Kalypso Nicolaïdis and Kerem Oktem) Brill Publications, 2009

Chapters in books

“Kosovo: A history” in Regional Surveys of the World: Central and South-Eastern Europe 2022 edited by Imogen Gladman Europa Publications 2023

“The Greek crisis as a critical juncture in homeland-diaspora relations” (with Kalantzi) in Diaspora engagement in times of severe economic crisis; Greece and beyond Anastasakis, Pratsinakis, Kalantzi & Kamaras eds Palgrave Macmillan, 2022

“Crisis and change: The rights of the Greek citizens to vote abroad” (with Kalantzi) in Diaspora engagement in times of severe economic crisis; Greece and beyond Anastasakis, Pratsinakis, Kalantzi & Kamaras eds Palgrave Macmillan, 2022

“Failed Institution? The World Council of Hellenes Abroad” (with Frangos) in Diaspora engagement in times of severe economic crisis; Greece and beyond Anastasakis, Pratsinakis, Kalantzi & Kamaras eds Palgrave Macmillan, 2022

“A new model of diaspora engagement?” (with Nicolaidis & Pratsnakis) in Diaspora engagement in times of severe economic crisis; Greece and beyond Anastasakis, Pratsinakis, Kalantzi & Kamaras eds Palgrave Macmillan, 2022

“Modern Greece in South East Europe” in Regional Surveys of the World: Central and South-Eastern Europe 2022 edited by Imogen Gladman Europa Publications 2022

“The Greek military junta’s exceptionalism in historical and comparative perspectives” (with Lagos) The Greek Military Dictatorship: Revisiting a Troubled Past 1967-1974 Anastasakis, Lagos eds, Berghahn Publishers 2021

“’Patient in a cast’: How the Greek military regime traumatised education (Chapter 5) The Greek Military Dictatorship: Revisiting a Troubled Past 1967-1974 Anastasakis, Lagos eds, Berghahn Publishers 2021

“The 1974 moment of rupture and the legacies of a discredited junta past” (with Katerina Lagos) The Greek Military Dictatorship: Revisiting a Troubled Past 1967-1974 Anastasakis, Lagos eds, Berghahn Publishers September 2021

“Greece’s Cold War exceptionalism in South East Europe” (Chapter) in Routledge Handbook of Balkan and Southeast European History edited by John R. Lampe and Ulf Brunnbauer Routledge 2020

“Parallel trajectories and legacies of the past: Russia and Turkey in the Western Balkans” (Chapter 6) in The legacy of Yugoslavia: Politics, economics and society in the modern Balkans edited by Othon Anastasakis, Adam Bennett, David Madden and Adis Merdzanovic, Bloomsbury 2020

“Introduction: Revisiting the past and its impact on the present” & “Concluding remarks: Yugoslavia, lost in transition?” in The legacy of Yugoslavia: Politics, economics and society in the modern Balkans edited by Othon Anastasakis, Adam Bennett, David Madden and Adis Merdzanovic, Bloomsbury 2020

“From zenith to nadir: Greece’s post-1974 political experience”Political History of the Balkans (1989-2018), edited by Jozsef Duro and Zoltan Egeresi, Dialog Campus Publications 2020

“Russia and the Balkan states: Variable speeds of engagement” (Chapter 21) in A closer look at Russia and its influence in the world; Russian political, economic and security issues edited by Constantinos Filis, Nova Science Publishers, New York 2019, pp. 361-380

“Modern Greece in South East Europe” in Regional Surveys of the World: Central and South-Eastern Europe 2020 edited by Imogen Gladman Europa Publications 2019

“Kosovo : A history” in Regional Surveys of the World: Central and South-Eastern Europe 2020 edited by Imogen Gladman Europa Publications 2019

“Regional approaches to state-building: The European Union” (with Spyros Economides and Richard Caplan) in Political Economy of Statebuilding: Power after peace (edited by Mark Berdal and Dominik Zaum) Routledge 2013 

“Turkey’s assertive presence in Southeast Europe: Between identity politics and elite pragmatism” in Another Empire? A decade of Turkey’s foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party (edited by Kerem Oktem, Ayse Kadioglu and Mehmet Karli) Istanbul Bilgi University Press 2012

“Enlargement and political conditionality in the Western Balkans: Towards a more managerial approach”, in Western Balkans Cerovic & Unvalic (eds) Faculty of Economics, Belgrade 2011

“Greek-Turkish relations: Old problems, new challenges” in Mediterranean conflicts, Barcelona, IEM 2010

“The credibility of EU conditionality and compliance in the Western Balkans” in Greece, the Western Balkans and the European Union, Woodrow Wilson, 2008.

“The Limits of regionalism imposed from outside” in Regional Cooperation in South East Europe and Beyond: Challenges and Prospects, by Wolfgang Petritsch and Christophe Solioz (eds.) Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, pp.35-44, 2008.

“EU and the Western Balkans: The Challenges of the Pre-accession Process”, in The EU and Romania. Accession and Beyond edited by David Phinnemore, The Federal Trust 2006, pp. 165-173

“Democratic Transition in Serbia and the Road to Europe; Two Steps Forward, One Step Back”, Hayoz, Nicolas / Jesien, Leszek / van Meurs, Wim (eds.) Enlarged EU – Enlarged Neigbhourhood. Perspectives of the European Neighbourhood Policy, (Interdisciplinary Studies on Central and Eastern Europe, Vol. 2, ed. by Rolf Fieguth and Nicolas Hayoz), Bern: Peter Lang 2005

Grossbritannien: Ein Verbundeter der Turkei in Europa? Giannakopoulos & Maras (eds) Die Turkei-Debatte in Europea, Vs Verlag Fur Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden 2005, pp. 149-157

“La Politica del extremismo en Europa Oriental: una Reaccion a la transicion” Nacionalismos y Minorias en Europea Central y Oriental, Ruth Ferrero (ed.) Institut de Ciencies Politiques I Socials, Barcelona 2004, pp.77-103

“Greece as a Regional Power in the Balkans”; From Politics of Coercion to a Policy of Cooperation Security Southeastern Europe, Security Policy Group, edited by Aleksandar Fatic, Belgrade 2004, pp. 121-134

“Eastern Enlargement and Turkey’s Accession Prospect; Is the EU Ready for More Commitments?” Turkey and the EU; From Association to Accession-Conference Proceedings, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague, The Netherlands 2003, pp. 171-175

“EU Policy of Regional Cooperation in Southeastern Europe: A Study of Recent Trends” (in Greek) 2002 Overview of Defense and Foreign Policy; Greece and the World 2001-2002, edited by Th. Kouloumbis et al, ELIAMEP, Athens 2002, pp. 181-194

“The Former Yugoslavia After Milosevic, Regional Surveys of the World: Central and South Eastern Europe”, Europa Publications, London and New York 2002, 2003, 2004 editions

“Towards Regional Cooperation in the Balkans; An Assessment of the EU Approach Regional Cooperation in South Eastern Europe”; The Effects of Regional Initiatives – Conference Proceedings, edited by Dusko Lopandic, European Movement, Belgrade 2002, pp. 25-38

Special issues

“Sustaining Rapprochement? Greek-Turkish relations, low politics and regional volatility” (with Nora Fisher Onar) Special issue in South East and Black Sea Studies, Vol. 13, No 3, 2013

Articles in journals

“Election consolidation in the post-communist Balkans: Progress and obstacles” in Caucasus International, Vol. 3, No 4, Winter 2013-14” pp. 15-25

“Sustaining engagement? On symmetries and asymmetries in Greek-Turkish relations” in South East European and Black Sea Studies” Vol 13 No.3 2013 (with Nora Fisher)

“Post-1989 Political Change in the Balkan States: The Legacy of the Early Illiberal Transition Years” Perceptions Journal of International Affairs, Summer 2013, Volume XVIII-Number 2, pp. 91-112

“Regional Cooperation in South East Europe: A response to the interview with the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Mr Hidajet Biscevic” in  Southeastern Europe, BRILL Netherlands, Volume 35 no 2, 2011 s

“The EU’s political conditionality in the Western Balkans: Towards a more pragmatic approach” in Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, Vol 8, No 4, December 2008, pp.365-377

“Power and Interdependence: Uncertainties of the Greek-Turkish Rapprochement at the Dawn of the 21st century” Harvard International ReviewMarch 2007

“Europeanisation South East European Style: A Regional Challenge with Uncertain Outcome” Brown Journal of World Affairs, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University, Volume XII, Issue I, Summer/Fall 2005

“EU policy of regional cooperation in South East Europe: The creation of a virtual reality” Fornet: CFSP Forum, Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2005, pp 10-12

“Britain: An Ally of Turkey in Europe?” Insight Turkey, Vol. 6, No 4, October-December 2004, pp. 38-48 

“Greece and Turkey in the Balkans: Cooperation or Rivalry?” in Turkish Studies; Special Issue: Greek Turkish Relations in an Era of Detente, editors Ali Carkoglu & Barry Rubin, Volume 5, No 1, Frank Cass Spring 2004, pp. 45-60

“Ist genug Wille vorhanden? Hindernisse fur der Regionalismus am Balkan” (“Is there enough will? Local Attitudes towards Regional Cooperation”) with Vesna Bojicic-Dzelilovic, Denken + Glauben, Nr 126, 127, Oktober-November 2003, pp 12-13

“EU Conditionality in South East Europe: Bringing Commitment to the Process”, Review of International Affairs, Vol. LIV, No 1110, April-June 2003, Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade 2003

“Political Extremism in Eastern Europe; A Reaction to Transition”, Papeles del Este; Transiciones poscomunistas, No 3, Enero 2002, pp. 1-16

“Post-Communism Extremism in Eastern Europe; The Nature of the Phenomenon”, Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, Vol. 1, No.2, 2001, pp. 15-26

Selected opinion pieces

“Escalation risks in the Aegean sea” CHACR in depth Briefing, No 41, December 2022

“The Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the Western Balkans: Associations and knock-on effects” Policy brief Atlantic Council January 2022

“Crisis and change: The right of the Greek citizens to vote abroad” (with Foteini Kalantzi) May 2021, LSE blog

Greek Diaspora in an uncertain world (with Antonis Kamaras) ELIAMEP, Policy Paper No 63 April 1, 2021

Between host and home: vulnerable European migrants workers of the UK at the mercy of coronavirus Open Democracy May 2020

“Greece’s first post-bailout government: On ruptures and continuities with the past” Policy Network, July 2019

“The new EU dynamics and the need for ‘responsible enlargement’ to the Western Balkans”, with Jessie Hronesova Policy Network, July 2019 

Britain’s role in the Balkans beyond Brexit with Adis Merdzanovic, Conversation2018 

“Russia, South East Europe and the geopolitics of opportunism”, Clingendael Spectator 4 – 2017 (vol.71) 

“The five infections of the social democratic “family” in the Western Balkans” ,Open Democracy 19 April 2017 

“Grexit to Brexit: Be careful what you wish for!”, Open Democracy 10 June 2016

“The balkanisation of Greece’s centre-left politics”, OpenDemocracy, 4 February 2015

“Greece’s party landscape and the politics of ‘muddling through’”, The Economy Journal.com Special Issue on “The Political Parties Crisis”, July 2014 pp. 22-25

“Greece’s radical politics on the dark the side of dawn”, e-International Relations, 5 November 2013

The far right in Greece and the theory of the two extremes. Open Democracy31 May 2013 

Greece needs less austerity and more growth. Interview with Novi Magazin, Serbia, 29 March 2012

Has Greece’s democracy regressed? CNN.com, 1 March 2012

The Causes, Consequences and Solutions to the Greek Crisis. Filmed interview for European Ideas, 9 February 2012

Greek democracy “at gunpoint” Politico EU, 10 November 2011

Discussion and policy papers

EU Conditionality in South East Europe: Bringing Commitment to the Process, with Dimitar Bechev, South East European Studies Programme Discussion Paper, Oxford, April 2003 

Balkan Regional Co-operation and European Integration, with Vesna Bojicic-Dzelilovic, The Hellenic Observatory, LSE, London 2002

Extreme Right in Europe; A Comparative Study of Recent Trends, Discussion Paper Series No. 3, The Hellenic Observatory, LSE, London 2000.

DPhil supervision

Completed DPhil theses (in alphabetical order)

Marilena Anastasopoulou
Thesis title: “Coming to terms with forced migration: An intergenerational study of Asia Minor refugee memory in Greece”

Kostas Bakoyannis
Thesis title: “The ‘Great Debate’: Pragmatists vs. Idealists- the Case of Greek Foreign Policy”

Milos Damnjanovic
Thesis title: “The Breakdown of Semi-Authoritarian regimes: The Role of Domestic and International Actors in Bringin about Democratic Transitions in Serbia and Croatia”

Melis Evcimik
Thesis title: “The impact of demilitarisation on Turkey’s foreign policy”

Nora Fisher-Onar
Thesis title: “Which civilisation? Turkish elite’s perceptions of European universalism”

Jessie Hronesova
Thesis title: “Reckoning with the Past in a Contested State: Local Transitional Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina”

Cvete Koneska
Thesis title: “Between past conflict and European future: Domestic politics in post-conflict states”

Saliha Metinsoy
Thesis title: “Explaining political unrest under IMF programmes: Labour immobility, fiscal conditionality and democratic representation”

Giorgos Michalopoulos
Thesis title: “Political parties, irredentism and the Foreign Ministry: Greece and Macedonia, 1878-1910”

Sorin Moisa
Thesis title: “The formation and functioning of EU political conditionality: Transforming Romania?”