# Zlatko Hadžidedić

Zlatko Hadžidedić is an author, political scientist, and academic known for his work in nationalism studies and international relations. His books Nations and Capital: The Missing Link in Global Expansion and Forced to be Free: The Paradoxes of Liberalism and Nationalism have explored the historical origins and conceptual foundations of nationalism, as well as its links with capitalism and liberalism. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Nationalism Studies in Sarajevo.

## Education

Hadžidedić received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Sarajevo. He also holds an MPhil in Government from the London School of Economics and Political Science, an MA in Society and Politics from the Central European University, and a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Sarajevo.

## Career

Hadžidedić has held teaching positions at International Burch University, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, American University in the Emirates, and the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Sarajevo.
In his career in practical politics, Hadžidedić served as a political adviser to the Vice-Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gavrilo Grahovac. He also served as a political adviser to Safet Halilović during Halilović's tenures as the Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Minister of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

## Research

Hadžidedić's research is particularly known for critically examining the relationships between nationalism, capitalism, and liberalism. His book Nations and Capital: The Missing Link in Global Expansion presents a groundbreaking theory on the emergence of nations and nationalism as socio-political and geopolitical instruments in the global expansion of capitalism. This theory posits that the widening gap between capitalist elites and the laboring masses threatens the social sustainability of capital accumulation. To bridge this gap without altering the societal structure, nationalism is introduced as a 'social glue,' designed to simultaneously obscure and reinforce societal polarization in the capitalist system.
Hadžidedić's book Forced to be Free: The Paradoxes of Liberalism and Nationalism argues that liberalism's emphasis on the sovereign nation-state as the sole legitimate model of governance inevitably invites nationalism as a mechanism to sustain this model. Due to this inherent 'flaw,' political attempts to implement liberal principles often result in various forms of nationalism, including those perceived as illiberal or anti-liberal. Consequently, the liberal-democratic discourse functions as a framework where liberalism's individualistic and universalist elements coexist with nationalism, rather than oppose it. Ultimately, the pervasive influence of liberalism in modern society ensures the continued presence of nationalism.
Hadžidedić's interdisciplinary approach has brought new insights into understanding how nationalism intersects with economic, social, and political forces in the modern world.

## Selected publications
### Books

* Nations and Capital: The Missing Link in Global Expansion (2022) ISBN 978-1-032-15972-0
* Forced to be Free: The Paradoxes of Liberalism and Nationalism (2012) ISBN 978-3-86888-050-2

### Selected articles

Hadžidedić, Z. (2021). No Capitalism Without Nationalism. Academicus, Vol. 12, 24.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2021). Ernest Gellner and the Blind Forces of History. Center for Nationalism Studies.
Hadžidedić, Z.(2021). Supremacy or Property, at the Roots of Identity? Modern Diplomacy.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2021). Don’t Blame Russia for the Balkanization. The International Affairs.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2020). Where is Nationalism’s Home? Center for Nationalism Studies.
Hadžidedić, Z., & Idrizbegović, A. (2020) A Recipe for the War. The International Affairs.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2018). The EU Strategy for the Western Balkans: Bureaucrats’ Crusade. IFIMES.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2017). Is There Such a Thing as ‘Ethnic Conflict’? Modern Diplomacy.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2017). The Cloak of Instability. Berlin Policy Journal.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2012). “Is There a Viable Model for Bosnia?” In Džihić, Vedran, & Hamilton, Daniel (Eds.), (2012). Unfinished Business: The Western Balkans and the International Community (pp. 97–103). Washington DC: Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University. ISBN 978-0-9841341-9-9.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2014). Nationalism and Liberalism: The Paradoxes of Self-Determination. IFIMES.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2011). Homogeneity as the Route to Modernity. IFIMES.
Hadžidedić, Z. (2010). Nationalism and Universalism. IFIMES.