CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Loka, Gjergj |
|---|---|
| Title | Hidden Ties, Regional Threats: The Clans of Albania and their Foreign Policy Impact |
| Summary | This thesis explores the ‘hidden’ role of kinship-based clans as unique interest groups in foreign policy. These networks continue to exert influence in foreign policy, despite assumptions that modern state institutions exclude traditional structures. They operate beyond the formal state apparatus through patronage-based appointments, diaspora lobbying, and transnational criminal ties, shaping the country’s foreign policy trajectory. The research uses Albania as a ‘least likely’ case study, employing a process-tracing methodology within a Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) framework. This integrates Joel Migdal’s (2001) State-in-Society model via a pathway case approach. The findings demonstrate that clans function as informal interest groups, distinct from their typical depictions in IR, capable of influencing diplomatic credibility, foreign negotiations, and international cooperations. The persistence of these networks reveals how embedded social norms and informal power structures challenge the effectiveness of institutional reforms. By exposing these dynamics, this thesis contributes to broader discussions on non-state actors in foreign policy and urges reconsideration of the societal foundations of international relations. |
| Supervisor | Jenne, Erin Kristin |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/loka_gjergj.pdf |
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