US Foreign Policy towards Yugoslavia: Securitization vs. Human Rights Under Carter's Presidency

This master thesis examines U.S. foreign policy towards Yugoslavia during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, focusing on the tension between securitization and human rights protection. In the context of the Cold War, Yugoslavia became a critical area of U.S. strategic concern, often considered a "powder keg" due to its geopolitical position. This thesis begins with a historical review of the diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and the United States, tracing the evolution of their interactions from 1948 until Carter’s election in 1977. Thereafter, this study analyzes how the U.S. responded to the evolving crisis, focusing on how securitization concerns often took precedence over human rights protection in Yugoslavia, while adopting a harsher stance toward the Soviet Union. Drawing on primary sources, including diplomatic documents, speeches, and policy records, openly available online as The Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS), the thesis explores how Carter’s administration balanced Cold War imperatives with their stated commitment to human rights. The findings reveal that while human rights protection represented the core of Carter’s foreign policy, the geopolitical considerations of the Cold War often led to prioritizing security concerns. Ultimately, this thesis argues that the U.S. approach to Yugoslavia highlights the complexities of Cold War diplomacy, where strategic interests frequently overshadowed human rights objectives, raising important questions about the limits of humanitarian foreign policy during periods of geopolitical tension.