Chapter 2 Case Of The Republic Of Serbia Svetlana Stanarević Introduction This chapter will present a case study on the construction of the national security culture in the Republic of Serbia, as a key factor influencing the for­mation of the country’s strategic preferences. It will analyse Serbia’s world­view regarding the external environment and how these perceptions relate to security threats and cooperation potentials. Additionally, the chapter will examine Serbia’s national interests and their connection to the global and regional international context, as well as the role of international organisa­tions in the process of building its national security culture. A special focus will be put on the challenges and threats that have shaped Serbia’s security paradigm during the process of establishing independence and its international position following the disintegration of Yugoslavia. In this context, the analysis will explore how internal and external factors in­fluenced the definition of security interests and which instruments Serbia considered most effective in addressing these threats. The chapter will also examine how the national security culture aligns with the process of Eu­ropean integration, as well as with aspirations or resistance toward NATO membership and other international institutions, which are key pillars of Serbia’s security strategy. After presenting the introductory geographical and demographic character­istics of Serbia in the part“Contextualization of Serbian National Security and Security Culture”, the socio-political and security framework of Serbia since the early 1990s will be briefly outlined, including the challenges aris­ing from conflicts, sanctions, internal social divisions, and regional instabil­ity. The chapter will examine how these factors influenced the shaping of national identity and perceptions of security threats, as well as the selec­tion of strategies and policies that Serbia has developed over time. Special Chapter 2 – Case Of The Republic Of Serbia 69