The International Politics of Beauty Pageants

Ordinarily, you would not think a beauty pageant has much to do with the serious business of diplomacy and international affairs… but you’d be wrong.  Last night’s Miss Universe pageant may be the catalyst Kosovo has been seeking to gain international recognition of its independence from Serbia.   

Kosovo is a small region of the Balkans in south-east Europe that has seen more than its fair share of ethnic and religious rivalry, war and bloodshed.  In 1999 NATO intervened and ended Serb President Slobodan Milosevic’s tyrannical rule of the province, replacing it with NATO peacekeepers and UN overseers.  But in February of this year the province of 2 million (90% ethnic Albanians, with remainder mostly ethnic Serbs) declared its formal independence from Serbia, provoking fierce condemnation from Belgrade and Moscow but strong support from NATO and Western nations. 

Since February Kosovo has been trying to consolidate its independence – build up its governance structures and get its foot in the door to international and regional institutions like the EU, NATO, World Bank and IMF.  But its most important effort has been at attempting to secure recognition of its independence from the community of sovereign states – a legal and diplomatic requirement for legitimizing a country’s independence.  To date, Kosovo’s efforts have lagged.  Only 43 countries have formally recognized Kosovo’s independence, and progress has stalled.  Whilst amongst the 43 are big names like the UK, US, Japan and several European neighbors, it is widely perceived to be an insufficient number: a critical mass of support has yet to be achieved. 

But all that was overshadowed last night as for the first time in history Miss Kosovo took her place amongst the 81 finalists of the Miss Universe pageant watched by a television audience of 1 billion.  Now that’s international legitimacy if ever there was!  Sandwiched between Miss Korea and Miss Malaysia, Zana Krasniqi was a 5’7” green-eyed beauty whose star really shone through.   

Miss Kosovo was an instant crowd favorite, and the judges agreed – putting her through to the Top 10 finalists – a fantastic feat for a first-time participating country and visibly nervous contestant.  If further proof was required that Kosovo had indeed come out from behind Serbia’s shadow, Miss Kosovo easily trounced all her cross-Balkan rivals including Miss Serbia.   

Ultimately, Miss Venezuela won the tiara, and Miss Kosovo did not. (A poor choice - but enough editorializing.)  However, Kosovo found its first international ambassador – and in an over the top pink-and-frills gown and an itsy-bitsy bikini – she did a splendid job representing her new-born country. 

Last night Kosovo took her place amongst the community of nations.

Comments

[Ruben]

Thank you Jonathan,

A great take on Kosovo's participation in Miss Universe 2008.