18.10.2022
Abstract
Preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) efforts in the Western Balkans have concentrated on various aspects of radicalization. The paper proposes the strengthening of civil society through various approaches.
The policy brief looks at the issue of radicalization (Islamic and far right) as one of the key dangers to the consolidation of the Western Balkans countries. It outlines the key drivers at the macro, meso and micro level, and then presents several different examples of civil society actions aimed at building resilience at the local level, concentrating on various aspects of radicalization. The paper claims that one needs a holistic, rather than an approach concentrating on security issues, when dealing with radicalization. In fact, the analysis of actions so far as well as the recommendations purport that even actions not aimed at suppressing radicalization, such as anti-corruption, environmental issues etc. still hold the potential for preventing and countering radicalization.
About the author
Dimitar Nikolovski is the Executive Director of the Center for European Strategies-Eurothink. He is enrolled in a PhD program at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, Poland with a research focus on populism and civil society in South-Eastern Europe.
#WesternBalkans #radicalization #P/CVE #consolidationofdemocracy
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