Stakeholders of (De)-Radicalisation in Kosovo

This report examines and overviews Kosovo’s main agents of radicalisation and stakeholders of de-radicalisation, including a description of the country’s context, key individuals and processes influencing radicalisation as well as de-radicalisation. This report also explores the main factors that have given rise to radicalisation within the country and the emerging trends in the area of violent extremism. In doing so, the report focuses on main cases of radicalisation in Kosovo which consist of Jihadism and ultra ethno-nationalism. Even though the report highlights the latter as a growing threat, it points out that until now disproportionate research and policy focus has been placed on religious-inspired extremism. As a result, ultra ethno-nationalism has been largely left unexplored and to a large extend left unaddressed as a consequence.

In building up Kosovo’s context of radicalisation and de-radicalisation, it is considered important to acknowledge the country’s unique situation as a fairly new state, with a recent history that has been marked with various transformative processes, including a transition from war to peace, from authoritarianism to democracy, and the ongoing process of consolidating statehood and international subjectivity. These macro-level developments are relevant in understanding radicalisation and de-radicalisation processes even at the community and individual level since forging a national identity is often tightly linked with the radicalised individuals’ struggle to find belonging, deal with the legacy of conflict, and learn how to manage high expectations in Kosovo’s newly-independent and democratized society.