The topics of extremism, violent extremism, and radicalization leading to terrorism have constituted an increasingly prominent area of policy interest and donor support in recent years, globally and in the western Balkans. Counterterrorism initiatives, as well as efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE), often reveal the need for broader reform, peacebuilding, and democratization strategies. While foreign donors and domestic authorities tend to focus on ISIS-inspired violent jihadism, in many countries in the region, and particularly in the case of Serbia, there are other forms of extremism—namely far-right nationalism, violent hooliganism, and neo-Nazi movements—that are often considered to be more of an imminent threat, particularly as they are often viewed as examples of “normalized” political expression. The dynamics of reciprocal radicalization, in which competing extremisms feed off of, reinforce, and even need one another, can create seemingly intractable conflict spirals of escalation and violence. This volume explores these dynamics in Serbia through original research, taking fresh perspectives that demonstrate that Serbia is vulnerable to many types of extremism, which can best be prevented by achieving the liberal, democratic, rights-based reforms that have remained elusive for more than two decades. This broad and holistic approach is important for Serbia and its neighbors as the security lens through which most research has been focused to date has done little to explain the deep and structural dynamics of radicalization and extremism in the region.

This volume explores the issues of extremism and violent extremism in Serbia through research from a multitude of different interdisciplinary perspectives. The topic of violent extremism and radicalization leading to terror (VERLT) has grown as a field of policy and donor aid support, globally and in the western Balkans. This new focus has been manifest through both increased counterterrorism support as well as efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism (P-CVE)--activities which are often peacebuilding as well as democratization initiatives. The main manifestation of extremism of interest to foreign donors (and often domestic authorities) is ISIS-inspired Salafi jihadism. However, in many of the countries in the region, and in the case of Serbia, there are other forms of extremism--namely far-right nationalism, violent hooliganism, and neo-Nazi movements--that are considered to be more of a threat, particularly as they are often viewed as examples of 'normalized' political expression. In addition, these extremisms can magnify one another through a process of reciprocal radicalization and interconnected spirals of exclusion, marginalization, grievance, and perceived victimhood. This volume explores the issue as evident on the ground in Serbia in 2017 and 2018, using fresh and original research and perspectives that demonstrate that Serbia is at risk of many types of extremism, which are interconnected and can best be prevented by achieving the liberal, democratic, rights-based reforms that have remained elusive for more than two decades.

L'extrémisme religieux, politique et identitaire dans les Balkans est ici analysé par des chercheurs internationaux et par des fonctionnaires de police qui opèrent sur le terrain. L'expérience récente du Kosovo, de la Bosnie et de l'Herzégovine est précieuse pour comprendre comment mieux aborder la problématique du radicalisme et celle de la reconstruction de tissus sociaux bouleversés par la guerre ou traversés par des conflits profonds (ouvrage collectif en langue anglaise).

This book examines the actors that shape societal dynamics leading to, or preventing, violent extremism from taking roots in their communities, including state representatives, religious institutions, and civil society actors. The volume contributes to an emerging stream of research focusing on intra- and inter-group dynamics to explain the emergence and persistence of, or resilience against, violent extremism. It utilises an actor-centric approach, uncovering the landscape of actors that play relevant roles in shaping societal dynamics leading to, or preventing, violent extremism affecting their communities. The analysis builds on new empirical evidence collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Tunisia. This allows for an innovative comparative perspective on two regions in the European neighbourhood that are rarely studied together, even though they seem to share common patterns of (de-)radicalisation and violent extremism despite their distinct historical, political, and cultural trajectories and relations with the EU. In both regions, the book analyses the roles of and interactions between state, political, religious, and civil society actors in shaping community vulnerability to and/or resilience against violent extremism. Different types of community leaders are equipped with varying levels of authority, trust, legitimacy, and influence over community members. As such, the categories of actors analysed can play either detrimental or beneficial roles, which makes vulnerability and resilience to violent extremism two sides of the same coin. This volume will be of much interest to students of countering violent extremism, terrorism, political violence, security studies, and International Relations generally.

Political extremism is one of the most pernicious, destructive, and nihilistic forms of human expression. During the twentieth century, in excess of 100 million people had their lives taken from them as the result of extremist violence. In this wide-ranging book Manus I. Midlarsky suggests that ephemeral gains, together with mortality salience, form basic explanations for the origins of political extremism and constitute a theoretical framework that also explains later mass violence. Midlarsky applies his framework to multiple forms of political extremism, including the rise of Italian, Hungarian and Romanian fascism, Nazism, radical Islamism, and Soviet, Chinese and Cambodian communism. Other applications include a rampaging military (Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia) and extreme nationalism in Serbia, Croatia, the Ottoman Empire and Rwanda. Polish anti-Semitism after World War II and the rise of separatist violence in Sri Lanka are also examined.