Radicalisation in the Western Balkans: Political, social or religious?

Radicalisation in the Western Balkans: Political, social or religious?

Wednesday, 29 January 2020 - 5:00pm
Venue: 
Seminar Room, European Studies Centre, 70 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HR
Speaker(s): 
Asya Metodieva (Central European University)
Florian Qehaja (Kosovar Centre for Security Studies)
Chair: 
Jessie Barton Hronesova (Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford)
Convenor: 
Othon Anastasakis (St Antony’s College, Oxford); Jessie Barton Hronesova (Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford); David Madden (St Antony’s College, Oxford)
Series: 
SEESOX

Radicalisation in the region is often simplistically portrayed as the growing influence of radical Islam. But does this stand up to rational analysis? What about the ideas of the Orthodox right wing? And how do political and social factors fit in?

Asya Metodieva is a PhD Candidate at Central European University, Budapest. Her research is on recruitment into radical movements in post-violent societies. She studies foreign fighter mobilization in the Western Balkans. Her research interests include terrorism, polarization and hybrid warfare in Europe. She was a visiting PhD Candidate at the University of Oxford, DPIR in 2019.

Florian Qehaja is Chair of the Board of Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS). He is the author of several scientific and policy publications in the security field with a geographic focus in the Western Balkans. He serves as an international consultant on security issues cooperating with leading international governmental and non-governmental organisations. He is currently member of Royal College of Defence Studies in London.