Meso-Level Analysis of Multireligious Contexts and Community Resilience in Kosovo
摘要
Since the conclusion of the armed conflict in 1999, Kosovo’s multi-religious landscape has undergone significant changes, driven by a resurgence of religious fervour and external influences. This transformation has notably led to a substantial number of individuals joining ISIS. Nevertheless, the concerted efforts by the Kosovo state, along with various local, national, and international stakeholders, to counter violent extremism and mitigate the factors contributing to radicalization have been of considerable importance. This chapter presents the meso-level analysis based on qualitative primary sources, such as focus groups with youth of the age 12–30 years, and semi-structured interviews with seasoned civil society activists of the municipality of Mitrovica South, Gjilan and Gjakova. Representative sample is based on balanced gender, religious and urban/rural representation. The research findings clearly show that education and knowledge as well as employment, that provides access to decent level of social welfare, play an important role in building social resilience to radicalisation and violent extremism. Linked to the national context, a rather worrying indicator also shows that among younger people, the secular nature of Albanian nationalism and ethnic identity is evolving towards religious affiliation. Then, the resilience of the community is weakened, creating a social context conducive to radicalization and violent extremism.