Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Friends or foes in the prevention of radicalization and violent extremism?

This paper examines how state institutions, civil society organizations, the media and international organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) perceive and deal with the threat of radicalization and violent extremism. Drawing on the theory of institutional norms, rules, and practices, the paper explores the interactions and priorities of actors in different types of institutions in defining the drivers of radicalization. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the institutional context of BiH and the patterns of institutional interaction in the prevention of radicalism and violent extremism. The findings reveal that the concept of radicalisation and its drivers are understood differently by different institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some institutions focus on political ideologies or radical religious interpretations, while others emphasise socio-economic factors or transnational influences. This shows that there is no consensus on which factors are most important. These results highlight the importance of considering specific drivers of radicalization and their interactions when developing strategies to counter and prevent violent extremism. The research is based on semi-structured interviews with individuals working in relevant institutions, including state institutions, civil society, media, and international organizations, as well as analysis of secondary and primary sources.