Beyond securitizing radicalization and violent extremism: Key findings from the Balkans and the MENA region

This conclusion to the special issue analyzes the findings of six country studies in the Balkans and MENA region, which investigate the drivers behind radicalization and violent extremism among youth in this region. The country studies in this special issue focus on a macro-level approach, highlighting the institutional approaches to the prevention of these phenomena. The macro-level findings reveal several trends that also correspond to research in the field, including the securitized approach that states adopt in preventing radicalization and violent extremism, as well as the focus on Islam as the ideological background of such tendencies. The conclusion also engages with the innovative aspects of the country studies, including the emphasis on the contexts of radicalization and violent extremism, which are analyzed through the use of the seven drivers, as well as the cases of right-wing radicalization. Lastly, the conclusion reflects on the synergies between the country studies and the literature on violent extremism, highlighting new areas of research and interconnections with other theoretical traditions, such as investigations of masculinity and new methods of radicalization.