engleski

Security Community Building in the Western Balkans – Wishful Thinking or an Inevitable Future?

Relying on a combination of security community theories, this article aims to explain whether it is possible to form and develop such a community in the Western Balkans or if some version of a security community already exists in the region. Features of the theoretical concept of security community developed by Karl Deutsch and the revised security community theory of Adler and Barnett, along with Buzan’s regional security complex theory are used to assess the current relations among actors in the Western Balkans. .Besides explaining the European Union’s influence on the development of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, the paper analyses domestic factors contributing to or inhibiting the creation of a security community, as well as the bilateral/multilateral favourable/ unfavourable conditions for its development. .Therefore, the paper traces the development and institutionalisation of relations between Western Balkan countries and the factors influencing them, including the current state of their interactions and their perceptions of security cooperation. Key national strategic security documents are also analysed to detect how each country (including Croatia) perceives its neighbours, its regional belonging, the biggest regional challenges and the potential for resolving domestic and open bilateral issues.

security community theory ; regional security complex theory ; national security policies ; Western Balkans ; regional security

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