In this Special Edition of the RAN Practitioners Update we take a specific look at the RAN in the Western Balkans project. We take a look back at the progress made since its inception in 2021, what has been achieved in that time and its impact so far. To do this, we feature a number of products which explain what the project has done and how it supported practitioners in the region – including an infographic and three short films – and we highlight a number of the papers produced, which provide insights about some of the challenges and offer recommendations for how to tackle them.
Overview
An infographic provides some basic information about the RAN in the Western Balkans project. It provides both an overview of the challenges that the project is helping participants to tackle and a snapshot of some the activity it has been delivering.
In the first of a series of three films, we speak to six practitioners from across the region about the importance of the project, why it is needed and how it has helped them. The film learns about the value of coming together to exchange insights, ideas and good practices.
The challenges
In the second of a series of three films, we meet with a number of frontline practitioners to learn about some of the extremist challenges in the region. Filmed in the margins of a RAN in the Western Balkans meeting in Skopje, the film discovers how RAN is addressing some of these issues. You can watch the film on the RAN YouTube channel here.
VRWE
Insights about the nature and scale of the threat posed by violent right wing extremism (VRWE) in the region, are captured in a paper produced by RAN in the Western Balkans in 2022. The paper explores and explains the VRWE threat in each of the Western Balkans countries.
Online radicalisation
An overview of online radicalisation trends in the Western Balkans, including key narratives, actors, networks and online dissemination strategies, is provided in a paper produced by RAN in the Western Balkans in 2023. The paper describes the influence of the online space on radicalisation while dispelling some common myths.
The practices
In the third of a series of three films, we take a look at some of the practices being delivered by practitioners in the region. You can watch the film on the RAN YouTube channel here.
You can find out more about some of the work being done across the region in the RAN ‘Collection of Inspiring Practices’ here.
The insights
Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs)
Prerequisites for the successful management of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) and their family members in a multi-agency setting are discussed in a paper published by RAN in the Western Balkans in 2023. The paper provides a comparative analysis of approaches taken in Germany and different Western Balkan experiences.
Returned women
Existing approaches to dealing with returned women in the Western Balkans are analysed in a paper published by RAN in the Western Balkans in 2022. The paper describes approaches for reintegration and rehabilitation, defines the roles and responsibilities among state and non-state actors, and identifies the needs, challenges and capacity gaps.
Violent extremist offenders
The challenges faced in dealing with imprisoned or recently released violent extremist or terrorist offenders are summarised in a paper published by RAN in the Western Balkans in 2022. The paper describes the conditions in prisons, working with family members, and the prison-probation continuum.
For more papers produced by RAN in the Western Balkans, including translations, please visit the website here.
Contact us
RAN in the Western Balkans is implemented by RadarEurope, which is a subsidiary of the RadarGroup:
- Phone: +31 (0)20 468 06 08 (office)
- E-Mail: ran
radareurope [dot] nl (ran[at]radareurope[dot]nl)
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