What makes a society resilient against radicalization? The researchers want to determine if there are any common features. And they have found some factors that play a big role.
“This is about how different types of moderate religious views still set the tone in society, or leaders who think traditionally,” said [researcher Morten] Bøås. “But it’s not enough.”
“Leaders must also appear to be acceptable, trustworthy and relatively uncorrupted. They have to deliver something that matters to most people,” he said.
If all these factors are present, it creates a glue in society, Bøås believes. This constitutes a significant defence against radical ideas, he said.
In many of Balkan societies, and especially in Bosnia, there are coincident dividing lines between ethnicity and religion. If you are Bosnian, you are probably a secular or religious Muslim. If you are Bosnian Croat, you are most likely Catholic. If you are Bosnian Serb, you are most likely Orthodox.
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Despite all the conflicts in Bosnia, most people are not radicalized.
“Most people understand that rhetoric from the politicians is about shifting the focus away from their own inability to implement the policies they should,” [researcher Kari] Osland said.
The resilience the researchers find in Bosnia is similar to what they find in the Sahel.
This is partly due to moderate, religious leaders who have a high degree of legitimacy and are not considered to be part of the corrupt system.
