Globalizing the Western Balkans: Transnational Crime, Fundamental Islam and Unholy Alliances

During the last couple of decades, the countries of the world have become increasingly interconnected into a single capitalist economic system. Globalization processes have facilitated the flow of goods and services. They have also led to new forms of exclusion, inequality and “culture conflict”. This paper elaborates on the nexus between transnational organized crime networks, fundamental Islamic movements and terrorist groups in the Balkan region, and argues that these movements for social, political and economic change are bi-products of globalization. After the fall of the Soviet Union, criminal-political formations expanded drastically in the newly emerging Balkan democracies. The weak government structures, the deteriorating domestic economy and the vulnerable government institutions made the Balkan region a safe haven for war profiteers, career criminals and fundamental Islamists. This paper gives a detailed overview of the origin, nature and expansion of several politicized illicit markets in the Balkans. It further elaborates on the birth of fundamental Islamic movements after communism. The complex interrelation between globalization, wars, organized crime and fundamental Islam is at the forefront of this paper.