The aim of this Thesis is to understand the Western Balkans as a societal security complex, as well as to understand the Russian influence on that complex. To achieve this, the Thesis adopts the theoretical framework of the Copenhagen School of Security Studies to analyse the elements that frame the Western Balkan region as a societal security complex and to analyse external influence of the complex, particularly Russian. This is done through qualitative analysis and interpretation of scientific literature that deals with the history of the region and how external actors have engaged with it throughout the years, and through qualitative content analysis of statements given by political and religious actors that show Russia’s involvement in the region since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The analysis shows that Russian influence on the Western Balkans societal security complex is asymmetrical, as it is concentrated primarily on the states and ethnic groups that share identity ties with Russia. However, since security concerns within the region are interlinked, Russia’s actions in the region have an impact on the societal security of the entire regional complex. Thereby, the Thesis offers a real-world setting that demonstrates the applicability of the Regional Security Complex Theory in understanding the complexities of regional security dynamics and highlights the significance of the identity-related elements of societal security.
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