Comparative case study demonstrates international organizations advance stability across the Western Balkans, highlighting the critical role of institutional mechanisms and norm diffusion.
Key Points
Analyze the impact of international organizations, particularly the European Union and NATO, on security, stability, and citizen wellbeing across Western Balkan countries.
Qualitative-dominant mixed-methods comparative case study grounded in social constructivism and institutionalist frameworks.
Evaluated policy reports, official documents, and security/economic indicators from the EU, NATO, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
Conducted qualitative content analysis alongside secondary quantitative indicators tracking democratization, military cooperation, citizen safety, and economic support.
Institutional mechanisms and norm diffusion driven by the EU and NATO consistently foster democratization and defense alignment throughout the region.
Socio-economic investments and targeted policy initiatives qualitatively bolster regional stabilization, citizen safety, and institutional resilience against internal conflict.