Building trust and a sense of community in the Western Balkans: they shall overcome (their violent pasts)?

This study examines the extent to which Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, brought together by partnership in the Adriatic Charter in 2003, have made progress toward the development of trust and belonging (a security community) that will facilitate wider Euro–Atlantic integration. We assess identity and belonging with partners and neighbours, as well as within individual states. Moreover, we examine whether notions of security community ‘trickle down’ to the public. Based on extensive fieldwork, we conclude that there has been an increase in interactions among these countries at the elite level, but the general public in each country appears to exhibit less trust and sense of community.