Militant Extremist Mindset in Post-conflict Regions of the Balkans

Authors

  • Lazar Stankov The University of Sydney & The University of Southern Queensland
  • Goran Knežević University of Belgrade
  • Boban Petrović Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, Belgrade
  • Janko Međedović Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, Belgrade
  • Ljiljana B. Lazarević University of Belgrade

Keywords:

Militant Extremist Mindset (MEM), Ethos of Conflict (EOC), Intergroup Conflict, Radicalization

Abstract

This study explores the structure of Militant Extremist Mindset (MEM) within a sample of participants living in areas with enhanced risk of intergroup conflict. We were also interested in comparing members of three different ethnic groups (Serbs, Albanians, and Bosniaks) on MEM measures. A short version of the MEM scale was created for future use. We found that the factorial structure of MEM was replicated in the sample composed of people from both sides of a conflict. Ethnic groups did not differ significantly on the Grudge component of MEM. Group differences were pronounced on the Pro-violence and Utopianism factors. Albanians scored higher than Bosniaks and Serbs on these two dimensions. However, significant differences were obtained on the Ethos of Conflict (EOC) factor when groups of Serbs living within and outside areas of recent conflict were compared.

References

Asparouhov T, Muthen B. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 16, 397– 438.

Bar-Tal, D., Sharvit, K., Halperin, E., & Zafran, A. (2012). Ethos of conflict: The concept and its measurement. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 18(1), 40-61.

Boyle, M. J. (2010). Revenge and reprisal violence in Kosovo: Analysis. Conflict, Security & Development, 10(2), 189-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14678801003665968

Grutzpalk, J. (2002). Blood feud and modernity: Max Weber’s and Émile Durkheim’s theories. Journal of Classical Sociology, 2(2), 115-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468795X02002002854

Marcoulides, G. A., & Drezner, Z. (2003). Model specification searches using ant colony optimization algorithms. Structural Equation Modeling, 10(1), 154-164. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328007SEM1001_8

Međedović, J., & Knežević, G. (2019). Dark and peculiar: The key features of militant extremist thinking pattern? Journal of Individual Differences, 40(2), 92-103.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000280

Međedović, J. & Petrović, B. (2013). Predictors of party evaluation in post-conflict society – the case of Serbia. Psihologija, 46, 27-43. doi:10.2298/PSI1301027M

Međedovic, J., & Petrović, B. (2016). The Militant Extremist Mind-Set as a Conservative Ideology Mediated by Ethos of Conflict. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 22, 4, 404–408.

Muthen, L. K. & Muthen, B. O. (1998-2010). Mplus User’s Guide. Sixth Edition, Los Angeles, CA: Muthen & Muthen.

Osborne, J. W., Costello, A. B., & Kellow, J. T. (2014). Best practices in exploratory factor analysis. Louisville: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Peterson, A. (2018). Contemporary political protest: Essays on political militancy. Routledge.

Pratto, F., Žeželj, I., Maloku, E., Turjačanin, V., & Branković, M. (2017). Shaping social identities after violent conflict: Youth in the Western Balkans. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.

Saucier, G., Akers, L. G., Miller, S. S., Stankov, L., & Knežević, G. (2009). Patterns of thinking in militant extremism. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4, 256-271.

Saucier, G., Kenner, J., Iurino, K., Bou-Malham, P., Chen, Z., Thalmayer, A.G., et al., & Çankaya, B. (2015). Cross-cultural differences in a global ‘Survey of World Views’. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46, 53–70.

Stankov, L., Saucier, G., & Knežević, G. (2010a). Militant extremist mindset: Proviolence, Vile World, and Divine Power. Psychological assessment, 22(1), 70-86.

Stankov, L., Higgins, D., Saucier, G., & Knežević, G. (2010b). Contemporary militant extremism: A linguistic approach to scale development. Psychological Assessment, 22, 246–258. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017372

Stankov, L., Saucier, G. & Knežević, G. (2011). Militant Extremist Mindset. In S. Boag & N. Tiliopoulos (Eds.) Personality & Intelligence: Theory, Assessment, & Applications. Nova Science Publishers, INC. (ISBN: 978-1-61122-070-4) pp.131-141.

Stankov, L., Knežević, G., Saucier, G., Radović, B. & Milovanović, B. (2018). Militant extremist mindset and the assessment of radicalization in general population. Journal of Individual Differences, 39, 2, 88–98.

Downloads

Published

2019-06-21

Issue

Section

Articles