Dr Marko Babić Two faces of Islam in the Western Balkans: Between Political Ideology and Islamist Radicalization Abstract The paper aims to explain specificities of Islam in the post Yugoslav political space today described as the Western Balkans. It focuses on two aspects of Islam in the region: Islam understood as political ideology and Islam through its Islamist face providing some basic concepts related to both phenomena. To what extent these aspects of Islam have been “imported” and do they truly impose a real threat to political stability in the region? Can we consider any threats in terms of terrorist acts in the region? These are some questions and doubts the paper, by using the descriptive method of analysis, tries to give answers. Key words: Islam, Islamization, Western Balkans, Wahhabies, terrorism Introduction Various issues related to Islam should be simultaneously viewed through two axes: paradigmatic and syntagmatic. The paradigmatic axis includes a set of several stable constants and general permanent markers of Islam itself. Such timeless Islamic paradigm has been intersected for centuries with syntagmatic levels of their specific “earthly” realization: in different historical contexts and various political constructions [1]. Historical challenges Islam has been facing as transhistorical category and one of the great world religions have always been connected with its instrumentalization in the processes of creating new states and/or through nationalistic abuses of different kinds. The region we today describe as the Western Balkans 1 and the states that emerged from the ruins of former Yugoslavia are not an exception. Prior to dissolution of the country, Yugoslav Muslims in general perceived as a national community, could not have been considered religiously inclined 2 [2]. Moreover, their 1 The Western Balkans includes the countries of former Yugoslavia (with Albania, without Slovenia) and: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo (under the 1244 UN Resolution) 2 It is interesting to mention the meanders of identity of Muslims in Yugoslavia after World War II. Since they ǁeƌe Ŷot ƌeĐogŶized as a sepaƌate ŶatioŶ Musliŵs ǁeƌe giǀeŶ the oppoƌtuŶitLJ foƌ ŶatioŶal self - deteƌŵiŶatioŶ ;ŶaĐioŶalŶo opƌedeljiǀaŶjeͿ. DuƌiŶg the fiƌst post -war census in 1948, Muslims had the opportunity to opt either voluntarily or by administrative measures as members of other nations (Serbs, Croats, MoŶteŶegƌiŶs, etĐ.Ϳ, oƌ to Đhoose the ĐategoƌLJ uŶspeĐified ;ŶeopƌedeljeŶͿ. DuƌiŶg the ϭϵϱ3 ĐeŶsus all