Social sciences focus on understanding societies and the changes that take place in them. They can contribute to a public discourse and to policy making, pointing out how changes can be managed for the benefit of the society and its citizens.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia and the turmoil that followed, Western Balkan countries embarked on a process of transition to democracy. This process has proved to be slow and complex. Most of the countries are considered to have flawed democracies, showing significant weaknesses in essential elements of a democratic system, such as low levels of political participation, governance, and an underdeveloped political culture. 

The link between social science research and policy making, including a meaningful public debate, is weak in Western Balkan countries. The potentials of social science and research remain under-used in their contributions to quality, evidence-informed policy making and public debate.

The overarching goal of PERFORM is a strong, confident and publicly positioned social science research community that meaningfully contributes to socio-economic and political reform processes.

The overall goal can be achieved through the following three components (outcomes):

Outcome 1: Strengthened social science community

This component aims to improve horizontal structures and cooperation within the social science community as well as to enhance capacities of research.

Outcome 2: Systemic linkages to political reform processes, civil society organizations, private sector and media

Component 2 focuses on facilitating the development of mechanisms and systems for the collaboration between social science and other domains of society.

Outcome 3: Favourable framework conditions and financial mechanisms

PERFORM will work with the respective government institutions to facilitate and contribute to improved conditions in the overall framework for social science and research.

Source: PERFORM