"Western Balkans at the Crossroads: Ways Forward in Analyzing External Actors' Influence,” run by the PSSI, is a follow-up project that aims to build upon a knowledge base established in the preceding project “Western Balkans at the Crossroads: Assessing Non-Democratic External Influence Activities ,” which mapped, analyzed and publicized Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Gulf
State influence activities in the region.

The second project’s phase focuses on in-depth socially rooted research and investigative journalism. Its design reflects the aim to go beyond conventional analytical frameworks, overcoming ideologically constructed stereotypes and methodological nationalism, while combining a variety of methodological approaches from security studies to visual anthropology.

​The principal research topics focus on geopolitics and fading democracy discourses and perceptions, policy making and business as well as illiberal leverage in the Western Balkan societies.