L’Oeuvre au Noir: the Shadow Economy of Kosovo’s Independence

The article analyses the nexus between illicit economy, violent conflict and peacetime politics in Kosovo. It examines political agendas, client interests and transnational criminal activities, taking into account the interaction between local and international actors involved in peacebuilding. While making sense of emerging trends and regularities, the analysis identifies dilemmas and challenges that counter-crime strategies have to address in Kosovo. The contention is that elements of historical discontinuity are discernible but the global economy remoulds traditional structures, and grey and black market profits give organized crime a formidable opportunity to emancipate itself from the role of service provider, often allowing direct intervention in the management of political violence and in crafting the state-making project.