Neither War, Nor Peace: Everyday Politics, Peacebuilding and the Liminal Condition of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland

Wilfrid Laurier University Scholars Commons @ Laurier Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) 2015 Neither War, Nor Peace: Everyday Politics, Peacebuilding and the Liminal Condition of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland Branka Marijan Wilfrid Laurier University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd Part of the International Relations Commons, and the Other Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Marijan, Branka, "Neither War, Nor Peace: Everyday Politics, Peacebuilding and the Liminal Condition of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland" (2015). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 1770. https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/1770 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Neither War, Nor Peace: Everyday Politics, Peacebuilding and the Liminal Condition of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland by Branka Marijan B.A., M.A., McMaster University, 2008, 2009 DISSERTATION Submitted to the School of International Policy and Governance in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Global Governance Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario, Canada © Branka Marijan 2015 ABSTRACT Neither War, Nor Peace: Everyday Politics, Peacebuilding and the Liminal Condition of Bosnia- Herzegovina and Northern Ireland By Branka Marijan This thesis focuses on cultural and everyday practices of local populations in post-conflict peacebuilding. It builds on the “everyday” turn in critical peacebuilding literature by recognizing the everyday as political. Rather than examining the practices of political elites this thesis is concerned with the ordinary citizens of these societies. In other words, I show that it is through practices and cultural forms of expression that local populations enact their agency, at times supporting and at times contesting the broader peacebuilding project. Moreover, rather than viewing the everyday acts as hidden or as evidence of resistance to the dominant peacebuilding approaches this thesis calls for greater attention to the ways that these practices and cultural forms of expression are made visible and provide meaning to the ordinary citizens of these societies. Through the case studies of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland, this thesis aims to generate an account of everyday peace politics that allows for the inclusive, exclusionary and ambivalent practices of the ordinary citizens in these societies. It does so through three key lenses: practices of place-making and “inscription”, symbolic practices and competing narratives and performances. While proponents of the liberal peace approach envision peace as “trickling- down”, this thesis illustrates that peacebuilding strategies are always interpreted in context- specific ways. Although the literature on “hybrid peacebuilding” recognizes the relationship between local practices and external peacebuilding efforts, a closer look at the liminal conditions of these post-agreement societies shows us how local populations respond to the uncertainty of the war to peace transition in ways not always captured by the literature on hybrid peacebuilding. As a result, this thesis contributes to our understanding of local agency in post-peace accord societies. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Places we love we can never leave- I. Lalić Bosnia-Herzegovina (hereafter, Bosnia) started to fall apart just as I was about to enter kindergarten. The unfortunate events of the Bosnian war deeply affected my family and my fellow compatriots. Though I was rather young when my family left Bosnia, I have remained incomprehensibly attached to it. This thesis and much of my graduate education is a result of my attempts to understand how peace can be built in places, such as Bosnia, that have experienced violence and conflict. It is my attachment to Bosnia that led me to Northern Ireland where I met people not unlike my Bosnians with their humour, kindness and difficult histories. Much of what I have learned and experienced in both Bosnia and Northern Ireland cannot be fully captured in an academic text. However, here I have tried to bring attention to those that are often overlooked, the so-called ordinary citizens of these countries. To them I owe much thanks. They let me into their lives and communities, made me coffee or tea, and sought to make me better understand their perspectives. I hope I have captured some of the hope and frustration with the peace they live that they imparted on me. This thesis would not have been written without the guidance of Professor Dejan Guzina. Dejan has been a constant source of support. His insistence on clear, well-researched, thoughtful arguments have made me strive to be a better scholar. I hope I have managed to meet (or even come close to) his ever moving targets for my work. Hvala! I owe much thanks to Professor Kim Rygiel who, with her keen insights, has made this thesis a much better work. Kim has been a guide, and a role-model since I met her during my Master’s studies. I am so grateful for her attention to detail and help in clarifying what it is that I am trying to say. Professor Will Coleman deserves more thanks than I can ever express. Will’s nuanced worldview, mild manner, and sharp wit have been central to my graduate education. Will always responded to last minute requests with kindness and wrote numerous letters of recommendation. Will’s course on Globalization, during my Master’s studies at McMaster University, ultimately shaped my decision to pursue a doctoral degree. Here, I would also like to thank Sonya Zikic for her friendship, encouragement and support. Sonya spent many hours reading some early drafts of this thesis and kindly noting grammatical oversights and errors. She has been a crucial guide to the mysteries of the English language. I look forward to reading her forthcoming doctoral thesis. Many others, colleagues and professors, deserve to be mentioned here as well. At the Balsillie School, I have been fortunate enough to meet inspiring colleagues who also became my friends. In particular, Warren Clarke, Lucie Edwards, Crystal Ennis, David Kempthorne, and Manjana Milkoreit have made this journey a much more exciting experience. Many other colleagues at the ii Balsillie School deserve thanks. Among them I would like to mention Taguhi Dallakyan, Dan Herman, Rhys Machold, Adam Malloy, Steven Mock, Laura Reidel, Tracey Wagner- Rizvi, Veronica Rubio Vega, Jason Thistlethwaite and Jessica West. In Belfast, I wish to thank Seán Brennan for his friendship. Seán answered all of my questions (and they were numerous) and drank more coffees than he wanted to just to keep me company. To Rosie Hickey, Tom Hughes, Kathleen Ireton, and Helen McKelvey, for filling me in on life in Belfast. Over the years, many professors have shaped my worldview. I wish to thank Maroussia Hajdukowski-Ahmed, Gerry Boychuck, Simon Dalby, Timothy Donais, Diane Enns, Patricia (Patti) Goff, Daniel Gorman, Neophytos Loizides, Tony Porter, Mark Sedra, Andrew Thompson, and David Welch. I would like to thank the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Canadian Council on International Law, for funding and support. Thanks also the Belfast Interface Network and Extramural Activity for letting me use their images. This thesis is dedicated to my parents. They showed me early on how ordinary people navigate conflict situations and strive to maintain a sense of themselves despite the official politics. Their decision to move to Canada allowed my sisters and I to have a better life and has made all the difference. My sisters, Daliborka Simić and Marijana Stojanović, and their families, for the love and support. To my parents-in-law, Vladimir and Grozda Ćućuz, for their unconditional support. My brother and sister-in-law, Sasha and Sarah Ćućuz for being amazing and inspiring. To my grandparents, many aunts and uncles, and cousins I am so blessed to have all your love and support. Branko and Mara Marijan, my aunt and uncle, for being there when it was most needed. My love for Bosnia, and my small corner of it (in and around Livno), is partly due to the childhood adventures aided by my grandparents. In loving memory of my grandmother, Mara Marijan and my grandparents Bosiljka and Bogoljub Pajčin. I must also thank tetka Sava Vasić and her family, George, Lynn, Milorad, Maisy and Tilly for being my home away from home in the UK. Mara Vasić for joining me in Belfast, if only for a brief few days. In Sarajevo, Livno, Toronto and beyond, I wish to thank the Huskić and Jović families for all their support and for embodying every ideal that the former Yugoslavia represented. Goran and Ognjen Huskić and Marina Rubnić for making me believe that a better future awaits Bosnia. To Vojislava Šarenac for the many meals she made during my stay in Sarajevo. Many others friends and family deserve thanks. To Biljana Vulić and her family for believing in me and reminding me about the beauty of Herzegovina. To Gordana Tomić, Danijela Vujić and Slavica Srbljanović for the coffee sessions that kept me sane. Finally, to my husband Nebojša. Nebojša has supported me in so many ways throughout this process. He encouraged me when I thought this would never get finished, and he reminded me often that a new day was a new opportunity. I cannot put in words how much his support means to me. His love has been central in making everything possible. I am so excited for our future. iii DEDICATION To my parents, Djordje and Veselinka Marijan, for your love and for teaching me about the importance of perseverance. To my nieces and nephews, Lilly Sofia Ćućuz, Marija & Marko Simić, Elena & Aleksa Stojanović, for all the smiles, hugs and kisses. iv Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................

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