Generation on the Move. Children of the 90S in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia

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Generation on the Move. Children of the 90s in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia. Franz Vranitzky Chair of European Studies; Sigmund Freud University; Center for Advanced Studies of Southeastern Europe, 09.10.2015–10.10.2015.

Reviewed by Christina Krakovsky

Published on H-Soz-u-Kult (March, 2016)

The conference “Generation on the Move. eral trend at the workshop was the discussion of Children of the 90s in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croat‐ the social and political conditions young people ia, Kosovo, and Serbia” focused on academic work are confronted with nowadays. Indeed, these con‐ in the felds of humanities and social sciences of ditions are closely related to the traumatic past, the Balkan region. The conference attracted an in‐ however they are often not explicitly identifed or ternational audience comprising of participants seen in their historic context. and lecturers: More than 20 speakers from uni‐ In the frst Panel “Imagine the Balkans & the versities of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, European Union” the chairwoman ORLI FRID‐ Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Hungary, as well MAN (Belgrade) conducted a debate about the as‐ as Austria, Germany, France, Canada and the USA pects of otherness, exclusion and inclusion, mi‐ attended to present and discuss their fndings. gration, the symbolic hierarchy in Europe, and the After a warm welcoming speech by Snježana role of social media. BEKIM BALIQI (University of Prijić–samaržija (Rijeka), who is currently the di‐ Pristina) stressed the very young population in rector of the Center for Advanced Studies of Kosovo (2011 median age of population is 27 Southeastern Europe and vice rector at the Uni‐ years), hence the majority lived through the war versity of Rijeka, RAINER GRIES (Vienna) raised as children. Baliqi argues that today’s young gen‐ urgent questions in his introductory speech re‐ erations have ethno-nationalistic tendencies and garding the “Generation on the Move“ vis-à-vis are strongly politicized, despite the fact that they the content of the conference. are less political active. This is related to the pres‐ The main focus was the lives of the children ence of a low level of trust in state and political in‐ and youth, who lived through the disintegration stitutions and a bad socio-economic situation. In of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, and then the ac‐ case of Kosovo these efects of war formed the col‐ companying war and crisis. The younger genera‐ lective memory and identity of youth. It infu‐ tion in this region is still deeply afected by the enced socio-political positions within their ethnic events of that transitional period. These early and and political communities, and in other ethnic adverse experiences of trauma contributed to groups. The impact in their political attitudes and shaping the self-images and the worldly views of ethnic relationships not only appears as a con‐ these age cohorts. They formed, at the very least, crete or personal experience, but usually as so the foundation of their political dispositions today called post-memory which is regularly transmit‐ and for the future. It stands to reason that a gen‐ ted and reproduced by ethno-political power H-Net Reviews elites and their instruments like the media, histo‐ cialist period that indeed provided some sort of riography, public space and discourse. employment, and health care etc; aspects that JELENA GOLUBOVIC (Vancouver) examined cannot be fulflled completely by the current poli‐ the symbolic hierarchies within Europe. She em‐ tics. On the other hand, nostalgia is seen as part of phasized the eastward expansion of the European reconciliation. Youth express the socialist past as Union and its efects on the lives and identities of a place of socialization. Furthermore, young peo‐ middle- to upper-middle class youth in Belgrade. ple use nostalgia as a rebellious act against collec‐ For those youth the basic challenge is to conceptu‐ tive amnesia, and also as an answer for the pro‐ alize the meaning of being outside of the EU’s bor‐ cesses of capitalism. Therefore it helps in process‐ der. Over a long period of time the Balkans repre‐ ing the traumatic past, by refecting and connect‐ sented, for Western Europe, a bufer zone to Asia ing the history to present political and social dif‐ and still is often received as not being European, culties. As direct and indirect victims they may but rather a space in between. The legacy of the feel like playing a subordinate role only in an al‐ 1990s continues to afect the subjectivities of Ser‐ ready marginalised discourse of how to deal with bian youth, expressing tension between European the events of the past. belonging and exclusion. Jelena Golubovic’s data As the chairman of the second Panel “The shows that Belgrade is seen as a mostly European Challenges of Integration” Dino Abazović (Univer‐ city by its young citizens, and with this in mind as sity of Sarajevo) addressed the subjects of identity an exclusion from the rest of Serbia and the for‐ and integration. SELMA POROBIC (Sarajevo) con‐ mer Yugoslavia. However, this youth cannot con‐ centrated on the socio-economic and discrimina‐ nect with EU politics and also distance themselves tion contexts for people returning to Bosnia- from Serbian politics, which is perceived as being Herzegovina, in particular their struggles in re-es‐ corrupt. Consequently, they feel excluded from tablishing themselves in their homeland. One of politics, which leaves them torn and in a state of their main motivations in returning to their post- chronic uncertainty. war society is the longing for their cultural roots The next speaker, KARL JACOBS (Graz), fo‐ and social ties. The motivations behind returning cused on student migrants in Austria who were (f.e. socio-cultural factors, morality-based argu‐ born in the Balkans and sought to determine as‐ ments like patriotism, refugee experience factors, pects of the phenomenon of brain drain. Through economic or environmental factors) are often met interviews using social media, Karl Jacobs detect‐ with suspicion, even though these motivations ed a great amount of students would rather not were in many cases already present during the return home in the near future. Taking their rea‐ early integration phase into the host society. son to stay into consideration, usually it being ANIDA SOKOL (Rome) mentioned another as‐ their academic education, the data could be inter‐ pect of identity. She analysed the positions, atti‐ preted as a “brain gain” as well, because those tudes, and reactions of Bosnian youth toward the who went abroad for better education may have Census of 2013. Political campaigns urged people the intention to return home. to declare themselves as Bosniak, Serbs, and/or The most discussed talk during the frst panel Croats, together with their religious afliation and centred around JOVANA VUKCEVIC (University of language, while civil society groups propagated Montenegro) and her investigation of the phe‐ the refusal of the ethno-national identities. Al‐ nomenon of “Yugonostalgia”. Yugonostalgia is though young people do not express interest to‐ mostly referred to in popular culture as an embel‐ wards political issues in Bosnia-Herzegovina most lishment or romanticized remembrance of the so‐ of them identify themselves according to the eth‐

2 H-Net Reviews no-national specifcations. However, there is a divided into three types of schools: There are mo‐ tendency among young people (around 10%) to noethnic schools, schools that separate ethnics by refuse common categories. Anida Sokol showed schedules or building parts, and integrated that identities of young people are overlapping schools. In separated schools pupils learn only and changing. Youth are constructing their own about the history of their ethnics. The 14 diferent new identity that will not ft in the established cat‐ curriculums are domestically produced and often egories. infuenced by politics. Surprisingly, despite these The third Panel moderated by Sanja Bojanić circumstances, only 1/5 of students would like to (Rijeka) “The Potential of Institutional Structures” have personal contact with other groups. Students broached the issue of institutional trust and re‐ who attend integrated schools report higher levels sponsibility. ANNA GEIS and KATARINA RISTIĆ of interethnic tolerance than those who attend (both Magdeburg) started the panel by presenting monoethnic or segregated schools. Nevertheless, their fndings regarding the perception and recep‐ statements that it would be best for each ethnic tion of transitional justice measures in Serbia. In group to have their own territory run like a red particular, they conducted research on the war thread through the data. trials of International Criminal Tribunal for the VANNI D’ALESSIO (Rijeka) focussed on the former Yugoslavia, United Nations (ICTY), which schooling of minorities in Rijeka, Croatia. The 90s is indeed a delicate research topic due to the con‐ generation is characterized by a return to private troversial perception of the trials and the difcul‐ life. Vanni D’Alessio presented in detail, and by ty in obtaining classifed data. The research team reference to historical development, the difer‐ suggested that there are diferent narratives cir‐ ence between an institutionalized Italian minority culating which are not connected to a complete and the Serbian minority, who are not present in story. Media is overstrained with the task of re‐ the public sphere. porting reliably and steadily, frstly because war In addition to the historical factors infuenc‐ crimes are an extremely sensitive topic; and sec‐ ing this generation, high rates of unemployment, ondly media avoids reporting about long lasting the persistent practices of corruption and limited and complex political events. social mobility are causing much more immediate ANJA GVOZDANOVIĆ (Zagreb) examined the problems in their present lives. As the chairman infuence of institutions for social civility in Croat‐ Bekim Baliqi discussed these factors during the ia. Erosion of civil values and, at the same time, last panel “Present Challenges Against the Back‐ erosion in institutional trust can be observed. This ground of the Past”. In his work ADEM FEIZAH is worrying because according to the social capital (Paris) deals with aspects and impacts of patri‐ theory the value of institutional trust is one deter‐ archy in Kosovo. In an essayistic manner he ex‐ minant of civility. Anja Gvozdanović found a lack amined the issues of families and pays attention of possibilities for families to support their to the everyday life of women in a post-war soci‐ youngest child economically or providing useful ety. social contacts because of narrowing resources. ANDREJ KIRBIŠ (Maribor) investigated the ef‐ The bitter consequence is that the “luxury” of ci‐ fects of discrimination on young people in post- vility cannot be aforded. Yugoslavia. He examined the perceived discrimi‐ MARY KATE SCHNEIDER (University of Mary‐ nation including gender, economic status, reli‐ land) concentrated on the infuence of education gious afliation, ethnicity/nationality, educational in Bosnia-Herzegovina in terms of social distance level, political party afliation and regional origin and living separately. The educational system is among the youth in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia

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& Kosovo. The results indicated cross-national dif‐ that this generation would like to enter the dia‐ ferences in perceived discrimination with highest logue. perceived discrimination being detected in Koso‐ Conference Overview: vo and lowest in Croatia. Consequences of dis‐ Welcoming words crimination can be seen in violence experiences, Snježana Prijić–Samaržija (Center for Advanced lower attachment to school, higher somatic stress, Studies of Southeastern Europe, Rijeka) anxieties and depression, and low self-esteem. Keynote BERT PREISS (Graz) highlighted the impor‐ Rainer Gries (Franz Vranitzky Chair for European tance of youth civic participation in politics and Studies, Vienna) social afairs. However, the concept of participa‐ tion still is quite vague and the question arises as Panel I: Imagine The Balkans & The European to how young people are able to actively partici‐ Union pate at all. Most international concepts supporting Chair: Orli Fridman (Center for Comparative Con‐ civic participation for the youth are top-down and fict Studies, Faculty of Media and Communica‐ therefore not appropriate or accepted, therefore a tions, Singidunum University, Belgrade) rather weak tradition of youth organizing groups Bekim Baliqi (University of Pristina): Young is common in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. Europeans and Old Balkanians. Children of the Furthermore, due to the poor living conditions 90s and youth of today in Kosovo young people migrate to European countries and Jelena Golubovic(Simon Fraser University, the United States, which leads to brain drain. Also Vancouver): Between Abnormalcy and European an alarming radicalization of young Muslims Belonging. Belgrade Youth and the Legacy of the takes place, recently increased by the bellicose at‐ 1990s in the Context of European Union Expan‐ tacks of IS. sion In her Ph.D project ELISA SATJUKOW (Magde‐ Karl Jacobs (University of Graz): Gastarbeiter burg) focuses on the everyday life of citizens in or Brain Drain. A Qualitative Analysis of Student Belgrade taking into consideration the bombings Migrants’ Intentions in Graz, Austria in the 90s. By conducting narrative interviews Jovana Vukcevic (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en and analysing “Egodocuments” (letters, school es‐ Sciences Sociales, Paris): Borrowed Memories. says, emails, etc.) and (youth) media, Elisa Borrowed Memories. Yugonostaliga, Youth and Satjukow will contribute to the felds of memory Europe and generational studies thus providing input for a historical understanding of everyday life in Ser‐ Panel II: The Challenges Of Integration bia under Milošević, and its consequences up un‐ Chair: Dino Abazović (University of Sarajevo) til the present day. Selma Porobic (University of Sarajevo): “They A concluding round-table discussion brought tell us we are crazy for coming back and always a fresh start: On the one hand, insights at the con‐ ask ‘why on earth did you come back’, when they ference determined, that they are a highly prob‐ should really ask who we are, why we went in the lematical generation in an equally highly prob‐ frst place and what we do since we came back” – lematic environment and time. On the other A study of life attitudes and well-being among the hand, the panel reiterated the hope that it will be war-children and youth returnee migrants in a possible to come together in conversation: Nu‐ post-Dayton BiH merous contributions to the conference showed

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Anida Sokol (University of Rome): The Bosni‐ Milica Andžić (Center for Comparative Con‐ ak-Bosnian Identity Dilemma. Youth, Nation- fict Studies, Belgrade): Sports and Media. Case building, and the Census of 2013 Study Serbia-Croatia 1990/2015 Panel III: The Potential Of Institutional Struc‐ Nikola Kosovic & Daria Copil (Central Euro‐ tures pean University, Budapest): Socialization During Chair: Sanja Bojanić (Center for Advanced Studies Wars: A Comparative Study of Post-Yugoslav of Southeastern Europe, University of Rijeka) Countries Anna Geis & Katarina Ristić (University of Maja Mirković (Universtiy of Sarajevo): The Magdeburg): Generation Y’s perception of ICTY Role of Youth Organisazions in Implementation of trials in Serbian media Transitional Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina Anja Gvozdanović (Institute for Social Re‐ Olivera Nedić (Universtiy of Belgrade): Devel‐ search Zagreb): Erosion of social civility in Croatia opment of the Culture of Remembrance with Re‐ Mary Kate Schneider (University of Mary‐ gard to Historical Truth in Books and Curricula land): Sustainable peace through education in Janja Pilić & Ružica Strelar (Faculty of Politi‐ Bosnia- Herzegovina? A look at the frst genera‐ cal Science, Zagreb): Media Constructions of Mod‐ tion of ‘new’ Bosnians ern Croatian Migratory Processes. Vanni D’Alessio (University of Rijeka): School‐ children across “Ethnic Filters”. Schooling, Identi‐ fcations and Minorities in Croatian and Mulitcul‐ tural Rijeka (From the 20th to the 21st century) Panel IV: Present Challenges Against The Background Of The Past Chair: Bekim Baliqi (Department of Political Sci‐ ence, University of Prishtina) Adem Ferizaj (Sciences Po Paris): The texture of patriarchy in Kosovo Andrej Kirbiš (University of Mari‐ bor):Perceived discrimination among post-Yu‐ goslav youth. A comparative analysis of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo Bert Preiss (University of Graz): The Power of Youth. Exploring Young People’s Potential for Par‐ ticipation in Local Confict Transformation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo Elisa Satjukow (University of Leipzig): Chil‐ dren of the 90s. Growing up in Serbia under Milošević Poster Session Moderated by Rainer Gries and Michaela Gries‐ beck

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Citation: Christina Krakovsky. Review of Generation on the Move. Children of the 90s in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia. H-Soz-u-Kult, H-Net Reviews. March, 2016.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=46529

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