bellamy [22.5].jkt 21/8/03 4:43 pm Page 1 Europeinchange E K T C The formation of Croatian national identity ✭ This volume assesses the formation of Croatian national identity in the 1990s. It develops a novel framework that calls both primordialist and modernist approaches to nationalism and national identity into question before applying that framework to Croatia. In doing so it not only provides a new way of thinking about how national identity is formed and why it is so important but also closely examines 1990s Croatia in a unique way. An explanation of how Croatian national identity was formed in an abstract way by a historical narrative that traces centuries of yearning for a national state is given. The book goes on to show how the government, opposition parties, dissident intellectuals and diaspora change change groups offered alternative accounts of this narrative in order to The formation legitimise contemporary political programmes based on different visions of national identity. It then looks at how these debates were in manifested in social activities as diverse as football and religion, in of Croatian economics and language. ✭ This volume marks an important contribution to both the way we national identity bellamy study nationalism and national identity and our understanding of post-Yugoslav politics and society. A centuries-old dream ✭ ✭ Alex J. Bellamy is lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland alex j. bellamy Europe Europe THE FORMATION OF CROATIAN NATIONAL IDENTITY MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 1 9/3/03, 9:16 EUROPE IN CHANGE : T C E K already published Committee governance in the European Union ⁽⁾ Theory and reform in the European Union, 2nd edition . , . , German policy-making and eastern enlargement of the EU during the Kohl era Managing the agenda? . The European Union and the Cyprus conflict Modern conflict, postmodern union The time of European governance Greece in a changing Europe Between European integration and Balkan disintegration? ⁽⁾ An introduction to post-Communist Bulgaria Political, economic and social transformation emil giatzidis The new Germany and migration in Europe Turkey’s relations with a changing Europe - Turkey: facing a new millennium Coping with intertwined conflicts The road to the European Union, volume 2 ⁽⁾ Righting wrongs in Eastern Europe The road to the European Union, volume 1 The Czech and Slovak Republics ⁽⁾ Two tiers or two speeds? The European security order and the enlargement of the European Union and Nato ⁽.⁾ Recasting the European order Security architectures and economic cooperation The emerging Euro-Mediterranean system . . MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 2 9/3/03, 9:16 ALEX J. BELLAMY The formation of Croatian national identity A centuries-old dream? MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY PRESS Manchester and New York distributed exclusively in the USA by Palgrave MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 3 9/3/03, 9:16 Copyright © Alex J. Bellamy 2003 The right of Alex J. Bellamy to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Published by Manchester University Press Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9NR, UK and Room 400, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk Distributed exclusively in the USA by Palgrave, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA Distributed exclusively in Canada by UBC Press, University of British Columbia, 2029 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for ISBN 0 7190 6502 X hardback First published 2003 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Typeset in Minion with Lithos by Koinonia, Manchester Printed in Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, Guildford and King’s Lynn MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 4 9/3/03, 9:16 For my Dad: David John Bellamy MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 5 9/3/03, 9:16 C Acknowledgements viii Note on pronunciation and language ix Introduction 1 1 National identity and the ‘great divide’ 7 2 Re-imagining the nation 20 3 The Croatian historical statehood narrative 32 4 Contemporary accounts of Croatian national identity 65 5 The nation in social practice I: economy, football and Istria 104 6 The nation in social practice II: language, education and the Catholic Church 137 7 Conclusion: competing claims to national identity 171 Bibliography 185 Index 207 MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 7 9/3/03, 9:16 A I was able to complete this project because of the encouragement, love and support of many people. I owe a massive debt of gratitude to my mum Ann Jude and stepfather Robert Jude, who have given me unquestioning support. This book would certainly not have been possible without the financial support of the Economic and Social Research Council and the practical assistance afforded by the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. My greatest intellectual debt is owed to Steve Smith. It was an immense privilege to have Steve’s help and advice in putting this project together. To those who know his work it may come as a surprise when I use the well-trodden phrase that his influence can be seen on every page. But it can. He instilled clarity where there was none and often knew my position better than I knew it myself. The wealth of expertise at Aber was astounding and humbling. In particular I think of Nick Wheeler, a great friend and intellectual influence. I had the pleasure of working with Nick on several projects and his wide ranging and deep understanding of world affairs helped me form views on many issues. This book also benefited from the insights and expertise of many others at Aberystwyth; especially, Ken Booth, Steve Hobden, Ian Clark, Mike Foley, Mick Cox, Tim Dunne, Lucy Taylor, Colin Wight, and Richard Wyn-Jones. Paul Williams, Rob Dixon, and Danda Kroslak deserve special mention for pro- viding intellectual and social support throughout this project. They are treasured friends and brilliant scholars. My frequent visits to Croatia were made not only enlightening but also incredibly enjoyable by a number of people. First and foremost my thanks go to Daria Mateljak Bartulin. The majority of people I met in Croatia, I met thanks to Daria. The whole Mateljak family – Joe, Lea, Ivo, Tonka, and Andrija – were wonderful hosts. Particularly helpful was Renata Pekorari at the Croatian documentation centre and Nevenka Ïuïkoviç and all at the Institute of International Relations in Zagreb. Davor Ïurkuç provided excellent hospitality in Zadar, and many useful bits of paper. Vjeran Katunariç provided intellectual and social help and influenced my thinking on all manner of things Croatian. Thanks also to: Ognjen Ïaldaroviç, Ivan Grde°iç, Nenad Zako°ek, Nenad Klapïic, Friar Ilija ™ivkovic, Anthony London, Vesna Puhovski, Alida Matkoviç, Zdenko Franiç, Bozo Kovaïeviç, Boris Hajo°, Branko Graïanin, Zarko Domljan, Ivan Ivas, Zlatko Popiç, Sasa Djaïanin, and Dubravko ‡kiljan. There are many others, and I am grateful to you all. I would like to thank Tony Mason and Richard Delahunty and all at Manchester University Press for their help and support. Finally, Sara deserves a special and final mention. She knows why. MUP_Bellamy_00_Prelims 8 9/3/03, 9:16 N ix N Language was an important political tool throughout former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. The choice of words and spellings in this book is not meant to reflect any political orientation. The language used in contemporary Croatia is labelled ‘Croatian’ through- out, except when ‘Serbo-Croatian’ is specifically referred to (to describe the official language of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia). I use ‘Croatian’ simply because that it what most people in Croatia call their language. The choice of place names is also a political choice. Unless referring to the labels used by specific writers, I use the modern Croatian names for places. Thus, the Dalmatian hinterland that was occupied by Serb rebels between 1991 and 1995 is referred to as the ‘Lika’, which was the geographical expression for the area after the dissolution of the Habsburg military frontier (Vojna Krajina) in the nineteenth century. However, when referring to the political status of the territory held by the Serbs in the first half of the 1990s, I label it as the ‘so-called Krajina’, to intimate the name given to it by the Serbs and the fact that this name was never legitimised either by the Croats or the international community. Most often, I simply reproduce words as found, as they can tell us things about the person or group using them. This gets confusing with the use of the Croatian ‘œ/Œ’, which is sometimes also expressed as ‘dj’. Following my basic rule, I use ‘œ’. In writing people’s names I either follow the standard norm or adopt the spelling preferred by the person referred to. Most foreign writers spell ‘Tuœman’ as ‘Tudjman’. I maintain the original spelling in quotes, followed by [sic] to demonstrate that the spelling change is deliberate. Again, I do not wish to make any political point with my choice of letters and spellings. Croatian is a phonetic language with each letter constituting a different sound. Thus: A as in English a in father. B as in b in bed. C as in ts in cats. Ç a sound between ch in reach and t in tune. Ï as in ch in reach. D as in d in dog. D¥ as in j in John. Dj as a sound between d in duke and dg in bridge. Œ as Dj. E as in e in let. F as in f in full. G as in g in good. H as in Scottish ch in loch.