Between ethnicity and citizenship in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The study describes how power functions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and which actors play the greatest roles. Particular focus is placed on the Bosniaks – the Bosnian Muslims – and the party that represents them, the SDA (Party of Democratic Action). Begovic shows how the party works to strengthen the state and to make its vision for the country appear credible.

“Symbolic capital, in which political actors attempt to use state tools to legitimise their policies, making them appear natural and self-evident, is central to my study,” says Begovic.

For example, SDA politicians may refer to the state, its institutions and the Dayton Accords in order to show that their policies protect Bosnia and Herzegovina’s cohesion and its future.

A responsibility for the state

The thesis builds upon interviews and fieldwork with current and former SDA activists. They describe the state as a responsibility that rests on their shoulders; the state is not something that just exists, rather something that must constantly be defended and strengthened.

“My route to this subject came naturally, due to my language skills and my Bosnian background. This interest in Bosnian politics dates back to my childhood, not least because my family fled from a war,” says Begovic.

The study also shows how Bosnian politicians, according to the interviewees, view both their partners and their opponents. Domestically, this involves cooperation with Serbian and Croatian politicians who maintain a distance to ethnic nationalism, as more nationalistic actors are perceived as obstacles. Other countries are also important: the US and Turkey are regarded as significant partners, while Russia is often described as an actor associated with Serbian nationalist forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

At the same time, there are political disagreements between Bosniaks, including on how closely they should cooperate with other countries and what the balance should be between civic and ethnic nationalism.

May also have relevance to other countries

From a broader perspective, the thesis highlights how nationalism functions in countries that are recovering from war. It shows how competing forms of nationalism can exist within the same political system and how, in such societies, the state is not a given but something that must constantly be defended.

“My study can contribute to a greater understanding of how nationalism works in post-conflict societies and how political actors in such contexts depend on cooperation with external powers,” says Begovic.