CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2016
| Author | Subotic, Strahinja |
|---|---|
| Title | Normalization and Reconciliation in the Post-Yugoslav Space |
| Summary | This study focuses on Serbian governmental efforts in the period after the Yugoslav civil war until 2016 and analyzes whether these efforts were directed towards normalization of relations or towards reconciliation in the region. I argue that the former was the case, and not the latter. In order to confirm my idea, I conduct three analyses. First, with historical analysis I show how the collapse of Yugoslavia came about and I argue that those legacies of the past still drive the present relations in the region. Second, I conduct a theoretical analysis of concepts of normalization and reconciliation. The former is identified as forward-looking process; while the latter as backward-looking. I show how it is possible to pursue the former without the latter; however, I argue that by exclusively focusing on normalization, the issues of the past are likely to remain in the present. Finally, I analyze Serbian governmental efforts which have to do with normalization and reconciliation. I show that Serbian government has been pursuing the policy of ‘normalization without reconciliation’. It is employed as a forward-looking strategy, which rejects directly dealing with the legacies of the conflict. This means that on one hand, the government has been pursuing normalization of relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia by establishing many agreements of cooperation; while on the other, it has been barely employing mechanisms of reconciliation such as apologies, truth-seeking and compensation. Therefore, I show that this policy has not established positive peace and stability in the post-Yugoslav space. |
| Supervisor | Dimitrijević, Nenad |
| Department | Political Science MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2016/subotic_strahinja.pdf |
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