Original scientific paper

WILL MOSTAR REMAIN COMMUNICATION-DIVIDED TOWN?

Šime Pilić ; Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Studies and Humanities, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Mateja Bošnjak ; Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Studies and Humanities, University of Split, Split, Croatia

Abstract

Fifteen years after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a multiethnic country with three constituent nations, the consequences of war can be easily seen. The situation in Mostar, which represents a typical town with different ethnic groups opposed in the war, clearly illustrates the long-term consequences of war.
The participants of the research were 514 students at different universities in Mostar. The questionnaire was used to determine to what extent the students are aware of ethnic division in Mostar, what they think about the coexistence and in what way their attitudes are influenced by the direct exposure to some of the sufferings in war. Social distance among young people could be more easily perceived if we take into account the direct exposure of the participants and their family members to suffering. One-fifth of them don't have any friends of other nationality, one-fourth rarely visit clubs on the other bank of the River Neretva. Furthermore, more than a third almost never go to the other river bank and they would never be in a relationship with a girl or a boy of other ethnic group. Forty percent of them wouldn't approve of their family members getting married to a member of different nationality. And yet, two thirds of the students agree that the issue of ethnic division is rooted deep in the people's consciousness, but they believe the situation will somehow improve in the future.

Keywords

ethnic divisions; post-war Mostar; consequences of war; social distance; students' attitudes and beliefs

Hrčak ID:

70970

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/70970

Publication date:

30.6.2011.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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