The bloody wars of secession in former Yugoslavia have been one of the greatest tragedies in the post-Cold War-period. Hardly anyone was “(…) entirely prepared for the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the ensuing civil war (…).” (Simic, 2000:103) Within a short period of time the multinational state, which had consisted of a diversity of ethnic groups that had lived together for decades, simply ceased to exist. In the cruel wars from 1991-1995 huge numbers of people were killed, ethnic cleansing was quite common. But what were the causes of the drama? Why did neighbours suddenly turn against neighbours? The Yugoslavia-wars have been subject to numerous studies that have tried to analyse the reasons for the drama. The concept of nationalism is frequently referred to in this context.1 However, nationalism does not always imply such a negative notion, it can also lead to positive developments.2 By examining the causes of conflict in former Yugoslavia one immediately finds that this case is very complex, many different factors contributed to the outbreak of the wars.3 This essay analyses the connection between nationalism and the wars in Yugoslavia by taking into account the complexity of this specific case. First, it provides a definition of nationalism and explains three nationalism-theories, followed by a brief outline of the nature of the Yugoslav state in section two. Sections three and four examine the different theories and the role of nationalism in light of the various factors and developments that led to war. The essay concludes by providing an answer to the question of whether nationalism was the main cause of the wars of secession in former Yugoslavia. 1 There are also approaches that focus on other factors than nationalism. Roe (2000) for example explains the wars in Yugoslavia with the concept of the security dilemma. However, the focus of this paper will mainly be on the nationalism-concept. 2 An example for the Velvet Revolutions are the peaceful mass demonstrations in the former GDR in 1989, which, inspired by the slogan “Wir sind ein Volk”, led to the reunification of Germany in October 1990. Heywood (2000: 256) demonstrates that nationalism can mean freedom and democracy on the one hand but also oppression, intolerance and conflict on the other. 3 At this point it has to be remarked that an explanation, which would focus on nationalism as a natural phenomenon, would simply be an oversimplification.
Table of Contents
1. Definition and theories of nationalism
1.1. Primordialism
1.2. Modernism
1.3. Ethnicism
2. The nature of the Yugoslav state
3. The primordialist perspective
4. The modernist perspective
4.1. Reinforcement
4.2. Manipulation and war
4.3. How useful is the modernist theory for explaining the causes of war?
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic essay examines the role of nationalism in the dissolution of Yugoslavia, specifically investigating whether nationalist ideology was the primary driver of the conflicts during the 1990s or if it was instrumentalized by political elites.
- Analysis of primordialist vs. modernist theories of nationalism.
- The impact of Yugoslavia's "double-diversity" state structure.
- The influence of communist-era policies and economic crises on ethnic sentiment.
- The mechanisms of elite-driven manipulation of history, myths, and media.
- The transformation of nationalist identity into a self-fulfilling prophecy of war.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2. Manipulation and war
The second process that directly led to the civil wars in Yugoslavia was the gradual manipulation and transformation of the reinforced nationalism(s) into a violent type. This was supported by various developments from the mid-80s onwards and Serbia was at the heart of them.
Serbian nationalism was based on two main premises. The first was the problem of the 1974 Constitution. Serbia was dissatisfied because its two autonomous provinces had been given a quasi-equal legal status and therefore pushed for changes of the constitution in the early 1980s to gain control over the provinces. This position can also be regarded as reaction to the Albanian nationalism in Kosovo, which was considered to be an ethnic threat to the Serb minority. The only way to stop “ethnic cleansing” was to reinstate a Serbian domination in Kosovo. The second premise of Serbian nationalism built on myth and conspiracy. The myth (i.e. the 1389 Battle of Kosovo or the martyrdom of the nation in World War II) fed the conspiracy-notion of being threatened and hated. Serbs claimed that they had made huge sacrifices for the Yugoslav state but this had never been honoured properly. These nationalist principles were reinstated by the 1986 Memorandum of the Serbian Academy of Sciences that emphasized the unfavourable position of Serbia within the federation and pleaded for a revision of Serbian relations in Yugoslavia.
Summary of Chapters
1. Definition and theories of nationalism: This chapter introduces foundational concepts and three major academic theories regarding the origins and nature of nationalism: primordialism, modernism, and ethnicism.
2. The nature of the Yugoslav state: This section describes the unique multiethnic composition and "double-diversity" of the Yugoslav state, which featured intermingled populations and administrative borders that did not match ethnic lines.
3. The primordialist perspective: This chapter explores the argument that the wars were the result of deeply rooted, ancient ethnic hatreds, ultimately questioning the validity of this perspective in the Yugoslav context.
4. The modernist perspective: This section investigates how political elites reinforced and manipulated national sentiments through media, myths, and policy to transform peaceful coexistence into violent conflict.
5. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the arguments and concludes that the modernist approach of elite-manipulation provides the most compelling explanation for the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars.
Keywords
Nationalism, Yugoslavia, Primordialism, Modernism, Ethnicism, Elite-manipulation, Kosovo, Serbian Nationalism, Civil War, Multiethnicity, 1974 Constitution, Collective Memory, Identity, Ethnic Cleansing, Political Ideology
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the causes of the wars of secession in the former Yugoslavia and critically evaluates the role that nationalism played in these conflicts.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work focuses on political science, sociology of nationalism, conflict studies, and the specific historical developments of the Yugoslav state in the late 20th century.
What is the central research question?
The study asks whether nationalism was the main cause of the wars of secession or if the conflict was manufactured by political leaders.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a comparative theoretical approach, testing the explanatory power of the "primordialist" and "modernist" theories of nationalism against the historical realities of Yugoslavia.
What does the main body address?
It provides a theoretical framework for nationalism, an analysis of the Yugoslav state structure, and a detailed examination of how ethnic sentiments were transformed into violent actions through political manipulation.
Which keywords define the core of this work?
The most defining concepts are Nationalism, Elite-manipulation, Yugoslavia, Primordialism, and the political instrumentalization of ethnic identity.
Did the author find evidence for "ancient hatreds"?
No, the author concludes that the evidence suggests South Slavs lived together cooperatively for decades, and that the conflict was not an inherent result of long-standing ethnic animosity.
How did elite-manipulation function in this context?
Elites utilized existing myths, national traumas like World War II, and state-controlled media to activate "crisis frames" in the minds of the population, thereby replacing tolerance with aggressive ethnic nationalism.
What impact did the collapse of communism have on the conflict?
The end of the Cold War removed the external pressure that kept the multinational state together, allowing nationalist sentiments to flourish in a power vacuum.
- Quote paper
- Julia Heise (Author), 2005, Was nationalism the main cause of the wars of secession in the former Yugoslavia?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/39096
