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https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v3i4.249
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Constructing "ideal victim" stories of Bosnian war survivors
[journal article]
Abstract Previous research on victimhood during and after the Bosnian war has emphasized the importance of narratives but has not focused on narratives about victimhood or analyzed post-war interviews as a competition for victimhood. This article tries to fill this gap using stories told by survivors of the ... view more
Previous research on victimhood during and after the Bosnian war has emphasized the importance of narratives but has not focused on narratives about victimhood or analyzed post-war interviews as a competition for victimhood. This article tries to fill this gap using stories told by survivors of the Bosnian war during the 1990s. In this analysis of the retold experiences of 27 survivors of the war in northwestern Bosnia, the aim is to describe the informants' portrayal of "victimhood" as a social phenomenon as well as analyzing the discursive patterns that contribute to constructing the category "victim". When, after the war, different categories claim a "victim" status, it sparks a competition for victimhood. All informants are eager to present themselves as victims while at the same time the other categories' victim status are downplayed. In this reproduction of competition for the victim role, all demarcations that were played out so successfully during the war live on.... view less
Keywords
social integration; measurement; narrative; post-war period; war; Bosnia and Herzegovina; political criminality; war victim; offender
Classification
General Sociology, Basic Research, General Concepts and History of Sociology, Sociological Theories
Peace and Conflict Research, International Conflicts, Security Policy
Document language
English
Publication Year
2015
Page/Pages
p. 25-37
Journal
Social Inclusion, 3 (2015) 4
Issue topic
Regular issue / indicators and measurement of social inclusion
ISSN
2183-2803
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed
Licence
Creative Commons - Attribution