engleski

Reflections on regional identity in the Balkans

‘If the Balkans hadn’t existed, they would have been invented’, said Count Hermann Keyserling in his work, Europe, back in 1928. Not every region provokes such strong images and identity-based associations in our minds, as the Balkans. In order to better understand how regions and identities are linked, it is important to consider how various social groups define themselves and their political objectives. Regions, flexible as they are, shape territories and spaces and influence people’s social identification. In the case of the Balkans, this has clearly had very mixed results. National identities continue to be influential in conflict and violence, as opposed to positive change. Young men especially are expected to behave in ways that are seen as brave, autonomous and strong. This article assesses what it means to be a ‘Balkan boy’ today. In considering the related problems, it focuses on the Young Men Initiative (YMI), a place-based learning project, which aims to reduce violence and build gender equitable attitudes among young men aged 15 to 25 in the Balkans.

identity construction ; regional identity ; Balkans

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