engleski

20 Years After 1991: The Tale of Two Generations

Based on a generational cross-country survey of people born in 1971 and 1991 in all the Western Balkans countries, this opinion paper presents the “tip of the iceberg” of the two generations’ views on the regional past, present and future. Why these two generations? The 1971 generation was the last Yugoslav generation which lived to see the former system and witnessed its end. These people entered their adulthood as the old system was crumbling over their heads and had to carry the heavy burden of the transition. The experience of this generation is the proof of the societal capacity to transform. In contrast, the generation born in 1991 is the one of tomorrow, as they are too young to remember the wars, conflicts and the fall of the old system. Ultimately, for the purpose of consolidating democracy in these societies, one would expect the younger generation to have more positive attitudes towards the current system and to feel as “winners of the transformation processes” in comparison to their predecessors. Yet, the complexity and personal experiences of socio-economic transformations have caused the younger generation to be as disillusioned with their past, present and future as the older one.

Western Balkans ; political transformation ; democracy ; generational divide

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