The Bosnian war and the Srebrenica genocide: Possibilities for forgiveness and reconciliation?

Memisevic, Jasmina

4. term

Psychology, Master

2016

52

Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan bosniakker husker og forholder sig til Bosnienkrigen og folkedrabet i Srebrenica, samt hvilke muligheder de ser for tilgivelse og forsoning. Vi gennemførte fire dybdegående, fortællingsbaserede interviews (narrative interviews) med bosniakker, der overlevede krigen og oprindeligt stammer fra Srebrenica eller omegn. Tre interviews var med én familie (far, mor, datter), og det fjerde med en mand, der overlevede både krigen og folkedrabet i Srebrenica. Samtalerne fandt sted i deres hjem i Danmark og foregik primært på bosnisk. Interviewene blev analyseret med tematisk analyse, en metode der identificerer gennemgående temaer og mønstre på tværs af fortællinger. Resultaterne viser, at deltagerne husker krigen og folkedrabet gennem smertefulde erfaringer som tab af pårørende, skader og sult, hvilket præger deres minder negativt. Som reaktion har de en tendens til at holde afstand, især til serbere. Samtidig har de voldsomme hændelser styrket sammenholdet blandt bosniakker gennem en delt oplevelse af at være ofre. Deltagerne bevarer forbindelsen til deres fælles fortid ved blandt andet at deltage i årlige mindehøjtideligheder og videregive viden om krigen til yngre generationer, hvilket opretholder en kollektiv hukommelse over tid. På tværs af interviewene er der tilbageholdenhed over for tilgivelse og forsoning. Manglende vilje til at tilgive på et personligt, indre plan (intrapersonel tilgivelse) begrænser tilgivelse mellem mennesker (interpersonel tilgivelse) og hæmmer forsoning.

This thesis explores how Bosniaks remember and relate to the Bosnian war and the Srebrenica genocide, and what possibilities they see for forgiveness and reconciliation. We conducted four in-depth, story-based interviews (narrative interviews) with Bosniaks who survived the war and are originally from Srebrenica or nearby. Three interviews were with one family (father, mother, daughter), and the fourth with a man who survived both the war and the Srebrenica genocide. The conversations took place in their homes in Denmark and were carried out mainly in Bosnian. We analyzed the interviews using thematic analysis, a method that identifies recurring themes and patterns across stories. Overall, participants recalled the war and genocide through painful experiences such as loss of relatives, injuries, and hunger, which shaped predominantly negative memories. In response, they tend to keep their distance, especially from Serbs. At the same time, these events have strengthened bonds within the Bosniak community through a shared sense of victimhood. Participants maintain a connection to their collective past by attending annual commemorations and passing on knowledge about the war to younger generations, helping sustain a collective memory over time. Across interviews, there was reluctance toward forgiveness and reconciliation. A lack of willingness to forgive at a personal, internal level (intrapersonal forgiveness) limits forgiveness between people (interpersonal forgiveness) and hinders reconciliation.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

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