How generations remember conflicting : histories and shared memories in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

How many times in recent years have I been humbled by the great support I received from numerous people on the way to this book and now it is fi nally time to put my gratitude on paper. Among all these people, I fi rst wish to thank the people in Mostar who shared their stories with me; without their openness, patience and trust this study would simply have been impossible. I also owe special thanks to Univerzitet Džemal Bijedić Mostar, Sveučiliste u Mostaru and Otvoreno srce for their kind openness towards my project. I am likewise grateful to those people in Mostar and Sarajevo who have become good friends over the years and who make return visits so enjoyable! I particularly extend my thanks to Meri, Adaleta, Kerim, Sanja, Lejla, Omer, Nasveta (who sadly passed away just before the publication of this book), Minela, Amila and both Nermins and their families for their friendship and support. Furthermore, I am grateful to my interviewees from diff erent NGOs and international organisations for the time they spent with me to provide important information on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mostar in particular. Steven Vertovec was crucial in making this book possible by granting me unfailing support from the very beginning of this project. I particularly profi ted from his critical reading and constructive comments, his personal interest in the region and his invaluable advice granted in many diff erent situations, for which I will always remain grateful.