THE EDUCATIONAL DISCOURSE ON JAPAN IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA UNDER HABSBURG MONARCHY
THE EDUCATIONAL DISCOURSE ON JAPAN IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA UNDER HABSBURG MONARCHY

Summary/Abstract: Mutual relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Japan date back to the beginning of the 20th century, i.e. during the period of Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina. At that time, Japanese interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina was based on the need to establish an efficient model for ruling over Taiwan, i.e. his first colony. In other words, Japan was primarily interested in the system of colonial administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not in its history and culture. In this context, the paper questions whether there was interest in Japan from the Bosnian side at the same time, that is, the possible reasons for the existence of such interest. The focus of the research is the activities of primary and secondary school teachers who at that time were the main carriers of cultural life in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the following research questions: “Why were some teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina interested in Japan?” and “In what way were they trying to attract the attention of their readers by referring to Japan?”. The research is based on the analysis of the discourse about Japan present in the texts published in the Bosnian educational periodicals of the time (Školski vjesnik, Učiteljska zora and Srpska škola). The results of the research indicate that some Bosnian educators from that period actively observed, understood and used their knowledge about Japan, with the primary goal of sensitizing the public for the improvement of existing educational practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for promoting other positive solutions for improving the quality of life of its citizens.

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