Denting a Heroic Picture A Narrative Analysis of Collective Memory in Post-War Croatia
Denting a Heroic Picture A Narrative Analysis of Collective Memory in Post-War Croatia

Summary/Abstract: Croatia’s foreign policy towards the ICTY and the EU has been marked by ambivalence in the last couple of years. While reluctant to hand over indicted war criminals on the one hand, Croatia has from time to time demonstrated a willingness to fulfil the demands of the international community, and in particular the EU, on the other. The paper reflects on this seemingly inconsistent behaviour and argues that Croatia’s foreign policy can be better understood when one takes into account how Croatia remembers its most recent past. The paper explores the Croatian identity constructions that emerge fromthe narratives of Croatia’s war involvement from 1992 to 1995, as expressed in public statements and declarations. It concludes that different, partly contradictory identity constructions existed at the same time and opened different, partly contradictory foreign policy options for the country. The paper suggests that knowing these identity constructions can contribute to an understanding of Croatia’s foreign policy.

• Details
• Contents