Democratic Transition and Identities
Democratic Transition and Identities

A View on the Nature of Transitional Identity Engineering in Serbia

Author(s): Jovan Komšić
Subject(s): Politics and society, Nationalism Studies, Inter-Ethnic Relations, Social Norms / Social Control
Published by: Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji
Keywords: democratic transition; identity; nation; ethno-nationalism; citizenship; multiculturalism; political elites; Serbia; autonomy of Vojvodina; constitutional changes
Summary/Abstract: By structuring his analysis into four key segments (1) Nationrelated contradictions and identity ambiguities; (2) Identity policies and multiculturalism; (3) Transitional identity engineering in Serbia, and (4) Projections of the future and prospects of multicultural strategies, the author corroborates the following thesis: regardless of numerous challenges of multiculturalism and dramatic open issues concerning the economic and financial crisis, as well as the refugee crisis, the EU policies of identity (both national and European) cannot preserve the advantage of the existing and globally unique civilizational values, nor can they prove their effectiveness in the consolidation of the democracy and integration of transition societies if the power to define identity is acquired (or preserved) by xenophobes and ethno-nationalists. Instead of traditional notions and (ultra)conservative (anti-)politics, the crisis requires new ideasand strategies. Therefore, multiculturalism should be given a real chance.

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