1. Contextualizing the Troubles: Investigating Deeply Divided Societies through Social Movements Research

Navigating Ethnicity: Collective Identities and Movement Framing in Deeply Divided Societies

“…Several scholars have underlined that deeply divided societies are “characterized by cleavages that are not pacified, as well as by the widespread belief that the state is actively taking the side of one of the parts in conflict” (Bosi and De Fazio 2017, 11). One of the main features of divided societies is that the legitimacy of the state is questioned, being perceived as “acting in favour of a portion of society, rather than for all its citizenry” (Bosi and De Fazio 2017, 11). A low level of trust among ethnonational groups undermines social cohesion while the struggle for statehood dominates the political scenario.…”

“…Cross-cutting and alternative forms of identity are marginalized (Agarin, McCulloch, and Murtagh 2018; Agarin and McCulloch 2020) while the space for civil mobilization is limited (Kennedy, Pierson, and Thomson 2016). Consequently, ethnic identities stand as “central organizing principles for contentious politics” (Bosi and De Fazio 2017, 25).…”

“…Activists and political opponents are constantly the target of smear campaigns blaming them for ethnic disloyalty and discrediting them for being paid by foreigners to threaten national unity and authenticity (Jansen 2016) while the ethnic background is frequently used to discredit political opponents and demonstrators – a condition that fosters “almost any contention into the terms of the (identitarian) legitimacy of the state’s existence” (Jansen 2018, 59). Furthermore, in this context, “competing ethnic or national identities can be activated and made salient in a short period of time” (Bosi and De Fazio 2017, 17). In addition, in places such as BiH, taking to the streets as a sign of protest is likely to either undermine the possibility of securing employment in the public sector or put at risk an existing position (Brković 2017), given the strength of ethno-clientelistic networks that informally regulate the job market.…”

“…First, the article offers novel insights into social movement scholarship, delving into the ways in which narratives and discursive strategies are used to activate social discontent and to mobilize transversal support in divided societies, and exploring the different approaches to the issue of ethnicity. The in-depth empirical perspective on BiH advances our understanding of social mobilization in deeply divided societies through social movement research (Bosi and De Fazio 2017; Nagle 2008, 2016; Agarin, McCulloch, and Murtagh 2018; Murtagh 2016). Second, the analysis adds to the growing literature investigating contentious politics in the post-Yugoslav space, still an under-researched geographical area in social movement literature that so far has mainly concentrated on “stable” Western democracies (Bosi and De Fazio 2017).…”

“…The in-depth empirical perspective on BiH advances our understanding of social mobilization in deeply divided societies through social movement research (Bosi and De Fazio 2017; Nagle 2008, 2016; Agarin, McCulloch, and Murtagh 2018; Murtagh 2016). Second, the analysis adds to the growing literature investigating contentious politics in the post-Yugoslav space, still an under-researched geographical area in social movement literature that so far has mainly concentrated on “stable” Western democracies (Bosi and De Fazio 2017). In fact, social movements began to play a critical role in the former Yugoslav region especially over the last decade.…”