Maja Savić-Bojanić

Once considered a beacon of Yugoslav identity and a marker of socialist efforts to construct a unified Yugoslav nation, mixed marriages increased in the aftermath of World War II, particularly in urban areas. This trend was reversed after the violent breakup of Yugoslavia, when ethno-nationalism surged and mixed families became politically questioned, often resulting in forced displacement or separation. Yet, approximately 34% of the Yugoslav population lived in ethnically mixed marriages. Focusing on family life and inter-generational relations in mixed-ethnic families affected by the 1990s wars, this research examines their experiences in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. It explores how war-related trauma, forced displacement, and separation have shaped identity formation and senses of belonging in post-conflict societies. The study employs qualitative fieldwork in selected urban settings, combining semi-structured interviews with mixed-category couples who lived through the wars, including those who later separated or divorced, and focus groups with adult children raised in mixed families. To contextualize family experiences within broader institutional frameworks, interviews are also conducted with schoolteachers, and religious representatives. By foregrounding trauma as a key analytical lens, the project addresses a significant gap in minority and post-conflict studies, offering insights into ethnically mixed family practices and identities.

Media description:
Focusing on couples from different ethnic or religious backgrounds and on their children, the project examines how war, displacement, and postwar divisions affected everyday relationships and long-term life choices of mixed families in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The research heavily leans on their lived experiences of the 1990s Yugoslav wars and how different conflict-shaped life trajectories continue to shape family life, identity, and belonging today. Based on interviews and group discussions with families, educators, religious actors, and civil society representatives, the research highlights how trauma is carried within families and across generations, but also how people develop strategies of resilience and coexistence. By bringing these often-overlooked perspectives to the fore, the project aims to deepen understanding of post-conflict societies and contribute to more inclusive approaches to education, memory, and reconciliation.