Nationalism in the Classroom: Narratives of the War in Bosnia‐Herzegovina (1992–1995) in the History Textbooks of the Republic of Srpska

By Alenka Bartulovic

Volume 6, Issue 3, pages 51-72

Abstract

The article considers the problem of the representation of the last war in Bosnia‐Herzegovina (1992–1995) in the history textbooks of the Republic of Srpska (Serb Republic)‐one of the entities in the country. The analysed textbooks are deliberately used as one of the most important instruments for the formation of national identity. Scholars generally agree that history lessons are in fact lessons in patriotism and that nation‐states use history to form the national identity of students and guarantee loyalty to the nation and state. While contemporary Bosnia‐Herzegovina supports this view, it must simultaneously be seen as a slightly peculiar case. The textbooks used in Bosnia‐Herzegovina promote separate, exclusive national identities: the Bosniac, Croatian and Serbian. This to a large extent explains why we are not witnessing the formation of a unified nation‐state, but its slow disintegration. The existence of Bosnia‐Herzegovinian culture and identity is intentionally neglected and denied. Serbian narratives about the war clearly show that strong aspiration for unification with the neighbouring Serbia still exists. This idea has proved to be dangerous in the past and might lead to a new tragic episode in Bosnia‐Herzegovinian history.

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