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From combatants to civilians : exploring and re-thinking ‘normal life’ in post-conflict Croatia (1995-2017)
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Matkovic, Blanka (2021) From combatants to civilians : exploring and re-thinking ‘normal life’ in post-conflict Croatia (1995-2017). PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3735734
Abstract
This thesis focuses on the exploration of 'normal' in post-conflict societies using an example of Croatia where the war ended in 1995. A new normal significantly differs from the pre-war ‘normal’ which was ‘normal’ only because ‘we didn’t know any better’ suggesting there are expectations that a new ‘normal’ should meet to fulfil people’s desires and be the ‘normal’ they fought for. Therefore, ‘normal life’ emerges as an ideal enriched by a dynamic and flexible nature which changes according to the external circumstances and inner experiences; thus, it is being actively pursued. If people’s expectations are not met, a profound experience of disappointment and dissatisfaction persists, potentially leading to new instabilities and conflict.
In this thesis, these ideas will be explored from the perspective of 300 Croatian Army veterans who participated in this study. Using my empirical data collected from their questionnaires and interviews, I argue that we need to rethink ‘normal life’ as a part of post-conflict recovery and the way it is currently understood in a broader context of peace-building. Although many researchers tackled everyday life and explored various peace-building topics such as reconciliation and truth, ‘normal life’ has not been analysed in-depth. Thus, it is essential to address this important theoretical gap to understand conflict in a specific context of a local ‘normal’ and reconsider more nuanced approaches to local post-conflict recovery. Furthermore, I discuss a range of definitions of ‘normal life’, what this ideal could be and how it links to different understandings of inner peace, another framing concept emerging from the data as closely connected to ‘home’ and ‘normal’. I also look into what is lacking in order to establish ‘normal life’ in the post-conflict society from different perspectives such as history, security, relationship with the enemy, justice and how desire for establishing ‘normal life’ can encourage these processes.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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| Subjects: | D History General and Old World > DR Balkan Peninsula H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform U Military Science > U Military Science (General) |
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| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Croatia -- Social conditions -- 20th century, Croatia -- Social life and customs -- 20th century, Social change -- Croatia, Retired military personnel -- Croatia -- Social conditions, Yugoslav War, 1991-1995 -- Croatia | ||||
| Official Date: | September 2021 | ||||
| Dates: |
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| Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
| Theses Department: | Department of Politics and International Studies | ||||
| Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
| Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
| Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Jones, Briony ; Strausz, Erzsébet | ||||
| Sponsors: | Frankopan Fund | ||||
| Format of File: | |||||
| Extent: | 317 leaves : illustrations, maps | ||||
| Language: | eng |
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