Deconstructing transitional justice in Croatia: understanding peacebuilding developments in the context of conflicting discourses and competing truths
Date
2017
Authors
Carevic, Mateja
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Abstract
This study examines the current state of transitional justice in Croatia through a critical discourse analysis of five conflicting discourses, which include international actors, legal, local government, local peacebuilders and media discourses. A critical analysis of identified discourses was conducted in order to explore how different actors have collectively shaped transitional justice in the Balkans. Overall, the results of my research indicate that policies and practices imposed by powerful international and national actors have obstructed peace developments in the region because they were not implemented in order to initiate a deeper socio-political change and social transformation, but rather to serve the interests of powerful groups and maintain existing social hierarchies. Social consequences of such discourse control are unsustainable peace, social polarization and ethnic divisions that can easily provoke another violent conflict.
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Keywords
Transitional justice, Peacebuilding, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Peace