Territory and National Identity: Examples from the Former Yugoslavia

Abstract

In an era of globalisation, it might be thought that the age of the nation-state is dead and that conflicts surrounding national identity will be of less and less importance in the twenty first century. However, it is argued here that concerns over national identity are by no means a thing of the past. Competing nationalist claims lead to conflicts which have significant repercussions for those living in such places and beyond. Using examples from the former Yugoslavia, it is argued that territory continues to be of huge significance and remains an integral component of the national imagination. Both generic ‘national’ landscapes and specific places carry with them huge symbolic meanings and form essential elements in ‘nationalising’ strategies.