Ontological Security through the power of memory in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the case study of the War Childhood Museum

Ivaniš, Iris (author), Zupančič, Rok (mentor), Kočan, Faris (comentor)

Security is one of the core aspects of life that enables us to function and build our personal narratives. It comes in different forms, such as physical, economic or political, as well as ontological. Ontological security – stable sense of identity and the Self - is established through routinized behaviors and the sense of home, which provide a layer of protection from the outside world. This doctoral dissertation addresses the question of ontological security formation in memory spaces within the context of post-conflict societies. It focuses on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where ethnic divisions are deeply embedded in social, political, economic and cultural life, shaping collective memory and identity. Conversely, supraethnicity is oftentimes contested in ethnically divided societies, yet it still finds its footing in specific spheres of life, such as memory spaces. This dissertation investigates whether and how supra-ethnic memory spaces (e.g., War Childhood Museum - WCM) can serve as material anchors of ontological security for individuals from different constituent groups (Bosniak, Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb) and Others in BiH. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining primary and secondary source analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The source analysis establishes the conceptual and historical framework. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with the WCM visitors from the three constituent groups and Others provide insight into individual experiences and perceptions of the WCM as a potential source of ontological security. CDA of 314 media publications examines media discourse regarding the WCM across ethnic media landscapes. Findings reveal that the WCM fosters an environment where visitors can renegotiate their identities, where it becomes a heterodox ontic space - a material anchor for ontological security primarily for one identity group, while other identity groups value its function without internalizing it as a source of ontological security or as home.

• Language: English
• Keywords: ontological security, heterodox ontic spaces, memory spaces, supra-ethnicity, War Childhood Museum, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Work type: Doctoral dissertation
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-189317
• Publication date in RUL: 03.10.2026

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Ontološka varnost in moč spomina v Bosni in Hercegovini na primeru Muzeja vojnega otroštva

Abstract

Varnost je eden ključnih vidikov življenja, ki nam omogoča delovanje in ustvarjanje svojih osebnih narativov. Pojavlja se v različnih oblikah, kot so fizična, ekonomska ali politična varnost, pa tudi ontološka. Ontološka varnost – stabilen občutek identitete in sebe – se vzpostavlja skozi rutinizirana vedenja in občutek doma, ki nudita zaščito pred zunanjim svetom. Doktorska disertacija obravnava vprašanje oblikovanja ontološke varnosti v prostorih spomina v kontekstu pokonfliktnih družb. Osredotoča se na Bosno in Hercegovino (BiH), kjer so etnične delitve globoko zakoreninjene v družbenem, političnem, gospodarskem in kulturnem življenju ter oblikujejo kolektivni spomin in identiteto. Nasprotno pa je nadetničnost pogosto sporna v etnično razdeljenih družbah, a kljub temu najde svoje mesto na določenih področjih življenja, kot so spominski prostori. Disertacija raziskuje, ali in kako lahko nadetnični spominski prostori (npr. Muzej vojnega otroštva - MVO) služijo kot materialna sidra ontološke varnosti posameznikom različnih konstitutivnih narodov (Bošnjaki, bosanski Hrvati in bosanski Srbi ter ostali v BiH). Raziskava uporablja mešani metodološki pristop, ki združuje analizo primarnih in sekundarnih virov, kritično analizo diskurza (KAD) ter polstrukturirane poglobljene intervjuje. Analiza virov določa konceptualni in zgodovinski okvir. Polstrukturirani poglobljeni intervjuji z obiskovalci MVO treh konstitutivnih narodov in ostalih nudijo vpogled v posamezne izkušnje in zaznave MVO kot potencialnega vira ontološke varnosti. KAD 314 medijskih objav preučuje medijski diskurz o MVO v različnih etničnih medijskih okoljih. Ugotovitve razkrivajo, da MVO spodbuja okolje, v katerem lahko obiskovalci preoblikujejo svoje identitete in kjer MVO postane heterodoksni ontološki prostor – materialno sidro ontološke varnosti predvsem za eno identitetno skupino, medtem ko druge identitetne skupine cenijo njegovo funkcijo, vendar ga ne ponotranjijo kot vira ontološke varnosti ali doma.

• Keywords: ontološka varnost, ontični prostori, prostori spomina, supraetničnost, Muzej vojnega otroštva, Bosna in Hercegovina