The thesis addresses the theoretical limitations of the overlapping concepts of the self and identity by foregrounding the complexities of multiple embodiments within a single national self, as well as its convoluted relationship with a shared identity. Thus, it explores how critical situations affect the Serbian ontological framework, examining Serbia, Republika Srpska, and Montenegro as selves, along with their shared national identity. By applying ontological security theory and qualitative content analysis as a method, the thesis analyzes protracted reflections on three critical situations: the Law on Freedom of Religion (2019), the Franco-German proposal (2022), and the Srebrenica Resolution (2024). The findings reveal a dual dynamic defined by selves (embodied particularism) and identity (national unity). While these critical situations reinforce common ontological insecurity through emotional and political solidarity based on a shared national identity, they simultaneously reveal differences in responses and perceptions among selves, driven by perspectives shaped by multiple embodiments. Ultimately, the thesis advances scholarly discourse on ontological security by demonstrating that contemporary theoretical approaches must adequately grasp the complexities of the self within national groups embodied across distinct states.
|
