Ljubi se istok i zapad! - Kiss East & West!

Yugonostalgia refers to a longing for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), a state that existed from 1945 to 1991. This research investigates How is Yugonostalgia experienced and expressed by the second generation Bosnian diaspora in the Netherlands? Through the use of life-history interviews with ten participants, this research explores how Yugonostalgia influences the identities and experiences of individuals with no direct memories or lived experience of the SFRY, yet retain a sense of belonging and attachment to a perceived Yugoslav past. This research examines, therefore, how they navigate and balance their Bosnian heritage, Dutch upbringing and Yugonostalgic identities. It further looks into the role of inherited family memories, engagements with the homeland, the presence and influence of diasporic associations, as well as cultural connections to the SFRY, particularly Yu-Rock music. Additionally, this research discusses how the unique relationship between BiH and the Netherlands, influenced by collective guilt regarding the legacies of Srebrenica, affects the diaspora's identity formation. Overall, this research shows that Yugonostalgia has a strong presence among the second generation Bosnian diaspora in the Netherlands, which is maintained in light of individual negotiations and criticism. Yugonostalgia serves as a means to grapple with the impossibility of return to the SFRY, reconciliation with a violent past and the aftermath, as well as fostering a sense of belonging for individuals who position themselves outside of the dominant frameworks of ethno-national belonging. Crucially, however, Yugonostalgia in this research emerges as a placeholder for a utopian hope for a future Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH); one that meets the second generation’s ideals of unity, stability, and prosperity void of ethnic divisions. As a result, this research largely touches on the emancipatory and political potential of Yugonostalgia in shaping a new future, in light of weak, stagnant and divisive conditions in present-day BiH.