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Journals / Türk Akademik Sosyal Bilimler Araştırma Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2

The Sensory Traces of War and Migration: Memory, Space, and Identity in Post-War Bosnia-Herzegovina

Savaş ve Göçün Duyusal İzleri: Bosna-Hersek’te Hafıza, Mekân ve Kimlik Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Cüneyt Yılmaz(ONBEŞ KASIM KIBRIS ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SİYASAL VE SOSYAL BİLİMLER FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0003-1655-588X
Pages
171–181
Publication Date
2026-08-20
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that war and migration have produced enduring emotional and spatial imprints that continue to shape individual and collective identity formations long after the cessation of violence.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:This article explores the sensory, spatial, and mnemonic dimensions of war and forced migration in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina.
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Key Findings & Data:Drawing on qualitative fieldwork conducted with 30 participants from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, this study examines how memories of war and displacement are embedded in everyday spaces, urban landscapes, and symbolic sites.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that war and migration have produced enduring emotional and spatial imprints that continue to shape individual and collective identity formations long after the cessation of violence.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Savaş ve Zorunlu Göç · Toplumsal Hafıza · Mekân ve Kimlik

Abstract

This article explores the sensory, spatial, and mnemonic dimensions of war and forced migration in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina. While existing international relations and migration studies literature has predominantly focused on security, governance, and demographic outcomes, the lived and sensory experiences of individuals remain underexplored. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork conducted with 30 participants from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, this study examines how memories of war and displacement are embedded in everyday spaces, urban landscapes, and symbolic sites. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the research investigates how sensory elements—such as sound, silence, spatial absence, and material remnants—mediate the relationship between memory, place, and identity. The findings reveal that war and migration have produced enduring emotional and spatial imprints that continue to shape individual and collective identity formations long after the cessation of violence. Participants frequently associate specific places with affective memories, illustrating how space functions as a carrier of both trauma and belonging. By integrating perspectives from memory studies, human geography, and international relations, the article conceptualizes war-induced migration not merely as a physical or economic process, but as a deeply embodied and culturally mediated experience. The Bosnian case demonstrates how post-conflict spaces become contested arenas of memory and identity negotiation. The study concludes by offering policy-relevant insights into post-conflict reconciliation, cultural memory preservation, and the role of spatial practices in rebuilding social cohesion.

Özet

Bu makale, savaş ve zorunlu göç deneyimlerinin savaş sonrası Bosna-Hersek bağlamında hafıza, mekân ve kimlik üzerindeki duyusal ve kültürel etkilerini incelemektedir. Uluslararası ilişkiler ve göç literatüründe savaş sonrası süreçler çoğunlukla güvenlik, yönetişim ve demografik sonuçlar üzerinden ele alınırken, bireylerin gündelik yaşamlarında mekân ve duyular aracılığıyla deneyimledikleri hafıza süreçleri görece ihmal edilmiştir. Bu çalışma, söz konusu boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, farklı sosyo-kültürel arka planlardan seçilmiş 30 katılımcı ile gerçekleştirilen yarı-yapılandırılmış nitel röportajlara dayanmaktadır. Tematik analiz yöntemi kullanılarak, savaş ve göçün mekânsal deneyimler, duyusal hafıza ve kimlik algısı üzerindeki etkileri incelenmiştir. Bulgular, savaş ve yerinden edilmenin yalnızca fiziksel değil, aynı zamanda duygusal ve mekânsal izler bıraktığını; bu izlerin bireylerin aidiyet ve kimlik algılarını uzun vadede şekillendirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Katılımcı anlatıları, belirli mekânların—mahalleler, kamusal alanlar ve sembolik yapılar—travma, kayıp ve aidiyet duygularıyla güçlü biçimde ilişkilendirildiğini göstermektedir. Bu bağlamda mekân, hafızanın pasif bir arka planı değil, kimliğin yeniden inşa edildiği aktif bir alan olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Makale, savaş ve göç olgusunu duyusal ve kültürel boyutlarıyla ele alarak, uluslararası ilişkiler literatürüne özgün ve disiplinlerarası bir katkı sunmaktadır. Son bölümde ise savaş sonrası toplumsal uzlaşı ve kültürel hafızanın korunmasına yönelik politika çıkarımları tartışılmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Yılmaz, C. (2026). The Sensory Traces of War and Migration: Memory, Space, and Identity in Post-War Bosnia-Herzegovina. Türk Akademik Sosyal Bilimler Araştırma Dergisi, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 171–181. https://doi.org/10.59372/turajas.1886396

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