Women Documented. Women and Public Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 20th Century
Women Documented. Women and Public Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 20th Century
Contributor(s): Jasmina Čaušević (Editor), Adisa Okerić Zaid (Translator), Saša Gavrić (Editor), Lejla Efendić (Translator)
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, History, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Sociology, Recent History (1900 till today)
Published by: Sarajevo Open Centre
Keywords: women; documented; public life; BiH; 20th century; epochs; WWI; WWII; Socialism; emancipation; patriarchy; 90s; war; postwar;
Summary/Abstract: The book you are holding attempts to represent the world of women in the times when life became extremely accelerated – ideologised, industrialised, psychoanalysed, technologised, mobilised, commercialised, relativised. Our book has many a limitation. Methodologically, its chapters are not fully harmonised; it lacks the analysis of the construction of woman in different ideologies. It was written quickly, but with passion, love and regret that not all archives, museums or libraries across Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad were visited (a lot of the relevant material is not located in BiH). The driving force behind this endeavour of a group of people was the exclusion of women from the main trends, loss of continuity and their deletion from the cultural, scientific and all other memories. Therefore, this book primarily serves as the activist response to the systematic neglect of the contribution of women to BiH culture and it is an attempt to provide a foundation to the study of the history of women in BiH.
Series: SOC - Gender
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-9958-536-19-9
- Page Count: 205
- Publication Year: 2014
- Language: English
Foreword
Foreword
(Foreword)
- Author(s):Jasmina Čaušević
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Recent History (1900 till today)
- Page Range:7-9
- No. of Pages:3
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 20th century; foreword;
- Summary/Abstract:The book you are holding attempts to represent the world of women in the times when life became extremely accelerated – ideologised, industrialised, psychoanalysed, technologised, mobilised, commercialised, relativised. Our book has many a limitation. Methodologically, its chapters are not fully harmonised; it lacks the analysis of the construction of woman in different ideologies. It was written quickly, but with passion, love and regret that not all archives, museums or libraries across Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad were visited (a lot of the relevant material is not located in BiH). The driving force behind this endeavour of a group of people was the exclusion of women from the main trends, loss of continuity and their deletion from the cultural, scientific and all other memories. Therefore, this book primarily serves as the activist response to the systematic neglect of the contribution of women to BiH culture and it is an attempt to provide a foundation to the study of the history of women in BiH.
Introduction
Introduction
(Introduction)
- Author(s):Fabio Giomi
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Recent History (1900 till today)
- Page Range:10-12
- No. of Pages:3
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 20th century; introduction;
- Summary/Abstract:In 2010-2011 Aspasia, the leading academic journal devoted to women’s and gender history of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, published a dossier on the state of the art of women’s and gender studies in the post-Yugoslav countries. Besides the obvious differences, the contributions identify a series of common features running across the different national case studies: a clear delay in the development of women’s and gender studies, especially in respect of Western Europe and the Atlantic world; a limited institutionalisation of gender-sensible approaches in the historical studies; a limited presence of women in national academic spaces, and in particular in history, a discipline that remains an eminently men’s club.
PART I: 1914–1941 Women Through the Epochs
PART I: 1914–1941 Women Through the Epochs
(PART I: 1914–1941 Women Through the Epochs)
- Author(s):Aida Spahić, Fabio Giomi, Zlatan Delić
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Civil Society, Pre-WW I & WW I (1900 -1919), Interwar Period (1920 - 1939)
- Page Range:13-39
- No. of Pages:27
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 1914-1941; Yugoslavia; associations; activism; human rights; arts; literature;
- Summary/Abstract:This chapter will briefly present the period from the beginning of World War I to the beginning of World War II in Yugoslavia in 1941 in the context of women’s activism. At the beginning it offers a brief overview of historical and social circumstances followed by an overview of women’s association, the rights for which they advocated and the factors that trammelled or, to some extent, facilitated their activity. It also gives an overview of the economic, social, educational, civil, and other rights of women in this period, as well as the atmosphere in literature, theatre and the arts. Unfortunately, many of these women have been forgotten by history, remembered only in small circles and archives. In order to preserve their biographies and contributions from fading away over time, at the end of the chapter we offer brief information about their life and work, regretting in advance that even in the pages of this book, many of the women from this period will not find their place.
PART II: 1941-1945 The Second World War and Experiences of Bosnia-Herzegovinian Women
PART II: 1941-1945 The Second World War and Experiences of Bosnia-Herzegovinian Women
(PART II: 1941-1945 The Second World War and Experiences of Bosnia-Herzegovinian Women)
- Author(s):Amila Ždralović
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949)
- Page Range:40-65
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; NDH; inclusion; national heroines; organisations; AFŽ; wartime; ZAVNOBiH; AVNOJ; WWII;
- Summary/Abstract:This part of the book deals with the position and activities of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina during World War II. This period is marked by women’s inclusion in various activities under the national liberation struggle (NOB) for freedom, which gave rise to the development of different social values, including the idea of gender equality in all social segments. Soon-to-come social changes were not of purely declarative or formally legal nature, but seriously put in question traditional prejudices and stereotypes about women’s place and role in society. The new sociocultural context also enabled the creation of organisations of the AntiFascist Women’s Front (AFŽ). Although the question of whether and to what extent this form of women’s organisation can carry a feminist prefix remains open, the role it played in processes of women’s emancipation is unquestionable. In addition to numerous tasks, women gathered around the unique AFŽ organisation particularly stood out with their cultural and educational work. With the removal of formal and legal obstacles for women’s inclusion in various forms of social activities in the spirit of communist ideology, tarnishing the traditional picture of women’s place and social role and their mass inclusion in NOB and establishment of AFŽ as a unified women’s organisation - which, among other things, implemented different women’s education programmes – key preconditions were created for women’s entry into the public sphere and their participation in making important political decisions. However, this transition never materialised, confirmed by various analyses of women’s (non)participation in ZAVNOBiH (The State Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and AVNOJ (Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia) that are reviewed in the final part of this paper.
PART III: 1945-1990 Women in Socialism – From Accelerated Emancipation to Accelerated Re-Patriarchalisation
PART III: 1945-1990 Women in Socialism – From Accelerated Emancipation to Accelerated Re-Patriarchalisation
(PART III: 1945-1990 Women in Socialism – From Accelerated Emancipation to Accelerated Re-Patriarchalisation)
- Author(s):Bojana Đokanović, Ivana Dračo, Zlatan Delić
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Post-War period (1950 - 1989)
- Page Range:66-108
- No. of Pages:43
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 1945-1990; Socialism; emancipation; re-patriarchalisation; SFRJ; Yugoslavia;
- Summary/Abstract:This chapter provides a contextual overview of social, economic, political and cultural circumstances and daily life in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SRBiH), as part of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ), upon completion of World War II until the end of the 1980s, with a special emphasis on women’s issues and the position of women. Attention will be paid to early socialist efforts and legislative measures aimed at ensuring gender equality and women’s emancipation, and to overall social progress during the socialist era. Positive and negative implications of this progress will be analysed from a feminist perspective: what did women yearn for, what did they strive for, hope for and fight for?; did they manage to achieve equality with men during the period of brotherhood and unity? – these are some of the issues that will receive special attention. As the issue of women’s education was of particular importance in this period, special attention will be paid to this topic and to women’s contribution to science. An overview of conditions in culture and art, particularly literature, painting, theatre and film, will be provided by presenting some women’s works in these fields. This chapter mentions only some of the women who were distinguished for their work, efforts and achievements during the socialist period in BiH.
PART IV: The Nineties - The War and Post-War Period in Bosnia and Herzegovina
PART IV: The Nineties - The War and Post-War Period in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(PART IV: The Nineties - The War and Post-War Period in Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Author(s):Arijana Aganović, Zlatan Delić
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Studies in violence and power, Victimology, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010)
- Page Range:109-148
- No. of Pages:40
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 90s; postwar; rape; victims; feminism; war criminals;
- Summary/Abstract:The period covering the end of the eighties and early nineties of the 20th century was marked by socio-economic and political turmoil, and the transition from a socialist society to a democracy that is characterised by war and the division of the former Yugoslavia into nation-states. The dissolution of Yugoslavia affected all segments of society and imposed the question of ethnic division, which had a major impact on almost all spheres of society, including the issue of gender equality, women’s representation in decision-making positions and other spheres of public life. The first democratic, multi-party elections were held in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990 and they brought to power the three major national political parties representing the three dominant ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs) and which were to organise the political life of the country. After the proclamation of independence of Slovenia and Croatia at the end of February 1992, a referendum on the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina was organised. On March 1, 1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, and immediately thereafter witnessed growing tensions, which escalated into war, which officially began in April 1992. Between April 1992 and December 1995, and until the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, there massive human rights violations took place in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RBiH), including war crime, crime against humanity, murder, rape and expulsion. The homes of many became the frontlines and the population in many parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina was forced to leave.
PART V: Borders of the Millennium: the Present
PART V: Borders of the Millennium: the Present
(PART V: Borders of the Millennium: the Present)
- Author(s):Elmaja Bavčić, Zlatan Delić
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Present Times (2010 - today), Ethnic Minorities Studies
- Page Range:149-180
- No. of Pages:32
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; Dayton accords; millenium; present; patriarchy; capitalism; social rights; education; employment; associations; movements; lesbian; Romani women; cyber-feminists; art;
- Summary/Abstract:The initiated watering down and dissipation of women’s rights and influences achieved with women’s move from the private to public sphere during the war continued in post-socialist Bosnia and Herzegovina. Transition, re-building the country, the post-Dayton context, quotas – national, territorial and gender - democratisation and other social contracts proved to be very gendered with regard to the restructuring of women’s positions. In the processes of economic reintegration, re-articulation of labour rights and achievement of political power, women’s place and role continued to follow a retrograde trend, which started with the most recent war. The main enemies of feminism in the post-Yugoslav space were state and national ideologies, impressively parallel in their discourse, actions and position towards women.
Instead of a conclusion
Instead of a conclusion
(Instead of a conclusion)
- Author(s):Author Not Specified
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics, Gender Studies, Civil Society
- Page Range:181-186
- No. of Pages:6
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 20th century; civil scene; Rosa Luxemburg; vacuum cleaner; Zlata Grebo; speech;
- Summary/Abstract:We end this book with a speech Professor Dr. Zlata Grebo gave at a conference organised to mark the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the Beijing Declaration. The conference, organised by Women to Women, took place in Sarajevo, from 25 to 27 November 2005. With this ending we want, above all, to show our respect for Zlata Grebo, one of the most significant scientific workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for her thoughts and endless efforts, and to the Association Women to Women, for their solidarity and sisterly kindness in sharing this speech with us.
Bio-Notes of Authors, Contributors and the Editor
Bio-Notes of Authors, Contributors and the Editor
(Bio-Notes of Authors, Contributors and the Editor)
- Author(s):Author Not Specified
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life
- Page Range:187-189
- No. of Pages:3
- Keywords:about authors; contributors; editors;
List of References
List of References
(List of References)
- Author(s):Author Not Specified
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life, Bibliography
- Page Range:190-205
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:women; public life; BiH; 20th century; references;