KSENOFOBIJA I IRONIJA
XENOPHOBIA AND IRONY

Author(s): Vojin Dimitrijević
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Communication studies, Inter-Ethnic Relations, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Foruma za etničke odnose
Summary/Abstract: Since 1987 xenophobia has been predominant in Serbia and Yugoslavia. It has been encouraged and promoted from above, through official media and with the energetic support of nationalist intelligentsia. This has not been surprising in an atmosphere of conflict and war among the nations in Yugoslavia. The author maintains that the predominant xenophobia has little resemblance with traditional suspicions and aversions in regard to other nations and states. Xenophobia, expressed in negative national stereotypes, is irrational but it has some links with historical experience. This experience would point toward the traditional enemies of Serbia in wars and memories of their armies as occupiers. In fact, among the negative stereotypes has figured prominently the United States, a state with which the Serbs had no conflicts or major misunderstandings. The explanation can be found that the management of propaganda and xenophobic indoctrination has been in the hands of communist professionals, who have continued their previous line of „anticapitalistic" propaganda, expressed in xenophobia towards the West in general and the United States as the principal „capitalist" nation. When the demonstrations in Serbian cities started after the electoral fraud of November 1996 the regime was in an awkward position. It had just started to adapt, after the signing of the Dayton Agreements on Bosnia and Herzegovina, to its new peace-making collaborative image. The demonstrators were initially labelled by state propaganda as chauvinists, conservatives, even fascists. Their reaction was swift and resulted in the removal of all Serb symbols and insignia and their replacement by Hags of foreign states. Official propagandists now found themselves in familiar waters and directed their efforts against „foreign hirelings and traitors". The reaction of the crowd was again very inventive: symbols of foreign countries gave now place to well designed and attractive banners with logos of successful international and foreign companies. The demonstrators thus indicated that they had opted for transition and capitalism and proved that the best weapon against xenophobia and stubborn official dumbness was irony. Irony and humor are also the best prevention against fear, fear being the major bastion of totalitarianism.

• Details
• Contents