Proceedings “Symbol, Identity and the Homeland War” 2014, HGZD, Zagreb, 2016
Following preparations that took longer then we initially hoped for, finally the proceeding book of the symposium was issued. The scientific and professional symbposium “Symbol, Identity andthe Homeland War” was held in Zagreb on 31 October 2014 in the Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, co-organized by the HGZD and the Department of Sociology of the Faculty, under the patronage then president of the Republic of Croatia, Prof. Dr. Ivo Josipović.
The proceedings were edited by Željko Heimer and Marin Sabolović, and after the introductory address of the President of the Republic and the foreword of the HGZD president, the book contains 12 papers. On 200 pages they present in various ways various aspects of symbolic formation of identity in Croatia during teh homeland War 1991 – 1995. Some are accompanied with interesting illustrations and each paper is equipped with a summary in English.
Contents:
- Address by the president of the Republic of Croatia Prof. dr. sc. Ive Josipovića
- Foreword · Željko Heimer · The Homeland War as the basis of identity built on symbols
- Josip degl‘ Ivellio: Music in the Homeland War
- Sandra Križić Roban: Discontinuity and/or shelter? Monuments of the Homeland War in public space
- Nikolina Mađar: History Books as Expressions of Remembrance and Identity
- Josipa Maras Kraljević: Art in the Homeland War – Croatian reality on Post-Cards 1991/92
- Mladen Medar, Krešimir Ivanček: War Posters from Bjelovar 1991-1993
- Marina Perić Kaselj: The Homeland War and the Croatian Diaspora: Concepts of Homeland and Identities of Emigrants ant their Descendants
- Andrijana Perković Paloš: The Homeland War in Globus and Glas Slavonije
- Marin Sabolović: Ceremonial uniforms of Croatian armed forces 1991 – 1997
- Tijana Trako Poljak: Croatian national currency: a national symbol or merely a financial instrument?
- Ivica Valent: The Sisak fortress Stari Grad as motif in insignia of Sisak units and in documentary funds during the Homeland War
- Velimir Veselinović: Symbol and identity of the Croatian Party of Right in Homeland War
- Željko Heimer: Flags of Zagreb Units from the Homeland War
A new identity of the modern Croatian nation was made during the Homeland War, expressed and characterized, among others, by symbols created “bottom-up”, among volunteers and soldiers at the frontlines, when they wanted to mark their uniforms and to express affiliation to units as well as to highlight the strength of their faith in the struggle for values they believe in. The symbolic value of insignia in war is known, and it is also seen in fact that an army may lose important positions and take much defeat and yet live on and continue the struggle, but it may not lose its flag. Thanks to a handful of enthusiasts who, during the last two decades, collected and systematized symbols used during the national liberation, we are able today to peek into the rich ethnological material that was created in the period. The proceedings provide heap of interesting and important insights in emergence and use of symbols and other expressions of identity and it represents a keystone for scientific research in the wide area covering a number of disciplines.
Prof. Dr. Sc. Ozren Žunec
The texts from the Proceedings guide the reader through less known sociocultural processes that developed in Croatia during the Homeland War. With tehir exhaustive analyses the authors of various professions attempt to define the relevant aspects of (re)formation of the Croatian national identity after the breakup of Yugoslavia, on individual as well as on collective level, in the Homeland and in Diaspora. They consider the quality, meanings, inter-relations and integrative potentials of social phenomena such as the contemporary art productions (music and art), school curricula (especially regarding the history), informational and propaganda media and documentary materials (newspapers, posters, photographs, postcards) as well as the referential and functional national symbols (represented by the state flag and currency, by the heraldic and military insignia, by the historical and cultural monuments). However, those phenomena (with all their individual differences) were not simply a reflection of the historical moment, but they were enriched with a series of new, but also newly rediscovered traditional values. Thus they left, undoubtedly, a noticeable trace in lives, memories and worldviews of Croatian citizens. In that sense, they considerably marked the everyday life of the young Republic of Croatia, indeed, in the heavy conditions of defense of it independence, becoming an actual and equally interesting topic for the generations to come.
Dr. Dubravka Peić Čaldarović
I am pleased to see that there is a group of scientists who, it may already be said, continuously, systematically and interdisciplinary research symbols of the Homeland War. Who research mechanisms of their emergence and existence as form of social integration of the entire society in particular historical periods. Scientists who research symbols of the Homeland War as immaterial treasure that enriches the Croatian cultural identity. […]
These are fields that carefully preserve the symbolic material from the Homeland War that is important part of the national cultural heritage for us today as well as for the future generations.
Prof. Dr. Ivo Josipović, President of the Republic
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Zbornik radova znanstveno-stručnog skupa “Simbol, identitet i Domovinski rat”, Zagreb, 31. listopada 2014.
Editors: LtCol Dr. Željko Heimer and Marin Sabolović
ISBN: 978-953-59163-0-7
Number of pages: 198
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