Arianna Piacentini - Ethnonationality’s Evolution in Bosnia Herzegovina and Macedonia: Politics, Institutions and Intergenerational Dis-continuities

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This book focuses on the republics of Bosnia Herzegovina and North Macedonia. Throughout the book the two countries are addressed as Bosnia and Macedonia . The use of this terminology does not imply or want to convey the authors political or ideological stance. The use of the term Bosnia denotes the whole country of Bosnia Herzegovina, hence it refers to both its Entities and autonomous district, and it does not wish to omit the importance of Herzegovina. Similarly, the term Macedonia is used to denote the Republic of North Macedonia, not the northernmost Greek region. Although the name dispute with Greece has been resolved, the use of the shorter republics nameMacedonia, has no political base and does not imply any position taken by the author in that debate.

Along my path I have been lucky enough to encounter many amazing people who, in one way or another, changed the course of my life. Many helped me to grow as a researcher, many others as a woman and human being. With their support and critiques, and beyond their professions and institutional roles, they also contributed to make this book possible but, before that, they accompanied me throughout the three-year-long study behind it. Worthy of mention is also their serious contribution in helping me to keep focused, stay motivated and strong, especially when life seemed too hard.

My PhD supervisors, Professor Paolo Segatti and Professor Dario Tuorto have been crucial presences deserving all my respect and gratitude. The discussions I had with them had a decisive impact on my work; the hours spent in Professor Segattis office over the last few years, discussing national identities, nationalism, and politics, seriously shaped my way of thinking and approaching certain issues. Professor Tuorto is perhaps the person who encouraged me most in publishing this book, and without his support, I would perhaps not be writing this now. I am also extremely thankful to Tanja Sekuli, with whom everything started a long time ago in 2012. Perhaps she is not aware of it, but she changed my life more than everyone else, and I will always be in debt to her.

There are then a number of friends and colleagues, scattered all over Europe, deserving my respect and gratitude. Just to mention a few: Giovget and Vojkan, colleagues and friends who contributed to make my PhD an amazing experience; Giuseppe and Alessandra, with whom I spent the longest and toughest, but also funniest, winter in Bosnia; mymoronefriend Filip, who helped me to deal with the Macedonian bureaucracy without getting crazy, and with whom I shared some of my best laughs ever; and then Ivo, mybrateandmasterajediamong thesiths, always and no matter what.

Many thanks go also to all the people who read this work chapter by chapter, page after page, and whose comments and feedbacks shaped its final version. A special thanks goes to Mrs CJC, who has been so kind as to review and proof edit this entire work at the very last moment, and during Christmas holidays. Last but not least, infinite gratitude goes to all those who actually made this book possible: all those families I had the luck to meet in Skopje and Sarajevo, who opened their doors to me, who let me in and sat me in their living rooms. I thank them for the time they dedicated to me, for the sweets and dishes they cooked and, more importantly, for having taught me what hospitality and the feeling of being welcome areand especially when you really are a stranger. All this would not ever have been possible without their help and trust.