The place of participation in the recovery of identity in adolescents and young adults affected by war and displacement in Croatia
Item
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Title
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The place of participation in the recovery of identity in adolescents and young adults affected by war and displacement in Croatia
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:4b0d3d3aa633:11117
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identifier
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11439
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Creator
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Turniski, Maja,
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Contributor
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Martin D. Ruck
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Date
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2012
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social psychology | Developmental psychology | East European studies | children | Croatia | Development | postwar | transitional country | Youth
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to examine the role of participation in the formation of identity among young people in Croatia whose lives have been affected by war and forced relocation. Recognizing that reconstruction and reconciliation are simultaneously personal, social, and structural processes, the research examined the multiple contexts within which youth live, participate, and develop the competence to effect the necessary transformation from a war-ravaged country to a peaceful, democratic society. This dissertation set out to present an alternative to the medical and pathology models prevalent in war and postwar research, and which portray youth as passive victims. This was accomplished by investigating the long term effects of war on youth, their environment, the structures within which they live and the society as a whole in order to illustrate how these young people understand their life situations and circumstances. The current project studied three populations in Croatia. The first was comprised of young adults, living in a city with a Croatian majority that was under siege during the war for independence (1991--1995). The second study site was a village which was occupied and where Serb returnees and Bosnian Croat refugees now attempt to live together. The third site was a city that was entirely destroyed during the war and has been undergoing the process of reintegration. Data from these three sites revealed the ways in which sense of identity is being shaped through level of engagement in the democratization and reconstruction processes, and how participation leads to a sense of personal empowerment, efficacy and competence. These three sites represent different contexts, a wide range of experiences and life story narratives. As the present findings illustrated individuals living in postwar areas face many obstacles in an almost all spheres of life. In line with a sociocultural approach the research also examined the context in which the youth live and participate; examining the forms participation takes as a mode of transformation. This involved exploring the resources and strategies that young people utilize in this postwar transitional situation. It is out of these processes that identity emerges, and participation influences emerging identity on individual, social and national levels and influences how they envision their futures. Focusing on the experiences of youth and their contexts will contribute to an understanding of the processes that make up the successful transition to a peaceful postwar society. Insights from the experience of Croatia may then be applicable to other situations in which similar social transformations are taking place.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Psychology
