DOI: 10.59372/turajas.1886396 ISSN: 2667-4491

The Sensory Traces of War and Migration: Memory, Space, and Identity in Post-War Bosnia-Herzegovina

Cüneyt Yılmaz
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This article explores the sensory, spatial, and mnemonic dimensions of war and forced migration in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina. While existing international relations and migration studies literature has predominantly focused on security, governance, and demographic outcomes, the lived and sensory experiences of individuals remain underexplored. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork conducted with 30 participants from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, this study examines how memories of war and displacement are embedded in everyday spaces, urban landscapes, and symbolic sites. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the research investigates how sensory elements—such as sound, silence, spatial absence, and material remnants—mediate the relationship between memory, place, and identity. The findings reveal that war and migration have produced enduring emotional and spatial imprints that continue to shape individual and collective identity formations long after the cessation of violence. Participants frequently associate specific places with affective memories, illustrating how space functions as a carrier of both trauma and belonging. By integrating perspectives from memory studies, human geography, and international relations, the article conceptualizes war-induced migration not merely as a physical or economic process, but as a deeply embodied and culturally mediated experience. The Bosnian case demonstrates how post-conflict spaces become contested arenas of memory and identity negotiation. The study concludes by offering policy-relevant insights into post-conflict reconciliation, cultural memory preservation, and the role of spatial practices in rebuilding social cohesion.

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