Anti-feminism as a Forecasting Barometer for Political Radicalization: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Right-wing and nationalist movements in disparate parts of the world have gathered significant strength in recent years. This dissertation investigates how anti-feminism and misogyny operate as sociocultural enablers of radicalization in Bosnia and Herzegovina, shaping both individual pathways to extremism and broader ideological movements. Situated at a critical juncture between European and Middle Eastern cultural influences, Bosnia and Herzegovina has long been a crossroads of cultures. Notably, Western Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam and, to a lesser extent, Judaism, all of which have established deep and historic cultural traditions. Each has also contributed significantly to the country’s entrenched patriarchal norms. The post-World War II establishment of what would become the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia attempted to enforce a break with these traditional, patriarchal gender roles with a series of highly progressive constitutions enshrining gender equality. This period of communist governance reflected economic growth and increased participation by women in the labor force while simultaneously suppressing religious practices. During the Yugoslav period, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s society began to reflect this attempt to reconfigure gender dynamics and gender roles. However, the collapse and disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s and the subsequent 1992-1995 Bosnian War reversed many advances women made during the Yugoslav era as women faced not only a reversion to increased religiosity but also found themselves trapped between increasingly significant radical ethno-nationalist ideologies.

This dissertation investigates how Islamist and far-right ethno-nationalist groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina deploy anti-feminist rhetoric to justify political and social control. While both ideologies claim to protect traditional family structures, they do so in ways that reinforce male dominance and suppress gender equality. This study situates these narratives within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-war sociopolitical landscape, drawing on expert interviews and existing literature to analyze the implications of gender-based radicalization. This research explores the link between anti-feminist discourse and radicalization intrinsic in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s thoroughly polarized society using a range of qualitative methodologies to include a series of expert interviews.

Disciplines

Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | International Relations | Political Science | Sociology

Subject Area

Gender studies; Sociology; International relations; Political science

Department

International Relations (INR)

First Advisor

Giannakos, Symeon

Second Advisor

Pettigrew, David

Third Advisor

Rizova, Tatiana

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

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