Cyrillization Of Republika Srpska

Chapter Summary

Dominated by ethnic Serbs, Republika Srpska has become the symbol for Serb national and religious identity. This chapter focuses on the use of the Cyrillic script in Republika Srpska, as opposed to Latin. The central question it intends to answer is 'Why was the Cyrillic script used as a marker of Serb national identity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though religion is often cited as fundamental to the divisions that marked the violent fall of Yugoslavia?' The chapter also talks about the choices made (in terms of 'national identity-markers') by the Serb secular political elite. Language ensured that the secular political elite maintained a monopoly over the articulation of Serb national identity in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The chapter discusses the process of nation-building through the notions of the 'ancient', 'unique' and 'opposed', all seen as legitimizing to the definition of a particular nation.

Keywords:Bosnia-Herzegovina; Cyrillic script; Latin; nation-building process; Republika Srpska; Serb national identity; Serb secular political elite; Yugoslavia