Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial : The Past at Stake in Post-Milošević Serbia

When the regime led by Slobodan Milošević came to an end in October 2000, expectations for social transformation in Serbia and the rest of the Balkans were high. The international community declared that an era of human rights had begun, while domestic actors hoped that the conditions that had made a violent dictatorship possible could be eliminated. More than a decade after the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia initiated the process of bringing violators of international humanitarian law to justice, significant legal precedents and facts have been established, yet considerable gaps in the historical record, along with denial and disagreements, continue to exist in the public memory of the Yugoslav wars. Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial sets out to trace the political, social, and moral challenges that Serbia faced from 2000 onward, offering an empirically rich and theoretically broad account of what was demanded of the country's citizens as well its political leadership—and how these challenges were alternately confronted and ignored. Eric Gordy makes extensive use of Serbian media to capture the internal debate surrounding the legacy of the country's war crimes, providing one of the first studies to examine international institutional efforts to build a set of public memories alongside domestic Serbian political reaction. By combining news accounts, courtroom transcripts, online discussions, and his own field research, Gordy explores how the conflicts and crimes that were committed under Milošević came to be understood by the people of Serbia and, more broadly, how projects of transitional justice affect the ways society faces issues of guilt and responsibility. In charting the legal, political, and cultural forces that shape public memory, Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial promises to become a standard resource for studies of Serbia as well as the workings of international and domestic justice in dealing with the aftermath of war crimes.

When the regime led by Slobodan Milošević came to an end in October 2000, expectations for social transformation in Serbia and the rest of the Balkans were high. The international community declared that an era of human rights had begun, while domestic actors hoped that the conditions that had made a violent dictatorship possible could be eliminated. More than a decade after the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia initiated the process of bringing violators of international humanitarian law to justice, significant legal precedents and facts have been established, yet considerable gaps in the historical record, along with denial and disagreements, continue to exist in the public memory of the Yugoslav wars.

Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial sets out to trace the political, social, and moral challenges that Serbia faced from 2000 onward, offering an empirically rich and theoretically broad account of what was demanded of the country's citizens as well its political leadership—and how these challenges were alternately confronted and ignored. Eric Gordy makes extensive use of Serbian media to capture the internal debate surrounding the legacy of the country's war crimes, providing one of the first studies to examine international institutional efforts to build a set of public memories alongside domestic Serbian political reaction. By combining news accounts, courtroom transcripts, online discussions, and his own field research, Gordy explores how the conflicts and crimes that were committed under Milošević came to be understood by the people of Serbia and, more broadly, how projects of transitional justice affect the ways society faces issues of guilt and responsibility. In charting the legal, political, and cultural forces that shape public memory, Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial promises to become a standard resource for studies of Serbia as well as the workings of international and domestic justice in dealing with the aftermath of war crimes.

When the regime led by Slobodan Milosevic came to an end in October 2000, expectations for social transformation in Serbia and the rest of the Balkans were high. The international community declared that an era of human rights had begun, while domestic actors hoped that the conditions that had made a violent dictatorship possible could be eliminated. More than a decade after the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia initiated the process of bringing violators of international humanitarian law to justice, significant legal precedents and facts have been established, yet considerable gaps in the historical record, along with denial and disagreements, continue to exist in the public memory of the Yugoslav wars. Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial sets out to trace the political, social, and moral challenges that Serbia faced from 2000 onward, offering an empirically rich and theoretically broad account of what was demanded of the country's citizens as well its political leadership--and how these challenges were alternately confronted and ignored. Eric Gordy makes extensive use of Serbian media to capture the internal debate surrounding the legacy of the country's war crimes, providing one of the first studies to examine international institutional efforts to build a set of public memories alongside domestic Serbian political reaction. By combining news accounts, courtroom transcripts, online discussions, and his own field research, Gordy explores how the conflicts and crimes that were committed under Milosevic came to be understood by the people of Serbia and, more broadly, how projects of transitional justice affect the ways society faces issues of guilt and responsibility. In charting the legal, political, and cultural forces that shape public memory, Guilt, Responsibility, and Denial promises to become a standard resource for studies of Serbia as well as the workings of international and domestic justice in dealing with the aftermath of war crimes. 'guilt, Responsibility, And Denial' Sets Out To Trace The Political, Social, And Moral Challenges That Serbia Faced From 2000 Onward, Offering An Empirically Rich And Theoretically Broad Account Of What Was Demanded Of The Country's Citizens As Well Its Political Leadership - And How These Challenges Were Alternately Confronted And Ignored. Eric Gordy Makes Extensive Use Of Serbian Media To Capture The Internal Debate Surrounding The Legacy Of The Country's War Crimes, Providing One Of The First Studies To Examine International Institutional Efforts To Build A Set Of Public Memories Alongside Domestic Serbian Political Reaction. By Combining News Accounts, Courtroom Transcripts, Online Discussions, And His Own Field Research, Gordy Explores How The Conflicts And Crimes That Were Committed Under Milošević Came To Be Understood By The People Of Serbia And, More Broadly, How Projects Of Transitional Justice Affect The Ways Society Faces Issues Of Guilt And Responsibility.--jacket. Guilt And Responsibility : Problems, History, And Law -- The Formation Of Public Opinion : Serbia In 2001 -- Moment I : The Leader Is Not Invincible -- Approaches To Guilt -- Moment Ii : The Djindjić Murder, From Outrage To Confusion -- Denial, Avoidance, Shifts Of Context : From Denial To Responsibility In Eleven Steps -- Moment Iii : The Scorpions And The Refinement Of Denial -- Nonmoments : Milošević, Karadžić, Šešelj, And Mladić -- Politics And Culture In Approaching The Past. Eric Gordy. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 239-250) And Index. Preface Chapter 1. Guilt and Responsibility: Problems, History, and Law Chapter 2. The Formation of Public Opinion: Serbia in 2001 Chapter 3. Moment I: The Leader Is Not Invincible Chapter 4. Approaches to Guilt Chapter 5. Moment II: The Djindjić Murder, from Outrage to Confusion Chapter 6. Denial, Avoidance, Shifts of Context: From Denial to Responsibility in Eleven Steps Chapter 7. Moment III: The "Scorpions" and the Refinement of Denial Chapter 8. Nonmoments: Milošević, Karadžić, Šešelj, and Mladić Chapter 9. Politics and Culture in Approaching the Past Notes Bibliography Index In one of the first studies to look at how the Yugoslav wars are understood in Serbian culture, Eric Gordy examines the legacy that confronted the country when Slobodan Milosevic was forced out of power in 2000, assessing where transitional justice has achieved its goals, where it has not, and why it matters. In one of the first studies to look at how the Yugoslav wars are understood in Serbian culture, Eric Gordy examines the legacy that confronted the country when Slobodan Milošević was forced out of power in 2000, assessing where transitional justice has achieved its goals, where it has not, and why it matters.