Politicization of Religion. The Power of Symbolism. The Case of Former Yugoslavia and its Successor States

Abstract

1990s aff ected the sense of belonging of migrants from the former Yugoslavia in Britain. It also has the merit of giving pride of place to the complexity of individual identities, challenging prefabricated labels imposed by institutional actors to classify migrants. This is timely and relevant given the current migration crisis. However, the book does have certain regrettable shortcomings. Methodologically, it does not explain whether and how interviews and surveys differ, nor what questions were asked and how they were analysed. Moreover, the fact that extracts from survey participants and interviews are not contextualised and that ethnic identity received so much of the author’s att ention makes the illustrated nuances less powerful in challenging and problematising essentialist visions of transnational ties and diasporas.