Identity, Belonging and Home

Abstract This research paper studies second-generation Bosnians in the United States, to understand the identity formation of this population after the Bosnian War through the lenses of home, belonging and borders. Through archival research and extended interviews, second-generation Bosnian-Americans were asked questions about their dual/hybrid identity and their sense of home and belonging. Analysis of the data shows that the second generation has had relatively weak acculturation, by some measures, due to close identification with their heritage. Yet, the second generation’s view of the Bosnian War is different from that of the first generation, who prefer to distance themselves from memories of war. The second generation would like to preserve their parents’ experiences as a part of their lives and pass it on to the next generation of Bosnian-Americans.