Bottom-up vs. top-down: how participatory design can be used to help define post-conflict cultural memory in Croatia

Ethnic tensions and a constitutional crisis brought about the disintegration of Yugoslavia, which resulted in Croatia loosening ties with the Federation and subsequently declaring its independence. The quest for Croatian independence led to the Homeland War which took place between 1991–1995. The post-conflict transformation of the country primarily concentrated on the political and economic aspects of reconstruction, however the importance of developing a national strategy to deal with cultural memory, as part of the rebuilding process, has largely been neglected. Through a series of case studies, this paper will reveal how a significant proportion of Croatia’s cultural memory is dealt with through various forms of community engagement, centering around local civic organisations that “sprung up” as a consequence of the Homeland War. These communities are staging memorials, not just as places and occasions to gather around grief, but as means of highlighting the self-expression of loss in a public setting. Technological advancements, especially open-source access to new media, has encouraged more personal and community initiated and driven projects. Centered around participatory design, these projects demonstrate a more inclusive approach that enables local communities to record, collect and communicate their cultural memory, rather than rely on ‘approved’ state institutions. This article looks at how participatory design can aid in bridging and preservation of cultural memory of the Homeland War through the development of a participatory design framework which could be used as a central reference point to facilitate participatory projects between cultural institutions and their patrons, thus creating a more empowering approach to post-memory.