Ethnic Conflict and the Right to Return of Limbo Diasporas: Multifaceted Reflections on the Case of BiH

This paper examines the phenomenon of refugees and resettled persons in the process of forced migrations in the aftermath of man-made disasters. Although some of the ideas presented here could have wider application, the focus is on post-conflict zones within the former Yugoslavia, namely BiH. The paper uses the questions of ethnicity and nationalism within resettlement, dislocation and immigration as a backdrop, into which the issue of globalization is also briefly reflected. The intention here is not to cover a wide range of pressing topics, but simply to relate a number of issues arising in contemporary large-scale forced migrations to a resurgence of cultural specificity and ethnicized nationalism as counterpoints to globalization. The paper introduces the concept of “limbo diasporas” in the case of Bosnian refugees in Sweden through reflection and linkage with the aforementioned concepts. The paper ends with some recommendations and open questions on social rehabilitation and ethnic healing as well as some general conclusions