Balkan Diskurs is a non-profit, multimedia platform created and run by a regional network of journalists, bloggers, multimedia artists, and activists who came together in response to the lack of objective, relevant, invigorating, independent media in the Western Balkans.
Latest posts by Balkan Diskurs
Sarajevo photographer Almin Zrno and art as an act of giving
“I try to raise awareness of certain taboos in our society and break down prejudices."
Censorship in the modern world
Communication expert from Bosnia and Herzegovina warns that "censorship through noise" blurs the distinction between fact-based reporting and completely fabricated information.
Research indicates that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs a law on media ownership transparency
For a large number of online media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, information about ownership structure, funding sources, and employees is completely unknown.
Workplace Burnout Syndrome is finally being recognized in Bosnia and Herzegovina
As of January 1, 2022, Workplace Burnout Syndrome is a recognized occupational disease in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Maja Milinković: The musician blending Portuguese fado music with Bosnian sevdah
Sixteen years ago, singer-songwriter Maja Milinković first heard Portuguese fado music (meaning ʻfateʼ in Portuguese). She has since become a pioneer in introducing this musical genre to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jelena Milušić and Merima Ključo: Balkan soul expressed through music
Combining the specific counter-alto singing with accordion enables two musical ladies to give new life to cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from XIX century lyrical poetry to Sephardic Jewish folk songs.
Sevdah: The perfect marriage of preservation and innovation
Sevdalinka (also known as sevdah) is the folk musical expression characteristic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has taken deep roots in the musical cultures of several other Western Balkans countries.
The Sniper Alley Project: Testimony to the resilience of Sarajevo siege survivors
Džemil Hodžić established the Sniper Alley Project in 2019, with the aim of collecting photographs, particularly those of children who lived through the siege of Sarajevo (1992–1996).
Bosnian volunteer firefighters: Courage, leadership, and unity
The Turbe Fire Department in central Bosnia and Herzegovina proudly stands as a pillar of the community. Its 50 members, including 28 young volunteers, are unwaveringly dedicated to the protection and safety of their fellow citizens.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, one artist sees people as inspiration, photography as joy
Realizing that photography was her true love, Bosnian artist Aida Redžepagić left her job as a university professor and devoted herself completely to what brings her the most joy.
Bosnian Genocide commemoration in Tuzla: ‘We don’t harbor hatred, but we will never forget’
“You lose everyone in the genocide and then someone says the genocide never happened. It’s very painful and it hurts. It’s like I had never had anyone,” said Srebrenica survivor Nura Begović.
Shared narratives of the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s: An opportunity for reconciliation
Young people from former Yugoslavia have been left at the mercy of the dominant nationalist discourses and war-mongering rhetoric, used by the political elite as manipulation tools almost three decades after the wars.
Celebrating the ex-Yugoslav music scene, hall of fame style
Inspired by the Musicians Hall of Fame, American expat Will Richard set up the EX-Yugo Rock Center (EYRC) in Sarajevo, celebrating its legacy and impact during the last decades of the 20th century.
‘The Colorless': A film that captures the possibility of not belonging to ethnic molds in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The film about children from ethnically mixed marriages who, stigmatized as ‘half-breeds,’ stirs debate in Bosnian and Herzegovinian society, where both legal framework and dominant narratives support ethno-nationalist exclusivity.
Tunnel of Hope: A means of survival during the Sarajevo Siege
In an effort to survive and communicate with the outside world during the nearly four-year long siege (1992–1996), Sarajevo residents dug a tunnel in the yard of the Kolar family.
A Bosnian perspective on the US fight for reproductive rights
Bosnia and Herzegovina's recent history of forced pregnancy in the context of genocidal rape has set this Balkan nation on a track to protect the right to choose one’s own reproductive destiny.
Croatian LGBTQ+ college student association normalizes differences at Zagreb Law Faculty
In less than two years, Croatian gay–straight alliance student association ZA-Pravo has gained the attention of LGBTQ+ students and the general public by creating a safe space for all.
Bosnia and Herzegovina diaspora: A vague perception of home and homeland
Balkan Diskurs survey indicates that Bosnians living abroad express conflicting feelings, from an idealized picture of positive aspects of the old homeland, to repeated disappointment with the reality of political and economic status quo.
Yugoslav monuments: Forgotten places of resistance and memory
Before the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia broke up, there were countless sites erected to honor the victims of the Second World War. These monuments are largely in disrepair now.
Sarajevo Stands with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people
Bosnians expressed empathy for the suffering people of Ukraine, based on their still fresh memories of their own suffering during the 1990s war, including the 3-year long siege of Sarajevo.
‘I didn't ask for it!': Four women fighting against gender-based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The spontaneous decision to host a page where women would anonymously share their experiences of sexual assault and harassment has received a response far beyond anything the activists expected.
