After the war, Mostar is shaped by struggles over memory and the future

Places are never experienced solely as physical locations

The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995 left large parts of the city of Mostar in ruins. But rebuilding the city has involved far more than repairing houses and streets. That is the conclusion of new research from Umeå University.

According to Matheus Souza, a doctoral student in political science, the city’s spaces still carry different narratives about the past and competing visions of the future.

"My research shows that places are never experienced solely as physical locations. They are also shaped by different memories of the past, experiences of the present and expectations for the future," he says.

For some politicians and other influential actors, the remaining war ruins symbolised stagnation and a need for modernisation. Other residents and organisations instead saw value in preserving places connected to memory and continuity from before the war.

"Other people described certain places through feelings of waiting, stagnation and uncertainty, arguing that everyday life in the city had become “stuck” after the war," says Souza.

Competing visions of the city

The different perspectives became visible in several places across Mostar. The conflicts concerned not only war ruins and memorial sites, but also new commercial developments and artistic initiatives.

"Cities after war are shaped not only through physical reconstruction, but also through conflicts over which histories should remain visible, what kinds of changes should take place and what kind of future the city should move towards," says Souza.

Among the sites highlighted in the research are memorial spaces such as Partisan Memorial Cemetery, Liska Cemetery and Ljiljan Memorial. Souza also examines development projects including Rondo Commercial Complex, as well as local initiatives connected to Street Arts Festival Mostar and Bulevar of Friendship.

Interviews conducted while walking through the city

The material is based on qualitative fieldwork carried out in Mostar between 2023 and 2025. Through interviews and walking conversations with residents, artists, politicians and representatives of local organisations, Matheus Souza explored how people experience the city’s transformation after the war.

The city of Mostar. Photo: Matheus Souza.

Instead of conducting traditional interviews, the conversations took place while participants moved through environments marked by both destruction and reconstruction. Discussions were held at ruins, memorial sites, cafés and new urban development projects. The method made it possible to capture how emotions, memories and expectations for the future become connected to specific places in the city.

"These walks showed how people connected emotions, memories and expectations for the future directly to specific places throughout the city," says Souza.

Peace is also shaped through everyday life

The research also points to a broader perspective on peacebuilding after war. According to Matheus Souza, peace cannot be understood solely through political agreements or the absence of violence.

"Peace is also shaped through the organisation of urban space and time: through whether people are able to maintain continuity in everyday life, whether they can recognise themselves in the city around them and whether they can imagine sustainable futures after the war," he says.

In Mostar, new urban development projects could be perceived both as progress and as loss. When familiar buildings and shared meeting places disappeared, people’s sense of belonging to the city was also affected.

The research therefore shows that post-war urban development is not only a technical or economic issue.

"They also affect whether life after the war feels socially meaningful, familiar and liveable for the people who live in the city," says Matheus Souza.