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In Between Everyday Life and Nostalgia (Emigrants from Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina)

In: Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, vol. 63, no. 2
Branislav Pantović - Milesa Stefanović- Banović

Details:

Year, pages: 2015, 146 - 160
Language: eng
Keywords:
diaspora, Argentina, identity, origin, history, everyday life
Article type: Research Reports
About article:
This study deals with the members of the Serbian and Montenegrin diaspora in the Republic of Argentina, which has developed a specific social character due to various historical and geopolitical circumstances. According to the data of the Embassy of The Republic of Serbia in Buenos Aires, some 30,000 people of Serbian and Montenegrin origin live in the territory of Argentina. This population originates mostly from the territory of today’s Montenegro and Croatia, and, to a lesser extent, from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Looking into the contemporary life of these emigrants and their descendants, we encountered an array of very complex issues, particularly regarding their relationship towards identity (ethnic, regional, cultural, religious) and the way this identity is formed and manifested in everyday life. Field research showed that the respondents, even though greatly assimilated, are still emotionally bound to their ethnic origin. On the other hand, they are frequently either unable or reluctant to define their ethnic identity, and thus almost all of them use the term “our” to refer to their origin, language, culture, and community. This relationship with identity is caused by former historical and political circumstances, since the very beginning of the immigration. In the contemporary context, identity formation with the diaspora is influenced not only by a greater degree of assimilation, but also by reactions to the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. In addition to a brief historical review and summary of the contemporary situation, this study will introduce a part of the field work conducted in Argentina, focusing on the emigrants’ connection to attitude towards traditional heritage, the sustaining of traditional customs and religious practice, connections with the country of origin and mother tongue, forms of social organizations, and the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the contemporary life of emigrants.
How to cite:
ISO 690:
Pantović, B., Stefanović- Banović, M. 2015. In Between Everyday Life and Nostalgia (Emigrants from Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina). In Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, vol. 63, no.2, pp. 146-160. 1339-9357.

APA:
Pantović, B., Stefanović- Banović, M. (2015). In Between Everyday Life and Nostalgia (Emigrants from Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina). Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, 63(2), 146-160. 1339-9357.