Emotion Discourse Analysis: A Comparative Study of Serbian Nationalist Political Discourses of Fear Related to the Memory of Conflicts of the 1990s in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia

This paper examines the strategic use of fear in Serbian nationalist political discourse in the Western Balkans between 2017 and 2024. The wars of the 1990s in the post-Yugoslav region, marked by profound ethnic violence and political upheaval, remain contentious subjects of debate and remembrance. By focusing on commemorative discourses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, this study analyzes how fear is invoked and sustained through the practices of four prominent Serbian nationalist leaders in the region: Milorad Dodik (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Andrija Mandić and Milan Knežević (Montenegro), and Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia). Drawing on Emotion Discourse Analysis (Koschut, 2018), the research investigates how these leaders strategically employ fear to mobilize support, reinforce ethnic divisions, and perpetuate narratives of victimhood and insecurity. The corpus of discourses includes key political speeches and public commemorations, with a focus on how historical events are selectively remembered and reframed to evoke fear of renewed conflict, “Others,” and perceived existential threats. The study highlights the intersection of fear with commemorative practices, exploring how rituals, anniversaries, and memorialization serve as platforms for emotional manipulation and the construction of collective identities. Situated within the broader theoretical frameworks of nationalism and memory studies, this paper contributes to understanding the political use of emotions in post-conflict societies. By examining the fear-driven rhetoric of Serbian nationalist leaders, it sheds light on how political elites in the Western Balkans exploit historical trauma to maintain ethnic divides and suppress reconciliation efforts. The findings aim to deepen our understanding of how fear shapes political and interethnic relations in the region, with broader implications for addressing memory politics and fostering regional stability. This research underscores the critical need to challenge fear-based narratives and promote inclusive commemorative practices that support post-conflict reconciliation.