Citation

Franks BA. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 2011; 32(2): 86-88.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.appdev.2010.12.001

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

From 1945 to 1980, the former Yugoslavia functioned as a relatively peaceful country, albeit one formed from six ethnically and religiously diverse republics. With the death of President-for-life Josep Broz Tito, however, ethnic tensions began to mount, especially after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Beginning in 1991, moves for independence by various republics led to geopolitical fragmentation, violent conflicts, ethnic cleansing, mass rapes, seizures of property, and forced migrations. Between 1991 and 1999, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, wounded, and psychologically battered. Approximately 3 million were displaced from their original homes, some emigrating several times in the face of new conflicts. Besides the damage to people, the wars of the 1990s shattered the built environment, the political–economic infrastructure, and civil society itself. After a number of years (and NATO intervention) the wars ended and sovereign states were formed. Constitutions were created, and some displaced people returned to their prewar homes.