Segregacija putem obrazovanja: jedan od ključnih elemenata biopolitičkog diskursa u Bosni i Hercegovini / Segregation Via Education – A Key Feature of Biopolitical Discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

When discussing the biopolitical discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the author of this paper primarily refers to how political elites and state institutions control, regulate and govern the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the perspectives of identity, ethnicity, nation, and body. The theoretical concepts of Foucault and Agamben, concerning the power that state apparatuses hold over the life and death of individuals and groups, are unavoidable in this work. In the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, these concepts gain specific dimensions due to the complex cultural, ethnic, political, and social environment. Agamben's concept of "bare life" is particularly relevant for the author, as sovereignty and population governance are central to understanding the social and political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the key elements of biopolitical discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina is segregation through education. Through segregated school systems, state, ethnic, and cantonal structures, as well as so-called political elites, govern the bodies of children and young people through a biopolitical logic. A long-standing phenomenon known as “two schools under one roof” exists, where children of different ethnic groups attend classes in the same buildings but in separate classrooms and under different curricula, maintaining ethnic divisions and controlling social interactions. Although students use the same school building, the classes are organised in such a way, spatially or temporally, that the children rarely meet. This reduces opportunities for spontaneous socialization between different ethnic groups, making it harder to form shared identities. Moreover, students from different ethnic groups learn different versions of history, culture, and language, further reinforcing ethnic differences and promoting identity politics. These distinct curricula often present the past through ethnically particular perspectives, which may strengthen narratives of division and conflict, while reinforcing the idea that ethnic identity is the primary aspect of social existence. The curricula shape younger generations according to nationalist ideologies, aiming to maintain collective identities that are politically advantageous for local elites. This process is a classic example of biopolitical discourse, where education is used to shape the population according to political interests. As a result, ethnic identity is placed at the centre of pupils' everyday lives. It is reinforced as the dominant basis for social interaction, limiting the possibility of forming a multi-ethnic, civic identity. This education model is part of a broader biopolitical discourse related to controlling the population through managing ethnic differences. From an early age, pupils are conditioned to recognise and accept ethnic divisions as part of social reality. It is a method of controlling social interactions, as children grow up in an environment that does not encourage integration or mutual cooperation. In the long term, this education system contributes to the creation of parallel societies within the same territory, where members of different ethnic groups have no common points of socialization or communication, making reconciliation and the building of social cohesion more difficult. The author will confirm the thesis that education in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not just a neutral space for learning but also a battlefield for biopolitical control over how children and young people are shaped, how society is structured, and how the past and future are redefined and understood.