In Search of the Majority: The Demographic Evolution of Muslim Political Identity in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The study discusses the relationships between demography and the development of Muslim political identity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). The main question that this paper aims to answer is: To what extent have the demographic components of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s population (both natural and spatial movement) framed the unique political identity of the Muslim/Bosniak population in relation to Orthodox/Serbs and Catholics/Croats.
The paper seeks to examine the concept of population numbers as an object of political competition, including how patterns of demographic behavior vary between religious groups and further impact political identity. Thus, the article                                   perceives the population census as an object of political struggle. Hence, by using the final results of the censuses, the study clarifies the significance of population numbers in the construction of the identity politics of Muslims in B&H. Furthermore, the paper argues for the significance of population statistics in constructing of the political identity of religious groups in a multi-ethnic society, emphasizing that demography holds important clues to the pattern of political behavior, and that specific forms of demographic variations are correlated with distinguished political agendas. Additionally, thestudytraces thepolitical life andriseofthefirst presidentofindependent Bosnia—Alija Izetbegović—as an embodiment of Muslims’ political identity.
Arguing that demography is an important component of the development of political identity, the paper expects to stimulate interest from other scientific fields as it adds to our understanding of relationships between demography, religion, and politics. Finally, the study intends to open a supplementary research agenda focusing on the eVects of demography on politics, beyond those explored within the limits of political studies.