Abstract The article draws attention to the close connection between forced migration and war, and to the political use of this theme in the narratives of military history museums and in the memory scapes of post-war societies. Contemporary exhibitions increasingly use immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), to shape these narratives. Using the Mrakovica Memorial in the Bosnian Serb part of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a case study, the article analyses how the museum addresses the ethnic cleansing and genocide that occurred in the Kozara region during the Second World War, and how nationalist Bosnian Serb politicians and regional government representatives perpetuate this politically charged narrative. Qualitative interviews with visitors are employed to explore the emotional impact of the »Battle on Kozara VR« experience. While this experience evokes empathy in conjunction with the exhibition, it also reinforces the Bosnian Serb national master narrative. Despite visitors with an emigration background demanding them, approaches featuring multiple perspectives are eschewed in favour of the political instrumentalisation of memory. Inclusive and critical narratives can contribute to reconciliation in post-war societies, but this must be politically desired and promoted.
Christopher Sommer (Wed,) studied this question.
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