Whole Nations as Echo Chambers

The article discusses the main findings of research on the use of cultural-heritage-related bilateral disputes in the Western Balkans’ EU accession process. It explores the concept of culturalized conditionality, examines how identity issues intersect with EU accession criteria, and analyses the implications for regional stability and EU enlargement. We argue that the aura of sanctity attributed to cultural heritage transcends the boundaries between old and new media, making it an ideal tool for transforming otherwise serious national media outlets into giant social-network-like echo chambers capable of locking entire nations into closed cognitive loops. Implications are discussed and further research directions outlined.