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July 12, 2026Emotion, space and societyOpen Access

Traces of “brotherhood and unity”: Abandoned spaces as testaments of social collapse

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Authors

MKMaida Kosatica

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Overview

This exploration reveals the impact of neglect on national identity and collective memory in a post-Yugoslav context.

Key Points

  • This research aims to analyze how the abandoned Željava air base symbolizes the decline of Yugoslav identity and societal fragmentation.
  • Utilized semiotic landscape methodologies to interpret signs and meanings in the space.
  • Applied sensory ethnography to explore the experiences of visitors to the site.
  • Examined both physical and ideological aspects of the air base's abandonment.
  • Identified the air base as a ghostly representation of physical decay and ideological erosion of national identity.
  • Found that the site's neglect reinforces ethnic divisions and memories of a once-unified Yugoslavia.
  • Revealed the site as a point of attraction for dark tourism, highlighting societal fascination with its history.

Cite This Study

Maida Kosatica (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a532e014f7abc118adeca18https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2026.101190
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