ABSTRACT
Directly or indirectly, many substantive issues developed so far in represent participants' struggles to cope with the influence of the war on their life. This chapter discusses how the situations of being challenged of health and wellbeing led in some cases, to a fragmentation of social life, in others, to social withdrawal and in a number of cases, to greater public involvement with the Serbian cause. It is dedicated to interpreting what participants did for themselves and their community to cope with the impact of the Balkan war in Australia. Impelled by events in the former Yugoslavia, participants established a means to cope with situations in Australia. The chapter argues that, as social life became more difficult in Australia, and as participants tried to cope with this, they became more distressed by their experience. To help overcome the hurt and devastation, many sought each other out, looking for re-connection with their historical and cultural traditions.
