ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the intertwining between populism, religion and gender (in)equality in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by analyzing its political and social framework and the actions and rhetoric of salient actors – political elites, religious leaders and representatives of the international community and of women’s civil society organizations. BiH’s ethno-nationalist elites constantly use populist rhetoric to stay in power, backed up by religious communities that propagate group mythology and victimization, traditionalist values and gender roles. In such conditions, the question of gender equality, despite improved legislation, is predominantly pushed to the margins, only occasionally appearing at the center of public debate such as in the context of the LGBTI Pride parade. In the wider context of the successful re-traditionalization of the population, only a few women’s organizations declare themselves as feminist, and the international community, which claims to support gender equality, at the same time cooperates with ethno-nationalists in processes of institutional reforms and the proclaimed EU accession. Therefore, there was so far no need for the opponents of gender equality to articulate a struggle against the imagined ‘gender ideology’ in BiH, in contrast to what happens in some other countries.
