ABSTRACT
Novi Pazar was a hub of smuggling activities between 1991 and 1995. The gray and informal market itself serves as a prism that highlights the narrative accounts of locals and their proximity to Turkey. At the core of the primary narrative lies an emphasis on the close-knit connections between Novi Pazar and the diaspora community in Turkey. Questionnaires substantiate claims about the extent of the informal market, correlations between individual tradesman, and the nature of their connection to Turkey, family relations, or otherwise. Upon evaluating the first round of interviews, casual conversations, and participant observation, the author adjusted the questionnaires thereafter. Participants were free to choose between having the questionnaire read to them or completing their questionnaire independently in the company of the interviewer. More than half of the participants were between the ages of 36 and 65 at the time of filling out the questionnaire.
