Divergent Paths : Identity Construction in the Yugoslav National Association in Sweden Between 1970–1991

Abstract: In this study, identity construction among Yugoslavs in Sweden is explored through Jugoslaviska riksförbundet i Sverige (Yugoslav National Association in Sweden, JRF). The activities and structure of the JRF are understood through the lens of strategies and perception, grounded in the theoretical frameworks of social identity theory and integration from the migrant perspective. These perspectives highlighted how the JRF constructed its identity according to expectations placed upon them by both the Swedish integration policy and the Yugoslav’s perception of them as “temporary workers abroad”. This did not mean a placid acceptance of these expectations, but rather the JRF used them to influence perceptions of the organization. The JRF adopted organizational structures and policies from Yugoslavia and adapted them to the Swedish context. This resulted in a decentralized organizational structure in which the primary activity of the national association was political, and thus the JRF’s notion of “Yugoslav” and how to maintain such an identity was grounded in political activity, such as advocating for the national communities within the organization or sending youth labor brigades to Yugoslavia.