Iskušenja vremena i odgovornost historičara / Trials of Time and Responsibility of Historians
The break-up of Yugoslavia and the period of transition more generally have resulted in differential profiling of Balkan historians, in how they approach certain processes in the past, work on the darker aspects of history, changing perspectives, degrees of awareness and of education, as well as standards in current and future work. This politicisation of their approach to and tendentious formulation of issues has entailed the imposition of a forced symmetry when dealing with already sensitive themes. It raises general questions about the responsibility of the historian, while at the same time bringing to light the set of preconditions that informs the action and effectiveness of historians and entire institutions at the local level. Historians have been facing the challenge of fragmentation for some time and it is reflected not just in the results of their historiographical work, but also directly in generations of their students.