From past politics to present myths: moving on, looking back and staying still

This commentary explores how Obradović (2017) links historical myths as mediators of stability between the past and the future, when confronting the challenges of legitimising present political actions in Serbia, to build a more secure national identity in the modern world. Using a dialogical approach that encompasses the interdependency of the foundational myth of the Battles of Kosovo in the 14th C with social representations of present day political understanding, the challenges of creating such a national identity are unearthed and discussed. The thema of victimhood-resilience, highlighted by Obradović as a symbol for a lingering attachment to the past into an unknown future, is unpacked to reveal how the desired social change and its accompanying sense of nationhood is susceptible to present day forces not only within Serbia, but also beyond its national borders.