What We Have (Not) Learned From The Past? Introducing a Research Project on The History of Violence Against Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dr. Fahd Kasumović, an Associate Professor at the University of Sarajevo, participated in an interview with Assoc. Prof. Zeynep Kevser Şerefoğlu Danış and Ayşe Betül Ekici on June 1, 2025. In his role as the editor of the book “Nasilje nad ženama: Diskursi, perspektive, lekcije iz bh. povijesti” [Violence against Women: Discourses, Perspectives, Lessons from the History of Bosnia and Herzegovina], Dr. Kasumović details the journey that led him to initiate an interdisciplinary project focused on researching violence against women throughout the historical timeline of what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina, from ancient times to the present. He discusses the academic and social objectives of the book, outlines its primary findings, and addresses the challenges he and his team encountered while undertaking such a complex project. Additionally, Dr. Kasumović evaluates the current state of women’s studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, discusses the level of institutional backing for this type of research, and provides his perspectives on the responses from both the academic community and the broader public regarding the findings about violence against women featured in this book.