Using the case-study of the Marš Mira, a peace march to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide of July 1995, this paper argues that 'space claiming' must be understood as a complex and active process that is driven by a myriad of different motivations and incentives. The march retraces the steps that the Bosnian men and boys took while fleeing the Serb army after the fall of the Srebrenica enclave. It is a powerful means of commemorating the genocide, and as such highlights the importance of space within memorialization. Simultaneously walking the march serves as an act of resistance against Serbian claims to the land in and around Srebrenica, and to Serbian narratives of denial of the genocide. By engaging with the nexus between space, memorialization and resistance, this paper contributes to emerging scholarship on the interconnectedness between space and conflict. It presents an analysis of the ways in which claims to certain spaces are made by different ethnic groups in the post-conflict context of the Balkans. This analysis provides insights into how post-conflict societies deal with the past, and sheds light on important questions regarding transitional justice and sustainable peacebuilding efforts.
