Civil Society, Feminism and Institutional Changes

Abstract

As demonstrated in previous chapters, economic hardships and the widening of social differences resulted from the introduction of a market economy, rapid privatization and war. Combined with a renewed traditionalism and masculinity crisis and an upheaval in the traditional gender structure in the institution of marriage, this led to negative consequences in marital relationships. In addition, the widening of the gap between poor and rich countries, ethnic conflicts and war, as well as related migration, led to the commercialization of women’s bodies and the expansion of the sex industry in general, and prostitution, in particular. Thus, the costs of changes, in terms of deterioration of interpersonal relationships and violence, seem to be high in all four countries, with people from Serbia and Macedonia being in the worst situation, since they were additionally affected by ethnic conflicts and militarism.