“Undivided” City In A Divided Post-Conflict Society of Kosovo: Factors Contributing To The Peaceful Coexistence of Albanians and Serbs In Kamenicë/kamenica

Unlike many other places in Kosovo, the town of Kamenicë/Kamenica in the eastern part of the territory is unique for its apparently good interethnic relations between the Albanians and Serbs. The main goal of this paper is to examine which factors influence the quality of interethnic relations in Kamenicë/Kamenica. The following factors have been explored: geographical, geopolitical, demographic, economic, socio-political, historical, cultural, and the role of the representatives of the international mission. This research draws on the hybrid peace theory. The contribution to the hybrid peace theory is threefold: first, this research shows that hybrid peacebuilding intervention requires a unique approach to certain parts of post-conflict society if it wants to build peace; second, it shows the extent to which the social circumstances that existed before the outbreak of the conflict are important for the success of peacebuilding efforts; and third, how the members of the international mission approach the problem and how the local population perceives their work is essential to the success of peacebuilding. The study, which aims to compare top-down strategies and bottom-up approaches, is based on extensive fieldwork carried out in this Kosovo town in 2021 and 2022 (archive analysis; media reports; in-depth interviews, and observation method).