Throughout the course of history, what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has been the subject of various imperial powers, including the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. This has manifested today as a considerable cultural and religious diversity, reflecting the centuries over which this land has been home to Croats (Catholics), Bosniaks (Muslims), Serbs (Orthodox), Jews, Roma, and others. However, upon the collapse of socialist Yugoslavia in 1991, the country experienced a brutal war as the question of independence pushed a once functioning multiethnic and multireligious society into violent dissolution along ethnic lines. Understanding the complexities of interethnic relations in BiH is therefore essential to comprehending the underlying tensions that contribute to conditions under which neighbors became enemies. Traditionally, interethnic relations were shaped by “komšiluk,” a practice with deep historical roots in Bosnian society that encapsulates a set of values, behaviors, and practices which foster mutual support and cooperation, respect and trust, and community cohesion, and transcend social divisions. By examining historical contexts, sociopolitical factors, and personal narratives, this study seeks to uncover the drivers and dynamics that led to dramatic shifts in community relations and the creation of new norms abandoning komšiluk. Based in phenomenological inquiry, it looks at the war as a poignant case study of how mass violence can fracture society and how the breakdown of communal ties in the face of widespread violence has the potential to turn once peaceful neighbors into enemies. It will also discuss the prospects for reconstructing mutual trust and reintegrating local communities, given that society remains divided three decades after the war. The analysis sheds light on how healthier, more livable communities can be rebuilt. How can social work support these processes?