engleski

Socio-spatial identities and dynamics in the Croatian borderland to Slovenia

Croatia has 2375 km of borders, which makes great share of its territory the borderland. It is represented almost exclusively by marginalized rural areas remote form larger urban centres and is characterized by negative demographic and socio-economic processes. Even though those processes were present in other EU member states, only some of them managed to revitalize their border areas after the admission to the EU. The process of revitalization was often initiated by the local initiatives and was based on the local particularities, identity, cross border cooperation and cross border regions. Croatia as well has the opportunity to take advantage of the recent admission and to reduce negative demographic and socio-economic trends in the border areas and to achieve more balanced regional development. In the light of this, this paper investigates socio-spatial identities and spatial dynamics (commuting) of the local population in the Croatian-Slovenian borderland. Objective is to determine the intensity and the reasons of cross border commuting, to determine the strength of the local identity and its factors, to research the hierarchy of the socio-spatial identities (local, regional, national, European) and to investigate the attitude of the local population towards Slovenia. The paper bases on the empirical research conducted in two border areas in Croatia along the Croatian-Slovenian border in 2011 and 2012. One case study was conducted in three municipalities the north-western part Gorski kotar, historical region located in the greater region of Highland or Dinaric Croatia. The other case study took place in 2012 in four municipalities in the south- western part of Hrvatsko zagorje, historical region which is part of the Central or Perripannonian Croatia, north-west from Zagreb. Despite their geopolitical importance and complex historical development, both regions are characterized by long-lasting and intensive depopulation and population ageing, low level of economic activity, lack of working places, high unemployment and traffic marginalization in relation to larger urban centres, which makes them typical marginalized border areas and rural periphery. In order to get the same share of the respondents in each municipality (depending upon the total population) the research was based on the quantitative study of the local population. The survey included only the inhabitants that lived in the area of the research. Results reveal great differences among the areas of the research and between the municipalities within the same area, depending mainly upon distance from larger urban centres and the level of traffic marginalization. It confirmed high level of dependency upon urban centres outside the areas of the research in terms of work, education, shopping and entertainment, as well as high level of regular commuting. The perception of the local identity is highest in the most remote area that inclines to Slovenia. However, in both regions regional identity has been pointed out to be the most important, followed by the national identity, while local identity was placed third.

Identity ; borderland ; Croatia

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