engleski

Post-socialist transition as a driver of geographic marginalization

Geographic marginalization as a characteristic is not static in space and time: socio-economic changes such as globalization, deindustrialization or economic transition can cause profound and heterogenous changes, benefitng certain area while creating disadvantages for others. Therefore, the study of geographic marginalization during periods of rapid societal, economic and insitutional changes such as post-socialist transition can offer new insights into a characteristic og geographic marginality. Such analyses can be seen as a sort of "natural experiment" with two political systems occupying the same environment in a relatively short period, emphasizing the role of socio-economic changes that can drive marginalization processes in certain areas. This study deals with a traditional agricultural region in northern Croatia (Hrvatsko Zagorje) during the post- socialist period of 1991-2011. The region is near Zagreb, the capital and the hub of Croatia, and is simultaneously a peripheral region bordering the Repulic of Slovenia. The research is focused on changes in settlement patterns and changes in agriculture as an important livelihood strategy, all within the framework of geographic marginalization. The research is based on a mixed methodology, combining remote sensing analysis of satellite imagery, regresion analysis and a household questionnaire survey. The results have shown that the processes of population ageing, changes in education structure, population density and employment have affected settlement patterns and agricultural land use differently in different parts of the region. Areas further away from Zagreb or other main market centers, further away from major traffic junctions, in higher altitudes or close to a (newly formed) international border with Slovenia have demonstrated moslty negative socio-economic trends, while urbanized areas in lowlands, further away from the international border and with better traffic connections to Zagreb have shown comparatively more positive socio- economic trends.

post-socialism; marginalization; land use; settlements; borderline; periphery; Hrvatsko zagorje

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