engleski

Change of place attachment among generations as initiator of cultural landscape change in Eastern Croatia

The concept of the place identity is supported by the need of individuals to maintain self- coherence and self-esteem and to realize self- regulation principles. Rural landscapes also enable humans to have a meaningful relationship with place and history as well as with nature. The rural area of the Republic of Croatia, currently experiencing abandonment, is a part of the European rural area driven by European Landscape Convention. Observed settlements are planned settlements of organized agricultural communities dating from the second half of the 19th century, and located in the open agricultural landscape, scattered in the region of eastern Croatia within organized settlement network. Nowadays, they are mostly abandoned. The first wave of abandonment of these settlements occurred as a result of the process of industrialization and urbanization, and the second wave of abandonment was a result of the war in Croatia. The abandoned settlements have gradually become a part of cultural landscape with a negative premonition, whereas the place identity of the abandoned settlements has been formed in the framework of the groups gathered around the memories of this area and it is increasingly moving away from physical space of its identification. The past of these settlements, transmitted through the generations, has become the bearer of the identity of the emigrated population. Results of the previous research of authors highlighted the need for preservation of the material testimonies of these settlements, as well as intangible heritage by former residents. Deep interviews also pointed out strong collective memory connected to past social life in settlements. In this paper we will discuss alternative interpretations of the meaning of place and place attachment among first and second generation of origin residents. Willingness to be informed about those settlements or visit them from nearby city urban residents', tourists' from nearby nature park and rural residents in region will be discussed. Mapping of recreational and cultural needs will be conducted. Through the cross- section of the generational identity change, and the needs of potential drivers of these areas, the potential role of physical space settlements, as well as its separate place identity are subjects of research.

place attachment ; abandoned settlements ; collective memory ; cultural landscape needs

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