Original scientific paper
The young islanders' dilema: to stay on the island or to leave The islands of Šibenik area example
Dragutin Babić
; Institut za migracije i narodnosti, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Ivan Lajić
Abstract
The paper deals with the results of empiric research carried out at the littoral islands of
Šibenik (Prvić, Zlarin and Krapanj) in April 2000. The research covered primary and secondaty
school pupils travellers from those islands, teachers from the islands and from
Šibenik (primaty and secondaty school teachers, educationists, headmasters) and the representatives
of island community. The aim of the research covers the pre-migration opinion
of the young island population, ttying to perceive their basic dilemma - to stay on the
island or to find a new destination where they could establish reputation as professionals
as well as in all the other segments of life in status terms. The methods of opinion polls
and interviews were used for the research purposes. The data were processed using the
computer software. 43 primaty and secondaty school pupils travellers we re submitted to
the questioning. The sample was very close to the total number, which indicates the main
problem not only of the islands of Šibenik area, but of all the Croatian islands - lack of
young population and permanent depopulation. The great advantage of living on islands
in relation to the majority of other destinations is their ecological value. Young islanders
are aware of the environmental advantages and that could be one of the reasons for their
stay. The main disadvantages they point out, and at the same time the pushing factors, are
the lack of young people on the island and inadequate ship transport communications, especially
during the night and at weekends. Moving to land seems to be a realistic alternative,
especially to the female population. Reasons for that could lie in inherited patterns of
behaviour that are not the same for female and for male population, due to the »established
tradition of inheritance of family estate« . Leisure time and the ways of spending it
are important indicators of the manner and quality of life. The islands do not have any attractions
or programmes that would enable young people to spend their spare time in a
more versatile way, which could also be a significant push factor in their migration activities.
Young population of the Šibenik islands are closer to leaving than to stay, which
doesn't look like prosperous future for those islands. The authors consider that only the
significant governmental intetvention might stop the adverse trends on the islands and
»square the circle«.
Keywords
depopulation; daily circulation; pre-migration opinion; anti-emigration policy; islands of Šibenik
Hrčak ID:
100229
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2002.
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