Original scientific paper
Ethnicity and Regionalism in Istria: an Historical View and the Modern Context
Boris Banovac
; Faculty of Pedagogy, Rijeka, Croatia
Abstract
A discussion on ethnicity and regionalism in Istria implies an historical framework. The historical approach must be supplemented by structural analysis. In as much as the questions of ethnic and regional identifications in Istria are approached without prejudice, these two forms of identification do not have to be presented as opposed, but can been as complementary. In this sense, we can assume that there are essential differences between an objective "outside" view on the lstrian situation and the view from the "inside", which is characteristic of the participants themselves. In real, life situations multiple forms of identification are characteristic, and the social context shall determine which segments of identity shall take on a manifest character and which shall maintain a latent form. In this analysis of regionalism in the Istrian area, the author deals with its political organisation, the category of "Istrianism" and the political "market" in Istria. In the closing part of the paper the author brings the processes of regional mobilisation in Istria into the broader social context. From this aspect, the resolution of conflictive situations in regard to ethnic and regional identification is to a great deal dependent on the stabilisation of Croatian society as a whole.
Keywords
Istria; ethnicity; regionalism; identification; local identity
Hrčak ID:
126831
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1996.
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