Professional paper
Some Determinants of the Ethnic Identity of the Molisan Croats in Southern Italy
Tihomir Telišman
; Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Croats settled the region of Molise in southern Italy at the beginning of the 16th century, fleeing from the Turkish threat. The principal determinant of their ethnic identity is the Štokavian-Ikavian dialect of the Croatian language, which is still used in their (territorial) communities of Kruč, Stifilić and Mundimitar. The political and economic position of Molisan Croats, as well as that of other scarce linguistic minorities in southern Italy, is quite marginal, unlike that of the minorities in the northern borderline part of our Italian neighbour. This is what accelerates the assimilation process of the former, which is reflected in a decrease of the total membership of the community. In recent years some new tendencies have emerged in Italy and in our country, pertaining to a strengthening of the political and institutional status and an establishment of Molisan Croats' cultural institutions. Such tendencies can contribute to the maintenance and development of this Croatian minority's ethnic identity.
Keywords
ethnic identity; Molisan Croats; Italy
Hrčak ID:
128499
URI
Publication date:
30.9.1987.
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