Projects / Programmes
Ethnic Development in Slovenia and of Slovenes in Process of European Integration
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.12.02 |
Humanities |
Geography |
Social geography |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S230 |
Social sciences |
Social geography |
| S250 |
Social sciences |
Demography |
Slovenia, Slovenes, ethnic minorities, ethnic question, political geography, social geography, international migration, emigrants, guest-workers, interethnic relations
Researchers (3)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
00343 |
Peter Repolusk |
Geography |
Researcher |
1999 |
215 |
| 2. |
17346 |
Matjaž Skobir |
Computer science and informatics |
Researcher |
1998 - 1999 |
28 |
| 3. |
10895 |
PhD Jernej Zupančič |
Humanities |
Head |
1999 |
699 |
Abstract
The social and political aspects of the geographic research into the national question are being conducted at two levels: the first level involves investigation of the spatial aspects of ethnic development in Slovenia, while the second level is concerned with an analysis of the situation and ongoing processes involving Slovenes in the cross-border regions, and Slovene emigrants and expatriates.
The examination of ethnic development in Slovenia involving immigrant groups coming from different regions in the former Yugoslavia shows that there is an evident separation of social strata between the first and second generations. The second generation is substantially more mobile, both socially and spatially and is therefore, given the social modernisation introduced by European integration, much more successful. The nationally undecided population group has been subjected to a special analysis. The analysis of inter-ethnic relations shows no particular conflicts, despite the existence of clear differences in social structures between individual groups and the vicinity of inter-ethnic conflicts and collisions in their original environments. Special attention has been given to the cross-border area between Slovenia and Croatia. With the opening of borders and reviving of economic dynamism, European integration processes have had exceptionally important effects, affecting especially the native minorities, the Italians and the Hungarians.
The examination of Slovenes living in the cross-border area, and Slovene expatriates and emigrants, included an analysis of their numerical development and settlement patterns. Integration processes have placed people, and in particular minorities, in front of new economic and spatial development challenges, where this is boosted by the growth in mixed marriages, expansion of settlement patterns (relocations of minority members) and, consequently, greater dispersion in regions of native settlement. As a result, minorities have taken over specific functions in the cross-border area; however, due to structural properties in some regions, they have not yet become active promoters of development. The fundamental issue which remains and is becoming an increasingly important challenge for Slovenes living outside Slovenia is the search for possibilities and methods of retaining Slovene identity and therefore ensuring ethnic survival.
