Projects / Programmes
Slovenian Youth in the Neighbouring States: Social and Cultural Contexts and Cotemporary Chalenges
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.06.00 |
Humanities |
Culturology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H000 |
Humanities |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.04 |
Humanities |
Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music) |
youth, Slovene neighbourhood, Slovenia, Culture, Society
Researchers (10)
Organisations (4)
Abstract
The project The young in the Slovene cross-border regions: social and cultural contexts and contemporary challenges brings the expertise of researchers of the Slovene cross-border region and Slovenehood in general that the young are the focal issue of the current historic moment of each of the respective historic regions in Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary. Slovene cross-border territory in spatial sense comprises a condensed, imaginary, invisible, evasive, in many ways unequal belt circle, encircling the historically majority Slovene habitation territory; in human sense it applies to people (and younger generations) as (supposed) members of Slovene ethnic community. There are objective differences between individual cross-border territories, which, regarding Slovenehood of the young, apply so to themselves as to their social setting. The phenomenon of Slovenehood among the young in Austria and Italy is much stronger, more widespread and articulated. In Croatia Slovenehood in the sense of minority status of the ethnic community is a relatively new social phenomenon in the last two decades. In Hungary this is a distinct ruraly condensed ethnic minority region where Slovenehood is under strong social impact of Austria. The issue of the young in the latter two communities has not yet been subject to any special research, so this project will try to make up for this deficiency.
As to the main project orientations, the proposed project is based on the concept of complex influences of contemporary social background on the young and on their status within Slovene minority in all the respective regions. Based on the results of some completed research studies and work for the present project, the study – with its special methods of quantitative and qualitative research, will be using an originally constructed research model. The latter will be created with specific interdisciplinarily chosen variables, which in the first phase will be applied so for descriptive as comparative analysis of the dealt-with topics (the young in cross-border regions), and in the second phase for an in-depth search for causal interrelatedness among variables. The research model will be based on the contents which strongly affect ethnicity of the young, their inclusion into social life, their attitude towards majority setting of the state of habitation and towards the parent nation state, including the attitude of these settings towards the young. We formed the following thematic clusters/aspects which should enable us to achieve the set goals: inclusion into social and cultural organizations / social participation aspect, the use of language in family and public, the first/ second language, language competence /language profile of the young, attitude, standpoints and interaction of the young towards majority ethnic setting, towards minority and parent nation state (R Slovenia) et vice versa / social relations between the young and their environment, standpoints and perceptions of the young towards globalization, integration, mobility and experience of Slovenehood /value orientations of the young.
Within the evaluation of the ethnicity with the young we will verify whether ethnic adherence, mother tongue and care for the promotion of one's minority community are still of primary significance within the value system of younger members of the dealt-with minorities, or whether these are, due to exposure to ever more widespread globalization, individualist, consumer models, offered by the contemporary society, shifting into the background or even disappearing.
For the preparation of a successful research and methodological instrument it will be necessary to dedicate special attention to the structuring of the pattern of the young (age, gender, education, schooling, socio-economic status, etc.). Thoughtfully created sample will make possible the comparability between individual cross-border regions, which is one of the foremost aspects of the proposed project.
Significance for science
The importance of the results of the The young in the Slovene cross-border regions: social and cultural contexts and contemporary challenges is multi-sided for science, and here we are only focusing on some of the more relevant aspects. First, social sphere of the young has never been a topic of scientific research of the Slovenian cross-border regions as whole. In the last two decades some research studies of the young in Italy were made, less in Austria, while there have been no research studies of the young in Hungary and Croatia. Equally important is the fact that this was the first scientific research project to have dealt with a certain topic in the entire Slovene cross-border territory and thus conceptually defined it. At the same time the human resource structure of the project group is innovative as well, this being cooperation of the main Slovene scientific institution and all the three Slovene cross-border scientific institutes. There are ten colleagues researchers with rich experience in ethnic topics, covering most of the disciplinary-methodological approaches in the minority issue. Their professional profile, vast knowledge and empirical research experience provided for application of the theory and methods of sociology, ethnology, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, statistics, history, law, political science, anthropology, social psychology. The research project group has all along been aware of the complexity and wide range of the minority issue, which is why the researchers have adequately adapted their research approaches and applied them with all the professional sensibility and attention, necessary in direct communication with the young. As the interviewing procedures as the essential empirical field part of the research took part outside the RS, it was necessary to consider certain rules in communication with institutions of neighbouring states and acquire parents' permission for the participation of their children, who were not of age yet. Regarding the contents the research project dealt in detail with most topical aspects defining life of contemporary youth and a lot of new information has been gained. Through comparative methods the research study assessed similarities and differences in thoughts and actions among the young in cross-border regions in majority ethnic territories of the neighbouring states, in Slovenia and Europe, specifically focusing on comparison between cross-border regions. Through work on the project researchers have developed adequate methodology for research of the young in minority regions, which is of applicative nature for the future research not only of Slovene cross-border regions but also of minority issues in other European minority social contexts. The chief meaning of the project results is in preparation of monograph publications which at the moment are in the late stage already and should be issued in book form in the first half of 2017 as four monograph volumes with the following topics: general status, social participation, language profile, identification processes of the young in Slovene cross-border regions in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.
Significance for the country
The research staff of the four institutes, Institute of Ethnic Studies from Ljubljana and the three cross-border institutes, Slovene scientific institute and Institute Urban Jarnik from Klagenfurt and the Slovene research institute from Trieste has in 2012 unanimously decided on a joint research study of the young (between 15 and 29) in Slovene cross-border regions. The decision was based on the high relevance of the topic for Slovenianhood, the young being the ones co-defining the ethnic community in some way now as well as in future. That is why we carefully planned and prepared the application of the project The young in the Slovene cross-border regions: social, cultural contexts and contemporary challenges. The main aim and purpose of the project was to acquire – through research, study, assessment and comparison of multiple relevant social (official and actual status of the Slovene minority) and cultural (mother tongue, education, social self-organization, values) indicators – the image of young generation in the neighbouring countries, defined to some degree ny ethnic ties with the culture of Slovenianhood. We also considered as methodological basis the actual social status together with permanent changes. These are generated by trends of ethnic annihilation of global dimensions and by geopolitical regional inclusion of all the four regions, together with the majority state, into the integration sphere of the European Union, which in principle supports preservation of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity. We have been assessing the impact of social reality upon acceptance, preservation and development or decline of elements of ethnic identity of the young in each of the Slovene regions. The differences in the actual state of the Slovene ethnic community in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, resulting from different historical, legal, political and current economic and demographic factors are especially reflected in attitudes towards ethnic identity of the young. The context of the cross-border ethnic community, however, is the reference social frame within which identification of the young with Slovenianhood takes place, together with their self-image as integral part of this community. This confirms the starting hypothesis of the stronger and more stable presence of Slovenianhood among the young in Italy and Austria, contrary to its weaker and declining presence in the Hungarian and Croatian cross-border regions. We analyzed and identified similarities and differences among the young in each of the four regions, whereby the comparative research referred to the following aspects: the inclusion of the young into cultural and social activities, there language practice at individual and institutional levels, their perceptions and attitudes towards language, culture, towards their own ethnic community and the state they live in. Results of the analysis of the selected variables show the state of Slovene minority in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, as well as trends to be considered in planning of policies, aiming at preservation of Slovene minority, its vitality and equal participation in socio-economic life. The project results will be published in four monographs dealing with the following topics: general status, social participation, language profile and identity processes of the young in Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia. They will be completed in the first half of 2017. Each of them will be reviewed and presented directly after the publication in Ljubljana, Trieste, Klagenfurt, Zagreb.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2014,
2015,
final report
