The chapter offers a detailed insight into the emigration movements from Slovenia to other Yugoslav regions over a hundred years up to the Second World War. It discusses the typological, economic, social and geographical features of the phenomenon in its several phases. Particular attention is paid to the organizational aspects, the migration policy and the role of the Yugoslav state in managing and directing internal migrations and those abroad in line with its economic as well as nation-building interests. The inclusion of Slovenian immigrants into the ethnically and culturally different receiving environments, the issues concerning the maintenance of the Slovenian identity, and the activity of the St. Raphael's care society for emigrants are also discussed. The chapter is based on a range of primary and secondary sources; it addresses some aspects not yet taken into account by the historiography, and thus provides an original reading of the topic. Note: Primary research field of this research project is National Question – the Humanities Aspect, where this publication brings A1/2 points (important achievements).
COBISS.SI-ID: 36574253
Internet tools have been used by migrants and their descendants within transnational social spaces to learn about ethnicity and culture, to preserve, and/or strengthen ethnic/cultural identities, and to maintain social ties with countries of origin and other expatriates. Ethnic clubs and expatriate societies have largely moved to the virtual world, and Slovenian case is not an exception. Learning about Slovenian culture and language on the internet was first enabled by emigrant communities through static web pages that also serve as tools for conservation of Slovenian national and cultural heritage. But more participation of Slovenians has been observed on virtual social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, that are less exclusive, more interactional and attract especially younger generations of Slovenian migrants and individuals of Slovenian descend. Based on an extensive analysis of web pages, portals and social networks where Slovenian emigrants learn and discuss the variety of themes connected with Slovenian culture, the authors argue that shared meanings are not necessarily communicated and negotiated within the frame of a single language, and that learning about cultural heritage and contemporary lifestyles through discussions in social networks is an efficient and popular form of informal learning.
COBISS.SI-ID: 36495917
The territory of the former Yugoslavia, both first and second, is unique with respect to the other environments to which Slovenes have emigrated. In the past, this was just the broader homeland and the Slovene one of the “indigenous” languages that were spoken within it. Slovenes living in the Yugoslav area outside Slovenia in the common Yugoslav spirit didn’t pay attention to their national identity, and thus also didn’t create a special attitude towards their language. It therefore slowly disappeared from their everyday lives. They realized the importance of maintaining the Slovene language as one of the fundamental signs of Slovenian identity just after the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the declaration of independence of Slovenia in 1991. So they began to establish associations that nowadays play not just the role of facilitator, but also promoter of learning and using the Slovene language among members. This is becoming a challenge especially for young people, third and sometimes fourth generation emigrants, for whom it is mostly a foreign language, but they choose to learn it because it creates opportunities for them to study and work in Slovenia. If their Slovenian grand parents immigrated to other parts of the former Yugoslavia from Slovenia in search of work and better opportunities, the destination of the present generations is often just the opposite.
COBISS.SI-ID: 35986221
This comprehensive chapter represents the first complete historical overview of the foundation and operation of Slovenian cultural societies and associations in other parts of the so-called "Yugoslav area" from their earliest organized forms in the 19th century to their heyday after the disintegration of socialist Yugoslavia. The academic monograph titled Priseljevanje in društveno delovanje Slovencev v drugih delih jugoslovanskega prostora: zgodovinski oris in sedanjost (Slovenian Immigration and Society Activities Across the Former Yugoslavia, ed. Janja Žitnik Serafin, Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2014, 264 p.), is one of the main scientific results of the project group. This book is the first comprehensive academic monograph on the immigration of Slovenians to other parts of the so-called "Yugoslav area", and on their organization. Note: Primary research field of this research project is National Question – the Humanities Aspect, where this publication brings A1/2 points (important achievements).
COBISS.SI-ID: 36555565
The scientific chapter published at international publishing company Policy Press, Bristol, brings forth political-, social-, and economical-geographic analysis of post-socialist countries of Europe after the collapse of the Socialist bloc. Through a combination of historical-geographic and quantitative methodological approaches, the author explains the reasons for a specific position of Slovenia and Slovenians within both the eastern bloc and the former Yugoslav federation. This particular specificity, the author argues, led to inventions of informal ways of social solidarity that ease up the consequences of the economic crisis.
COBISS.SI-ID: 12063565