Labels of Interest Groups as Indicators of A Vernacular Region: A Case Study in Croatia

Abstract

While not necessarily actual in the contemporary administrative divisions, vernacular regions are an integral part of regional identities. As such, they are a type of perceptual regions based solely on the inhabitants' inner perception of a region. Vernacular regions are usually articulated through the occurrence of a region's name in various informal narratives such as labels of interest groups. The aim of the paper is to use the official online databases as a means to identify and extract interest groups such as businesses, companies and public associations with labels containing the name of Zagora region in southern Croatia. The extracted data is used to map the vernacular region and reach conclusions about the applicability of the method and the utilised data sources, as well as to find out how external perception influences regional affiliation in a traditional region without institutional frame.

Transformation of the identity of a region: Theory and the empirical case of the perceptual regions of Bohemia and Moravia, Czech Republic

“…The research results thus correspond with two seemingly contradictory arguments. On the one hand, it was suggested that regions with official status in the past (historical regions) "are very durable in the minds of people" (Chromý et al, 2009, p. 18;Melnychuk and Gnatiuk, 2018;Vukosav, 2011;Vukosav and Fuerst-Bjeliš, 2016), and "administrative boundaries or political frontiers, once marked out, have substantial inertia and thus a tendency to persist" (Zimmerbauer et al, 2017, p. 12). On the other hand, the crucial role of administrative reforms -connected mainly with both the names and the Fig.…”

“…Source: author's field research, 2014Source: author's field research, -2016 boundaries of the new regions -in the transformation of historical regions/boundaries was observed (Gnatiuk and Melnychuk, 2019;Melnychuk and Gnatiuk, 2018;Siwek andKaňok, 2000a, 2000b;Vaishar and Zapletalová, 2016). Although, the transformation of historical regions/ boundaries may occur (or actually be facilitated) even if they are not reflected in the later administrative divisions, as was illustrated in the example of Zagora (Vukosav and Fuerst-Bjeliš, 2016) or Tavria/Tauride (Homanyuk, 2019). Even in such cases, however, the role of toponyms (in various informal usages) is crucial.…”

“…3. some are concerned more with institutions and symbols than with territories/boundaries (see Zimmerbauer et al, 2017); and 4. some do not demonstrate the discussed territorial change or boundary transformations through empirical data grounded in the perceptions of ordinary people (Ambinakudige, 2009;Gnatiuk and Melnychuk, 2019;Paasi, 2001;Reed et al, 1990;Vukosav and Fuerst-Bjeliš, 2016).…”

Region in its complexity: A discussion on constructivist approaches

“…Meining 1972Jordan 1978;Zelinsky 1980), but it perpetuates until today (e.g. Reginster, Edwards 2001;Liesch et al 2015;Vukosav, Fuerst-Bjeliš 2016). Nevertheless, humanistic geographers are more concerned with personal experience and an individual's position within a community, and less with the examination of communities as a complex.…”

In Search of Spatial Perceptions: The Balkans as A Vernacular Region

“…It is regional consciousness that is crucial when it comes to understanding regions as social constructs. This is mainly related to the common history and tradition of people in an area, which causes the development of a sense of place (Paasi 2009; Vukosav & Fuerst‐Bjeliš 2015a). The boundaries of vernacular regions are not the outcome of any formal criteria.…”