1. Underdeveloped communities in Croatia: synergy of unfavourable economic and social development Ana Miljenović Faculty of Law, dept. for Social Work Social Work Social Development 2012: Action and Impact

2. Community development is process and outcome (Phillips and Pittman, 2009) regarding 3 dimensions of ˝community˝: Starting point for understanding UC: understanding community development People: personal capacities, relation toward community and collectiveness Relations: cooperation, power relations, isolation, citizens’ participation… Community as entity itself: locality, institutions, infratructure, culture, social and political status…

3.  Community development as outcome: community resources are increased or improved in certain sense: †Infrastructure †Physical environment †Economical †Social: e.g. equal opportunities for all members †Cultural †Better social status of community †Improved political autonomy †Better quality of life †Better demographical structure … Starting point for understanding UC: understanding community development (II)

4.  Community development as process : activities, strategies and methods used to increase community resources Or // what happens in community to increase its resources  Foundation of ˝ capable or sustainable community˝ concept (Wallman, 1982, Schoenberg, 1979 and Schoenberg i Rosenbaum, 1980) Its members have competencies to participate in developmental processes, negotiate, and establish organizations for actions, be involved in activities, maintain connections with significant sources and establish mechanisms for further communication Starting point for understanding UC: understanding community development (III)

5. outcome Lack of economical sources, high unemployment, low income, lower education, lack of physical resources, lack of cultural activities, bad social status (stigmatised area); less political autonomy, unwanted geographical location, higher rate of emigration, decreased birthrate, increased delinquency, lower quality of life, higher inequalities, discrimination. lack of important institutions and services… process Lack of communication and negotiating among members, lack of community action groups and structures, lack of citizens’ participation, lack of developmental activities in general Based on CD- community could be seen as underdeveloped in terms of:

6. Importance of dealing with UC issue in Croatia: Underdeveloped communities as Croatian issue State point: Equal regional development as significant for entire Croatian development Individual point: Access to human rights for each individual: preventing social exclusion and multiple deprivation

7.  Several foundations for detecting UC: 1.War affected communities 2.Communities in adverse geographical location (mountains, islands) 3.Other communities with adverse structural indicators (mostly economical, demographical, educational) Detecting UC or developmentally vulnerable communities in Croatia

8. There hasn’t been any holistic scientific or practical approach Most interesting in practical and scientific sense were war affected communities and issues of: ▫ Psychosocial consequences of war ▫ Relations among ethnic groups (mostly Serbs and Croats, even though demographical changes were more complex) ▫ Minority rights ▫ Rebuilding of outdoor infrastructure Approach to UC in Croatia

9.  1. post- war – accent on war affected communities  2. end of 90’s and beginning of 2000. – accepting various foundation of underdevelopment- several legislative acts  3. more integrative approach to all communities in detecting their development status – in 2010. * ˝Community˝ refers to municipalities based on their political establishment in early 90’s Political approach to UC – three stages

10.  Recognised in Act on areas under special state care (Official Gazette, 1996)  In beginning two groups: first by state border and second  Restrictive state injection measures – state provides help only in housing, fiscal sense, higher salaries to public administers (even though often they weren’t from affected areas) and benefits in using minerals and land  At first it referred to 72 municipality in total, and partially on some villages in 32 municipalities Stage 1: war affected communities

11. Stage 2: recognising various types of development issues- late 90’s and 2000. War affected communities: areas under special state care and Vukovar Geographical adverse located communities: in mountain and hill areas and island 3rd type of areas under special state care based on adverse structural indicators

12.  In 2001. Vukovar got special status with more state support than other affected communities and special fund was aimed to Vukovar’s development  New focus on developmentally vulnerable communities due to adverse geographical location: islands and mountain – hill areas.  * islands had much more attention, policy maker approch them as resource and gave larger autonomy in making developmental plan  Other mountain areas – detected as problem, not resource, with very limitied measures: mostly oriented to agriculture Stage 2. (II)

13. Areas under special state care: situation got complicated in 2003. Third type of communities were introduced, but not as war affected, but ˝other ˝ underdeveloped community However, law had some paradoxes: ▫ Measures remained the some, but reduced (to housing and fiscal benefits) ▫ Rights were given gradually in sense that first group had most, and third least right. Even though, they weren’t grouped by same criteria Total of 110 municipalities Stage 2. (III)

14. 2010. Croatia entered new regional policy with Strategy of regional development and Act on regional development Very ambitious start traing to deal with problems that previous acts had: - reduction of measures - neglecting process aspect of development - uncelar criteria for selecting - disconnection with wider social surrounding - passive and state directed measures Stage 3 – 2010/2011. new regional policy

15. Concrete changes:  Introducing index of development  Wider approach to development as social, economical, political, ecological…  Establishing infrastructure for monitoring and statistical data base  More accent on process dimensions: building strategic plans, cooperation among all stakeholders  Introducing fund for regional development  Development as dinamic, not static process  More influence by regional authorities (counties), and less by state Stage 3 (II)

16. Three underdeveloped communities – three stories, one solution? General indicators of underdevelopment: demographical

17. Three underdeveloped communities – three stories, one solution? General indicators of underdevelopment: economic

18. Three underdeveloped communities – three stories, one solution? Specific local context: Vojnić, Karlovac county, middle Croatia Deconstructed community – all vital features are detoriated during war (industry, agriculture, ethnic relations, infrastructue) New community process haven’t been facilitated Gradina, Virovitica county, east Croatia Immerged community – no solid adaptation after social transtion from socialist to capitalist system Life is conserved partially with old habits, and not developed new ones Cista Provo, Split county, south Croatia Latent community – no sense of collectiveness No collective action due to previous emigration of population

19. Working definiton and developmental prospects of underdeveloped communities How does underdeveloped community in Croatia look like? What are possible developmentat approaches? Economic underdevelopment Almost equlised with underdevelopment Lack of financial resorces Unactive economical actors Raising economic standards as imperativ: Enhancing labour market Capital investments entrepreneurship Non-active colective living Peaceful coexistence, but no active social networks Underdeveloped social capital Atmosphere of surviving Orientation toward individual personal and presence Sthrengthening sense of collectiveness and people’s capacities for action Promotion of collectiveness among social groups, mutuality and support Raising knowledge and skills, sharing ideas and empowerment for involvmenet in collective action

20. Working definiton and developmental prospects of underdeveloped communities (2) How does underdeveloped community in Croatia look like? (2) What are possible developmentat approaches? (2) Subordinated position in relation to wider surrounding Stigmatisation Insuficient involvement in decision making New colonialisation- expoloatation of resources from outdoor actors Non efficient normative standards Promotion of external influence in providing basic resources (to enhance, but not to manage development) -Finance -Normative frame -Knowledge Sthrengthening impact of local government -Higher decentralisation Unfinished infrastructure -Basic infrastructure is established -Lack of healt, social services -Services for children and elderly -Unsolved public transport Introducing new features in community infrastructure -Services for elderly, youth, children -Providing information

21. Thank you for your attention miljenovic.ana@gmail.com