The aim of the project is to research the role of the Mediterranean and Central European spaces in the historical experience of Croatia in the broadest sense, encompassing cultural, social, political, and linguistic aspects. The project seeks to demonstrate, through well-grounded argumentation, how contemporary Croatian identity has been shaped and positioned within the Mediterranean and Central European spheres as a result of various forms of political, cultural, and social interaction within this geographical area, through which lasting patterns of identity affiliation have emerged.
Additional/Specific objectives:
- To investigate specific historical processes in relation to the Mediterranean and Europe (including the influences of ancient civilization, the Republic of Venice, the Habsburg Monarchy, and the Ottoman Empire) that contributed to the formation of Croatian cultural identity.
- To analyse, through microhistorical studies, strong intercultural influences at the local level, while also identifying and confirming those global influences that were reflected within it.
- To systematically collect, analyse, and interpret oral histories and local narratives as elements of intangible cultural heritage in order to better understand the processes shaping national and regional identities. Particular emphasis will be placed on the valorisation of everyday experiences, collective memory, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge within local communities, as well as on their role in constructing cultural identity within both historical and contemporary social frameworks.
- To examine the historical development of the Croatian language and literature through diverse forms of intercultural interaction and to assess how these processes have shaped Croatia’s cultural identity within the broader European and Mediterranean context.
