egional development, sustainability, and marginalization 2016 conference of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses Book of Abstracts and Program Edited by Stanko Pelc and Miha Koderman regional development, sustainability, and marginalization egional development, sustainability, and marginalization 2016 conference of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses Book of Abstracts and Program Edited by Stanko Pelc and Miha Koderman Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization 2016 conference of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses Book of abstracts and program Edited by Stanko Pelc and Miha Koderman Photo ■ www.slovenia.info, authors: Tomo Jeseničnik (p. 57), Ana Pogačar (p. 58), Nea Culpa (p. 59), Matej Vranič (p. 60, 65), Aleš Fevžar (p. 61), B. Kladnik (p. 63), Franci Ferjan (p. 64); wikipedia (p. 62) Proofreading ■ Terry Troy Jackson Design and Typesetting ■ Jonatan Vinkler Published by ■ University of Primorska Press on behalf of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses, Titov trg 4, si-6000 Koper, Koper 2016 Editor-in-Chief ■ Jonatan Vinkler Managing Editor ■ Alen Ježovnik isbn 978-961-6984-32-4 (www.hippocampus.si/isbn/978-961-6984-32-4.pdf) isbn 978-961-6984-33-1 (www.hippocampus.si/isbn/978-961-6984-33-1/index.html) isbn 978-961-6984-34-8 (printed edition) Print run ■ 100 copies © 2016 University of Primorska Press CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana 913(082)(0.034.2) 332.122.66(082)(0.034.2) 711.2(082)(0.034.2) CONFERENCE of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses (2016 ; Slovenija) Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization [Elektronski vir] : book of abstracts and program / 2016 conference of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses ; edited by Stanko Pelc and Miha Koderman. - El. knjiga. - Koper : University of Primorska Press, 2016 Način dostopa (URL): www.hippocampus.si/isbn/978-961-6984-32-4.pdf Način dostopa (URL): www.hippocampus.si/isbn/978-961-6984-33-1/index.html ISBN 978-961-6984-32-4 (pdf) ISBN 978-961-6984-33-1 (html) 1. Gl. stv. nasl. 2. Pelc, Stanko, 1957- 285719040 Content Conference details 7 About IGU Commission C12.29 9 conference program 15 abstracts 21 Hosting and partner institutions 45 About the places visited during the conference 57 Conference details 7 The Regional Development, Sustainability and Marginalization conference is held in Slovenia (Ljubljana, Koper, Maribor). It starts on September 1st and ends on September 5th, 2016. Hosting institutions • The University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Geography; together with: • The University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography; • The University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography; and in co-operation with: • The University of Primorska, Faculty of Management; • The University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica; • The Anton Melik Geographical Institute of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts; • The Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts – Karst Research Institute; and: • The Association of Slovenian Geographers. Conference sub-themes • Marginalizing effects of unsustainable development; • Managing sustainable development in »problematic« regions; • Sustainable tourism in underdeveloped regions – potential driver of economic development or unreal expectations, • Karst and mountains – low production potential and high vulnerability as possible drivers of marginalization; • Globalization effects in spatial y marginal areas – positive and negative impacts, • Sustainable development in relation to marginality and marginalization within the complex system of globalized economic, so-8 cial and political order. n Organizing committee of the conference lizatio • Assoc. Prof. Stanko Pelc, PhD., President nagi • Asst. Prof. Miha Koderman, PhD. • Asst. Prof. Valentina Brečko Grubar, PhD. d mar • Asst. Prof. Alenka Janko Spreizer, PhD. • Asst. Prof. Katja Vintar Mal y, PhD. bility, an • Asst. Prof. Uroš Horvat, PhD. na • Mitja Prelovšek, PhD., Research Fel ow ustai • Asst. Prof. Janez Nared, PhD. • Prof. Mirko Markič, PhD. ent, s • Simon Kerma, PhD., Senior Lecturer pm evelo Scientific Committee of the Conference l dna • Prof. Anton Gosar, PhD., University of Primorska o • Prof. Milan Bufon, PhD., University of Primorska regi • Prof. Aleksander Panjek, PhD., University of Primorska • Prof. Roberto Biloslavo, PhD., University of Primorska • Assoc. Prof. Igor Jurinčič, PhD., University of Primorska • Assoc. Prof. Metka Špes, PhD., University of Ljubljana • Assoc. Prof. Vladimir Drozg, PhD., University of Maribor • Prof. Drago Perko, PhD., Anton Melik Geographical Institute • Prof. Tadej Slabe, PhD., Karst Research Institute About IGU Commission C12.29 9 The International Geographical Union (IGU) organizes its work in 40 commissions and two task forces. One of the former in the 2012–2016 period is IGU Commission C12.29. Marginalization, Globalization and Regional and Local Responses. Its purpose is to research geographical marginality from different perspectives. In 2012–2016, the main focus has been on its relation to globalization and much concern has been dedicated to local and regional responses to different forms of marginality and marginalization. The commission’s mandate ends in August 2016. However, the proposal for continuation has been prepared and has to be ap-proved by the IGU General Assembly that is to be held at the IGU congress in Beijing on August 21-25, 2016. The commission has a steering committee that has been chaired by Stanko Pelc for the last four years while the commission’s secretary has been Walter Leimgruber for several mandates. The commission has a list of 306 members from 51 countries and pursues several research objectives and also has several focal concerns and research themes. In 2014, the commission’s steering committee met with Stefan Einarson, Springer Publishing Editor for the field of Social Sciences; Springer consequently started the book series »Perspectives on Geographical Marginality«. The first book of the series has just been published and the manuscript of the second one is almost complete. The series editors are Walter Leimgruber (Fribourg, Switzerland), Etienne Nel (Dunedin, New Zealand) and Stanko Pelc (Koper-Capodistria, Slovenia). Here are some facts from the final report for the commission’s work 2012-2016 and the renewal proposal prepared by Walter Leimgruber and Stanko Pelc, according to which the IGU General Assembly will decide on the work of the commission for the 2016-2020 period. Just before the last IGU Congress in Cologne 2012, the commission held a meeting in Dubrovnik in Croatia. In 2013, on August 5th and 6th, the commission met at the IGU Regional Conference in Kyoto, Japan. In 2014, from August 19th to 22nd, the commission met at IGU Regional Conference in Krakow. 10 In 2015, from August 24th to 25th, the commission held its annual n conference in Agri in the eastern part of Turkey. lizatio The themes addressed were geographical marginalization and karst na landscapes, the challenges of physical y marginalized landscapes (is-gi lands, mountains, coasts, wetland, remote and landlocked areas), d mar living and coping in the face of marginalization, marginalization in a global world, and understanding marginalization. bility, an At the Regional Conference in Kyoto, the commission held three na sessions of its own and three joint sessions with the Commission on ustai the Sustainability of Rural Systems. The attendance at joint sessions was 17 to 21 participants, including chairs and speakers, and 9 to 18 at ent, s the sessions of the C12.29 commission. There were 23 paper pres-pm entations altogether, 11 at joint sessions and 12 at the sessions of the evelo C12.29 commission. After the conference, the commission organ-l d ized an excursion from August 9th to 12th: Kyoto-Gifu-Toyama-Ishi-nao kawa-Kyoto. The fol owing topics were addressed at this meeting: regi • Rural areas, • Development Dynamics, • Policy Options and Marginalization, • Different contexts of geographical marginality, • Marginality and marginalization: spatial, social and economic viewpoints. At the Regional Conference in Krakow, the commission had four paper sessions of its own with 14 papers presented and 12 to 16 attendants per session. At a joint session with the commission C12.15 Geography of Tourism, Leisure, and Global Change, there were four presentations and about 12 attendants per session. The commission also had three joint sessions with the commission C12.28 Local and regional development, with 11 presentations and about 20 attendants on average. The topics addressed were: • Changing nature of globalization, marginalization and marginality: new chal enges for understanding and responding with sub-themes: • marginalization from different perspectives, ethnic and de-privileged social groups and marginalization; • border and rural areas socio-economic imprint of margin- 11 ality; • commuting, emigration, and identity; ission • poverty, (post)colonialism, segregation and a lack of acces-m sibility. om • Tourism and marginality – local initiatives shaped by global f igu c trends; e o enc • Areas of growth and economic stagnation – the chal enges of fer globalization and marginalization: on • the implications of globalization on regional development 2016 c processes, • the polarity of development in different spatial scales, • regional development processes and policy intervention. The commission’s annual conference took place in a truly marginal part of the world, in eastern Turkey, especial y marginalized by the political events just before the conference. Nevertheless, it was a good experience for all the participants, even though the conference was almost entirely ignored by Turkish geographers. Therefore, we only had ten paper presentations divided into three thematic sessions: • Theoretical aspects of marginality and marginalization; • Marginalization of ethnic groups, minorities, and indigenous people; • Economic aspects of marginality and marginalization. In 2016, the commission plans to have sessions at the Beijing Congress and, immediately afterwards, the conference in Slovenia. The theme of the Beijing sessions is: »Long forgotten backward spaces« in the focus of the global economy. The session title is provocative and may not be political y correct, but it aims to encompass a wide range of places that attracted the attention of global economic players or of their national and regional governments that are considering their hidden potential as worthwhile for national and global economies. What kind of actions are going on in these kinds of spaces, what the consequences for individuals and for the local community are as well as for the 12 environment are the topics that we expect to deal with within the proposed session(s). n The commission intends to continue its work in the 2016-2020 period. There are several options for future conferences, but the fi-lizationa nal decision about the annual meetings has not yet been taken. That gi decision is left to the new steering committee as soon as it be-d mar comes operational after it is confirmed by the General Assembly. The commission plans to organize its major event in Canada at the IGU Regional Conference in 2018, as proposed by the future chair bility, an of the steering committee Steve Déry from Quebec. The main na themes for the 2017-2020 conferences will be globalization and its ustai impact on local and regional development, further work on the the-ent, s ory of marginalization, the transformation of rural areas from the pm viewpoint of globalization and marginalization and drivers of marginalization in border and peripheral areas. It is intended that these evelol d topics be put within the authentic regional environment so that we na can be as close to the problem areas as possible. In particular, Latin o America and Africa, as well as SE Asia, are the parts of the world to regi which that the commission would like to devote its main attention. The mission of the Commission in the new period of work is to research marginality and the processes of marginalization from different perspectives and on a geographical basis. The main focus is to better understand multi-scalar relations between the globalization process and how marginality evolves at the local and regional levels. Moreover, the commission will seek to improve understanding of local and regional responses to different forms of marginality and marginalization processes. The commission intends to continue to follow the objectives that were in its focus in the 2012-2016 period, that is: 1. To further the understanding of marginality and the processes of marginalization in our globalized world, through the study and analysis of the forces responsible for the dynamics and structures of spatial marginality at various scales. They will include, among others, issues of technology, gender, social structure and the environment. 2. To analyse marginality as the result of human perceptions and decisions, leading to the understanding of the role of the various agents in those processes, and their response to prevailing conditions. 13 3. To develop comparative approaches to identify various types of marginality and to put them into perspective and assess their issionm role in an increasingly globalized world. In particular, the empha-om sis needs to be placed on the experience of the South. To study policy/institutional/community responses to economic and so-f igu c cietal problems in marginal regions at various scales in relation e o to local, regional and societal development, and to study human enc responses to global change, including their implications for mar-feron ginalization. 4. To study policy/institutional/community responses to econom-2016 c ic and societal problems in marginal regions at various scales in relation to local, regional, and societal development, and to study human responses to global change, including their implications for marginalization. The use and development of appropriate theory and methodology are to be involved in each of the above. conference program Program of the conference of IGU commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization 16 Wednesday, August 31, 2016, Ljubljana, Gosposka ulica 16 n 15:00–18:30 Pre-conference walking tour of Ljubljana lizationagi Thursday, September 1, 2016, Ljubljana, Geographical Institute Anton d mar Melik, Hall of the Geographical Museum, Gosposka ulica 16 bility, an 08:00–09:00 Registration na 09:00–09:45 Opening of the conference ustai 09:45–10:00 Coffee break ent, spm 10:00–11:30 paper sessions (chair: janez nared) evelo 10:00–10:25 Matija Zorn l d Natural disasters and less developed countries nao 10:25–10:50 Vera Vinogradova, Raisa Gracheva, regi and Elena Belonovskaya Climate change effect on mountain regions marginalized by socio-economic transformation: North Caucasus 10:50–11:15 Hugo Capella Miternique De-marginalizing mass tourism: the echo of Ibiza’s nightlife as a global reference 11:30–13:00 Lunch time 13:00–20:00 Ljubljana-Koper afternoon excursion 20:00 Accommodation in Koper (hotel/hostel) Friday, September 2, 2016, Koper, Titov trg 5, University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, room: Maestral 4 08:00–08:30 Welcome ceremony 08:30–10:30 paper sessions (chair: alenka janko spreizer) 08:30–08:55 Janez Nared Local self-government reforms in Slovenia: 17 discourse on centrality and peripherality 08:55–09:20 Katja Vintar Mally issionm Regional disparities and the path om to sustainability: the case of Slovenia 09:20–09:45 f igu c George Ţurcanaşu and Gabriel Camară e o The spatial dynamics of IT&C sector enc in Central-Eastern Europe and in Romania fer (2008–2015). The case of secondary on and tertiary cities 2016 c 10:10–10:30 Coffee break 10:30–12:30 paper sessions (chair: katja vintar mally) 10:10–10:30 Jamalunlaili Bin Abdullah, Nazura Mohamed Sayuti, and Afiza Azura Mohamad Arshad Resettlement of Orang Asli (aborigines) in Malaysia 10:30–10:55 John Overton and Warwick E. Murray Migration, education, and marginality: Networks and strategies in the Pacific Islands 10:55–11:20 Alenka Janko Spreizer Roma, social exclusion, and Romani settlements as marginalized places: The case of Loke 11:20–11:45 Jernej Zupančič Deghettoization means demarginalization. The planned process of spatial integration of Roma settlements in Slovenia 11:45–12:10 Avinoam Meir Policy of recognition of Bedouin villages in Israel and bio-cultural diversity 12:30–14:00 Lunch break 14:00–19:30 Slovenian coast and hinterland excursion 18 20:00 Return to Koper n Saturday, September 3, 2016, Koper, Titov trg 5, University of Primorska Faculty of Humanities, room: Maestral 4 lizationagi 08:30–10:30 paper sessions (chair: miha koderman) d mar 08:30–08:55 Vane Urh and Elvis Salkić Marginalization of Slovenia in terms bility, anna of a dual educational system ustai 08:55–09:20 Jelena Lončar Marginalization or the expansion: ent, spm Business activities in the peri-urban area of City of Zagreb evelol d 09:20–09:45 Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš and Marin Cvitanović nao Post-socialist transition as a driver regi of geographic marginalization 09:45–10:10 Stanko Pelc Marginality and sustainability 10:10–10:30 Coffee break 10:30–12:00 paper sessions (chair: stanko pelc) 10:30–10:55 Ruth Kark, Havazelet Yahel, and Noam Perry Multiculturalism and ethnographic museums in Israel: The case of a Regional Bedouin Museum 10:55–11:20 Simon Kerma and Dane Podmenik Organic farming and tourism on organic farms in Slovenia – Selected topics 11:20–11:45 Armand Faganel and Anita Trnavčevič »Developing« Cuban tourism 12:00–12:45 Lunch at the Faculty of Humanities 13:00–19:00 Excursion to Soča Valley (Overnight in Robidišče) 19:00–20:00 paper sessions (chair: stanko pelc) 19:00–19:25 Urška Trček and Miha Koderman 19 Sustainable tourism as a factor of regional development in mountain regions of Slovenia – The case of the Municipality of Bovec issionm 19:25–19:50 om Staša Mesec Forty years after the earthquake – (Tourism) f igu c Development of remote cross-border areas e o (The case of Breginjski Kot, Municipality enc of Kobarid) feron 20:00 Dinner in the village of Robidišče 2016 c September 4, 2016, excursion from Robidišče to Maribor 07:30–19:30 Soča Valley-Maribor excursion 20:00 Accommodation in Maribor September 5, 2016, Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Koroška cesta 160 08:15–10:10 paper sessions (chair: borna fuerst-bjeliš) 08:15–08:30 Welcome address 08:30–08:55 Vladimir Drozg Spatial inequality 08:55–09:20 Rahman Nurković Viticulture and organic production of wine as a driver of economic development in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina 09:20–09:45 Igor Žiberna Land use changes in Svečinske gorice in the 2000–2015 period in relation to selected physical geographical features 09:45–10:10 Conference conclusions 11:30–13:00 Maribor walking tour 20 13:00–14:30 Lunch break n 14:30–17:15 Maribor city region excursion lizationa 17:15–19:00 Return trip to Ljubljana gi d mar bility, anna ustai ent, spm evelol dnao regi abstracts Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization IGU Commission C12.29 Globalization, Marginalization, and Regional and Local Responses 2016 23 Natural disasters and less developed countries Matija Zorn Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Anton Melik Geographical Institute, Novi trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Natural disasters frequently occur throughout the world, affect-ing both developed and less developed countries. However, some countries are clearly more vulnerable than others. The vast majority of lives lost or affected by natural disasters are in less developed countries. The World Bank estimates that more than 90 percent of the populations of Bangladesh, Nepal, the Dominican Republic, Burundi, Haiti, Taiwan, Malawi, El Salvador, and Honduras live in areas at high relative risk of death from two or more natural hazards. Poor governance, external sanctions, poverty, and foreign debt force farmers to burn wood for fuel and to engage in unsustainable farming techniques which drive deforestation and, consequently, slope processes, poverty results in migration to urban areas usual y inhabiting unsafe areas, the consequences of which can be disastrous (e.g., landslides and debris flows in urban areas). In 1998, 90% of the victims of natural disasters lived in less developed countries. Furthermore, future adaptation to the increasing impact of weather-related natural disasters due to global climate change will be costlier in these countries. Less developed countries are more vulnerable to natural disasters because people live in areas at high risk from natural disasters (e.g., unsafe urban areas), housing is poorly built and can be easily damaged in the event of a disaster, countries are not equipped with early warning systems, and they have few assets as well as a weak social safety network to help them cope with disasters. This paper will present an overview on the vulnerability of less developed countries to natural disasters as well as present some case studies. Key words: natural disasters, vulnerability, cost of natural disasters, sustainable development, less developed countries, marginal areas Climate change effect on mountain regions marginalized by socio-economic transformation: North Caucasus1 24 Vera Vinogradova, Raisa Gracheva, and Elena Belonovskaya vet Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017, Staromonetniy pereulok 29, Russia veta v s The conventional schemes of the development of the spatial distri-et – s c bution of grassland ecosystems in intermountain basins of the Cen-20 l tral Caucasus have to be corrected, taking into account the history of land use. The historical records say that the ecosystems of the intermountain basins of North Ossetia have been adapted and used under cropland for more than 3,000 years. Extensive use of mountain slopes up to 2000–2100 m a.s.l. under arable land, including terracing, started in the 13th–14th centuries after the mass population exodus from the plain caused by the invasion of the Mon-gols and Timur. Sixty to one hundred years ago, mountain arable land was turned into pastures and hay fields. Recent slope topog-raphy reflects long-term human impact, and soil memory records the duration and variety of human activity and its interruption. Using a multidisciplinary approach, our study revealed that a diversity of forest-meadow-steppe and subalpine grasslands of North Ossetia was developed on the former arable lands over the past 60– 65 years. For the last 20 years, the system of mountain land use has changed significantly. More than 60% of sub-alpine meadows were being underused or abandoned in that period due to the sharp decrease in livestock. Therefore, the mountain regions of the North Caucasus and the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania can be considered problem regions in terms of sustainable development. Heat 1 Researchers were supported by RFFI grant No. 14-05 00233a. and moisture are the limiting factors of the existence of vegetation. The estimate of changes in heat and humidity was made for the territory of the North Caucasus, using the vegetation index (NDVI), the index of vegetation conditions (VCI), the Satel ite Climatic Extremes Index (SCEI) and the sum of active temperatures (air temperature above + 10 °C). Analysis of index changes shows normal humidification on the slopes of the main Caucasian ridge throughout the more humid period (2000–2006). In the second dry period (2007–2013), the situation changed for most of southern European Russia. In the foothil s, moisture decreased, whereas in the middle mountains an increase of moisture was observed. The estimate of the amount of active temperatures and precipitation for the peri-25 od of modern warming reflects an increase of these parameters in the early 21st century in the foothil s of the North Caucasus. Methods of remote sensing and mapping of vegetation indexes (VCI, issionm NDVI, SCEI) prove that there is a trend to humidity increase from om the beginning of the 21st century in the studied altitudinal belts. Now, in the central mountains of the North Caucasus, a regener-f igu c ation of natural boundaries of altitude zones is observed: the ex-e o pansion of the mountain-forest belt and restoration of pine forests encfer on the southern slopes; restoration of mountain meadow steppe on and steppe sub-alpine meadows on former agricultural terraces; northern slopes overgrown with elfin birch woods. These process-2016 c es occur in the context of climate change (rising temperatures, increasing moisture) and reduce human impact. Thus the vegetation of intermountain basins is restored under the unidirectional influence of climate and socio-economic changes. Thus, the natural and climatic conditions create favourable conditions for sustainable development in the mountain areas of North Ossetia. The main do-main of sustainable development is currently the creation of national parks, nature trails and restoration of tourist routes. Key words: mountain regions, sustainable development, climate change, vegetation indices De-marginalizing mass tourism: the echo of Ibiza’s nightlife as a global reference Hugo Capel a Miternique Departament de Geografia, Facultat de Filosofia i Lletres, Universitat de les Il es Balears, Cra Val demossa, km 7,5, 07122 Palma de Mal orca, Spain Mass tourism has had a profound impact on many Mediterranean destinations, including Ibiza in the Balearic Islands (Spain). Not only natural resorts but also the image of the destination itself has been eroded and has passed through a process of marginalization related 26 to other new destinations (1990s). Some private and public investors benefited from the club culture phenomena (2000s) and made n Ibiza one of the best wel -known global nightlife destinations, first based on youth tourism (2000s) and then (2010s) in a process of re-lizatio conversion to luxury tourism, attracted by the unique and wel - nagi known nightlife. Ibiza has become one of the most exclusive tourism destinations in Spain. The present study will focus on how the d mar global activity of music has benefitted a destination that was in the process of marginalization. bility, anna Key words: De-marginalizing, mass tourism, nightlife, global reference, music ustai ent, s Local self-government reforms in Slovenia: pm discourse on centrality and peripherality evelol d Janez Nared nao Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, regi Anton Melik Geographical Institute, Novi trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia The objective of this paper is to present the impact that local self-government reforms have had on the development of the Slovene territory, particularly from the perspective of less developed (peripheral) areas. In this regard, two main reforms have been considered (one from the 1970s and one from the 1990s) both by comparing their role on the development of polycentric settlement systems. The first reform resulted in a communal system, in which the polycentric system of spatial development that was planned to be shaped at the regional level devolved to newly established communes. Similarly, the development of new municipalities in the 1990s caused the second round of the dispersion of power to a municipal level; because of the absence of the regional authorities and growing competences of the municipalities, this resulted in enhanced development, especial y at the local level. The main benefit of the newly established territorial units could be observed in some less developed areas that have gained new competences and thus decision-making power that was mainly used for the swift development of local infrastructure. However, the dispersion of decision-making competences on the one hand and centralization forces at the national level on the other have widened the gap between the centre and the periphery. We can conclude that both reforms have transferred decision-making powers to a lower territorial lev-27 el and thus support their balanced development, whereas the divide between Ljubljana as the national centre and other areas have ission widened. m om Key words: Local self-government, polycentric settlement system, regional development, services of general interest, Slovenia f igu c e o enc Regional disparities and the path to sustainability: fer the case of Slovenia on Katja Vintar Mal y 2016 c Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia In recent decades, sustainable development has proven difficult to implement in individual Slovenian regions. The assessment of economic, social, and environmental characteristics of the development of twelve Slovenian regions – based on the evaluation of thirty-two sustainable development indicators – has thus confirmed the existence of large and persistent regional disparities. The lat-ter are the largest in the economic area and the smal est in the environmental area. The most favourable social and economic trends prevail in the western regions, while the eastern ones experience higher unemployment, have less favourable educational and demo-graphic structure, are more exposed to poverty and social exclusion, etc. Since independence (1991), the Slovenian use of natural resources and the resulting environmental pressures have been increasing (as for example demonstrated by growing ecological foot- print). Similar to other European countries, the whole state, as wel as its individual regions, is not on an environmental y sustainable path. Moreover, socio-economic progress is often being achieved at the expense of environmental capital. The paper highlights developmental challenges that individual »problematic« Slovenian regions are facing while striving to reorient themselves to a sustainable development path. Key words: regional development, sustainable development, regional disparities, regions, Slovenia The spatial dynamics of IT&C sector in Central-Eastern 28 Europe and Romania (2008-2015). The case of secondary and tertiary cities n George Ţurcănaşu and Gabriel Camară lizatio Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Faculty of Geography nagi and Geology, Av. Carol I, 20A, 700505, Iași, Romania d mar The location factors of the IT&C sector are not much different from those of other economic activities. The quality and the quantity of bility, an the labour force, the accessibility of the site, the proximity of basic na research facilities, and the existence of agglomeration economies are location factors that worked or still work in the case of indus-ustai tries with medium to high technological sophistication. IT&C evolu-ent, s tionary phases are not much different. Once in the standardization pm phase, in which production operations have become common- evelo place, the activities are most often relocated to peripheral areas. l d While relocations are easily observable in the case of the hardware nao element of IT&C, neither the software nor the services are im-regi mune to diffusion in the territory. For example, for the outsourcing, the first components subjected to the diffusion in the territory are BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) and SSC (Shared Service Centre), and possibly ITO (Information Technology Outsourcing), while R&D (Research & Development) and especial y KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) are more stable. That does not mean that secondary cities that have created a good brand image in the field have failed to attract superior outsourcing sectors; the company Bosch has an R&D centre in Cluj-Napoca as does Continental in Timisoara. In Iasi, Amazon.com, Gemini CAD Systems, and Continental belong to the upper sectors of outsourcing. What is much different to IT&C in comparison to other sectors of the economy is the extremely short lifetime of a product, which re-quires strong dynamics of the geography of spatial structures. As a result, there are multiple spatial moves due to the transfer of technology and relocation of the services in a rapid manner: from developed countries to emerging ones, from large cities level to the secondary and then tertiary level of urban system, from BPO or SSC, to superior outsourcing services, all these creating ephemeral geographies of increasingly globalized territorial structures. If we were to identify a spatial model of the locality of IT&C companies, this could be worded as fol ows: the clustering of higher activities and spatial diffusion of other types of activities (Groza, Tur-29 canasu & Rusu, 2005). This is a spatial distribution pattern common to many economic activities. However, what is interesting in this very dynamic sector is the diachronism of spatial structures. Being issionm an opportunistic industry, the speculation of favourability generates om an extremely fluid hierarchy of secondary and tertiary centres for short periods of time. f igu c e o In the case of Europe in this period, Central and Eastern Europe-enc an marginal areas seem to capitalize their competitive and com-fer parative advantages. In recent years, the countries from this area on (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgar-ia) have become extremely active in the outsourcing sector. Nowak 2016 c Marcin (2016) estimated that there were over 355,000 employed persons in these six countries in 2015. The expansion of the IT&O sector taking place rapidly between 2013 and 2015 recorded growth of 36%, twice that of in India in recent years (Nowak Marcin, 2016). The proposed approach uses exploratory coordinates, seeking to highlight in a trans-scalar manner the spatial behaviour and evolu-tionary stage of a sector, which is difficult to detect in its accelerat-ed dynamics. Our main hypothesis states that distance, mass, and spatial/territorial discontinuities represent conventional territorial parameters, able to advance the understanding of how the devic-es and the spatial structures of the IT&C in the territorial architecture of Central-Eastern Europe and then of Romania and the development regions are organized. The analysis will use many statistical and cartographic constructions of which the potential of spatial interaction, weighted barycentre, spatial, territorial and hierarchical autocorrelation wil be presented. The relations between the three sets of parameters exist largely for the proposed indicators. We may disclose some partial conclusions from the application of quantitative models. There is a West-East gradient of the evolution of the IT&C industry, according to structural gradients of a conti-nental type, inducing a gap between extroverted cities of the West, with improved accessibility to Western Europe and other parts of the national territory. This is true both of the states’ regions level, and at the subnational level. Leaving aside Bucharest, behaving in the logic of capital cities, in the case of the secondary cities in Romania there is an evident asynchronism in the evolution of the 30 IT&C industry: Timisoara has already stabilized to over 9000 people working in this sector in 2008, Cluj-Napoca began its ascent af-n ter 2009, and Iasi, after a fluctuated evolution during the crisis, has made spectacular leaps since 2012. lizationa The differentiated capacity of the capital and of the secondary and gi tertiary cities to generate economic growth is reflected in the evo-d mar lution of the ICT sector through the hierarchical gradients. At least in Romania, tertiary cities are less dynamic, but there are signs of growth in the coming period for some cities (Miercurea Ciuc, Satu bility, an Mare, Suceava, etc.). na Key words: IT&C, IT&O, secondary cities, tertiary cities, gradient, ustai diffusion, potential of spatial interaction, weighted barycentre, ent, s autocorrelation pm evelo Resettlement of Orang Asli (aborigines) in Malaysia l dnao Jamalunlaili Bin Abdullah, Nazura Mohamed Sayuti, regi and Afiza Azura Mohamad Arshad Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia Orang Asli, the aborigines of Malaysia have settled in as early as 11,000 BC and accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the population. They are engaged in agriculture and live in the interior. To ensure adequate access to health, education and to improve their socio-economic conditions, many have been resettled in Regroupment schemes throughout the country. Some resettlement schemes have been a success while others face some problems. This paper analyses the resettlement schemes of these Asli with a focus on three case studies in Peninsular Malaysia. It found that some face difficulties in coping with life in the new environments despite receiv-ing assistance from the government while others have been able to improve their socio-economic conditions. Key words: Orang Asli (aborigines of Malaysia), resettlement, Regroupment schemes, socio-economic conditions Migration, education, and marginality: Networks and strategies in the Pacific Islands John Overton and Warwick E. Murray SGEES, Victoria University of Wel ington, New Zealand 31 Many Pacific Island states and communities are considered to be marginal both in terms of connection to the global economy and issionm opportunities for sustainable development. In this paper, we exam-om ine the ways in which a range of education and migration strategies are adopted in order to overcome supposed constraints within the f igu c region and exploit opportunities outside of it. These strategies are e o diverse in their form (ranging from local vocational training to over-enc seas tertiary education), varied in occurrence (resources and op-fer portunities vary greatly across the region) and complex in their pol-on icy implications. To a large degree, it is the existence, maintenance, 2016 c and formation of networks that al ow for this range of strategies to be expanded. These globalizing networks are related to kin and the diaspora of Pacific peoples, as well as to political and economic re-lationships forged by states. We conclude that whilst marginality may be utilized as a concept within such networks, Pacific Island geographies are being actively »demarginalized« (and sustainable development pursued) by the deliberate and complex actions of Pacific Island individuals, families and governments. Key words: marginality, migration, education, Pacific Islands, globalization Roma, social exclusion, and Romani settlements as marginalized places: The case of Loke Alenka Janko Spreizer University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Intercultural Studies and Department of Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia This anthropological contribution to marginality examines the narratives and imaginaries of Roma, social exclusion, and Romani settlements as marginalized places. In the first part, the paper focus-es on the Romani studies and their exploration of space and place. 32 In the second part of the presentation, the case of Loke, a Romani settlement near Krško is explored. Loke is known as a Romani lo-n cation where Roma received the land under the previous political regime after WWII, as an exchange for their work in forestry, when lizatio they planted trees. The company for forestry gave them land to be nagi used with permission to set up shacks and tents. The two central questions of this contribution are: firstly, how did Roma construct d mar and change the meanings of their social exclusion (or social marginality) and the geographical marginality of their settlement when the bility, an legalization of Romani settlements near the Krško area (SE of Slo-na venia) was already underway; secondly, how is the meaning of lo-ustai calities (which is usual y constituted through movement) construct-ed in Romani narratives of belonging to a marginal place (cf. Shields ent, spm 1991)? evelo Key words: Roma, Roma settlements, Loke, marginalization, l d Slovenia nao regi Deghettoization means demarginalization. The planned process of spatial integration of Roma settlements in Slovenia Jernej Zupančič Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia This article deals with the process of the spatial and social transformation of Roma settlements in Slovenia. The focus of the discussion comprises the construction-planning process in which the Roma settlements vary from that of the usual vil age and is included in the Slovenian settlement system. Roma settlements (there are slightly more than one hundred of them in Slovenia) are structural y ghettoized areas, and their residents (mostly ethnic Roma) are a marginalized group (or community) of people. The initial problems are the il egality of housing, lack of technical infrastructure and, therefore, poor living conditions. Ghettoized space causes problems in the neighbourhood. The fundamental idea of the transformation of Roma settlements is to adapt, modernize, and legalize them at the existing locations (if possible) and by the specifical y adapted planning process. This addition to the technical (construction, infrastructure), legal ownership relations covering, in particular, the so-cal ed phase »opening of Roma settlements«. Experiences have proven that this addition is essential to the success of the whole 33 process of legalization of Roma settlements and their integration in-to the Slovene settlement system. Residents of Roma settlements ission must gain experience of coexistence within the settlements and m om outward, to establish channels of communication and in this spirit also instrumentalize the settlement-space. Roma settlements need, f igu c in addition to personal living space (house, yard), some econom-e o ic spaces (garden, workshop, stables, etc.), perhaps a garden for enc growing vegetables, including open and public space. Open space fer as a place of joint (collective, village) ownership (transport, sports, on green spaces) and public space, represented by facilities of an edu-2016 c cational, cultural, and sports nature. This contribution briefly analyses the effectiveness of newer planned interventions, which adapts ghettoized space and includes them into the Slovenian settlement system. Deghettoization is, therefore, demarginalization. Key words: Roma, Roma settlements, ghetto, demarginalization Policy of Recognition of Bedouin Villages in Israel and bio-cultural diversity Avinoam Meir Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel The state of Israel has planned and initiated an urbanization process among the Bedouin since the 1970s in which many were detached from pastoral life in their territories and relocated to towns. Consequently, grazing has been curtailed tremendously. This car- ries significant environmental implications; one major one is related theoretical y to the concept of bio-cultural diversity. Contrary to previous approaches, biological diversity, and cultural diversity are presently understood as integrated within socio-ecological systems into the concept of bio-cultural diversity. That is, indigenous communities that are supported directly by local natural resources for subsistence maintain a latent social and cultural vernacular system for their management and conservation. The beliefs, customs, and taboos inherent in this system reflect the immersion of the people in this environment, which carries the entire accumulated local cultural knowledge and in fact generates a particular local cultural layer. It fol ows that detachment of these indigenous people from their 34 particular environment through external non-sensitive urban plann ning negates their contribution to cultural diversity and ecological stability. Based on the years of our research in this field, we submit lizatio that the issue of state policy towards Bedouin flock grazing is relat-na ed to this conceptual framework. Among the Bedouin, flock graz-gi ing has long been unprofitable. Nevertheless, it is maintained as an d mar important cultural symbol, particularly in many vil ages whose population has refused to move to towns and thus remain legal y unrecognized by the state. From a bio-cultural perspective, this symbol bility, anna may carry a significant ecological value in terms of protecting biological diversity in their region because, as scientific knowledge indi-ustai cates, biological diversity peaks under conditions of moderate graz-ent, s ing which is precisely the case in these vil ages. pm This notion is highly significant for a state policy of Bedouin settle-evelo ment and urbanization and particularly to its policy of non-recog-l dna nition of these vil ages. We posit that the Bedouin contribution in o these vil ages to biological diversity and thus to ecological balance regi should be recognized by state policy not only due to their right to preserve their culture but also the right of the ecological system to enjoy this cultural service provided by them. Integration of this principle into the policy will enable the materialization of the combined right of the Bedouin and the ecological system for bio-culturality and for social, spatial and environmental justice. Key words: Bedouin, bio-cultural diversity, state policy, Israel Marginalization of Slovenia in terms of a dual educational system Vane Urh and Elvis Salkić University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia The educational system is one of the main processes shaping the social status of a citizen. We see it as the leading role of determining socio-economic power in a closed society. In the fol owing article, we introduce the dual school system, its practical use in Switzerland and compare it with the current situation in Slovenia. With interviews with different stakeholders and by analysing statistical da-35 ta, we attempt to determine the rate of marginalization, between the two selected countries from the Slovenian perspective. We see sustainable development as a result of a high-quality educational issionm system, the perfect correlation of a young labour force and em-om ployers, low unemployment rate and general economic independence. In addition to the presentation of educational systems, we f igu c e o propose alternatives to avoid marginalization from the school sys-enc tem and consequently emphasize the importance of human capital fer in the case of Slovenia. on Key words: dual educational system, marginalization, interview, 2016 c statistical data, school system, human capital Marginalization or the expansion: Business activities in the peri-urban area of City of Zagreb Jelena Lončar Department of Geography, Science faculty, Marulićev trg 19/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia In the large majority of small and midsize countries of southeast Europe, most of the metropolitan areas are concentrated in the capital cities, where two-thirds of metropolitan functions are present. This is also the case with Croatia, as well as with the City of Zagreb. In this research, all data on business activities have been collected in the City of Zagreb County (area of 30-40 kilometres from Zagreb) with the aim of establishing whether this area has profited from or had an adverse impact on the number and quality of business activities due to the vicinity of Zagreb. These data are based on field survey and mapping. Field research was done in the period of 2014-2016, and the purpose was to register, map and analyse business subjects in the wider metropolitan area and, on this basis, make conclusions about the economic structure in the area. The analysed area includes the central parts of these cities, i.e. the areas with the greatest number of business activities, because some of the cities are smal , and the analysis of the county municipalities would not yield satisfactory results (the fact is that most of the activities are concentrated in the cities). A census of business activities shows certain patterns and gives conclusions about business activities and functions of the cities in the City of Zagreb metropolitan area. 36 Key words: business activities, business subjects, entrepreneurship, n Zagreb peri-urban area lizationa Post-socialist transition as a driver of geographic gi marginalization d mar Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš and Marin Cvitanović Department of Geography, Science faculty, bility, an Marulićev trg 19/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia na Geographic marginalization as a characteristic is not static in space ustai and time: socio-economic changes such as globalization, deindustri-ent, s alization or economic transition can cause profound and heteroge-pm neous changes, benefiting certain areas while creating disadvantag-evelo es for others. Therefore, the study of geographic marginalization l d during periods of rapid societal, economic and institutional changes nao such as post-socialist transition can offer new insights into a char-regi acteristic of geographic marginality. Such analyses can be seen as a sort of »natural experiment« with two political systems occupy-ing the same environment in a relatively short period, emphasiz-ing the role of socio-economic changes that can drive marginalization processes in certain areas. This study deals with a traditional agricultural region in northern Croatia (Hrvatsko Zagorje) during the post-socialist period of 1991-2011. The region is near Zagreb, the capital and the hub of Croatia, and is simultaneously a peripheral region bordering the Republic of Slovenia. The research is focused on changes in settlement patterns and changes in agriculture as an important livelihood strategy, all within the framework of ge- ographic marginalization. The research is based on a mixed methodology, combining remote sensing analysis of satellite imagery, re-gression analysis, and a household questionnaire survey. The results have shown that the processes of population aging, changes in education structure, population density and employment have affected settlement patterns and agricultural land use differently in different parts of the region. Areas further away from Zagreb or other main market centres, further away from major traffic junctions, in higher altitudes or close to a (newly formed) international border with Slovenia have demonstrated mostly negative socio-economic trends, while urbanized areas in lowlands, further away from the international border and with better traffic connections to Zagreb have shown comparatively more positive socio-economic trends. 37 Key words: post-socialism, marginalization, land use, settlements, borderline, periphery issionm om Marginality and sustainability f igu c Stanko Pelc e o University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, encfer Department of Geography, Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia on The concept of the marginality of nature and the environment is 2016 c rarely discussed in geography. The reason is simple. When we compare it with a geometrical understanding of marginality from a socio-economic point of view, we are faced with the upside-down picture of marginal areas. What we used to consider central from an economic point of view is marginal from an environmental point of view. The most modern Central Business Districts (CBDs) of today may be considered to be the peak of economic development and success. However, to be built, the natural environment had to vanish, the surface has been covered with concrete and asphalt. The vegetation is now decorative and placed on the roofs or at the edges of transportation infrastructure. In contrast, the best-preserved areas of the planet are those that are far away from human greed and from any development. In this paper, we intend to discuss the relation between unsustainable development and marginalization of the environment as well as about the marginalization of society living in the areas with unsustainable development. Key words: environmental marginality, unsustainable development, marginalization Multiculturalism and ethnographic museums in Israel: The case of a regional Bedouin Museum Ruth Kark, Havazelet Yahel, and Noam Perry The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel This paper considers multiculturalism in Israeli society and its ex-pression in museums. It showcases one regional museum that pre-38 sents two different cultures in the Negev in Southern Israel. We begin by posing the question of whether Israel represents a multi-n cultural society. Given the many museums in Israel and the rise of ethnographic museums in the previous three decades, we suggest lizationa that these museums tend to present Israeli culture as ethnocen-gi tric rather than multicultural, reflecting ethnic re-awakening rath-d mar er than the »melting pot« envisaged by the founders of the State. An examination of ethnocentric museums in Israel reveals two major categories, with different functions and goals: museums repre-bility, an senting Jewish ethnic groups and museums representing non-Jew-na ish cultural groups. Many museums that represent Palestinian and ustai Bedouin communities stress their deep roots in the land, disputing ent, s the narratives represented by many museums of Jewish settlement. pm Regional or local museums add a third category, which integrates different ethnic groups. Our case study, a museum of the Bedouin, evelol d part of the Joe Alon Center for Regional Studies, aims to reflect na multi-ethnic and multicultural societies within the Negev. This task o placed it a priori in a chal enging complex and controversial posi-regi tion, attempting to navigate between two different narratives. We explore how the museum evolved through the years, presenting the different identities, and discuss its efforts to create a bridge between Jews and Bedouins within the Negev’s polarized population. While museums in Israel can play a constructive role in nurturing mutual respect for cultural diversity, at the same time, the displays may serve to widen rather than bridge the gaps between compet-ing national narratives and promote ethnocentricity Key words: Multiculturalism, Israeli society, Israeli museums, Israeli ethnographic and regional museums, Negev Bedouin Organic farming and tourism on organic farms in Slovenia - Selected topics Simon Kerma and Dane Podmenik University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies –Turistica, Obala 11a, SI-6320 Portorož, Slovenia University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia Almost twenty years since its official start, organic farming in Slovenia has gained in value; however, the situation is far from attaining the objectives envisioned for the field, and far from fulfil ing public expectations. The share of organic farms is low, the most vulner-39 able agricultural areas remain subject to (intensive) conventional production, while the production of organic food for the market is minimal. A comparison of statistical regions shows noticeable differ-issionm ences. Organic farming is most developed in the western karst are-om as, while tourism on organic farms is most established in the Savin-jska region. Large developmental potentials can be realized through f igu c e o the promotion of market production, development of agriculture enc and tourism in protected areas, the establishment of efficient, sup-fer portive services, and other strategies to attract young people, as on well as through the integration of social entrepreneurship practic-es. This is even more important for the sustainable development of 2016 c border and peripheral areas, such as Goričko, Haloze, Brkini and Posočje (among others) where organic farming may become one of the important factors of demarginalization. Key words: organic farming, tourism on organic farms, organic food, problematic regions, border regions, Slovenia »Developing« Cuban tourism Armand Faganel and Anita Trnavčević University of Primorska, Faculty of Management, Cankarjeva 5, SI-6101 Koper Slovenia Cuban tourism gained momentum after the improved relation- ship with the USA. Marginalized, mysterious and exotic, famous for rum, old cars, socialist ideas, music, and ladies, Cuba is now looking for investors in tourism infrastructure. The tourism sector represents substantial revenue for the country, right behind health ser- vices exports. European tourists are among the most numerous visitors to the island; tourism is increasing from year to year, as the fear grows that the paradise will soon disappear. As the demand expands, so does the need for the improvement of tourism infrastructure. The country is in a bad shape; money is needed to maintain free health and education systems. The Cuban Tourism Ministry is considering an increase from 63,000 hotel rooms to 85,500 in the next five years, and to build more resorts and golf courses with foreign investment; officials are considering the feasibility of 12 proposals put forward by foreign companies, mostly from Spain, to build hotels and other tourism facilities (eTN 2016). Through the research of economic and social changes these plans will bring to the 40 society, we evaluate the possible scenarios for regional develop-n ment and their consequences. Literature review and content analysis of available data and documents have been deployed. lizatio Key words: sustainable tourism, Cuba, regional development, nagi infrastructure, marginalised country d mar Sustainable tourism as a factor of regional development in mountain regions of Slovenia bility, an – The case of the Municipality of Bovec na ustai Urška Trček and Miha Koderman University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, ent, spm Department of Geography, Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia evelo In recent decades, tourism trends have indicated a growing de-l d mand for adventure tourism, while new forms of tourist services nao also adapt to the lifestyle of tourists, in which the concern for health regi and living with nature is becoming increasingly important. This also applies to tourist demand in Slovenia, where statistical data show that the largest number of tourist visits is recorded in the mountain resorts. The Municipality of Bovec is the fourth largest Slovenian municipality and is to a high degree characterized by the diverse mountainous terrain of the Julian Alps as well as the national border between Slovenia and Italy and the inclusion of a substantial part of the area (about 80% of the territory) in Slovenia’s only national park, Triglav National Park. According to the various indicators of economic development and previously mentioned facts, the area of the municipality is often described as problematic or under- developed. In recent years, sustainable tourism appears to be one of the most significant development policies in the Municipality of Bovec. This concept is particularly suitable for the conservation of protected mountainous natural and cultural landscape, which faces serious depopulation, deagrarization and overgrowth of land. The authors performed an in-depth analysis of different tourism indicators and noted that the establishment of various forms of sustainable tourism activities (such as ecotourism, geotourism, cultural and educational tourism) could show several beneficial effects. Addi-tional development opportunities for the area can be found in the integration of selected municipal settlements in the »Mountaineer-ing villages« project, established under the auspices of the Alpine Convention, and in the acquisition of the »Ecolabel« certification 41 for local campsites, which are the most successful accommodation providers in the Municipality of Bovec. issionm Key words: underdeveloped mountainous regions, regional om development, sustainable tourism, Municipality of Bovec, Slovenia f igu c e o Forty years after the earthquake – (Tourism) enc Development of remote cross-border areas fer (The case of Breginjski kot, Municipality of Kobarid) on Staša Mesec 2016 c Farmhouse Škvor, Robidišče 10, SI-5223 Breginj, Slovenia Two devastating earthquakes dramatical y changed the peaceful life in the border area of the Municipality of Kobarid 40 years ago. The once agricultural y oriented society lost its houses, stables, and identity. The state helped with programmed development actions to help the people who lived there. In 1998 and 2004, earthquakes reoccurred. Again, a development plan was prepared and implemented, this time, more oriented towards tourism. In this article, the main elements of the development plan and the transformation of the area with the concrete results and near future chal enges wil be presented. Key words: Earthquake, border regions, development, tourism Spatial inequality Vladimir Drozg Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia This paper deals with the wel -known phenomenon of spatial inequality. We can understand the term to refer to fitting space with services that serve the inhabitants to satisfy their basic needs in the field of supply, education, social contacts, recreation, and similar. In urban areas, the number of activities is much higher than in rural areas; therefore, the (predispositions) for the quality of life dif-42 fer significantly. The result is emigrations from rural to urban areas or the lower quality of life, which leads to the marginalization of less n attractive and less accessible rural areas. We intend to show spatial inequality with data about the accessibility of basic human activ-lizatio ities, with the everyday habits of people living in rural areas as wel nagi as with interviews with some persons from rural areas. In the end, we attempt to problematize the topic in the sense of life quality. d mar Key words: Social geography, spatial inequalities, quality of life bility, anna Viticulture and organic production of wine in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina ustai ent, s Rahman Nurković pm Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, evelo Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina l dna The aim of this paper is to show the development of viticulture and o wine production in rural areas of Bosnia and Hercegovina as a de-regi velopmental factor in rural areas. Bosnia and Herzegovina is far from joining the EU politically, as well as being economically marginal; rural areas of the country are in an especial y difficult position. One of the possible drivers for the improvement of the economic situation in some rural areas is viticulture and wine production. However, to make this activity more profitable, the economic value of Bosnian and Herzegovinian wine brands needs to be demarginalized. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s geographic location is suitable for viticulture; Herzegovina especial y has all the ideal conditions to promote Bosnia and Herzegovina as a serious manufacturer of high-quality wines as Bosnian and Herzegovinian protected brands. It is necessary to integrate these potentials and advantages of wine production as significant ecological and economic activities. Viticulture and wine in Bosnia and Herzegovina have a significant past. Grape-growing areas offer successful combinations of wine, food and cultural events for tourism development. Only by the position-ing of wine cel ars in the wider regional and international markets, can Bosnian and Herzegovinian winemakers use it for economic development in rural areas of the country. There are four viticultural areas: Mostar, Trebinje, Čapljina, and Posušije. The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2011 accepted the plan for the development of wine regions where industrial production of wine has a great significance for the development of the food industry. In more recent years, especial y after 2001, in the rural 43 communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, there have been significant spatial changes due to the rapid development of new econom-ission ic activities that strongly influenced the transformation of the rural m om settlements. However, to achieve effective developmental results Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines need to become better known f igu c as high-quality wines that can compete with wines from traditional e o wine countries, such as Italy, France, Spain or Portugal. encfer Key words: viticulture, winemaking, wine brands, rural on development, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2016 c Land use changes in Svečinske gorice in the 2000-2015 period in relation to selected physical geographical features Igor Žiberna Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia Svečinske gorice is a hil y area south of the Austrian-Slovenian border that has long been considerably marginal in comparison with the Austrian side of the border. However, the vineyard areas of this region are among the most vital in north-eastern Slovenia. Nevertheless, the region has not been spared the processes of deagrarization and subsequent land use changes that are in the direction of the abandonment of cultivated areas, greening, overgrowth and af-forestation that can all lead to further marginalization. This article presents the results of the analysis of land-use changes in the area of Svečinske gorice between 2000 and 2015 in relation to selected physiographic features. The main focus is on cultivated areas, particularly vineyard areas. The directions of land use changes for the studied period were analysed and will also be presented. Key words: Land use, arable areas, viticulture, physical geographic features, Svečinske gorice 44 n lizationagi d mar bility, anna ustai ent, spm evelol dnao regi Hosting and partner institutions 45 University of Primorska Univerza na Primorskem Address: Titov trg 4, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 611 7500 Fax: + 386 5 611 7530 E-mail: info@upr.si The University of Primorska (UP), the third largest public university in Slovenia, was established in 2003 as a centre of knowledge implementing European educational strategies. The main objectives of this vibrant university are to carry out high-quality study and research programmes, which promote natural and cultural heritage while integrating and developing them with the educational, in-tel ectual and research potential opportunities for the rest of the world. The university also aims to produce a mutual co-existence and close col aboration with industry. UP is committed to transmit-ting knowledge to future generations in order to produce inquisitive thinkers and professionals. It provides an integrated development of research work, based on two fundamental pil ars, which ensure the enhanced rationality of fund use, improved interdiscipli-nary interlacing and also greater effect in developing both academic study programs connected with research work and the university’s international co-operation within the framework of selected prior-ity research contents. While the first pil ar concerns Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology, the second covers Humanities and Social Sciences. UP is a young university established due to regional demands and needs for greater availability of higher educa- tional programmes in Slovenia in a bilingual area in the municipality of Koper/Capodistria, where two cultures are intertwined historical y: Slovenian and Italian. The economy in this region is oriented in the service economy: esp. tourism, casinos, banks, insurance companies, and logistics, with a port among the biggest in Adriatic region, the Port of Koper, located on the Coast of Slovenia, bordering Croatia and Italy. UP is structured into six faculties and two research centres; the main research fields are Management, Educational Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Sciences, Biodiversity, Mediterranean Agriculture and Olive Oil, Sustainable Use of Wood, Health and Health 46 Prevention, Tourism, Philosophy, Intercultural Studies, History and Heritage, Linguistics. UP has signed the European Charter for Re-n searchers and a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. In 2010, the Senate of UP adopted the Human Resources (HR) lizatio strategy for researchers (2010-2014) and the action plan for its im-nagi plementation, which is being evaluated and is in the phase of its supplementation. Through these, UP wishes to achieve excel ence d mar in research to improve its visibility within ERA and international y; provide greater internal and external credibility of UP in relation to bility, an researchers, public authorities and the public; integrate and active-na ly participate in the international scientific community. ustai At the same time, UP has significant experience in project man-ent, s agement and coordination in different international project and pm programs, especial y at the EU level (in 6th FP and 7th FP, the Cross-border Cooperation Programmes 2007-2013, i.e. Italy-Slo-evelol d venia, Slovenia-Croatia, IPA Adriatic Cross-Border Programmes, na South East and Central Europe programme). Currently, UP is in-o volved in 47 international research and development projects; in regi the last two framework programmes (6th and 7th) UP participat-ed in 11 as a partner in consortiums, five of which are still in execution. The research activities in cross-border and international programmes is evident in UP’s budget in the last financial framework of EC, from 2007-2013. Temporarily, UP is a leading partner in eight international projects, amounting to €16,000,000, and on the level of whole consortiums, the international projects in execution amount to €64,500,000, with an 18% share going to UP. The annual turnover for 2013 amounts to €24,239,483 and annual balance sheet for 2013 is €46,695,250. UP is currently involved in 60 national programmes and projects, 44 bilateral projects and is training 60 young researchers; in the 2013/14 study year, there were PhD students. The total number of employees is 732 (599, 68 FTE), 1.4% university leadership, 45.6% professors and assistants, 23% researchers and 30% administrative staff. University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za humanistične študije Address: Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 663 7740 Fax: + 386 5 663 7742 E-mail: info@fhs.upr.si 47 The Faculty of Humanities (FHS) was established as an independent institution of higher education in Koper on 19th July 2000, becom-issionm ing an affiliate of the University of Primorska in 2003. The Faculty of om Humanities at the University of Primorska offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses as well as engaging in scientif-f igu c e o ic and specialist activities in the field of humanities, arts, and social enc studies. To assure the highest quality in its operations in all these fer fields, the Faculty promotes the fol owing core values: on • the excel ence of study programmes; 2016 c • continuous development of infrastructure and equipment; • highly qualified and experienced staff working in a harmonious professional environment; • enhanced attention to the wel -being of students, creating better employment opportunities; • highly efficient support network both within the University of Primorska, and the wider academic field in Slovenia as well as internationally. The Faculty of Humanities has gained recognition for its great dynamism due to its progressive orientation, its creativity and capacity for critical thinking, as well as to the col aboration of its dedicated teaching staff together with students in an atmosphere of mutual support. The Faculty enjoys the advantage of being situated in the coastal area bordering Italy and Croatia, providing the potential for drawing on positive cultural and economic influences. Insights and skil s acquired in the course of study introduce students to the se- crets of Istria, Slovenia, and the Mediterranean, guiding them to understand various trends within a wider European and international setting. Department of Geography, University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities Oddelek za geografijo Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za humanistične študije Address: Titov trg 5, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 663 7740 48 Fax: + 386 5 663 7742 E-mail: info@fhs.upr.si n The Department of Geography is one of the two founding cores lizationa of the Faculty of Humanities, as it began operating in 2001 when gi the first students of the bachelor degree program were enrol ed in the study process. In the 2015/2016 academic year, the department d mar had 18 members, six of which were ful y employed by the department, while others were external col aborators coming from the bility, an Anton Melik Geographical Institute of Research Centre in Ljubljana na and the Karst Research Institute in Postojna (both operate un-ustai der the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts). The members of the department show a high degree of scientific research ex-ent, spm cel ence in their fields of expertise and have achieved international respect in the field of geography with the regular publication of evelol d scientific articles in renowned journals, the organization of sever-na al international scientific conferences, and as chairs and members o of the International Geographical Union’s commissions and edito-regi rial committees. By the structure of its programme, the Department of Geography at the University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, shows the enthusiasm of a young, dynamic, and modern professional orientation. The motivated teaching staff is a guarantee for obtaining the relevant competencies in the field of geography in a bachelor, mas-ter, or doctoral study program. University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za turistične študije – Turistica Address: Obala 11a, SI-6320 Portorož – Portorose, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 617 7000 Fax: + 386 5 617 7020 E-mail: info@fts.upr.si The Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica – is a member of the University of Primorska. It is the only faculty of tourism in Slovenia that offers multi-disciplinary teaching and research of tourism and ed-49 ucates people in high-quality planning, management and excellent tourism services. ission Turistica has its roots in 1994, when the Col ege of Hotel and Trav-m el Administration was founded within the framework of the Tem-om pus project. A year later, the first students enrol ed. Since 2003, Tu-f igu c ristica has been a member of the University of Primorska, and in e o 2008 it became a faculty. Twenty years later, Turistica is proud to enc have study programmes on all three levels, as the Innovative Tour-fer ism doctoral study programme was implemented in 2012. on In addition to study activities, a wide range of other events takes 2016 c place at Turistica, including the conferences Encuentros and TIM (Tourism, Education and Management), FuTuristica round tables, and the AvanTuristica gallery. University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za management Address: Cankarjeva 5, p.p. 761, SI-6101 Koper, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 610 2000 Fax: + 386 5 610 2015 E-mail: info@fm-kp.si The Faculty of Management is a higher education institution for education and research in the fields of social sciences and business management. In addition to education and research, the basic activities of the faculty are providing consultancy to companies and other organizations, publishing and organization of international conferences. The Faculty of Management was established in 1995 as a freestanding institution. In 2003, it became one of the founding members of the University of Primorska. At the Faculty of Management, we offer attractive study programmes, teaching, and learning excel ence, on-line studies, together with some programmes that are held in English. The faculty offers undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes in the area of management for profit and non-profit organizations. The study programmes are international y comparable and encourage student mobility and flexibility. A part of the studies can be completed at other higher education institutions, either in Slovenia or abroad. 50 The Faculty of Management organizes conferences on an annu-al basis, thus providing essential foundations for the exchange of n knowledge and experience between domestic and numerous foreign professionals. Pure and applied research takes place in each of lizationa the large disciplinary areas of the faculty through the Institute for gi Research in Management. d mar Department of Geography, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts bility, anna Oddelek za geografijo, Univerza v Ljubljani, Filozofska fakulteta ustai Address: Aškerčeva cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ent, spm Telephone: + 386 1 241 1230 Fax: + 386 1 425 9337 evelol d E-mail: danica.jakopic@ff.uni-lj.si nao The Department of Geography was established in 1919. With its regi pedagogical and wide-ranging scientific research, it plays a major role in the education and training of young geographers, in the development of new knowledge as well as its transfer into practical fields. The thirty-two members of staff (professors, assistant professors, associate professors, assistants, members of technical staff, etc.) are entrusted with the professional development of more than 500 undergraduate and graduate students. The department implemented the two-stage Bologna-compliant degrees in the 2008/2009 academic year, and students can now choose between either a one-discipline undergraduate degree course in geography or a two-discipline undergraduate degree course in geog- raphy in combination with another course of study. In the second stage of their studies, the students choosing the first programme can opt for the fol owing courses: Environmental and Physical Geography, Regional Planning and Urban-Rural Studies, Political Geography, Geography of Tourism and Applied Geoinformatics. The students enrol ed in the two-discipline course take the pedagogy module in the second stage of their studies. The department houses the largest geographical library in Slovenia, a department of the Central Humanities Library (Osrednja Humanistična Knjižnica or OHK); it includes a cartographic col ection. The physical geography laboratory and the Cartography and Geo-Informatics Laboratory (GIKL) enable students to gain practical knowl-51 edge and skil s that help them use modern tools and procedures. This provides a significant advantage to our graduates when they are looking for a job. issionm om Department of Geography, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts f igu c Oddelek za geografijo, e o enc Univerza v Mariboru, Filozofska fakulteta feron Address: Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 2 229 3840 2016 c Fax: + 386 2 229 3625 E-mail: ff@um.si The development of the Department of Geography in Maribor dates back to 1961. In 1985, we started to conduct a vocational study program of geography that has been a university program since 1995. Since 1999, we have also conducted graduate studies of geography for the field of education. In 2006, the Department of Geography became part of the newly established Faculty of Arts of University of Maribor, which brought several innovations to the study of geography. The former study programs have been re-placed step-by-step by new Bologna study programs. In the 2008/09 academic year, we started to perform the new Bologna university first-cycle double-major geography study program. Graduates obtained a proper general geographic education that can be upgraded in continuation (in the 2011/12 academic year) on the second cycle in two graduate study programs: the second-cycle double-major pedagogical study program, »Geography« (meant for the obtaining of knowledge and skil s for teaching geography in ele-mentary and secondary schools) and the second-cycle single- major non-pedagogical study program »Geography - regional studies« (meant for the application of knowledge in the space in the process of planning of further social development of a community and in questions connected with protection of the environment). At the Department of Geography, in the 2015/16 academic year, eight teachers were employed. In the academic process, a strong emphasis is put on the steady improvement of the quality of education, wide field work, connecting research and pedagogical work 52 and the transfer of research achievements into practice and the study process. We organize scientific and professional meetings n and invite foreign guest professors, and we enhance the international mobility of students and their independent research activi-lizatio ties. nagi Anton Melik Geographical Institute of Research Centre d mar of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Geografski inštitut Antona Melika bility, an Znanstvenoraziskovalnega centra Slovenske akademije na znanosti in umetnosti ustai Address: P. B. 306, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia ent, s Telephone: + 386 1 470 6350 pm Fax: + 386 1 425 7793 evelo E-mail address: gi@zrc-sazu.si l dnao The Geographical Institute was founded in 1946 by the Slovenian regi Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 1976 it was named after Slovenia’s greatest geographer, academy member Anton Melik (1890–1966), who served as the institute’s first director. Since 1981, the institute has been one of the members of the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 2002, the Institute for Geography (established in 1962) and the Geographical Museum of Slovenia (established in 1946) were joined to the institute. From the very beginning, the institute’s main task has been to conduct basic and applied geographical research on Slovenia and its landscapes and to prepare basic geographical texts on Slovenia as a country and as a part of the world. Since Slovenia gained inde- pendence, the institute’s staff has prepared a large variety of basic geographical works on Slovenia as an independent country, in cooperation with other Slovenian geographers. These include national, world, school, and census atlases, a dictionary of geographical terminology, a lexicon of Slovenian place names, and a regional and general monograph. The institute participates in numerous projects in Slovenia and abroad, organizes academic conferences, trains junior researchers, and participates in professional exchanges. In the past ten years, the institute’s research team has published over 3,000 bibliographic units and made over 500 presentations at conferences in Slovenia and abroad. The institute has nine organizational units: the Department of Phys-53 ical Geography, the Department of Human Geography, the De- partment of Regional Geography, the Department of Natural Disasters, the Department of Environmental Protection, the De-issionm partment of Geographic Information Systems, the Department of om Thematic Cartography, the Geographical Museum, and the Geographical Library. The institute also houses cartographic and geo-f igu c graphical col ections, and is the headquarters of the Commission e o for the Standardization of Geographical Names of the Government encfer of the Republic of Slovenia (Komisija za standardizacijo zemljepisnih on imen Vlade Republike Slovenije). The institute issues five scholarly publications. Geografija Sloveni-2016 c je (Geography of Slovenia) and Georitem (Georhythm) are series of volumes in Slovenian that appear several times a year. Acta geographica Slovenica is a journal published twice a year in English and Slovenian. The articles can be downloaded in Slovenian or English from the institute’s homepage (http://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/ags). Volumes in the series GIS v Sloveniji (GIS in Slovenia) are published in even years, volumes in the series Regionalni razvoj (Regional Development) in odd years, and volumes in the series Naravne nes-reče (Natural hazards) every third year. The monographs are published in Slovenian with English summaries. Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts – Karst Research Institute Znanstvenoraziskovalni center Slovenske akademije znanosti in umetnosti – Inštitut za raziskovanje krasa Address: Titov trg 2, SI-6230 Postojna, Slovenia Telephone: + 386 5 700 1900 Fax: + 386 5 700 1999 E-mail: izrk@zrc-sazu.si The karst is a distinct feature of Slovenia. Almost half of the country is karstic with about 8000 caves registered. More than half of 54 the population is supplied by karst waters. An international term, »Karst« is derived from the name of Slovenian region Kras, an area n also regarded as the cradle of the scientific discipline of karstology. lizatio Karstology has become a complex multidisciplinary science, cover-na ing a broad range of earth sciences related to the karst. The long gi tradition of excel ent research and unique position in the centre of d mar the karst region have established the Institute as one of the most recognized karstological centres in the world. The karst is the focus of our research. We study its hydrology, geology, morphology, bility, anna ecology, microbiology and speleology as well as the history of our own science. The institute’s researchers come from various back-ustai grounds including geology, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, ent, s and microbiology, thus enabling a multidisciplinary approach. Our pm research includes field studies, laboratory investigations, and nu-evelo merical model ing. We conduct basic and applied studies. l d The institute hosts a karstological library, one of the most com-nao plete of its kind, a laboratory specialized in water chemistry, a ge-regi ological laboratory, and a lecture room with modern presentation equipment. The institute’s researchers are enrol ed as lecturers in the postgraduate study of karstology at the University of Nova Gorica. Association of Slovenian Geographers Zveza geografov Slovenije Address: p.p. 306, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia E-mail: zveza.geografov@gmail.com The Association of Slovenian Geographers is the professional um-brel a institution of Slovene geographers, founded in 1922. Therefore, the association is one of the oldest professional associations in the state. Members of the association are independent geographic and related societies. They organize professional lectures, prepare educational resource materials, excursions in and around Slovenia, and other relevant activities. 55 Initiatives to establish new forms of professional associations and to incorporate them into the association have recently been pre-ission sented. m om The association executes the following tasks: • co-ordinating activities of regional geographic societies, f igu c e o • supporting professional research, encfer • stimulating and directing the modernization of teaching, on • preparing professional conferences, lectures and field work, 2016 c • promoting and developing international professional co-operation, • conducting professional publishing. About the places visited during the conference 57 The location of the 2016 Conference is Slovenia, in its three most important cities, Ljubljana, Maribor, and Koper, which are also the seats of the only three public universities in Slovenia (the fourth is not entirely public). Ljubljana Ljubljana is the national capital, the administrative and business centre of the country. With a quarter of a mil ion inhabitants, it is a relatively small city for a capital; nevertheless, it is becoming in- creasingly attractive for foreign visitors. Ljubljana is the 2016 European Green Capital. The University of Ljubljana was formal y established after the col apse of the Habsburg Empire in 1919; that is also the year the Department of Geography started to educate geographers. In 1922, students of that department established the first geographical association, a predecessor of the current Association of Slovenian Geographers. The first issue of the Geographical Bulletin (Geografski vestnik) was published in 1925. It is, therefore, our scientific, geographical journal with the longest tradition. Apart from the Department of Geography in Ljubljana, there is also the Geographical Institute Anton Melik, where many prominent Slovenian geographers are doing their research work. 58 n lizationagi d mar bility, anna ustai ent, spm evelol dnao regi Rakov Škocjan Rakov Škocjan is a karst val ey and a landscape park in the Municipality of Cerknica. It is situated at the northern base of the Javorniki hil s and was created when the ceiling of a karst cave began sinking and col apsing. The val ey is characterized by the Rak stream, which is fed by underground waters discharging from the Cerknica plain and from beneath the Javorniki hil s. This small river surfaces in the Zelške jame caves in the eastern part of the val ey and disappears in the Tkalca jama cave in the west. The area became protected as a landscape park in 1949 and is known for its two natural bridges (Lit-tle and Big Natural Bridge). 59 issionm om f igu c e o encfer The Škocjan caves on 2016 c The Škocjan caves are located in the Municipality of Divača in south-western Slovenia. The cave system was created by the Reka River. It springs from below the mountainous Snežnik plateau and flows some 55 kilometres on the surface. After reaching the karst, that is the limestone surface, the river not only deepens its riverbed through erosion but also dissolves the limestone by means of cor-rosion. In the first part of its course on the limestone, the Reka stil flows on the surface, along an approximately four-kilometre-long gorge that ends with a magnificent wall below which it disappears underground. The explored length of caves is 6,200 m. The main underground channel is approximately 3.5 km long, 10 to 60 m wide and over 140 m high. At some points, it expands into huge underground chambers. The largest of these is Martel’s Chamber with a volume of 2.2 mil ion m³; it is considered the largest discovered underground chamber in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The Škocjan caves were entered on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites in 1986. 60 n lizationagi Koper d mar Koper (Italian: Capodistria) is a city on the Adriatic coast with a his-bility, an tory dating back to Roman times. The Latin name of the town is na Capris (goat). In 568, Roman citizens of nearby Trieste fled to Ca-ustai pris due to an invasion of the Lombards. Since the 8th century, Koper has the seat of a diocese. It was long under Venetian rule, which ent, spm can be observed in every step you make through old medieval part of the city. When Trieste became a free port in 1719, Koper lost its evelo monopoly on trade, and its importance further diminished. It was l dna assigned to the Habsburg Empire after Napoleon’s defeat, and to o Italy after the First World War. After the Second World War, it regi was a part of Zone B of the Free Territory of Trieste, control ed by Yugoslavia. Most of the Italian inhabitants left the city by 1954, when the Free Territory of Trieste formal y ceased to exist, and Zone B became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. With Slovenian independence in 1991, Koper became the only commer-cial port in Slovenia. Today, the municipality of Koper is home to about 50,000 inhabitants, who mostly work in logistics and trade, as well as in education and research. 61 issionm om f igu c Portorož e o Portorož (Italian: Portorose) is an urban coastal settlement in the encfer Municipality of Piran (Italian: Pirano). Its modern development be-on gan in the late 19th century with the appearance of the first health resorts. In the early 20th century it became one of the most famous 2016 c seaside resorts in Europe, along with Opatija (Croatia) and Grado (Italy). The history of the settlement is directly connected to that of the neighbouring town of Piran. In the second half of the 19th century, the leaders of the Piran municipality and local doctors decid-ed to stimulate tourism in the region by offering health treatment based on salt water and salina mud. The Austrian ministry of interior affairs declared the settlement a health resort in 1897. In 1910 the Hotel Palace was opened, and it was soon cal ed »the most beauti-ful hotel on the Adriatic coast«. The growth of the community was halted by the First World War, in which the area came under Italian rule. In the whole interwar period, the settlement was slow-ly regaining its former glory until the Second World War severely crippled it again. The crisis lasted until 1968 when renovations and new constructions under the new entity of Yugoslavia began to take place along the whole region. In this time, they began to build the settlement’s infrastructure, with the casino representing the bulk of the investments. In the 1970, new hotel complexes were construct- ed on the Bernardin peninsula and a marina was inaugurated. Within Slovenia, Portorož is now a major gambling centre and one of the country’s key tourist destinations, which attracts around 440,000 tourists yearly. 62 n lizationagi d mar bility, anna Trieste ustai ent, s Trieste (Slovenian: Trst) is a city and Adriatic seaport of eastern It-pm aly with over 200,000 inhabitants. Trieste grew into an important evelo port and trade hub in the 18th and 19th centuries after Emperor l d Charles VI declared the city a duty and tax-free port. The con-nao struction of a deeper port made Trieste the only sea port of the regi Austro-Hungarian Empire and led to the influx of entrepreneurs and merchants from all over the Mediterranean. The construction of the first major railway in the Empire, the Vienna-Trieste Austrian Southern Railway, was completed in 1857 and was a valuable asset for trade and the supply of coal. At the beginning of the 20th century, Trieste was a cosmopolitan city frequented by artists such as James Joyce, Italo Svevo, Sigmund Freund, Ivan Cankar, Thomas Mann and Julius Kugy. Viennese architecture and coffee houses stil dominate the streets of Trieste today. The city is still a great centre for shipping, and known worldwide for its port, coffee export, shipbuilding and financial services. The Province of Trieste has al-ways been known as a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural area, as Ital- ians, Slovenes, Germans, Friuli, Croats, Serbs, Jews and other ethnic groups can be found here. 63 issionm om f igu c e o encferon Robidišče 2016 c Robidišče is Slovenia’s westernmost vil age, surrounded by the border with Italy. Due to its marginalized location and difficult conditions (especial y after the Second World War), the majority of the young population emigrated and the vil age emptied. No more than seven people spend the winter here. However, what once represented the main weakness, today became an attractive holiday point for those who seek just for that – isolation from the modern world. Below the vil age runs the Nadiža River, a crystal clear mountain river suitable for fishing and warm enough for swimming. Several other interesting sights of nature and cultural attractions are located in the area. Robidišče is also continuously visited by students of Geography from the University of Primorska, who explore the area during their fieldwork seminar. 64 n lizationagi d mar Bled The town of Bled lies in the north-western Alpine region of Slo-bility, an venia and is renowned for the glacial lake of the same name. It has na been a traditional tourist destination since the middle of the 19th ustai century, when a Swiss hydropath named Arnold Rikli founded the Institute of Natural Healing here. His method of treatment includ-ent, spm ed cold and warm baths, as well as different physical activities. Today, the Municipality of Bled is the third most visited town in Slo-evelo venia, which attracts over 300,000 international tourists per year. l dna The town’s idyl ic location along the 2.12 km long and up to 1.3 km o wide Lake Bled is surrounded by Alpine peaks; however, the most regi recognizable feature of the area is Bled Island with its Church of the Assumption. 65 issionm om f igu c Maribor e o Maribor is the second biggest city in Slovenia with about 100,000 encfer inhabitants. It was the most important industrial centre of Slove-on nia in the time of socialist Yugoslavia. It became a university town in 1975 with the establishment of the second Slovenian university. The 2016 c work of the Department of Geography started before that, in 1961. Maribor is nowadays less an industrial and an increasingly tertiary and quaternary sector oriented administrative and cultural centre of north-eastern Slovenia. In 2012, Maribor was the European Capital of Culture. Document Outline Pelc, Stanko, and Miha Koderman, eds., 2016. Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization. Book of Abstracts and Program (Front Cover) Pelc, Stanko, and Miha Koderman, eds., 2016. Regional development, sustainability, and marginalization. Book of Abstracts and Program (Title Page) Colophone Content Conference details About IGU Commission C12.29 Conference program Abstracts Hosting and partner institutions About the places visited during the conference