Three types of underdeveloped communities in Croatia: Latent, collapsed, and disorganized communities. Issue 5 (19th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Opačić, Ana
• Is Part Of: Community development. Volume 51:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 575
• Page End: 592
• Publication Date: 2020-10-19
• Subjects: Community development -- postwar community -- regional disparities -- social change -- underdeveloped community; Community development -- Periodicals; 307.1405
• DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2020.1807580
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1557-5330

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Article proposes a typology of underdeveloped communities in Croatia based on types ofsocial change and dimensions of the community. The research isdesigned as a cross-case analysis with seven municipalities 10 represented by 29 experts in total. Three types of underdeveloped communities are recognized: latent communities have solid social fabric but do not have mobilized formal structures and are facing inertia as a type of social change; collapsed communities that have low capacity to handle incremental social changes or transitions; and disorganized communities that have faced dramatic social change and certain catastrophic events, have their structurere shaped, and struggle to organize a new community on the grounds of previous one. A common pattern that emerged between the cases is a lack of adequate community response to specific social change. All of these communities had difficulties in managinge conomic transition in early 90's and significant demographic changes reshaped existing lifestyles.