Map of the research locations

The ethnographic sites in both countries, Slovenia and Croatia, were chosen for their geographic remoteness and historical, demographic, and sociocultural characteristics. Each site is contrasted with a counterpart in the neighbouring country (see five coloured columns in Figure 1). Examples of social isolation include the Ljubljana-Rog Autonomous Factory and the abandoned Zagreb-Gredelj industrial zone. Physical isolation is represented by the village of Drašiči and the island of Žirje. Selected remote areas are Goričko and Gorski Kotar, while Robidišče and Petrinja are two sites struggling with the consequences of an earthquake. An empty, disputed place “connecting” two countries across the border is Gorjanci (in Slovenian) / Žumberak (in Croatian).