IZAZOVI SUVREMENIH DRŽAVA. MIGRACIJE. KONSTRUKCIJA DRUGOGA. NESLOVENCI.
CHALLENGES OF MODERN STATES. MIGRATIONS. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OTHER. NON-SLOVENES.

Summary/Abstract: The paper analyses the attitude of Slovenian society towards migrants from the former Yugoslavia, with a special focus on issues of national identity, migration policies, media discourse and public opinion. The focus of the analysis is on the concept of Non-Slovenes – a term that encompasses immigrants from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, who are often perceived as culturally and socially significantly distinct from ethnic Slovenians. A historical overview of migration flows shows that Slovenia, thanks to its economic development, was a frequent destination for economic migrants from less developed Yugoslav regions. Over time, these migrants became a significant part of the social structure, but their integration remained superficial. The dominant narratives of Slovenian nationalism, especially after independence, defined Slovenian identity in opposition to the ''Balkans'', which are symbolically associated with disorder, chaotic and uncivilized. The paper further analyses media discourse through the portrayal of Non-Slovenes in the media using negative stereotypes: as criminals and disruptors of social order. Public opinion surveys confirm the persistent prejudices and ethnic distance of a part of the Slovenian public, while institutional integration policies are often selective or not implemented in practice. In conclusion, the paper indicates the need to deconstruct national identity based on exclusion, and to promote a more inclusive and pluralistic understanding of Slovenian society.

• Details
• Contents