VOJVODINA AS A REALM OF REGIONAL TENDENCIES
VOJVODINA AS A REALM OF REGIONAL TENDENCIES

Author(s): Alpar Lošonc
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, Governance, Government/Political systems, Geopolitics
Published by: CEDET Centar za demokratsku tranziciju
Keywords: Collective identity; regionalism; multiculturalism; regional planning and management; deconcentration of power; Vojvodina
Summary/Abstract: The inception of Vojvodina as a separate entity reaches into the historic dynamics of the Habsburg Monarchy. Naturally, its history includes earlier periods as well, but the chosen period seems to suffice for reflection on its regional dimensions. Therefore, it would be appropriate to determine the facts relevant for its creation and development within the Habsburg Monarchy. Throughout the centuries, Turkish invaders swarmed over the territory of pre­sent-day Vojvodina and its early prosperity was frequently exposed to danger. By the mid 16th Century it was clear that the Ottoman Empire was losing force and this period denotes the beginning of a gradual shifting of borders in the Balkans and the Carpathian Basin. In fact, the history of Vojvodina bears the hallmark of the political, demographic and cultural dynamics of the victorious Habsburg Monarchy, which incorporated “historic Hungary”, as well. After the demise of the Turkish Empire, the Habsburgs upheld moves for a vast popula­ting of the territories. Although the processes of populating were sometimes officially arranged and, at other times, had an air of spontaneity, the Habsburg’s political goal to encourage ethnic diversity was obvious. It is also noteworthy that this brought about certain shifts in the religious composition of the territo­ries. The Habsburgs endorsed anti-Reformation and thus a fairly large number of people were drawn to Catholicism. The previous acceptance of the Reforma­tion had been carried out collectively within the national-language groups, thus creating religious confessions rooted inside particular national boundaries. Si­milarly, the shift towards Catholicism was also connected with ethnic and regional groups. It appears that the religious dynamics contributed significantly to the miscellany of Vojvodina.

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