Towards Understanding Place Attachment In Minority Communities: Croats In The Bačka Region – ŠOKAC COMMUNITY

Despite an increased number of emigration cases, there is still a certain group of individuals who remain deeply attached to their place of residence, finding comfort in familiar physical, social, and cultural surroundings. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to identify the principal characteristics of place attachment among representatives of the Šokac community of Croats in Bačka, a minority community situated in the northern part of Serbia. Some of the characteristics of this community are related to contemporary demographic problems, such as depopulation, aging, and emigration. In respect to that, it could be said that one of the challenges of this research was to identify the leading characteristics of the place attachment among those members who decided to stay within the researched area. The research was conducted through a survey of 170 members of the Šokac Croatian community living in the Bačka region. The collected data were analyzed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, as well as t-tests and ANOVA. According to the research results, place identity, community, and place dependence, as well as the family and friends bonding, play an important role in strengthening the respondents’ attachment to the place and community and in practical terms of tourism development, depopulation, and cultural heritage.