engleski

Youth, Croatia and Europe: an Introduction to the Research

The beginning of the 21st century in Croatia has been marked by significant changes, as well as the continuing of social trends formed in the first decade of the transition period. This is also a time when Croatian efforts to join the European Union are becoming more intense. The process of European integration and the European Union as an institutional expression of a united Europe have become the most important topics to the political and wider public. Citizens, who are burdened with a number of problems, especially those of the socio-economic character, are for the most part only passive observers of political moves undertaken by those in power, but that is sufficient for their attitudes to form towards European integration and Croatia’ s place in the united Europe. Specific issues are touched upon, including the questions about the readiness of Croatia and its citizens to join the EU, as well as the potential advantages and disadvantages, that is, winners and losers in the process of accession to the European Union. In this context, the young appear as the one segment of the population that is relevant in many ways as a research subject. To be more specific, an insight into the readiness and the relationship of citizens toward the inclusion of Croatia into the European integration process, requires that special attention be given to the young, for they should be the ones who will spend most of their lives in a new and different social and political surrounding. Thus, their attitudes to the European integration of Croatia and their readiness for adequate participation in that process become, if not decisive, then certainly important for the success of that process, both from the viewpoint of Croatia and its citizens and from the viewpoint of the EU. Besides, the young are that portion of the population which is most sensitive to different influences, which is why changes taking place in the modern society may be detected in them first. In this introduction, we will specify the conceptual framework and the social context within which the social attributes of youth are being subjected to empirical research, as an indicator of their readiness for integration into a European environment, as well as their relationship toward European integration and Croatia’ s inclusion in the EU. We will also extend an explanation of the methodology used and the structure of the sample, while theoretical approaches to the chosen research problems will be elaborated specifically in each portion of the research.

Croatia, youth, european integration, risk society, methodology

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