Croatian Society Research Articles

Informed Consent for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A View of Endoscopists in Croatia

Background/Aim: There are many differences and deficiencies in the process of informed consent. The aim of this study was to get the view of gastrointestinal endoscopists in Croatia on obtaining patients’ consent before endoscopic procedures. Methods: During the 2004 annual meeting of the Croatian Society of Gastroenterology, endoscopists were asked to answer a questionnaire according to common clinical practice in affiliated institutions. It included questions on endoscopists’ experience and education in medical ethics, as well as on the nature and quality of information given to patients and their opinion on proposed measures for improvement of the informed consent process. Results: The questionnaire was distributed to 96 endoscopists attending the meeting and the response rate was 54% (52/96). In only 50% of institutions was the obtained consent written and potential complications of endoscopic procedures are occasionally given to the patient. In the minority of cases the patient is provided with information about alternative diagnostic tests and/or treatment options, and the information about mortality rate was almost never discussed. Conclusions: In Croatia, the process of informed consent for endoscopy needs improvement and should be regarded against the background of education in medical ethics, regional burden in endoscopic practice and appropriateness of by-laws and local guidelines.

NGO Development in Croatia

SUMMARY This paper reports on the phenomenon of de facto interdisciplinary community practice to promote the growth and development of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in Croatia. While there has been dramatic expansion in the role of NGOs in Croatian society, no academic discipline has taken the initiative to provide systematic professional training in community practice theory, methods, and techniques. This study examines the role of intermediate NGO support centers, which partially meet this need by offering consultation, training, technical assistance, mentoring, and coaching. One support center, the Center for Civil Initiatives (CCI), is examined in detail, while additional data is drawn from three similar organizations. Professional staff, outside consultants, and volunteers from these centers usually have expertise in a wide variety of practice areas and academic disciplines. However, they do not operate from an interdisciplinary paradigm or practice model. Core knowledge theories and principles embracing an interdisciplinary approach for work with NGOs should be developed within the Croatian system of higher education. Social work has strong potential to develop the theoretical and methodological knowledge necessary to establish an interdisciplinary practice model for NGO development in Croatia.

Vladko Maček, the Croatian Peasant Party and the Spanish Civil War

AbstractIn summer 1936 Vladko Maček's priorities lay with rebuilding the Croatian Peasant Party after its six years of illegality under King Aleksandar's dictatorship in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Yet the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) was to have a polarising and radicalising effect on Croatian society. Both communists and supporters of the fascist Ustaša movement looked to Spain as a model for resolving the ‘Croat question’ at a time when Croats were becoming increasingly frustrated with Maček's passivity. As a propaganda war raged in the press of the radical left and right, the Croatian Peasant Party tried to ignore the conflict. Maček's failure to realise the impact of the war in Spain on the political situation in Croatia is indicative of some of his weaknesses as a leader in difficult times. The Croatian Peasant Party missed the opportunity to take a strong moral stance against fascism during the Spanish conflict, and Maček's fence-sitting from the 1930s onwards permitted the more extreme ideological movements in Croatia to take advantage of the rapidly changing conditions of a Europe engulfed in war.

The Formation of Croation National Identity: A Centuries-Old Dream? by Alex J. s> Bellamy (review)

REVIEWS 557 differences between the two nationalist regimes are also left unexplored. Arguably, despite its terrible record of ethnic cleansing, Milo'sevic'sregime was less ideologically ethnocentric than its Croatian counterpart, both on account of its orthodox Communist prejudices and its appeals to the latent pro-Yugoslav(not only Serbian) sentiments of key constituencies (e.g. army officers).The differencein the fates of the respective rulingparties is telling: while Milosevic's Socialists are on the margins of Serbian political life, Tudjman's HDZ is in power (although in a very different edition). Finally, relating the changes in ideological appeals to the developmental phases of regime development (along the lines suggested by Ken Jowitt) would have added much to the book. Despite these weaknesses,Malesevic has written a readableand good bookwhich offersa good startingpoint forthe comparative and empiricalstudyof ideologies. Department ofSociology V. VUJACIC Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH Bellamy,AlexJ. 7heFormation ofCroatian National Identity: A Centuries-Old Dream? Europe in Change. Manchester University Press,Manchester and New York,2003. X+ 2 I I pp. Notes. Bibliography.Index. C45.??. ALEX BELLAMY has followed his importantbook on the internationalaspects of the I999 Kosovo events with this strong contribution on nationalism in Croatia. Developed from his PhD work, the book combines theoretical treatmentof nationalismwith empiricalinvestigationof the Croatiancase. As such, the new volume makes a contribution in both areas. The work on nationalism identifies what Bellamy continually refers to as a 'great divide', although the division identifiedbetween the workof Gellner and Smith is far less sharp than that of Gellner and Kedourie. In this sense and the additionalsense of perhapsnot addressingthe literatureon nationalismmore comprehensively- the book does not make a majorcontributionto the study of national identity and ethnicity. Indeed, no mention of George Schopflinin the context is quite peculiar on my reading, given that his treatment of the triangulationof ethnicity, civic society and the statewould have added much to this analysis. So too would a stronger appreciation of the work of John Breuilly which, although cited, does not seem fully to be engaged. This is because the strong empirical examination of Croatian nationalism in the I990S would have made more sense if the perspectives of those authors had been introducedmore clearlyinto the equation. On the one hand, Schopflin's interactivemodel is confirmedby Bellamy'swork. On the other, referenceto Breuilly would have foreshadowed the conclusion that Bellamy draws regarding the Croatian nationalist project under FranjoTudjman this is that, according to Breuilly, nationalism is a political force related to the mobilization of political supportwith reference to some aspect of statehood. Once the goals identified in the mobilization are achieved or cease to be significant, the nationalist movement will lose force and dissipate. This, as Bellamynotes, iswhat happened in Croatia.He correctlyidentifiesthegreater complexity in social and political life that existsnot only in the Croatiancase, 558 SEER, 83, 3, 2005 but in all cases where nationalism arises. He argues that the Croatian nationalism of the I990S- what he calls 'Franjoism'- was a mobilization force that brought together differentparts of Croatian society in support of Croatia's independence and, later, territorialintegrity.However, once those goals were largely achieved, the aggregatingeffectof 'Franjoism'gave way to growing differences. These different elements were always present, as the author points out. By focusing on five differentareasof social practice in the empirical heartland of the book chapters five and six Bellamy shows how initial, or apparent, homogeneity disguised 'disputesabout the meaning of Croatian national identity' (p. 104). The six areas he selects are the economy, football, the region of Istria,language, education and the Roman Catholic Church. These cases are the third level of analytical abstractionin his study, building on discussion of frames and competing conceptions of national identity. The six areas representsocial practice, where discourseon national identity blends with other concerns, such as the transnational characterof the Roman Catholic Church(althoughBellamywronglycallsthis 'multinational'), or the traditional identity of football clubs, to create a political environmentthat can both bolsternationalism,or serveto challenge and undermineit. In the end, the realbenefitof Bellamy'sbook is thatit shows throughclose examination how thiswas the case in Croatia. King'sCollege London JAMES Gow Plokhy, Serhii and Sysyn, Frank E. ReligionandNation in ModernUkraine. Canadian Instituteof Ukrainian Studies Press,Edmonton and Toronto, 2003. XVi+ 2I6...

Religion and Nation in Modern Ukraine by Serhii s> Plokhy Frank E. Sysyn (review)

558 SEER, 83, 3, 2005 but in all cases where nationalism arises. He argues that the Croatian nationalism of the I990S- what he calls 'Franjoism'- was a mobilization force that brought together differentparts of Croatian society in support of Croatia's independence and, later, territorialintegrity.However, once those goals were largely achieved, the aggregatingeffectof 'Franjoism'gave way to growing differences. These different elements were always present, as the author points out. By focusing on five differentareasof social practice in the empirical heartland of the book chapters five and six Bellamy shows how initial, or apparent, homogeneity disguised 'disputesabout the meaning of Croatian national identity' (p. 104). The six areas he selects are the economy, football, the region of Istria,language, education and the Roman Catholic Church. These cases are the third level of analytical abstractionin his study, building on discussion of frames and competing conceptions of national identity. The six areas representsocial practice, where discourseon national identity blends with other concerns, such as the transnational characterof the Roman Catholic Church(althoughBellamywronglycallsthis 'multinational'), or the traditional identity of football clubs, to create a political environmentthat can both bolsternationalism,or serveto challenge and undermineit. In the end, the realbenefitof Bellamy'sbook is thatit shows throughclose examination how thiswas the case in Croatia. King'sCollege London JAMES Gow Plokhy, Serhii and Sysyn, Frank E. ReligionandNation in ModernUkraine. Canadian Instituteof Ukrainian Studies Press,Edmonton and Toronto, 2003. XVi+ 2I6 pp. Notes. Index. $27.95 (paperback). THIScollection of eleven essays ten of thempreviouslypublished is proof that the authors'scholarshiphas stood the test of time well. Serhy Plokhyand Frank E. Sysyn, both of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies in Edmonton, are known as North America's leading experts on Ukraine's religious history, and the breadth of their erudition displayed in this volume fullysupportstheirreputation.The ten previouslypublishedpapersoriginally appeared in print between I983 and I999, but all have been thoroughly updated, and thus provide the readerwith an up-to-date guide to the history of EasternChristianityin the Ukrainianlands. A helpful new Introduction is followed by Sysyn's two chapters on the formation of modern Ukrainian religious tradition during the early modern period. Focusing on the Orthodox religion, he argues that, in addition to seeing the church as a national institution, the Ukrainian tradition as it developed during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries included active participation by the laity and the election of church officials by councils. Attempts during the twentieth century to establish a Ukrainian church separate from the dominant Russian Orthodox Church inevitably were framed as a returnto the spiritof UkrainianOrthodoxy. Plokhypicksup this story in his chapter on the establishmentof the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada in I9I8-I9, for this was another attempt to create a national church institution for Ukrainians. The two chapters that follow REVIEWS 559 examine church life in Soviet Ukraine. Plokhy writes about the I946 dissolutionof the UkrainianGreekCatholic (Uniate)Church (UGCC) as seen in the context of Soviet-Vaticanrelations,while Sysynprovidesa comprehensive overview of the 'UkrainianOrthodox question' in the USSR in the early I980s, in the absence of an independent UkrainianOrthodox church. The next cluster of chapters analyses the revival of church life in Ukraine duringthe late i980s and early i 990s. There is some repetitionof materialin chapterssix to ten, but this only helps the readerto understandthe confusing religious strugglesin post-Soviet Ukraine. In I989 some Ukrainian parishes began abandoning the Russian Orthodox Church for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), which had existed in Ukraine in the 1920S and under the German occupation during World War Two, and had survivedamong Ukrainiansabroad.The Moscow Patriarchatethen renamed its Ukrainianbranch the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and grantedit autonomy, thus trying to create for it the image of a 'national church'. This was not good enough for the administration of Ukraine's first post-Soviet president,LeonidKravchuk(I991-94), which soughtto establisha fully separate, national Orthodox church. In I99 I the Ukrainian authorities persuaded the long-serving head of the UOC, Metropolitan Filaret, to push forseparationfromMoscow, resultingin hisexcommunicationby theMoscow Patriarchateand move to the UAOC thevery churchhe had persecutedin the past. The government-supportedmerger in 1992 between the UOC and UAOC produced a new church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate(UOC-KP...

Flexibilisation of the work process?

Survey data referring to characteristics of work that is going through flexibilisation process are analyzed in the paper. These are part-time jobs temporary and occasional jobs. Polarization of labor force as a consequence of education ("self-programming" and "generic" labor force), negotiation power of labor unions, and capacities of labor force in an informatics society are also researched. All these characteristics are not present in Croatian society at the same level, they do not equally affect employed and unemployed population (taking in consideration that borders between employed and unemployed are not clear), and are not present by the same degree in different types of settlements (there is a difference between cities and villages, and also between Zagreb and all other settlements). Negotiation power of labor unions is very much brought into question.

Book Publishing In Croatia Today

The author argues for the need to introduce data collecting and research methods as basic means by which to plan the development of a book industry in Croatia. The article starts by describing the wider social context in contemporary Croatia and identifying the main characteristics and trends in the post-war country, with emphasis on the dominant values of Croatian society and its book market. Recent and actual book market characteristics are described based on publisher activities, state support for book publishing, and legal activities in regard to copyright and education. Attention is given to the media presentation of book production.

Croatia: between Europe and the Balkans

Chronology List of abbreviations Map of Croatia Preface Introduction 1. History 2. Transition to Democracy 3. International Relations 4. Economic Policies 5. Social Welfare Conclusion: Croatian Society in the Twenty-first century Bibliography Index

I. Lesbians in Croatia

The article gives an overview of the past and present situation on the Croatian lesbian scene – from the period prior to the war in Croatia (up to 1991), after the war (mid-1990s), right up to the present situation. The ‘coming out’ process of Croatian lesbians during the 1980s and 1990s has been determined by social and cultural homophobic indoctrination, which sends out clear messages about how deviant and unacceptable homosexuality is. Heterosexuality has traditionally been the imperative of social normality within Croatian society. Not being compatible with the social norm, lesbians are condemned by society to failure and isolation. Nevertheless, after the 10-year rule of a strongly nationalistic, rightist and patriarchal regime, recent political changes have brought Croatia to the threshold of a new transitional period. Even though the new Social Democratic and Liberal coalition government is sending mixed signals on many issues to do with gender equality, the homosexual population of Croatia can finally hope for better times to come.

Adjustment of adolescent refugees in Croatia

The cultural similarity of Bosnian refugees in Croatian Society and their fluency in the Croatian language make it difficult to grasp the reality of complex social relations integral to the community of Bosnians in Croatia. The study focuses on adolescent refugees, a particularly vulnerable population, who face a double challenge in integrating past traumas and defining a new identity within and between the two cultures. School as an educational institution stimulates and directs socialization, while all the processes present in a wider sociocultural context, including the problems of immigrants and the host society, affect in a special way the school life. The analysis attempts to define the nature of relational outcomes resulting from the interaction of refugee and host acculturation orientations in terms of intercultural communication and/or intergroup discrimination, and social distance among pupils attending elementary and secondary schools (aged 12–18). Evaluation of the quality of existing contacts and communication between refugee children and their host peers will be discussed in relation to potential acculturative stress and its consequences on psychological well being.

The state of bird and nature protection in Croatia

Croatia, as a Mediterranean country in the south-eastern part of Europe, is an area with a characteristic flora and fauna. The ornithofauna of Croatia reflects that it is a breeding area for some of the globally endangered bird species, as well as a site for the spring/autumn passage and the wintering of European migratory birds. Many ornithologically significant localities are designated and there are 20 ornithological reserves and four wetland sites that are on the list of the Ramsar Convention. In Croatia, there are four governmental organizations dealing with scientific research on birds of which the Institute for Ornithology of the Croatian Academy, of Sciences and Arts is that with the longest tradition. There are also many non-governmental organizations dedicated to the protection of environment, but only the Croatian Society for Bird and Nature Protection is dedicated mostly to bird protection. There are not many sources of funding for research and the protection of birds; the chief source being the Ministry of Sciences and Technology of the Republic of Croatia. Croatia has to establish new legislation according to European criteria and The Hunting Law, The Nature Protection Law and The Environment Protection Law have been recently accepted in Parliament. International Conventions, such as Bern, Bonn and Washington, have yet to be adopted. Foreign, hunting tourism, especially organized by fishpond authorities, is believed to be killing large numbers of protected water birds. A red data book exists only for plants and mammals and this makes biological assessments difficult. With the end of military operations and the reintegration of the occupied areas of Croatia, an assessment of the damage to the national parks and nature reserves, and to nature in general, will be necessary. Bird and nature conservation in Croatia remains promising, provided the legal control of the Croatian government over the occupied parts of the country is restored soon and international organizations give assistance.