Subjective Experience of Place and Non-Place on the Research Example of the Bowling Club and McDonald’s in Karlovac

Ovaj rad donosi empirijske uvide o prostornim kategorijama mjesta i nemjesta iz iskustvene perspektive sudionika dviju fokus-grupa provedenih 2020. godine. Istraživanjem se utvrdilo da je Kuglana u Domu HV Zrinski u Karlovcu korespondentna ideji mjesta, dok McDonald’s odražava karakteristike nemjesta sukladno stajalištima autora Relpha i Augéa, koja su predstavljala temeljni konceptualni okvir rada. Sudionici su portretirali Kuglanu kao mjesto od osobnoga i zajedničkoga značenja, s kojim su se emotivno povezali na razini uspomena, aktivnosti i uloga opisujući je kao dom gdje se osjećaju pripadno, sigurno i opušteno, odnosno kao insajderi. McDonald’s je pak opisan kroz odsutnost dubljih značenja i uspomena te minimalne socijalne odnose, potvrđujući nemjesto kao neosobnu kategoriju u kojoj sudionici funkcioniraju kao autsajderi. Kritički iskazi sudionika istraživanja istodobno su nadišli idealtipske konceptualizacije istraživanih primjera (ne)mjesta te su ukazali na trend virtualizacije prostora na primjeru McDonald’sove fleksibilne implementacije novih tehnologija, konkretno internetskih platformi za dostavu hrane za vrijeme pandemije bolesti COVID-19. Sukladno istaknutim nalazima, ovaj je rad aktualizirao slabije istraženu temu u sociologiji i društvenim znanostima ukazavši na potrebu njenih daljnjih istraživačkih produbljivanja s osvrtom na suvremene teorijske pristupe.This paper provides empirical insights about spatial categories of places and non-places from the experiential perspective of participants of two focus groups examined in 2020. Research has shown that the Bowling Club in the HV Zrinski Home in Karlovac corresponds to the idea of place, while McDonald’s reflected the characteristics of non-place in accordance with the views of the authors Relph and Augé, which represented the basic conceptual framework of this paper. Participants portrayed the Bowling Club as a place of personal and communal significance, with which they have emotionally connected at the level of memories, activities and roles, describing it as a home where they feel belonging, safe and relaxed, that is, as insiders. McDonald’s, on the other hand, is addressed through the absence of deeper meanings and memories and minimal social relationships, confirming the non-place of an impersonal category in which participants function as outsiders. At the same time, participants’ critical statements surpassed the ideal-type conceptualizations of researched (non)places and pointed to the trend of virtualization of space due to McDonald’s flexible implementation of new technologies by switching to online food delivery services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with the highlighted findings, this paper has actualized a less researched topic in sociology and social sciences, pointing to the need for its further in-depth exploration with reference to more modern theoretical approaches

From Kumrovec to Kuća cvijeća: a comparison of two lieu de mémoire related to the character and death of Josip Broz Tito

Diplomski rad obuhvaća Kumrovec i Kuću cvijeća, dva mjesta sjećanja vezana uz Josipa Broza Tita, simbolički ga povezujući s njegovim početkom i krajem života. Oba mjesta karakterizira snažan utjecaj poradi spona s Josipom Brozom pri čemu ona nadilaze okvire definicije mjesta kao takvog generirajući se u mjesta sjećanja. Ta mjesta su u vrijeme socijalističke Jugoslavije posebno uređena te institucionalizirana u sklopu muzeja. Rad je analiziran sukladno Norinoj podjeli koja se temelji na simbolička, funkcionalna, monumentalna i topografska mjesta.Master's thesis covers Kumrovec and Kuća cvijeća, two places of memory related to Josip Broz Tito, symbolically connecting him with the beginning and the end of his life. Both places are characterized by a strong influence due to the connection with Josip Broz, whereby they go beyond the definition of a place as such, generating into lieu de mémoire. During the time of socialist Yugoslavia, these places were specially arranged and institutionalized as part of the museum. The work was analyzed according to Nora's division, which is based on symbolic, functional, monumental and topographical places

Phenomenology of place and non-place from the perspective of the individual in contemporary Croatian society

Ovaj rad istražuje kategorije prostora u Hrvatskoj kroz koncepte mjesta i nemjesta u osobnim iskustvima, doživljajima i stavovima pojedinaca. Teorijsku okosnicu rada čine makropristupi o suvremenom prostoru iz rada Augea, Relpha i Ritzera. U empirijskom dijelu je korištena kvalitativna metodologija, preciznije metoda fokus grupe provedena tijekom svibnja 2020. godine u Karlovcu. Dobrovoljni sudionici su izabrani sukladno tehnici snježne grude prema kriteriju dugogodišnjeg kuglačkoga iskustva te su bili pravodobno informirani o svim etičkim standardima istraživanja uz zajamčenu anonimnost. Iskazi sudionika potvrdili su orijentacijsku tezu da kuglana odgovara kategoriji mjesta s karakteristikama socijalne kohezije i osobne povezanosti s prostorom kroz afirmaciju komponenti osobnog značaja kuglane za sudonike, brojnih sjećanja i uspomena te aktivnosti karakterističnih za kuglanu. Također je potvrđeno da sudionicima prostor McDonald'sa odgovara teorijskom konceptu nemjesta s obzirom na pridane atribute bezličnog, generičkog i krajnje funkcionalnoga prostora. Stoga su ovim diplomskim radom empirijski potvrđeni teorijski koncepti (ne)mjesta iz perspektive samih posjetitelja otvorivši prostor za buduća istraživanja, posebno reprezentativnoga tipa. Jedan od potencijalnih smjerova budućih radova je fenomen virtualizacije prostora u kontekstu tekuće COVID-19 pandemije te daljnja razrada kategorija „polumjesta“ kao načina prevladavanja dihotomija mjesto-nemjesto u suvremenom društvu i grani urbane sociologije.This paper explores the categories of space in Croatia through the concepts of place and non-place in the personal experiences and attitudes of individuals. The theoretical framework of the paper consists of macro approaches to contemporary space from the work of Auge, Relph and Ritzer. In the empirical part, a qualitative methodology was used, more precisely a focus group method conducted during May 2020 in Karlovac. Volunteer participants were selected in accordance with the snowball technique according to the criteria of many years of bowling experience and were informed in a timely manner about all ethical standards of research with guaranteed anonymity. Testimonies of participants confirmed the orientation thesis that the bowling alley corresponds to the category of places with characteristics of social cohesion and personal connection with space through the affirmation of components of personal significance of the bowling alley for bowlers, numerous memories and activities characteristic of the bowling alley. It was also confirmed that to the participants McDonald’s space corresponds to the theoretical concept of non-place given the assigned attributes of impersonal, generic and highly functional space. Therefore, this thesis empirically confirms the theoretical concepts of (non) places from the perspective of the visitors themselves, opening space for future research, especially of the representative type. One of the potential directions of future works is the phenomenon of virtualization of space in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic and further elaboration of the category of "semi-place" as a way to overcome place-nonplace dichotomies in modern society and branch of urban sociology. Keywords

From Kumrovec to Kuća cvijeća: a comparison of two lieu de mémoire related to the character and death of Josip Broz Tito

Diplomski rad obuhvaća Kumrovec i Kuću cvijeća, dva mjesta sjećanja vezana uz Josipa Broza Tita, simbolički ga povezujući s njegovim početkom i krajem života. Oba mjesta karakterizira snažan utjecaj poradi spona s Josipom Brozom pri čemu ona nadilaze okvire definicije mjesta kao takvog generirajući se u mjesta sjećanja. Ta mjesta su u vrijeme socijalističke Jugoslavije posebno uređena te institucionalizirana u sklopu muzeja. Rad je analiziran sukladno Norinoj podjeli koja se temelji na simbolička, funkcionalna, monumentalna i topografska mjesta.Master's thesis covers Kumrovec and Kuća cvijeća, two places of memory related to Josip Broz Tito, symbolically connecting him with the beginning and the end of his life. Both places are characterized by a strong influence due to the connection with Josip Broz, whereby they go beyond the definition of a place as such, generating into lieu de mémoire. During the time of socialist Yugoslavia, these places were specially arranged and institutionalized as part of the museum. The work was analyzed according to Nora's division, which is based on symbolic, functional, monumental and topographical places

Phenomenology of place and non-place from the perspective of the individual in contemporary Croatian society

Ovaj rad istražuje kategorije prostora u Hrvatskoj kroz koncepte mjesta i nemjesta u osobnim iskustvima, doživljajima i stavovima pojedinaca. Teorijsku okosnicu rada čine makropristupi o suvremenom prostoru iz rada Augea, Relpha i Ritzera. U empirijskom dijelu je korištena kvalitativna metodologija, preciznije metoda fokus grupe provedena tijekom svibnja 2020. godine u Karlovcu. Dobrovoljni sudionici su izabrani sukladno tehnici snježne grude prema kriteriju dugogodišnjeg kuglačkoga iskustva te su bili pravodobno informirani o svim etičkim standardima istraživanja uz zajamčenu anonimnost. Iskazi sudionika potvrdili su orijentacijsku tezu da kuglana odgovara kategoriji mjesta s karakteristikama socijalne kohezije i osobne povezanosti s prostorom kroz afirmaciju komponenti osobnog značaja kuglane za sudonike, brojnih sjećanja i uspomena te aktivnosti karakterističnih za kuglanu. Također je potvrđeno da sudionicima prostor McDonald'sa odgovara teorijskom konceptu nemjesta s obzirom na pridane atribute bezličnog, generičkog i krajnje funkcionalnoga prostora. Stoga su ovim diplomskim radom empirijski potvrđeni teorijski koncepti (ne)mjesta iz perspektive samih posjetitelja otvorivši prostor za buduća istraživanja, posebno reprezentativnoga tipa. Jedan od potencijalnih smjerova budućih radova je fenomen virtualizacije prostora u kontekstu tekuće COVID-19 pandemije te daljnja razrada kategorija „polumjesta“ kao načina prevladavanja dihotomija mjesto-nemjesto u suvremenom društvu i grani urbane sociologije.This paper explores the categories of space in Croatia through the concepts of place and non-place in the personal experiences and attitudes of individuals. The theoretical framework of the paper consists of macro approaches to contemporary space from the work of Auge, Relph and Ritzer. In the empirical part, a qualitative methodology was used, more precisely a focus group method conducted during May 2020 in Karlovac. Volunteer participants were selected in accordance with the snowball technique according to the criteria of many years of bowling experience and were informed in a timely manner about all ethical standards of research with guaranteed anonymity. Testimonies of participants confirmed the orientation thesis that the bowling alley corresponds to the category of places with characteristics of social cohesion and personal connection with space through the affirmation of components of personal significance of the bowling alley for bowlers, numerous memories and activities characteristic of the bowling alley. It was also confirmed that to the participants McDonald’s space corresponds to the theoretical concept of non-place given the assigned attributes of impersonal, generic and highly functional space. Therefore, this thesis empirically confirms the theoretical concepts of (non) places from the perspective of the visitors themselves, opening space for future research, especially of the representative type. One of the potential directions of future works is the phenomenon of virtualization of space in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic and further elaboration of the category of "semi-place" as a way to overcome place-nonplace dichotomies in modern society and branch of urban sociology. Keywords