Giving meaning to identities. A case-study for the Romanian Banat region

Abstract

This research is focussed on the ethnic identities from Banat maintained till nowadays under different cultural forms. Identity starts from the feeling of ‘social space’, with a specific language for each ethnic group and a specific culture evolving through time. These local ethnic identities have determined the appearance of a regional identity. A questionnaire was launched among over 500 students and many interviews were conducted, reaching the conclusion that the spirit of ‘banaţean’native of Banat) is still alive among young people, albeit with a lower. Politically, local actors participate in projects to maintain regional identity, while at the central government level seem to embrace the Banat cultural identity