The Perception and Visibility of the State on the Island of Žirje, Croatia

Žirje is the most remote island in Croatia’s Šibenik archipelago. Due to long-lasting historical isolation for military reasons, the gradual reduction of agriculture and low capacities for tourism, the island is losing its socio-economic vitality. In qualitative research, islanders emphasised their conceptualisation of the state as the central actor when describing economic, demographic and ecological challenges and advocated for strong interventionism in revitalisation and development projects. This analysis is based on three topics that illustrate a layered relationship between the islanders and the state. The first level of analysis is the role of the state towards the development and maintenance of public infrastructure; the second is the relationship of islanders towards the existing legal framework and public law; and the third is the analysis of the active connection of the local population to state public institutions and community on the Žirje. For locals, the state is an emotionally charged presence characterised by disappointment and frustration yet coupled with a persistent hope for benevolent intervention to address their challenges.