(Pre)živjeti unutar dubrovačke stare jezgre – priča o Gradu iz perspektive lokalnog stanovništva

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to explore the symbolic meanings and experience of life within Dubrovnik’s historic core. Dubrovnik’s historic core has a difference in meaning compared to other cities’ parts, and is today recognized as a popular tourist destination. The experience of living within Dubrovnik’s old core was examined on the example of the local community – the study included 9 participants who were born and are still living inside the historic core. As part of this research, only qualitative methodology was used, in two phases. In the first phase of the research, the technique of narrative urbanism was used - collecting data through a conversa-tion and walking around specific localities within the core, through which we were guided by the participants themselves. In the second phase of the study, the technique of semi-structured interview on the same sample of the local community was applied. The main findings suggest that the main attraction of life is the availability of different contents and the ambiental dis-tinctiveness of the historic core. Nevertheless, it appears that the local community is becoming a victim of their own history and culture, through examples of the usurpation of everyday life and the perception of life in disappearance. The specific orientation of this research as well as the statements of the participants can serve as a warning and starting point in identifying the desirable transformational possibilities of Dubrovnik’s historic core with its dual role – as a tourist destination and a desirable place of living. However, a more detailed analysis suggests that the identity of the local community is not static, and that is realized through two comple-mentary categories: the category of local community and host community.