Paper Short Abstract:

Through the development of 'crisolation' analytical concept, this paper explores the consequences of natural disasters in Slovenia and Croatia. Methodology adopts a participatory and action-oriented approach, intending to gain an in-depth understanding of everyday life while assisting communities.

Paper Abstract:

In the last three years, the Banija region in Croatia and the Meža Valley in Slovenia have faced the devastating consequences of natural disasters. In 2020, an earthquake hit Banija, and in 2023, severe floods and landslides, caused by heavy rain and storms, struck the Meža Valley. Both regions witnessed physical and material destruction. The residents claim a sense of extreme insecurity and helplessness that have significantly affected their lives. People in Banija have to face a new tragedy while still coping with the war aftermath of the 1990s. Around 25,000 residents in the Meža Valley experience unexpected isolation and extreme devastation.

Considering comparative ethnographic research, this paper focuses on two concepts: the concept of crisis, defined as a pressing situation often extending beyond individuals and their communities, and isolation, defined as detachment from others, either in space, time, or in any other way. As the paper demonstrates, both phenomena have positive, productive, creative, generative, and desirable meanings and outcomes, as well as destructive, involuntary, and harmful effects for individuals, communities, and societies.

By creating the framework of "crisolation", the paper focuses on the understudied duality of crises and isolation as phenomena that contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by interrelated and permanent crises. It relied on participatory and action-oriented research that aims to develop an “understanding of social and cultural life while helping communities address the challenges they face” (Rubinstein 2018). In this analysis, the terms of loneliness, abandonment, and marginalization resonate with solidarity and humanity.