Croatian National Integration in the City of Dubrovnik

Tema ovog rada je proces hrvatske nacionalne integracije na području Dubrovnika. Pojam nacije se ne može jednoznačno definirati. Najopćenitija definicija kaže da je nacija velika grupa sastavljena od ljudi koji dijele osjećaj zajedničkog identiteta. Za ovaj rad je posebno značajna teorija Miroslava Hrocha, koji razlikuje velike i male nacije. Velike su se oblikovale tamo gdje je vladajuća elita bila etnički istovjetna stanovništvu, a male u onim zemljama koje su bile pod stranom vlašću. Hrvatska nacija oblikovala se kao mala nacija, budući da je proces njezinog oblikovanja započeo u vrijeme habsburške vlasti nad hrvatskim zemljama. Dubrovnik se više od četiri stoljeća nalazio u sastavu Dubrovačke Republike, samostalne države s vlastitom vladajućom klasom. Prema tome, na području Dubrovnika mogla se očekivati pojava zasebne, dubrovačke nacije, ali do nje nije došlo. Jedan razlog je taj što je nacija proizvod modernog društva, koje se u Dubrovniku oblikovalo tek nakon propasti Republike, a drugi je svijest o pripadnosti hrvatskoj etničkoj zajednici kod Dubrovčana. Zbog toga se Dubrovnik uključio u proces oblikovanja hrvatske nacije. Prema Hrochovom modelu, taj proces se odvijao u tri faze. Ipak, kao posljedica višestoljetne samostalnosti, kod Dubrovčana se razvio dubrovački partikularizam, koji je imao velik značaj u procesu nacionalne integracije u Dubrovniku. On je posebno došao do izražaja u ideologiji dubrovačkih Srba katolika, koji su predstavljali najveću konkurenciju hrvatskoj nacionalnoj ideologiji na području Dubrovnika.This paper’s topic is the process of Croatian national integration in the city of Dubrovnik. Nation is a term that does not have only one definition. It can be generally defined as a large group of people who share the feeling of common identity. For this paper, especially relevant is the theory of nation whose author is Miroslav Hroch, who differentiates big and small nations. In order to form a big nation, a country must have its own ruling class, whose members share ethnic identity with people in that country. On the other hand, in countries under foreign rule, small nations are formed. Croatian nation was formed as a small nation, since the process of its formation began when Croatian lands were under Habsburg rule. For over four centuries, Dubrovnik was a part of Republic of Ragusa, independent state with its own ruling class. Thus, one could have expected forming of particular, Dubrovnik nation, but that did not happen. One reason is the fact that nations are a product of modern society, which in Dubrovnik was not formed until the downfall of Republic. The other reason is the Croatian ethnic consciousness among the people of Dubrovnik. Therefore, Dubrovnik became involved in the process of Croatian national integration. According to Hroch’s model, that process can be divided into three phases. Still, centuries of independence helped to create a certain particularism among the people of Dubrovnik, which was relevant in the process of national integration. It was especially visible in the ideology of Serb-Catholic movement, which was the main ideological opponent of Croatian national ideology in Dubrovnik