Viability of Small Island Communities: The Role of Rural Policy

Bojan Fürst, MA Candidate

Viability of Small Island Communities: The Role of Rural Policy
A Comparative Study between Notre Dame Bay Islands in Newfoundland and Zadar Archipelago Islands in Croatia

My research is focused on exploring the connection between viability of small island communities and government policy through a comparative study between Croatian islands in Zadar archipelago and the islands of Notre Dame Bay in Newfoundland.

I am particularly interested in the contrast between the levels of policy support provided to the two island groups as well as the attitudes of government officials in urban power centres towards the island communities situated on the periphery and the attitudes of islanders towards policies that affect the future development of their communities.

Despite their geographic differences, Zadar islands and the islands in the Notre Dame Bay have remarkable demographic, economic and historic similarities which could provide an important insight into how policies crafted outside island environments impact viability of small island communities.

Thesis

Islands of Sun and Ice: Perceptions and Policies in Small Island Settings of Change Islands and Fogo Island off the Coast of Newfoundland and Vis and Biševo islands in Croatian Adriatic