22 / 2005

Saška Štumberger

SLOVENIAN MIGRATION STREAMS TO GERMANY AND THE CHANGING OF ROLE OF SLOVENIAN LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT
In view of time, duration and grounds for migrations, Slovenians in Germany were referred to as emigrant, migrant worker, diaspora, Gastarbeiter. For Slovenians coming to Germany after 1962 temporarily for economic reasons, the term migrant worker was used. Despite initially different plans, the emigrants were not returning home for permanent; in recent reports, we frequently read about emigrants in Germany. Although the term migrant worker meant in the past “workers on temporary work abroad”, its use is righteous today as well. In the media, the expression denotes those Slovenians abroad that visit Slovenia on occasions of holidays and feasts by which they differ from “proper” emigrants.

The position and role of Slovenian language is due to permanently changing political and economic circumstances difficult to describe. An outline of the after- war migrations and life in Germany and in Yugoslavia indicates we must consider the present language knowledge and patterns of speech behaviour a non-concluded process marked in the past by political changes, economic crises, negative attitude towards bilingualism, fear of coercive departing Germany, integration into German society, and the attainment of independence of Slovenia. In the future, it will be designated by Slovenian membership in the European Union, by economic situation in the both states, and by abilities of taking advantage of the new circumstances.

22 / 2005

Saška Štumberger

SLOVENIAN MIGRATION STREAMS TO GERMANY AND THE CHANGING OF ROLE OF SLOVENIAN LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT
In view of time, duration and grounds for migrations, Slovenians in Germany were referred to as emigrant, migrant worker, diaspora, Gastarbeiter. For Slovenians coming to Germany after 1962 temporarily for economic reasons, the term migrant worker was used. Despite initially different plans, the emigrants were not returning home for permanent; in recent reports, we frequently read about emigrants in Germany. Although the term migrant worker meant in the past “workers on temporary work abroad”, its use is righteous today as well. In the media, the expression denotes those Slovenians abroad that visit Slovenia on occasions of holidays and feasts by which they differ from “proper” emigrants.

The position and role of Slovenian language is due to permanently changing political and economic circumstances difficult to describe. An outline of the after- war migrations and life in Germany and in Yugoslavia indicates we must consider the present language knowledge and patterns of speech behaviour a non-concluded process marked in the past by political changes, economic crises, negative attitude towards bilingualism, fear of coercive departing Germany, integration into German society, and the attainment of independence of Slovenia. In the future, it will be designated by Slovenian membership in the European Union, by economic situation in the both states, and by abilities of taking advantage of the new circumstances.

22 / 2005

Maruša Mugerli

SLOVENIAN TRANSLATIONS OF LIITERARY WORKS BY IMMIGRANT AUTHORS AFTER THE YEAR 1990

ABSTRACT
The counts of the population after the Second World War prove that in Slovenia we can talk about ethnic plurality. The most immigrants came to Slovenia from other republics of former Yugoslavia. According to the 2002 Slovenian census the share of the persons who did not state Slovenian ethnicity was 17 %. The largest groups of immigrants living in Slovenia represent the Serbs, the Croats, the Boshniaks, the Muslims and the Bosnians. All other ethnicities together constitute less than 1 % of the population in Slovenia. Among immigrants living in Slovenia there are several ‘foreign’ writers (and other artists). The literary work by immigrant writers in Slovenia has not been often discussed, has not been object of scientific and critical debating and has not been treated as a (special) part of literary system. This is also connected with the question of the volume and the limits of national literature. Literary work by immigrant writers is part of two cultures – the source culture and the ‘new’ culture – irrespective of which language (Slovenian or ‘foreign’) it is written in. Immigrants of the first generation are mostly not bilingual and they create in their mother tongue(s). The integration of foreign language literature of the immigrant minorities – by translation and evaluation – has an important role in the process of establishing a complex joint culture in a modern multi-ethnic state. Literary work by immigrant writers on one hand indeed is part of two cultures, but on the other it often finds itself ‘somewhere in-between’, between two cultures and does not belong to any of them. One of the reasons for this position is undoubtedly the problem of non-translating. Literary translation is very often stated as the most important factor of interacting between national literatures and is also very important for the formation of cultural identity. Also it is no longer understood simply as a transfer between two languages, but wider as a transfer between two cultures. Literary work by immigrant writers as part of two cultures puts us in a paradoxical situation – by representing source and target culture in which it is actually translated. It is seen that literature by immigrant writers fulfils three roles – it represents ‘foreign’/other culture, home/autochthon culture and it represents itself as the third type of literature or culture.

The most immigrant authors living and writing in Slovenia come from other republics of former Yugoslavia. In my research I have found seventeen authors who wrote their literary works in their mother tongue and whose works were translated into Slovenian and published in Slovenia after the year 1990. The authors are Josip Osti, Sara Memić, Rade Vučkovac, Senada Smajić, Ismet Bekrić, Petra P. Aleksić, Jure Drljepan, Jordan Stavrov, Nebojša Ignjatović, Ana Ristovič, Jadranka Matić Zupančič, Vladimir Vekić, Ljuben Dimkaroski, Lidija Dimkovska, Metoda Postolski Košir and two women-writers who are not from former Yugoslavia – from USA Erica Johnson Debeljak and from Slovakia Stanislava Chrobáková Repar.

22 / 2005

Maruša Mugerli

SLOVENIAN TRANSLATIONS OF LIITERARY WORKS BY IMMIGRANT AUTHORS AFTER THE YEAR 1990

ABSTRACT
The counts of the population after the Second World War prove that in Slovenia we can talk about ethnic plurality. The most immigrants came to Slovenia from other republics of former Yugoslavia. According to the 2002 Slovenian census the share of the persons who did not state Slovenian ethnicity was 17 %. The largest groups of immigrants living in Slovenia represent the Serbs, the Croats, the Boshniaks, the Muslims and the Bosnians. All other ethnicities together constitute less than 1 % of the population in Slovenia. Among immigrants living in Slovenia there are several ‘foreign’ writers (and other artists). The literary work by immigrant writers in Slovenia has not been often discussed, has not been object of scientific and critical debating and has not been treated as a (special) part of literary system. This is also connected with the question of the volume and the limits of national literature. Literary work by immigrant writers is part of two cultures – the source culture and the ‘new’ culture – irrespective of which language (Slovenian or ‘foreign’) it is written in. Immigrants of the first generation are mostly not bilingual and they create in their mother tongue(s). The integration of foreign language literature of the immigrant minorities – by translation and evaluation – has an important role in the process of establishing a complex joint culture in a modern multi-ethnic state. Literary work by immigrant writers on one hand indeed is part of two cultures, but on the other it often finds itself ‘somewhere in-between’, between two cultures and does not belong to any of them. One of the reasons for this position is undoubtedly the problem of non-translating. Literary translation is very often stated as the most important factor of interacting between national literatures and is also very important for the formation of cultural identity. Also it is no longer understood simply as a transfer between two languages, but wider as a transfer between two cultures. Literary work by immigrant writers as part of two cultures puts us in a paradoxical situation – by representing source and target culture in which it is actually translated. It is seen that literature by immigrant writers fulfils three roles – it represents ‘foreign’/other culture, home/autochthon culture and it represents itself as the third type of literature or culture.

The most immigrant authors living and writing in Slovenia come from other republics of former Yugoslavia. In my research I have found seventeen authors who wrote their literary works in their mother tongue and whose works were translated into Slovenian and published in Slovenia after the year 1990. The authors are Josip Osti, Sara Memić, Rade Vučkovac, Senada Smajić, Ismet Bekrić, Petra P. Aleksić, Jure Drljepan, Jordan Stavrov, Nebojša Ignjatović, Ana Ristovič, Jadranka Matić Zupančič, Vladimir Vekić, Ljuben Dimkaroski, Lidija Dimkovska, Metoda Postolski Košir and two women-writers who are not from former Yugoslavia – from USA Erica Johnson Debeljak and from Slovakia Stanislava Chrobáková Repar.

22 / 2005

Lidija Dimkovska

THE LITERATURE OF THE IMMIGRANTS IN SLOVENIA – ITS CHARACTERISTICS AND ITS POSITION IN SLOVENIAN CULTURE

ABSTRACT
Only a small percentage of 120 immigrant authors living in Slovenia have won recognition in contemporary Slovenian culture, which is to say that their work has been published by major Slovenian literary magazines and publishing houses, they have participated in central literary events and have been active in key Slovenian literary movements. The article offers analysis of thematic and literary-aesthetic characteristics of the literary work written by the so-called elite (Josip Osti, Erica Johnson Debeljak, Ismet Bekrić, Ana Ristović, Jordan Stavrov, Ana Lasić, Stanislava Chrobáková Repar) and less recognised immigrant authors (Rade Vučkovac, Nebojša Ignjatovič, Vladimir Vekić, Ljuben Dimkaroski). The typical feature of their poetry, prose, drama and essays is the question of identity and its structure, which is tackled in their work directly or through literary characters. All of the authors seem to ask themselves questions about being foreign, different, about their intercultural status. Each author meets literary-aesthetic expectations of Slovenian readership to a different degree, and more or less fits in the literary socialisation of Slovenian readers, least of all those who write predominantly patriotic literature. Josip Osti writes in Slovenian language and is consequently the only one among the analysed authors who has been recognised as the Slovenian author. All of the others – be it recognised or less so – are still faced with the language as the major Slovenian ideological border and constant which determines whether an individual is a Slovenian author or a foreign one. This, however, is what practical and theoretical benefits of the authors and their literary integration are dependant on.

Even though the purpose of the Paralele magazine and the Sosed tvojega brega festival is to promote interculturality, Slovenians have accepted them with nothing but tolerance, showing no intercultural consciousness which is essential if we want to prevent such activities from falling into paracultural and from merely representing the tolerance threshold of a culture. Therefore those immigrant authors who publish their work only in Paralele and attend no other festival than Sosed tvojega brega remain outside key literary events in majority Slovenian and international literature.
The status of immigrant literature in Slovenian cultural consciousness is hardly noticeable within the entire cultural system of Slovenia, and is therefore in need of radical changes taking place in Slovenian literary institutions and media, the loosening of the borders of Slovenian national literature, and the integration of immigrant authors in multicultural Slovenia.

22 / 2005

Lidija Dimkovska

THE LITERATURE OF THE IMMIGRANTS IN SLOVENIA – ITS CHARACTERISTICS AND ITS POSITION IN SLOVENIAN CULTURE

ABSTRACT
Only a small percentage of 120 immigrant authors living in Slovenia have won recognition in contemporary Slovenian culture, which is to say that their work has been published by major Slovenian literary magazines and publishing houses, they have participated in central literary events and have been active in key Slovenian literary movements. The article offers analysis of thematic and literary-aesthetic characteristics of the literary work written by the so-called elite (Josip Osti, Erica Johnson Debeljak, Ismet Bekrić, Ana Ristović, Jordan Stavrov, Ana Lasić, Stanislava Chrobáková Repar) and less recognised immigrant authors (Rade Vučkovac, Nebojša Ignjatovič, Vladimir Vekić, Ljuben Dimkaroski). The typical feature of their poetry, prose, drama and essays is the question of identity and its structure, which is tackled in their work directly or through literary characters. All of the authors seem to ask themselves questions about being foreign, different, about their intercultural status. Each author meets literary-aesthetic expectations of Slovenian readership to a different degree, and more or less fits in the literary socialisation of Slovenian readers, least of all those who write predominantly patriotic literature. Josip Osti writes in Slovenian language and is consequently the only one among the analysed authors who has been recognised as the Slovenian author. All of the others – be it recognised or less so – are still faced with the language as the major Slovenian ideological border and constant which determines whether an individual is a Slovenian author or a foreign one. This, however, is what practical and theoretical benefits of the authors and their literary integration are dependant on.

Even though the purpose of the Paralele magazine and the Sosed tvojega brega festival is to promote interculturality, Slovenians have accepted them with nothing but tolerance, showing no intercultural consciousness which is essential if we want to prevent such activities from falling into paracultural and from merely representing the tolerance threshold of a culture. Therefore those immigrant authors who publish their work only in Paralele and attend no other festival than Sosed tvojega brega remain outside key literary events in majority Slovenian and international literature.
The status of immigrant literature in Slovenian cultural consciousness is hardly noticeable within the entire cultural system of Slovenia, and is therefore in need of radical changes taking place in Slovenian literary institutions and media, the loosening of the borders of Slovenian national literature, and the integration of immigrant authors in multicultural Slovenia.

22 / 2005

Irena Lesar

THE RESPONSE OF SLOVENIAN TEACHERS TO THE MIGRANT CHILDREN FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

ABSTRACT
The aim of this article is to highlight the situation of the migrant children from former Yugoslavia in primary school in Slovenia.

Contemporary school presents teachers with new and relatively high demands which should contribute towards democratisation of relationships and social justice in school. From the aspect of learning outcomes, teachers are required to offer differentiated and individualised lessons which should enable students to acquire as high levels of knowledge as possible.
From the developmental aspect, they are required to include all students who should with maximum assistance achieve at least minimal levels of knowledge. Thus, the teacher is expected to be willing to build a class community of individuals who show solidarity and responsibility towards each other, who are able to show respect for and acceptance of difference, and are thus developing their skill to constructively participate in a society of different human beings.
We asked ourselves to what extent teachers felt responsible for the migrant children school results and their social inclusion in the class. In regards to the first question, we asked a representative sample of primary school teachers whether factors such as the child’s traits, the situation in the class and the situation at home affect the migrant child’s level of school achievement, and if so, to what extent. In regards to the second question, we tried to establish the role of the child’s parents, the child himself, the other children and their parents, and the teacher in the migrant child’s social inclusion in the class.
Results of our study show that Slovenian teachers feel considerably less responsible for achievements of migrant children than for the achievements of other children, and, furthermore, do not feel responsible for migrant children’s successful inclusion in the class. The question therefore is where this feeling of irresponsibility towards migrant children felt by teachers comes from.
For this reason, it is necessary to pay utmost attention to making teachers aware of their key role in implementing moral and educational goals of education as well as teaching them to be more sensitive to the real problems of migrant children and to be better prepared for intercultural education.

22 / 2005

Irena Lesar

THE RESPONSE OF SLOVENIAN TEACHERS TO THE MIGRANT CHILDREN FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

ABSTRACT
The aim of this article is to highlight the situation of the migrant children from former Yugoslavia in primary school in Slovenia.

Contemporary school presents teachers with new and relatively high demands which should contribute towards democratisation of relationships and social justice in school. From the aspect of learning outcomes, teachers are required to offer differentiated and individualised lessons which should enable students to acquire as high levels of knowledge as possible.
From the developmental aspect, they are required to include all students who should with maximum assistance achieve at least minimal levels of knowledge. Thus, the teacher is expected to be willing to build a class community of individuals who show solidarity and responsibility towards each other, who are able to show respect for and acceptance of difference, and are thus developing their skill to constructively participate in a society of different human beings.
We asked ourselves to what extent teachers felt responsible for the migrant children school results and their social inclusion in the class. In regards to the first question, we asked a representative sample of primary school teachers whether factors such as the child’s traits, the situation in the class and the situation at home affect the migrant child’s level of school achievement, and if so, to what extent. In regards to the second question, we tried to establish the role of the child’s parents, the child himself, the other children and their parents, and the teacher in the migrant child’s social inclusion in the class.
Results of our study show that Slovenian teachers feel considerably less responsible for achievements of migrant children than for the achievements of other children, and, furthermore, do not feel responsible for migrant children’s successful inclusion in the class. The question therefore is where this feeling of irresponsibility towards migrant children felt by teachers comes from.
For this reason, it is necessary to pay utmost attention to making teachers aware of their key role in implementing moral and educational goals of education as well as teaching them to be more sensitive to the real problems of migrant children and to be better prepared for intercultural education.

22 / 2005

Mojca Peček

IS PRIMARY SCHOOL IN SLOVENIA JUST AND FAIR: THE CASE OF MIGRANT CHILDREN FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

ABSTRACT
Deriving from Rawl’s comprehension of equity, educational system should – to be competent to be termed just – ensure formally equal chances for education and at the same time, level objective differences between scholars or offer different pupils different with the aim of reaching identical results. The educational system should not fulfil those demands on formal, institutional level only; it must necessarily operate on the level of communication as well. It demands a teacher that is sensitive to what is in certain cases just for different pupils and what is not, one who is capable of arguing professionally why a certain pupil is treated differently than others. The contribution reveals through the studying of immigrants from former Yugoslavia how the above-mentioned equity is being realised within the Slovene educational system. Initially it displays what the educational system enables immigrants from former Yugoslavia on the formal level. In continuation, a question is asked – what the attitude of the teachers towards them is. In doing so, it derives from an analysis of a questionnaire carried out on a representative pattern of class and subject teachers in Slovene primary school.

From the answers of the teachers, a conviction is clearly understood that the school must be just to the children of immigrants in the sense that it does not segregate children, which means they are not to be given lessons separately in special classes or schools. Less sensibility is perceived on issues whether and what should be different for immigrant children to enable them success identical to that of their coevals. The question whether teachers are sufficiently sensible to the problematic of immigrant children cannot be comprehended outside formal frames of the Slovene educational system. Namely, the educational legislation itself is discrepant. From the aspect of general principles, it mentions equity of school, principles of equal chances with the right of the individual to dissimilarity; however, in concrete realisations it denies all the above-mentioned. The principle of equal chances remains from the standpoint of children of immigrants on a declarative level. Immigrant children are within the Slovene educational system not granted adequate attention of the profession and policy, and consequently of the teachers.

22 / 2005

Mojca Peček

IS PRIMARY SCHOOL IN SLOVENIA JUST AND FAIR: THE CASE OF MIGRANT CHILDREN FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

ABSTRACT
Deriving from Rawl’s comprehension of equity, educational system should – to be competent to be termed just – ensure formally equal chances for education and at the same time, level objective differences between scholars or offer different pupils different with the aim of reaching identical results. The educational system should not fulfil those demands on formal, institutional level only; it must necessarily operate on the level of communication as well. It demands a teacher that is sensitive to what is in certain cases just for different pupils and what is not, one who is capable of arguing professionally why a certain pupil is treated differently than others. The contribution reveals through the studying of immigrants from former Yugoslavia how the above-mentioned equity is being realised within the Slovene educational system. Initially it displays what the educational system enables immigrants from former Yugoslavia on the formal level. In continuation, a question is asked – what the attitude of the teachers towards them is. In doing so, it derives from an analysis of a questionnaire carried out on a representative pattern of class and subject teachers in Slovene primary school.

From the answers of the teachers, a conviction is clearly understood that the school must be just to the children of immigrants in the sense that it does not segregate children, which means they are not to be given lessons separately in special classes or schools. Less sensibility is perceived on issues whether and what should be different for immigrant children to enable them success identical to that of their coevals. The question whether teachers are sufficiently sensible to the problematic of immigrant children cannot be comprehended outside formal frames of the Slovene educational system. Namely, the educational legislation itself is discrepant. From the aspect of general principles, it mentions equity of school, principles of equal chances with the right of the individual to dissimilarity; however, in concrete realisations it denies all the above-mentioned. The principle of equal chances remains from the standpoint of children of immigrants on a declarative level. Immigrant children are within the Slovene educational system not granted adequate attention of the profession and policy, and consequently of the teachers.