The Notion of Near Islands

Book excerpt: Viewed from the mainland, the history of the archipelago appears as a long list of non-invited but irresistible disembarkations. Viewed from on an island the archipelago has had a rich and unique history of sustainable use of scarce resources. The main theme of this book is the exploration of the meanings of near islands, of the archipelago. General and particular features of 1,246 islands of the Croatian archipelago are starting points of stories about particular islands, subarchipelagos and urban archipelagos. The chapters question and analyse the archipelago identity from different perspectives. Approached as a group of islands, the analysis investigates features of subarchipelagos, urban subarchipelagos, mainland dependent islands, outlying islands and island emigrant communities that are trying to restore and conserve their island. This book highlights the identity and identities of the archipelago as both complex and multidimensional.