This paper presents the model of identity research using the street names from five major Kosovar cities. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the fact that identity in the urban environment can be determined through the analysis of street names, to uncover the difference in the presence of hodonyms that express regional identity from those that express national identity, and to investigate the presence of urban toponyms of international importance. This paper also aims to examine the relationship between regional identity and ethnic and religious structure, as well as to identify the role of historical-political circumstances at the level of the manifestation of regional identity. We found that the regional identity has been expressed more deeply compared to the national and international hodonyms, which have a lower representation. Although regional hodonyms dominated in all cities that were analyzed, there were differences in the representation of regional hodonyms which were related to personalities, events, or geographical objects that belong to the respective city or surroundings.

The aim of this research was to analyse the functional transformation of settlements in the Presheva Valley and the main factors that have affected on these changes. Among the many factors that determine the trend and the rhythm of functional transformation, we have chosen to analyse the relationship between the functional transformation and the ethnic structure of the region. Presheva Valley is situated in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, with Morava Valley to the north and Vardar Valley to the south. It has an Albanian population who currently make up around 80 percent of the region’s population. It includes 67 settlements inhabited by an Albanian population and 71 settlements inhabited by a Serbian population. The Valley was, and remains, the most underdeveloped region in Serbia and the Balkans: the Albanian-inhabited areas are more than 7 times less developed than the average of Serbia. The first part of the article analyses the functional transformation of the settlements inhabited by Albanians, while the second part depicts a comparison of functional transformation between Albanian and Serbian settlements. The analysis is based on census data from 1971 and 2002. Comparison of statistical data of the population by activity within the 30 year period and mapping of statistical data of population by activity indicates a very slow functional transformation of the settlements in the Presheva Valley.

The aim of this paper is to analyze in chronological terms the idea for the construction of Morava-Vardar canal and the contemporary geopolitical consequences of this project along with its economic, environmental and social impacts. Through critical readings of different contributions and reports made by scientific community, other institutions and media we have presented the idea in chronological terms from the late years of the 19th century until recent years. Continental geographical position Serbs have, has always been considered as an obstacle for their overall development. Through participation in unsustainable geopolitical formations they have continuously managed to develop any kind of connections to the sea. Even though part of various political entities over the time the effort to reach the direct contact to the sea was not successful. For this reason, Serbs raised idea and developed a project to connect their continental state with the sea through construction of the Morava-Vardar water canal. Except economic and environmental consequences, construction of this canal would have geopolitical implications in Balkan Peninsula known as very unstable geopolitical region.

Este artículo discute los principios teóricos y metodológicos en el proceso de regionalización, y analiza los criterios utilizados durante la designación de la región como categoría de especial importancia en la investigación geográfica. Se han aplicado los principios metodológicos de regionalización en la diferenciación del Valle de Preševo como región individualizada. El Valle de Preševo es una pequeña región del sur de Serbia con una posición geográfica muy favorable ya que se encuentra en la parte central de la península balcánica, entre los valles del Morava y Vardar. Se ha procedido a la discusión teórica y metodológica para resaltar aquellos elementos de base natural-geográfica y socioeconómica que contribuyen a la diferenciación regional-geográfica, así como aquellos que representan un obstáculo en los intentos de diferenciar esta área en términos regionales. Igualmente, se ofrece una descripción crítica del uso del nombre “Valle de Preševo” entre la argumentación científica y el uso político. Se ha llevado una encuesta para identificar los principales elementos que constituyen la identidad regional del Valle de Preševo. Los principales resultados muestran que esta región está caracterizada por una mayoría de población étnica albanesa, con escaso desarrollo económico, altas tasas de emigración, posición estratégica y fuerte conciencia nacional.

The determination of the Presheva Valley as a special region highlights the need for theoretical analysis and the use of different methods and principles which enable geographical regionalization. The Presheva Valley represents a natural continuation of the Albanian ethnic territories. With a very convenient position in terms of geography and transportation, as well as its geostrategic and geopolitical basis, it has been occupied by many invaders throughout different periods of history. Under the current administrative, political and territorial division of Serbia, the municipalities of Presheva and Bujanoci belong to the Pčinja district, based in Vranje, while the municipality of Medvegja belongs to the Jablanica district, based in Leskoc. The Presheva Valley has had the status of special region in various periods, but since it shares historical, ethnic and demographic characteristics with other Albanian ethnic territories, it has frequently been separated for the purpose of the assimilation of the Albanian people.