Perceptions, Representations and Conceptions of the Countryside

Authors

Eva Konečnik Kotnik
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
Petra Jesenek Bračko
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.4.2026.10

Synopsis

The chapter presents how young people in Slovenia perceive the countryside. Their perceptions are evolving, but they show an attitude towards countryside, which is also a reflection of family perceptions, school space and wider society. This is closely linked to (living) values and can have a direct or indirect impact not only on the lives of young people in the future, but also on future demographic and economic dynamics, spatial planning and environmental awareness. The chapter presents emotional and symbolic records of the countryside and how the temporal transformations of the countryside are recognized in the perceptions, representations and conceptions of young people. Personal perceptions of factors of quality of life are presented, or how young people think about the living environment of their lives in the future. The chapter presents the differences that occur between the surveyed young people regarding age, gender and living environment.

Author Biographies

Eva Konečnik Kotnik, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Eva Konečnik Kotnik je izredna profesorica za geografijo ter namestnica predstojnika Oddelka za geografijo na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Mariboru. Ukvarja se s področjem geografskega izobraževanja ter z regionalno geografijo Slovenije. Njene raziskovalne tematike so povezane z geografskim kurikulumom celotne izobraževalne vertikale, z razvijanjem profesionalnosti učiteljev geografije, z oblikami kreiranja in evalviranja učnih vsebin in spodbujanja učenja geografije.

Maribor, Slovenija. E-pošta: eva.konecnik@um.si

Petra Jesenek Bračko, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Petra Jesenek Bračko je magistrica znanosti s področja didaktike geografije, asistentka ter višja strokovna sodelavka Oddelka za geografijo na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Mariboru. Zaposlena je kot učiteljica geografije na OŠ Franca Rozmana Staneta v Mariboru. Kot zunanja sodelavka sodeluje na področju izobraževanja bodočih učiteljev geografije. Njene raziskovalne vsebine so vezane na geografsko izobraževanje.

Maribor, Slovenija. E-pošta: petra.jesenek1@um.si

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Podeželje

Pages

267-294

Published

April 16, 2026

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Copyright (c) 2026 University of Maribor Press

How to Cite

Konečnik Kotnik, E., & Jesenek Bračko, P. (2026). Perceptions, Representations and Conceptions of the Countryside. In U. Horvat, E. Konečnik Kotnik, & I. Žiberna (Eds.), & (Ed.), Podeželje (pp. 267-294). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.4.2026.10