Summary:

Slovak villages have increasingly tended to create civic and regional associations. The endeavours to integrate originate in specific and complex mixture of local needs and interests united on the base of economic (e.g. profile of economic activities, distance of the settlements from the centre), social (e.g. similarity in social structure or employment) or cultural (e.g. cultural features, similarities in material signs of culture and language) qualities. The pragmatic leitmotif for an establishment of regional associations is knowledge that larger, institutionally based territorial entity, which links-up several settlements, is able to enforce interests of particular villages more efficiently. Simultaneously it facilitates an access to information and finances for the projects of rural development of the structural funds of European Union. The paper analyses regional activities and initiatives looking at the Western Slovak micro-region demarcated by the villages which in 1997 created the voluntary regional association SOTDUM (the Association of the Villages of the Topoľčiansko- Duchonský Micro-region) following their geographical closeness and jointly articulated regional needs. Using available quantitative data but especially qualitative ethnographic research the author tries to map intraregional conditions in relation to hierarchy and discontinuity in development of settlements. This discontinuity originates in differing administrative conditions for settlement and social and economical characteristics of particular villages. The author tries to grasp the level of intraregional integration in solving shared problems. She maps problematic situations related to social and economical transformation on the micro-level of the village communities. She sheds light on specific structure of economic activities shaped by the natural conditions in the region. Examining activities and efficiency of SOTDUM as the particular institute of public representation in practice the author focuses on activities of persons representing the village (i.e. mayors and their deputies). Analysing social reality, the author uses the data collected among local population, representatives of various socio-professional and interest groups and other actors of local politics. In the analyses of data she prefers an emphasis on an actor attitude combined with her own interpretations and evaluations. One part focusing on regional initiatives analyses why some goals have been feasible and other, though well intended developmental projects designed „from above”, have not been fruitful. She points at different attitudes among various representatives of local administration toward regional development. In her conclusion the author states that several years of joint activities of the villages united in a regional association have proved positive effects. The participating villages gained from a purpose-made connection into a stronger, mutually supportive unity especially in the cases of joint interests. On the other hand the association was also the unity of competitive villages enforcing their own interests. The hot-bed of clashes was their differing economic and social positions, and different human potentials of particular communities. Centripetal force of partnership principle clashed simultaneously with centrifugal force of specific interests of particular villages. The advantage of mutual support nevertheless won in a competitive coalition. Effectiveness of the projects enforced by particular villages depended on personalities of individual leaders, mostly majors, on their authority, aspirations, leadership qualities and ability to persuade local citizens to support their aims.Inhibiting moments within co-operative processes in enforcement and realisation of projects were a bad social climate, low level of mutual trust and worsened human relationships.