Other and different: Maribor in search of its new (hi)story

Abstract

Regional centers of post-transitional societies are becoming increasingly involved in global competition between cities and regions, while at the same time experiencing setbacks in development, caused by the centralization of decision making and development in State capitals. In the case of Slovenia, all of this is linked to the reform of local government, the poor execution of which has allowed regional political and economic elites to establish and uphold intransparent, often kleptocrat connections. Our case study analyzes the failed city branding strategies of the City Municipality of Maribor, which have contributed to yet another collapse of the city and its surrounding region, and triggered the Maribor uprising. Our conclusion offers an alternative approach to conceiving of a new urban story, focusing on local and regional stakeholders.

Keywords

• city branding
• Maribor
• uprising
• kleptocrat politics
• flaneur