Božo Skoko

PhD Božo Skoko

Božo Skoko is an full professor at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb, where he is head of the Public Relations postgraduate study. His scientific interests are: public relations and communications, international relations, national identity and image, as well as media. He is the co-founder of Millenium promocija, the leading Croatian public relations agency. He is a long-time strategic communications consultant. He is a former journalist and editor with Croatian Television. He is the author of seven books and over seventy scientific papers on public relations, the media and managing the identity and image of Croatia. He is a columnist with the daily newspaper Večernji list.
  • Follow me on social networks
  • facebook icon
  • facebook icon

What are Croats like – Essays on Croatian identity, image and unused potentials

The book What are Croats like is a collection of essays dedicated to Croatian identity and image, that is, to re-examining the position and role of Croatia on the eve of and upon accession to the European Union...

Why has Europe, throughout history, experienced Croats exclusively as skilful warriors? Why have Croats, for centuries, been the favourite of popes? What can modern Croatia learn from its Republic of Dubrovnik? Where Saint Jerome, Emperor Diocletian and Nikola Tesla Croats? Is Croatia a Catholic country? Do Croats have the complex of small countries and small nations? To what extent has Yugoslav propaganda affected Croatia’s image throughout the world? What is the difference between Croats and Serbs? What are Croatia’s greatest potentials and contributions to contemporary Europe? How was Croatia able to resolve, best in Europe, the “Islamic question”? Why are Croats jealous and have over a hundred political parties? Are Croats only united as one in war and sport? Why are Croats insecure when celebrating their national day? Why have they been emigrating for centuries and are still emigrating, while foreigners want to become Croat? Why does the world enjoy Croatian olive oil, yet is not familiar with Croatian wines? How valuable is the “Made in Croatia” designation? How come Croatia does not know how to take advantage of its natural beauties and tourist potentials… These are only some of the questions this book deals with.

The book Kakvi su Hrvati (What are Croats like) is a collection of essays dedicated to Croatian identity and image, that is, to re-examining the position and role of Croatia on the eve of and upon accession to the European Union, as well as the relationship of Croats towards their own community, values, tradition and other.

The book is written in an absorbing and simple style, yet is abundant in arguments, facts and research findings. The President of the Croatian Academy of Science Arts, Zvonko Kusić, considers that this book speaks about Croats self-critically, argumentatively and knowledgeably, alerting of the mistakes and oversights that they consciously or unconsciously conduct to raise awareness of their identity and for promotion in Europe and the world. However, the author also reminds of the numerous identity characteristics and comparative advantages that can be used to help them regain their confidence, liberate them from imposed complexes and to present themselves in their full splendour to the globalized world in which Croatia, with its identity, will always be one, unique and recognizable.

The author of the book is Božo Skoko, professor and head of the Department of Strategic Communications at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, and one of the leading Croatian experts on identity and image of states. Among others, he has published the following books: Croatian Greats (2014), Croatia and Its Neighbours – How Is Croatia Perceived in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia (2010), A State as a Brand (2009), Herzegovina – Land of Light (2009), as well as Croatia – Identity, Image, Promotion (2004).