Photo: Dženeta Hodžić
Water infrastructures as mediators between nature and society on the Croatian island of Veliki Brijun
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Europe is leading to debates about the construction, deconstruction or reconstruction of water infrastructures with the aim of creating more resilient societies. Dams, pipelines or wells are often portrayed as technological systems that channel water flows in order to meet basic human needs such as a sufficient supply of drinking water or a reliable protection against floods. This article uses the example of the island of Veliki Brijun, Croatia, in order to show how water infrastructures not only reflect but also shape the changing relationships between nature and society over the course of time in a particular area.