The text considers possibilities of creating Balkan Cultural Studies as a new discipline in the field of humanities and social sciences on four levels. The first is theoretical: it connects main theoretical currents of contemporary cultural studies with balkanology and the long tradition of research of cultures from the Yugoslav times. The methodological framework follows the wider Balkan and narrower national contexts: approaches must be diversified depending on different situations in which these societies are, it must keep the main methodological postulates of cultural studies, and bases on non-essentialism and deconstruction of the term The Balkans. Third level: fields of research are similar to those of other regional cultural studies: parallelism of processes of globalization and localization, critiques of the "affirmative" balkanism ("Balkanexpoitation") etc. And finally, Balkan cultural studies are emancipative: they deal with neglected cultural phenomena and groups, they overcome neo-colonial situation of the present-day Balkans, they are looking for the new self-understanding of the Balkan cultures and identities, and research trans-Balkan cultural productions and post-national identity-strategies.
F.23 Development of new system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
COBISS.SI-ID: 31452509The essay portrays reading as a passport for a journey in the “Republic of Letters”. Although limited by territorial geography, an individual that finds a dwelling place within the pastiche of narratives and experiences, facts and fantasies gets the opportunity to travel through parallel landscapes. The geography of towns, harbours, streets, and squares overlaps with literary topography, so that reading provides us with emotionally laden and full-blooded experience of foreign, distant places. The author claims that every reader with human capacity for empathy (that is, the capacity to put oneself in someone else’s shoes) is automatically offered citizenship in the Republic of Letters. The latter does not discriminate against particular groups of its citizens and does not force us to speak the language of the majority. The author sees translation as the true language of the Republic of Letters since it erases borders and enables each reader to find a dwelling place in a temporary community of individuals who perceive book pages as their true home.
F.30 Professional assessment of the situation
COBISS.SI-ID: 31722845The book "On the Wave of Aquarius" presents the first Slovenian schematic display of new religous movements and the "new age". The author offers information and critical reflection on well-recognized religious groups and movements such as Jehovah's witnesses, the Scientological Church, Hare Krishna, satanist cults and new age. On the other side, the book offers an insight into less known phenomena and perspectives from this field. Specifically, it highlights intolerance and violence, accompanying these movements, either in the form of encouraging them or being affected by them. Critical notion on actual Slovenian religious legislation is taken into consideration as well.
F.29 Contribution to the development of national cultural identity
COBISS.SI-ID: 264771072The article discusses the question of the ideological process of meaning formation in the field of production, distribution and consumption of images of the ethnic »Other« through language. The main focus is pointed at the processes of socialization in its broader sense and at the educational system as one of the »ideological state apparatuses« in its narrower sense. (Ethnic) identities as social forms are an ideological concept in the historical process of cultural constitution, therefore educational discourse – much like mass media – can act as an important generator of stereotypical, negative, as well as discriminatory and racist representation of other ethnic groups, non-European and minority in particular. While there exists a considerable amount of literature in the field of mass media research, the educational system – at least in Slovenia – remains a relatively unexamined area.
F.24 Improvements to existing system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
The interview with Peter Stanković and Luka Zevnik that was broadcast as part of the cultural program of Radio Student entailed a critical reflection of "Slovenian cultural studies" and their relationship towards other similar disciplines. Interviewees also covered issues such as culture with the capital C, cultural policy and aesthetic elitism.
F.30 Professional assessment of the situation
COBISS.SI-ID: 31321949