The edited volume which brings analyses and contributions on the work of the first Slovenian anthropologist who established the Ethnological Institute (1921), the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (1923), the scholarly journal Etnolog (1927), and the Department of Ethnology with Ethnography at the University of Ljubljana, includes the analysis of introduction of ethnology and cultural anthropology at the University of Ljubljana. In Zupanič's work, his political engagement was intertwined with his research. It is the first thorough assessment of his important role for the early development of Slovenian anthropology and prehistorical research in Slovenian and South-eastern Europe.
COBISS.SI-ID: 43272290
In the book, the author presents organisational culture of the Bird Watching and Bird Study Association of Slovenia (DOPPS), i.e. from its formation in late 1970's, noting the transition from a voluntary association into a hybrid organisation integrating volunteers and professionals, to the current cohabitation of three generations of amateur and professional ornithologists. The author looks into the history of birdwatching at the global as well as national level and describes the foundation and ensuing transformations of the association in a dynamic social and political context. The focus is also on the individual, the founder of the association, as the author explains the importance of his charisma in establishing the organisation. Voluntarism and altruism are also presented, being the “basic assumptions” of organisational culture, which provokes discussion on the existence of “true” i.e. selfless altruism. The author explains how ornithological practices are embodied and how the knowledge on birds and the skills of identifying them are transferred among the members of the association. The book therefore presents an insight into the dynamics of voluntarism, equality as well as hierarchical relations within the association that functions as a combination of an organisation and a community – an orgunity.
COBISS.SI-ID: 259095808
In the article, published in a renown international journal with a high impact factor, is presented a comparative ethnographic material on volunteer biodiversity monitoring from environmental organisations in three postcommunist countries: Poland, Slovenia, and Lithuania. Its authors chart and discuss aspects of the heritage from socialism and communist rule in terms of their effect on the present-day running and operations of four case-study organisations in these countries, focusing particularly on challenges posed by the legacy of compulsory volunteering, inherited organisational cultures, economic reorganisation, and internationalisation of the volunteering sector. In closing we indicate certain key differences between our case-study organisations, focusing on factors that influenced their ability to operate in the postcommunist nongovernmental organisation sector, and offer some observations of more general relevance.
COBISS.SI-ID: 44927330
Review article, entitled What is Slovenia?, introduces the special issue on Slovenia of the respected French ethnological/anthropological journal Ethnologie Française with representative contributions by Slovenian ethnologists and anthropologists. In his introductory overview, the author presents brief history of Slovenia and its ethnology/cultural anthropology and comprehensively presents its main authors and achievements.
COBISS.SI-ID: 48526946
The research paper focuses on freelance artists (in Slovenia) and on wider contemporary conditions of freelancing in general. The author presents the difference and intertwinement between an inherent need for flexibility in art-making and the neoliberalistic flexibility. She also analyzes the problems of freelancers’ production, which are hidden within various culturally habitual ideas about art, budgets, distinctive disciplinary particularities etc. Thus, she hopes to shed a light onto a possible future of many young people, who are increasingly involved in precarious work.
COBISS.SI-ID: 51409762