University of Arts in Belgrade
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What if the People (don’t) Wake Up? Collective Action and/vs. the Neoliberal Cult of Responsibility
No full textThis paper examines neoliberal ideology not merely as a system of ideas but as a regime of subjectivation that renders collective action structurally unintelligible. Drawing on Foucault’s The Birth of Biopolitics and Wendy Brown’s analysis of neoliberal rationality, I trace how the displacement of the juridical subject by the economic one reconfigures political life: rights give way to responsibilization, and citizenship is hollowed out in favor of market-compatible selfhood. Neoliberalism governs not by repression but through the internalization of enterprise - turning the subject into both governed and governor.
I situate this ideological formation in the longer genealogy of marginalist economics, particularly the intellectual lineage from Böhm-Bawerk to Hayek. These thinkers replaced the agonistic openness of politics with a depoliticized order of utility maximization, displacing labor and struggle with individualized preference. By dissolving history into markets, this framework has contributed to the current breakdown of the liberal world order - its failure is not just geopolitical, but conceptual: a market alone cannot sustain political or ethical community.
In light of this impasse, the paper engage with Italian biopolitical theory to reassess the conditions for collective resistance. Agamben’s figure of bare life and the camp offers a stark diagnosis of sovereign power but tends toward political impasse. Hardt and Negri’s multitude asserts a productive biopolitical force, yet often abstracts from institutional constraints. Esposito’s concept of the immunitary paradigm deepens the critique but struggles to generate concrete alternatives.
I argue that Foucault’s critical project - particularly his opposition between juridical and economic subjectivities and his ethics of self-care - remains essential for rethinking ideology as a battlefield of subjectivation. Against the neoliberal cult of responsibility, I explore how collective agency might re-emerge not as a recovery of old forms, but as a new subjectivity forged in the contradictions of biopolitical governance
United in lack: Forming resistance movements in neoliberal times
No full textNeoliberalism has been widely analyzed as a political, economic, and cultural-ideological formation, with much focus on how it constructs and governs the subject. Following Foucault, we can view neoliberalism as an “episteme of subjectivity” – a regime that produces subjectivities through institutional and discursive mechanisms, offering individuals certain forms of self-relation and conduct. However, some scholars argue this overlooks how subjects are interpellated into the regime, which is where Lacanian psychoanalysis offers crucial insights. From a Lacanian perspective, neoliberalism interpellates subjects through “phantasy”. The subject is drawn into a phantasmatic scenario that equates self-realization and entrepreneurial self-management with the fulfillment of desire. This creates a superegoic demand to instrumentalize the self as capital, reinforcing self-exploitation. The contradiction arises when this fantasy inevitably fails to deliver satisfaction, confronting the subject with lack that is constitutive of their subjectivity. This moment – sometimes described as depression – marks the breakdown of neoliberal fantasy and opens the path to subjective destitution, a Lacanian concept describing the subject’s disengagement from the phantasy structuring their identity.
The paper explores whether subjective destitution can lead to the formation of a collective actor capable of transforming the symbolic order. The collapse of the neoliberal fantasy produces an excess of desire, prompting the question of whether this surplus can be reoriented through an alternative fantasy – one grounded in a new master-signifier that inaugurates a different symbolic order and redirects the flow of desire. This opens a possible convergence between Lacan and Deleuze. Deleuze’s concept of “revolutionary fantasy” imagines a collective desire that breaks with the existing symbolic order. A new master-signifier could unify fragmented subjects around a shared fantasy that opposes neoliberal codes, enabling the emergence of a new symbolic collective. One method for this transformation is the identification of an exemplar – an event, figure, or group that embodies the exception within the system. Elevated to the level of universality, this exemplar becomes a focal point for desire and resistance, creating the conditions for forming a collective actor that could create a rupture in the neoliberal symbolic order
Briga o starijim osobama u Srbiji tijekom pandemije COVID-19: što se događa kada bliskost postane prepreka za skrb?
No full textThis study aims to investigate the profound impacts of the pandemic on elder care in Serbia. Specifically, it seeks to understand the adjustments made in care practices when physical proximity impedes care. The research employs a qualitative, ethnographic approach to analyzing data from 40 interviews conducted with elder care providers and recipients between April and September 2022 as well as ethnographic observations and unstructured interviews. The study investigates how elder care was managed in diverse settings, including rural and urban areas, homes, and care facilities. It reveals varied responses and strategies care providers and recipients adopt amidst reduced physical interaction constraints. Key findings underscore the significant impact of the pandemic on elder care, highlighting intra-generational solidarity and the increased reliance on female household members for care provision. However, it also exposes the challenges faced by those in public elder-care homes or receiving home assistance, including limited care and a lack of closeness. Our study emphasizes the urgent need for policy and support systems tailored to address the specific challenges encountered in elder care, particularly during times of crisis, such as a pandemic.Cilj je ovoga rada istražiti utjecaj pandemije na brigu o starijima u Srbiji. Konkretno,
nastoji razumjeti prilagođavanja koja se vrše u praksi skrbi kada fizička blizina predstavlja prepreku za skrb. Istraživanje koristi kvalitativni, etnografski pristup analizirajući
podatke iz 40 intervjua s pružateljima i primateljima skrbi u razdoblju od travnja do
rujna 2022. godine, kao i etnografska zapažanja i nestrukturirane intervjue. U radu se istražuje kako se upravljalo skrbi o starijima u različitim okruženjima, uključujući ruralna
i urbana područja, domove i ustanove za skrb. Otkriva različite odgovore i strategije koje
pružatelji i primatelji skrbi rabe u slučajevima kada je neposredna interakcija ograničena. Ključni nalazi naglašavaju značajan utjecaj pandemije na brigu o starijima, ističući
solidarnost unutar generacije i povećano oslanjanje na ženske članove domaćinstva za
pružanje skrbi. Međutim, studija također otkriva izazove s kojima se suočavaju osobe smještene u javnim domovima za starije ili koje primaju kućnu skrb, uključujući ograničenu
skrb i nedostatak bliskosti. Istraživanje naglašava hitnu potrebu za mjerama i sustavima
podrške koji su prilagođeni specifičnim izazovima u domeni brige o starijima, posebno u
vremenima krize kao što je pandemija
Comparing large Language models and human annotators in latent content analysis of sentiment, political leaning, emotional intensity and sarcasm
No full textIn the era of rapid digital communication, vast amounts of textual data are generated daily, demanding efficient methods for latent content analysis to extract meaningful insights. Large Language Models (LLMs) offer potential for automating this process, yet comprehensive assessments comparing their performance to human annotators across multiple dimensions are lacking. This study evaluates the inter-rater reliability, consistency, and quality of seven state-of-the-art LLMs. These include variants of OpenAI’s GPT-4, Gemini, Llama-3.1-70B, and Mixtral 8 × 7B. Their performance is compared to human annotators in analyzing sentiment, political leaning, emotional intensity, and sarcasm detection. The study involved 33 human annotators and eight LLM variants assessing 100 curated textual items. This resulted in 3,300 human and 19,200 LLM annotations. LLM performance was also evaluated across three-time points to measure temporal consistency. The results reveal that both humans and most LLMs exhibit high inter-rater reliability in sentiment analysis and political leaning assessments, with LLMs demonstrating higher reliability than humans. In emotional intensity, LLMs displayed higher reliability compared to humans, though humans rated emotional intensity significantly higher. Both groups struggled with sarcasm detection, evidenced by low reliability. Most LLMs showed excellent temporal consistency across all dimensions, indicating stable performance over time. This research concludes that LLMs, especially GPT-4, can effectively replicate human analysis in sentiment and political leaning, although human expertise remains essential for emotional intensity interpretation. The findings demonstrate the potential of LLMs for consistent and high-quality performance in certain areas of latent content analysis
Corporate Social Responsibility in the Republic of Serbia: Potentials for Reducing the Gender Dimension of Precarious Work
No full textThe last decades have been marked by social and economic trends that have had a dual impact on the position of women in the labor market. On one hand, the employment rate of women has increased, while on the other hand, women in contemporary societies face multiple burdens—balancing work in the formal economy with fulfilling caregiving roles and performing unpaid labor within the family sphere. Globalization and the accompanying labor market flexibilization have led to the emergence of new social risks, some of which, such as balancing work and parenting, disproportionately affect the rise of precarious forms of work among women compared to men. These include temporary and occasional work, fixed-term contracts, part-time work, work in the informal economy, and similar arrangements.
Ensuring decent work, flexible working arrangements, inclusive employment policies, educational and professional empowerment programs for women, parental support programs, and similar measures represent key steps that economic entities, particularly businesses, can take to advance the social security and well-being of women in the labor market. In line with the above, this paper aims to address the research question: How can the private sector contribute to addressing the precarious working conditions of women, particularly in the context of balancing work and parenting? Therefore, the focus of this paper is the gender dimension of precarious work in the Republic of Serbia, with objectives that include: describing and analyzing the characteristics of women’s precarious work, examining the impact of precarious working conditions on women’s social security, and exploring opportunities to improve women’s working conditions through corporate social responsibility practices within the national context.
The methodology is based on content analysis of relevant documents, including previous research, policy and legal documents, statistical and other reports related to the subject matter. The findings of this research indicate that precarious work among women is present in all dimensions of labor market insecurity in the Republic of Serbia. Furthermore, there is pronounced gender inequality in the labor market, which affects the provision of women’s social security throughout their life course in all relevant areas of social security. The findings further highlight the need for deeper research on this issue, amendments to the regulatory framework, fostering a partnership between the state and the market, and strengthening the role of the private sector in addressing the gendered dimensions of
precarious work
Memory of Violence
No full textStarting from Galtung’s typology of violence, we first track differing ways in which direct violence on one hand, and structural and cultural violence on the other, are remembered and represented. Following this, we examine research demonstrating how narratives of past violence are constructed in various cultural products, with the focus on history textbooks narratives, their tendency to distort, normalize and justify violence, as well as potential to do the opposite. Furthermore, we explore history education and its potential to help students engage with the memory of violence in a critical way. Finally, we look at how assuming the role of victim or being assigned a role of the perpetrator critically determines a sophisticated interplay between the memory of violence, social identities and moral perspectives
Posthegemonijski destruktivni kontra-prevod
No full textWe have been through a destructive post-hegemonic reactionary revolution. We witnessed post-hegemonic globalisation (not global) and post-socialist new wars, nearest to (post-)colonial wars. Subalternist Indian researchers talked about domination without hegemony, where the direct violence of domination is deadlier. In larger international political movements, attempted hegemony turns to war. In some cases, post- hegemonic patterns prevail. The EU seems to accept USA hegemony. Locally (from the Ukrainian perspective) hegemony is not tolerated any more. The counterpart: Putin’s Russia, pretending to re-establish the former hegemony with domination, ends up opting for sheer domination with no hegemony. General silence about the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, after the destruction of Gaza. This requires much political translation. According to the preceding tacit translation contract, I would call this counter-translation.
If ideally translation is a relation with the other in a process, counter- translation strives to change translation codes and the value of words. Switching codes, it attempts to give reality another political garb. Hegemony wanes away if neither side accepts it, ushers in dominance, violence and war, trying to morph into a lower level less stable hegemony. If it cannot – we may have civil wars. It boils down to the hegemonic language, which is also the national language. A negotiation for hegemony is attempted between available languages. But hegemony is not working, and sheer violence is employed in separating the once common language into two, like in Ukraine, or into four or more, as in the Yugoslav space. Self-renaming of the dissident language becomes mandatory at a narrower level, and works as a war declaration.Prošli smo kroz destruktivnu posthegemonijsku reakcionarnu revoluciju. Svedočili smo posthegemonijskoj globalizaciji (ne globalnoj) i postsocijalističkim novim ratovima, najbližim
(post)kolonijalnim ratovima. Subalterni indijski istraživači govorili su o dominaciji bez hegemonije, gde je direktno nasilje dominacije pogubnije. U većim međunarodnim političkim pokretima, pokušaj hegemonije prelazi u rat. U nekim slučajevima preovlađuju posthegemonijski obrasci. Deluje da EU prihvata hegemoniju SAD. Lokalno (iz ukrajinske perspektive)
hegemonija se više ne toleriše. Suprotno tome: Putinova Rusija, koja se pretvara da ponovo
uspostavlja nekadašnju hegemoniju dominacijom, završava tako što se opredeljuje za čistu
dominaciju bez hegemonije. Opšta tišina o etničkom čišćenju Palestinaca, nakon razaranja
Gaze. Ovo zahteva mnogo političkog prevođenja. Prema prethodnom prećutnom prevodilačkom ugovoru, to bih nazvala kontraprevodom. Ako je idealno prevođenje odnos sa drugim
u procesu, kontraprevod nastoji da promeni prevodilačke kodove i vrednost reči. Menjajući
kodove, pokušava da stvarnosti da drugo političko ruho. Hegemonija iščezava ako je nijedna
strana ne prihvata i dovodi do dominacije, nasilja i rata, pokušavajući da se preobrazi u niži
nivo nestabilne hegemonije. Ako to ne uspe – možemo imati građanske ratove. Sve se svodi
na hegemonijski jezik, koji je ujedno i nacionalni jezik. Pokušaj pregovora o hegemoniji vodi
se među dostupnim jezicima. Ali hegemonija ne funkcioniše, i čisto nasilje se koristi u razdvajanju nekada zajedničkog jezika na dva, kao u Ukrajini, ili na četiri ili više, kao u jugoslovenskom prostoru. Samopreimenovanje disidentskog jezika postaje obavezno na užem nivou,
i funkcioniše kao objava rata. Rad pokušava da poredi pregovore o rodu i pregovore o rivalskim jezicima
Psihodelici: izazovi lečenja, granica saznanja i svesti
No full textU poslednjim decenijama, psihodelici su ponovo privukli pažnju, ne samo u kontekstu kulturnih eksperimenata već i u svetu
ozbiljnog naučnog istraživanja. Ova knjiga je pokušaj da se obuhvati celokupna paleta iskustava, istraživanja i filozofskih refleksija koje
okružuju ove supstance. Psihodelici, koji su vekovima bili prisutni u
ljudskim kulturama, danas doživljavaju povratak na scenu kroz naučne studije koje istražuju njihove potencijale u lečenju mentalnih
bolesti, kao i kroz lična iskustva koja često menjaju način na koji
pojedinci percipiraju sebe i svet oko sebe
The Emotional Dimension of Scholē: Ancient Leisure as a Path to Education
No full textAbstract: In the contemporary educational landscape, dominated by utilitarian objectives and outcome-based assessments, the ancient Hellenistic conception of scholē, understood as a form of leisure that nurtures the contemplative life, offers a radical and timely alternative. Scholē signifies a space of withdrawal from immediate utility, wherein learning is pursued not for economic profit or measurable outcomes, but for its intrinsic value. The highest pleasures – those emerging from contemplation and play – are “useless” in the pragmatic sense, yet indispensable to our flourishing as rational beings. By reclaiming scholē as a central educational value, we reintroduce a “wisdom atmosphere” that fosters joy, intrinsic curiosity, and philosophical wonder as dimensions increasingly marginalized in modern schooling. Far from being frivolous, such joy is essential to the formation of a reflective, emotionally attuned, and ethically grounded self.
Within this framework, emotion is not a byproduct of external achievement but a sign of inner alignment with the highest aims of education: the pursuit of truth, the search for meaning and understanding self. The tension between bureaucratic accountability and the spontaneous delight of philosophical inquiry parallels the sacred space of play, of game, of creative engagement, and of fun. To cultivate genuine joy in learning, education must be reimagined not just as a mechanistic system of inputs and outputs, but as an invitation into a protected sphere of scholē, where one may encounter the beautiful, the eternal, and the true. As Plato insisted and Hellenistic philosophers affirmed, knowledge acquired under compulsion fails to take root in the soul; only through delight in the highest things are learners guided toward wisdom. Reintegration of scholē into educational practice thus constitutes not merely a philosophical ideal, but a vital tool for nurturing the emotional and spiritual well-being of learners