New contributions to the biography of Dragić Joksimović
Dragić Joksimović (1893–1951) was a jurist and politician, MP, and cultural activist. He is known in the professional community as the defence lawyer at the trial of General Dragoljub Mihailović. After the end of this trial, Joksimović was ostracized by the communists. After he lost his civil rights and was banned from practising law, his suffering continued with imprisonment, ending in the Sremska Mitrovica Penitentiary. Joksimović was rehabilitated by a court decision in 2008. Since 2020, the Serbian Bar Association has established the “Dragić Joksimović” Charter, with the intention of granting this recognition to strengthen trust in the professional and ethical performance of legal representation. The authors of this article, based on new sources, present newly discovered data from the biography of Dragić Joksimović, especially about his family and education in Germany, supplementing and correcting the facts used so far. Joksimović received his doctorate on the topic of agricultural chambers, which was an important topic in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes at the time. In the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, professional organization, especially among farmers and workers, was the subject of theoretical and political debates. The research provides a more faithful picture of Joksimović’s character and work than that previously known to the professional public. Dragić Joksimović’s life and career took place in the turbulent times of the first half of the 20th century, in the period of the political crisis in Yugoslavia between the two world wars, the arrival of the “new era” of idiocratic dictatorship and single-mindedness. Joksimović’s paradigmatic fate is a reminder of the tragedy of the transformation of Serbian society and the suffering of a large part of the domestic intelligentsia after the victory of the communist revolution.
Coalitionary proactive aggression and human nature: interdisciplinary approach
The aim of this paper is to provide an interdisciplinary examination of coalitionary proactive aggression in humans, a topic particularly addressed by anthropologist Richard Wrangham within the context of comparative primatology. This type of aggression is most closely aligned with the concepts of organized or collective violence in sociology and manifests as coordinated human actions directed towards achieving a specific goal, often resulting in the injury or killing of individuals, groups, or entire societies. Historical examples of this type of aggression include ritual sacrifices and punishments, massacres, concentration camps, warfare, and actions of state organs such as the military and police, entities that hold a monopoly on violence. The primary question this paper seeks to answer is whether this form of aggression is inherent to human nature. Consequently, a necessary part of the paper is a philosophical-theoretical discussion regarding the (non) existence of human nature and universal properties of human behaviour related to aggression. This is followed by a review of theories on coalitionary proactive aggression encompassing various fields, including primatology, and sociology. Studying this form of aggression is critically important, as its mechanisms are often latent, where aggression may not always be apparent in individual behaviour, yet the cumulative actions of individuals result in violent outcomes.
Social context of the family structure and the quality of adolescents’ life: comparison of two-parent and single-parent families
The research examinee the differences between adolescents from two-parent and single-parent families in social strategies, family interactions and temporal life satisfaction. The sample consisted 202 adolescents aged 14–19. Relevant questionnaires were applied. The results show that social strategies and family interactions predict a significant percentage of the temporal satisfaction variance. Adolescents from two-parent families show a greater sense of community and greater life satisfaction, while conflict and avoidance of social situations are more pronounced in single-parent families. Family earnings and the children’s age at the time of the parents’ separation are positively related to life satisfaction.
Different forms of polarity in neorealism and world-systems theory
Modern world relations are characterized by the dissolution of American unipolarity and chaotic international relations. This change in the sphere of geopolitics is no doubt related to the restructuring of the world capitalist system in which the USA is losing the hegemonic status, the central position of the Western countries is becoming questionable, while an increasing number of semi-peripheral regions, due to their economic and political characteristics, are coming closer to the centre. Because of the aforementioned, the modern age may be seen as an era of radical transformation of geopolitical patterns, on account of which the analysis of the basic characteristics of unipolarity, bipolarity and multipolarity is gaining importance. A detailed analysis of neorealism as a theory that has the merit for the development of these concepts is necessary for the most appropriate understanding possible of different forms of polarity. Furthermore, it is theoretically significant to compare neorealistic views of polarity with the world-systems understanding of hegemony in order to adequately study the distribution of power in the international order of the states. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the neorealistic and world-systems viewpoints of polarity in order to create the foundations for exploring today’s dominant form of polarity and to assume which form of polarity will be dominant in the 21st century.
Cultural secessionism of “Sandžak” and regional security
The first part of the paper examines two examples of cultural secessionism from the region of Raška and Polimlje (“Sandžak”) – the introduction of the “Bosnian language” and the appeal to Bosniaks to boycott Santa Claus. The second part of the paper provides an overview of the autonomist demands (1991-2025) of the Bosniak elite from Stari Ras, which most often boil down to the desire to establish an autonomous state under the NATO protectorate. The third part of the paper analyzes irredentist claims to annex “Sandžak” to Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo*. The real security risks arising from this ideology and cultural practice are also considered, not only to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, but also to peace in the region.
Corporations as actors of police militarization: the USA example
In modern globalized society, corporations have grown beyond the frameworks of traditional economic subjects and become key actors in economic, political, cultural and technological processes. Their economic power, often comparable to or even larger than the state budgets of many countries, apart from their great impact on global markets and capital flows, enables them to shape public policies through foundations and financial support to political structures. The defence sector, being extremely profitable, has been in the focus of corporations for decades. In technological terms, drones, armoured vehicles, semi-automatic and automatic weapons, mass surveillance systems are more often transferring from the military into the police sector. From the social aspect, military equipment and training entice a “war” mentality in police structures. Taking this into account, corporations have a huge impact on the process of police militarization, and this phenomenon is particularly evident in the USA. To prove this hypothesis, our research will apply a combined methodological approach which consists of the caste study method, content analysis method and critical-analytical method.
Towards a global geopolitical novum – with or without World War until a change of order?
The world is undergoing a turbulent transition between different orders, which is manifested through political, military, technological, economic, religious, propaganda, and other confrontations. The participants in the said conflicts are actors who are striving to perpetuate a privileged status quo, on the one hand, and rising powers with aspirations to change the system in which their position is inferior, on the other. Although armed conflicts may at first glance have a proxy character, a world war is possible as multiple simultaneous regional wars. The author argues that the outcomes of such wars are already yielding a geopolitical, i.e., comprehensive reshaping of the world. Absolute domination of the US during the “unipolar moment” ceased to exist a long while ago, whereas a multipolar system in its true sense has not yet been fully established. The current historical-geopolitical situation would be the most accurately defined as a process of multipolarisation, that is, a process of structuring a polycentric world. For the time being, it is impossible to say what this polycentricity will look like, what the alignment of powers will be on the scale of global power, and whether they will incline towards at least a passable balance of (neo) bipolarity. Additionally, there is another “end of history”(?) on the horizon, with an imminent shifting of the earlier unipolarity towards a new one – Pax Americana will be followed by an attempt to establish Pax Sinica. Therefore, general thinking does not go beyond the set patterns of coordinates of some form of polarity. Nevertheless, there is ample indication that there is an ongoing shifting towards a new geopolitical novum – mosaic-like structure of building blocks whose principles of integration will be fragmented, with fluid borders, while connections will be flexible.
The mythologems of geopolitical conflicts
To dispel the Dionysian narrative unease or the doubt about the epistemology of the paper, we will say that the authors’ statement contained in this multi-layered descriptor represents not only a sociological and philosophical but also a psychoanalytical interpretation of regional conflicts, whose mythological aspect has succeeded in gathering “the historical actors” and uniting them in the rehabilitation of their “geopolitical legacies” not only with political panaceas for the salvation of “democratic spirit” but, much more complex, with mythologem-like encounters. Here, we can recognize the influence of Carl Gustav Jung and Karl Kerenyi, whose mythological heritage will help us analyse the contemporary “geopolitical awakenings”, as Aleksandr Dugin would phenomenologically conclude. Referring to the aforementioned towering duo, sometimes “the sepulchral mythologem” is more important in the description of geopolitical forces, i.e., social battlefields, than any anticipated and daily informed calmness or. rather, geopolitical ambiguity because “the religious revolt”, which is considered the ruler of both regional and global conflicts, is kept in that archetypal structure. Through a chrestomathy of regional conflicts with a selection of archetypal examples of both the post-Soviet and Middle Eastern regions, we will try to explain their archetypal and geopolitical predictors.
Svetozar Marković’s sociological and social contribution
In this paper dedicated to the thematic section “Svetozar Marković: 150th death anniversary”, we strive to interpret and highlight Svetozar Marković’s sociological and social contribution to Serbian science on the basis of the qualitative content analysis, particularly in relation to the circumstances in Serbia and the Balkans. Marković’s reflections still represent the enlightening guidelines for intellectuals dealing with social matters, advocating for the protection of national interests and encouraging the development of local and regional communities. They are guided by the idea of society that serves real needs of working people in an attempt to overcome contradictions deriving from capital accumulation. Quite expectedly, many Marković’s attitudes seem obsolete and idealistic, having in mind that almost a century and a half have passed since their creation. Nevertheless, many of his interpretations may still encourage modern thought and offer an insight into social and political issues encountered by the Serbian nation in today’s socio-historical context.
Gender perspective in understanding and perception of climate change
The study examines climate change from a gender perspective, analyzing how gender and marginalization shape perception and response to climate challenges. It is assumed that women, due to their more vulnerable social position, suffer specific consequences of climate change, while simultaneously showing greater proactivity in climate action. The research applies a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including literature review, questionnaires, as well as data and reports from relevant organizations such as the IPCC. The results show that women are disproportionately affected, especially in marginalized communities, but significantly contribute to ecological solutions. It concludes that greater inclusion of women in decision-making processes and strengthening their role through education and media support are crucial for achieving sustainable climate solutions.
From a television viewer to a digital consumer: the influence of sports idols on the formation of consumer mindset
The development of new technologies, video streaming platforms, social media, and complex marketing networks has transformed the traditional TV viewer into a global consumer. At the same time, in the field of sports, elite athletes have become influencers whose power in promoting and selling a brand is considerable, owing to the credibility they have built within a world of discipline and achievement. In doing so, they influence not only a loyal audience but also the broader population. In addition to these macro-influencers, this study will also examine micro-influencers, identified by social media algorithms as influential within specific niches relevant to digital marketing. We start from the assumption that the mediatization of sports transforms sports idols into symbolic capital of high marketing and cultural significance, while simultaneously fostering the emergence of a contemporary society of the spectacle. The research is based on a qualitative, theoretical-analytical approach and an interdisciplinary synthesis of insights from media studies, the sociology of sports, and marketing, employing the critical content analysis, the comparative analysis of brand ambassadors, case studies, and deductive reasoning. The aim is to demonstrate how the mediatization of sports and the role of idols as bearers of symbolic capital shape consumer awareness in the digital environment.
Forms of sharenting as a modern social phenomenon of children’s portrait
The paper analyzes the parents’ contemporary practice of posting virtual content about their children on social networks and online platforms in general. Sharing content about a child on social networks and online without restrictions is an approach that fully recognizes the parents’ right and freedom to shape the visibility of their child, as well as the child’s right to privacy. Even limiting access to one’s own profile to a certain close circle of people does not guarantee absolute protection of the child’s well-being. Namely, the danger of closed profiles, to which only “friends” or close people, relatives, godparents of the child have access, is reflected in the fact that these people can further forward, or download, such content. Initially, the concept of sharenting was associated with sharing content about children for altruistic motives, and then for exclusively personal, entertaining, non-profit motives of parents, and the further “evolution” of this phenomenon was in the direction of parents sharing children-related content for business motives. Sharing content about children for the sake of parents’ entertainment motives is the leading reason why content about children is shared online.
Navigating a Masculine Domain: Gender, Work, and Inequalities in India’s Food Delivery Platforms
In the growing discourse about work in the gig economy, the experience of women gig workers remains underexplored. The intersection of peculiar work organisation in gig platforms and existing gendered social norms produces variegated outcomes across different contexts. This study examines how women food delivery workers enter, sustain, and navigate India’s food delivery platforms, a sector largely perceived as a ‘masculine’ domain. Employing a qualitative research design, this study draws on 20 semi-structured interviews with women and men food delivery workers from major food delivery platforms operating in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The findings revealed how gendered social norms are reflected and reproduced in the policies and practices of food delivery platforms. These dynamics restrict women’s participation, shape their working hours, and ultimately widen the earning gap between men and women in food delivery platforms. This study underscores the need for policies and practices that promote positive discrimination to enhance women’s workforce participation and ensure equitable earnings, and foster dignified and inclusive working conditions within the gig economy.
Svetozar Marković – the predecessor of historical sociology and the founder of socialist thought and movement in Serbia and the Balkans
The paper analyzes the personality and work of Svetozar Marković as the teacher of emancipatory energy, the predecessor of historical sociology in our country and the founder of socialist thought and the socialist movement in Serbia and the Balkans. First, there is an overview of the role of great “sunny personalities”, eternal star lanterns, those who awaken the people, in national history and collective memory. This is followed by a brief biographical review of Svetozar Markopvić’s personality and work (1846–1875). The central subject of our sociological examination is Marković’s contribution to historical sociology and the importance of re-actualizing his socialist thoughts and messages about the workers’ question of “bread and self-government” in the context of post-socialist societies in the Balkans, to the revival of today’s left wing.
Plagues of modernization and praise to patriarchate in Svetozar Marković’ “Serbia in the East”
In this paper, the author first gives a short review of certain values and, even more, certain faults of today’s world with the aim of comparing the modernized world to patriarchate, which was extensively written about by Svetozar Marković in Serbia in the East. Unlike today’s dominant trend to disrespect the patriarchal way of life and to ignore its values, Svetozar wrote a special praise to patriarchate, but also expressed his regret because Serbian society, after the liberation from the Turkish rule and the establishment of its own state, was not built on its patriarchal foundations, but became bureaucratized following some Western models even after the West itself had abandoned them. He thought that Serbia’s place was in the East, among Slavic nations and states, whose social foundations were also patriarchal. However, historical trends, contrary to Marković’s expectations, proceeded mostly in an opposite direction. The paper is aimed at juxtaposing two worlds, the patriarchal one, as testified by Svetozar Marković in his most important book, and the modern one, as seen in the literature and the author’s direct empirical insight. The analysis will apply the historical approach and the comparative method.
Svetozar Marković (1846–1875) lived in Switzerland in 1869–1870 and during that time he became acquainted with the Swiss system of direct democracy, especially in the canton of Zurich. There was also a strong tradition of municipal self-government in Serbia, which was based on municipal assemblies, as a form of direct democracy. Marković wanted to reform Serbia into an association of self-governing counties, following the Swiss model. In the second step, according to Marković’s idea, the counties and the association itself would gradually begin to take on a socialist character. After the Paris Commune (1871), when Marx also accepted the idea of communalism, and especially when he agreed with the idea of a “Russian” path to socialism – with a reliance on the traditional village commune – the positions of Marković and Marx became completely close. Therefore, Marković can also be quite freely classified as a Marxist. However, since he was explicitly in favour of a democratic path to socialism (in phase two), Marković can be assessed as a Marxist-democrat.
Sociological analysis of socio-pathological phenomena in Svetozar Marković’s work “Serbia in the East”
In 19th-century Serbia, on the eve of modernization processes, a critical voice emerged pointing to the social, political, and moral deviations of the new order. One of the most significant representatives of this perspective was Svetozar Marković. His work Serbia in the East represents a political and sociological treatise, but also a sharp critique of the injustices and dysfunctions of Serbian society after its liberation from the Ottoman rule. The aim of this paper is, through the application of content analysis and a sociological theoretical framework, to systematize the socio-pathological phenomena described in the work and to present Marković’s reform proposals and vision of social transformation. The analysis shows that his insights remain relevant today, serving as a framework for understanding systemic deviations and the need for ethical responsibility.
Axiological dimensions of family discourse: A qualitative analysis of women’s blogs in Russian and Serbian digital spaces
This study examines the representation of family values within the context of women’s blogging in Russia and Serbia. Methodologically, the study employs content analysis, a phenomenological approach, and an axiological framework for interpreting blogging narratives. It is posited that the frequency of a blogger’s engagement with specific thematic domains in text posts, videos can be conceptualized as an empirical indicator of their dominant value orientations. Key values identified in the women’s blogs include: Children, Joint family travel, Joint family celebrations, Household management, etc. It is noted that these values are typically not explicitly labelled within the narrative but are present implicitly. Significant similarities were found in the coverage of family themes across the Russian and Serbian blogospheres.
Programs of Russian businesses aimed at employes’ families: A Content analysis based on eps-ratings data
The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of corporate family-support programs for employees and their regional specificities. The study was conducted in Russia between April and May 2025. A content analysis of data from the EPS-rating of enterprises (182 enterprises from 48 regions) was conducted. The findings indicate that businesses predominantly implement universal measures, such as one-time financial benefits and corporate events, whereas comprehensive long-term programs are considerably less widespread. The highest levels of engagement are observed in the Central and Volga Federal Districts, with large enterprises demonstrating greater propensity to adopt such practices. These results provide an empirical basis for assessing the current state of corporate demographic policy and for identifying potential avenues for its institutionalization and further development.
Altruism in the living space of Russian youth
The goal of our study was to identify how altruism is understood and implemented in the living space of young people. The methodological basis of the study was an online survey (n = 641) and a series of semi-structured interviews (n = 10) with young people from Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region aged 18 to 30. The results of the study showed that most young people define altruism as selfless help associated with empathy, responsibility and the desire to make the world a better place. The most common forms of altruism are everyday actions. At the same time, wariness is recorded regarding helping strangers. The conclusion emphasizes that altruism retains a stable value among Russian youth and is an important element of social integration and civic activity.
The social space of poverty as an object of sociological analysis
The article explores the conceptualization of the “social space of poverty” and its relevance for contemporary sociological analysis of poverty. A scoping review of international (Web of Science) and national (RSCI, SCIndeks) publications was conducted to identify prevailing theoretical and methodological approaches — social exclusion, capability approach, welfare regimes, institutional theory, co-production, and social space. Bibliometric analysis reveals that, despite its relatively limited quantitative presence, the social space concept demonstrates high disciplinary relevance: its citation impact and Hirsch index are significantly higher in sociology journals compared to the broader interdisciplinary field. Using the bibliometric tool VOSviewer, the study maps the structural clusters and semantic dynamics of poverty research, showing a shift from macro-structural categories (exclusion, inequality, paternalism) toward agency-oriented approaches that emphasize subjective experience and strategies for overcoming poverty. The paper argues for the introduction of the analytical category “social space of poverty”, integrating structural, resource-based, and agentic dimensions and reflecting the transition from static representations of poverty toward a procedural perspective focused on individual and collective pathways of overcoming deprivation.
Svetozar Marković: “Serbia in the East” or “Greater Serbia”
Svetozar Marković, through his interrelated ideas, was the first to create a systematized body of knowledge about Serbian society, to provide its explanation, and to foresee its future development. In doing so, he fulfilled, in the modern sense, the most significant criteria of the definition of the sociological theory and authored a comprehensive socio-political study “Serbia in the East”, in which he criticized and contested the program of “Greater Serbia”. Both will be the subject of the analysis, with the aim of demonstrating their theoretical, practical-political, and national significance. This will be approached from the perspective of the critical social theory, the theory of nationalism, and the systems theory of society. At the same time, consideration will be given to his ideological standpoint as the first Serbian socialist and the first Serbian “radical sociologist” with sociological imagination.
Svetozar Marković (1846–1875) in the culture of remembrance among the Serbs
The author of the paper explores Svetozar Marković’s place in the culture of remembrance among the Serbs, with a special overview of institutional and monumental forms preserving and shaping his historical and symbolic significance. One of the most prominent persons of the Serbian socialist thought and democratic tradition of the 19th century, Marković has become an important and permanent symbol of social engagement, enlightenment and the idea of social justice. Numerous institutions in Serbia have been named after him – from educational and cultural institutions, such as the University Library “Svetozar Marković” in Belgrade, to the town of Svetozarevo (today’s Jagodina) – which proves the breadth and permanence of his place in collective memory. Svetozar Marković’s bust in front of the University Library in Belgrade stands as a symbol of academic and ideological tradition established by him. Starting from the theoretical postulates of the culture of remembrance, this paper will show that Marković’s person has been an object of different ideological interpretations ion the public discourse, depending on the historical context.
The current quality of Svetozar Marković’s views of “socialism and the social question”
The paper presents the understanding of the social and societal questions, i.e., of the social revolution in Svetozar Marković’s work, as a collection of articles summarizing the basic theses of all important works by Marković, from the Program for the paper Radenik (Worker), via Serbia in the East, the articles about women’s equality, the Paris Commune and education, to Greater Serbia. Due to the limited space. The focus of this paper will be the analysis of those articles which most directly refer to Marković’s development of the concept of socialism through a critical dialogue with the perceptions of socialism and democracy in the articles of Vladimir Jovanović as the most prominent representative of liberalism among the members of the Association of Serbian Youth. In the conclusion, the author sums up the current quality of the views of socialism and the social question of the most important Serbian socialist of the 19th century, relevant for understanding the success and/or failure to fulfil the first basic item of Marković’s “political will” in reference to the internal aspects of socialism and social revolution in the Principality of Serbia and in the Balkans. Due to the limited space, the second item of Marković’s “will”, i.e., the revolution in Turkey and the federation on the Balkan Peninsula, will be discussed in a separate text.
Svetozar Marković and the main trends of European socialism (1840–1890)
Different intellectual traditions and periods have interpreted Svetozar Marković’s work in completely different ways. According to the majority of authors, Marković ranks among social utopians whose thought was crucially influenced by Russian populism. Certain theoreticians look at him as a founder of particular Balkan socialism, while others consider his work close to Marxism or even anarchism. Furthermore, in the intellectual public there is no consensus about whether Marković’s thought is rational and progressive, or irrational and anti-modernist. While most authors believe that Marković was a progressive thinker, some of them, particularly those from the circle of modern Serbian liberals, believe that his thought is anti-modernist. The main goal of this paper is to establish what type of Socialism was “preached” by Svetozar Marković and whether he can be ranked among progressive intellectual forces. That is why Marković’s worldview has been compared with the theoretical postulates of Marx, Chernyshevsky, Bakunin and Proudhon, the most significant socialists in the period 1840-1890. The main conclusion of this paper is that Svetozar Marković was a progressive thinker and that he should be considered a libertarian multilinear Marxist with revisionist tendencies or a syntheticist of Marxism and Russian populism.
From historical memory of World War II to the capital of historical memory or how the culture of memory is transforming in the consciousness of Russian students
The article is devoted to the study of the culture of memory in Russia. The article presents the results of a sociological study of the dynamics of historical memory of World War II in the minds of Russian students. It is based on the monitoring data of the Russian Society of Sociologists. It was conducted from 2005 to 2025. The 2025 sample is 19,236 students from 82 universities. The article shows that understanding the memory of the Victory in this war as capital gives it social meaning and significance. Such an interpretation forms a sense of usefulness in its subject, actualizing the experience of the past and expanding opportunities in the present and future, preserving the culture of memory of the nation. The article shows the inconsistency of the patriotic perception of the history of the war by Russian students - an increase in interest in these events and the preservation of the “deformation of memory” laid down in the 1990s.
Successful continuation of Serbian-Russian sociological cooperation
Quantophrenia – a scientist in numbers and numbers in science
The book deals with the topic of quantophrenia, a growing and finally prevailing practice of the quantification of social sciences through counting papers and, on that basis, measuring their influence via scientific indices, which further creates the need for publishing as many papers as possible in adequate places, while the content quality of those papers falls into the background – the quantity of scientific papers is imposed as quality.
(Once Again) On the Concept of Security and the Sketch of the Modified Securitization Theory
The main subject of consideration is the concept of security. However, the conceptual analysis is carried out in a specific way, namely through the presentation of a rough outline of the popular theory’s modification. Security is viewed as a value whose existence is linked to the preservation of the established value system of a given society, which is used as a basis for further reflection on the nature of the relationship between security and ideology. The standpoint that security, as a value, can be easily integrated into existing ideological systems allows it to be the subject of Althusser’s ideological state apparatuses. By using the theories of the state and ideology of the French philosopher, this paper aims to overcome the main shortcomings of the theory of securitization, namely the weak visibility of structural factors that enable the realization of the mentioned process.