Društvene i humanističke nauke u Srbiji
Social and humanities in Serbia
Contributor(s): Goran Bašić (Editor), Ljubomir Maksimović (Editor)
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: humanities;Serbia
Summary/Abstract: It is a fact that today's world is going through revolutionary changes, with continuous acceleration, which are unprecedented in the history of human societies. If we take only the last millennium of European history as an example, we will easily see that, despite some threads of recognition of smaller or larger traces of tradition, 20th century Europe has little in common with the European world of the 10th century in material terms and lifestyle. Technological development made one kind of contribution to it, political development, revolutionary or not, another kind of contribution. But some of the basic, almost timeless social settings have changed little, such as relationship between sexes, relationship between generations, relationship between superiors and subordinates, relationship between social classes, relationship between (permanent) professions. Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, all these relationships have become relationships with vague outlines and mutually unclear boundaries. This creates a completely new social climate in which everything seems attainable and possible. The feeling that we live in a world of almost limitless possibilities 9 is enhanced to incredible proportions by the means of communication, which make the real virtual and the virtual real. If we add to that the achievement of postmodernity that the discourse of the observer is more prioritized than the observed phenomenon itself, then the question arises as to what role science plays in the creation of today's lifestyle. Let's leave aside the future possibilities, because in this state of affairs, it is really difficult to predict them even with a minimum of certainty.
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-86-7093-256-2
- Page Count: 239
- Publication Year: 2022
- Language: Serbian
Izazovi društvenih i humanističkih nauka
Izazovi društvenih i humanističkih nauka
(Challenges of social sciences and humanities)
- Author(s):Ljubomir Maksimović
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:9-14
- No. of Pages:6
(Ne)autonomija društvenih nauka u globalizaciji koja nije globalna
(Ne)autonomija društvenih nauka u globalizaciji koja nije globalna
((Non)autonomy of social sciences in globalization that is not global)
- Author(s):Alpar Lošonc
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Social Sciences, Sociology, Globalization
- Page Range:19-41
- No. of Pages:23
- Keywords:globalization; social sciences; quasi-market organizations; objectivity; truth in science
- Summary/Abstract:The paper focuses on the position of social sciences in the context of globalization. It consists of three parts. In the first part, I show that despite frequent use, globalization is a term containing different antinomies. Taking particular account of the fact that the relevant aspects of globalization are socially constructed, the article emphasizes the elements of asymmetry and hegemony. In the second part, I argue that the antinomies mentioned are also reflected in relation to the social sciences. Paying particular attention to the problem of interference between scientific and non-scientific aspects in the social sciences the article I rely on Robert Merton’s dual criterion, which implements the “communist norm“ of the distribution of scientific results, but also the dynamics of the desire for recognition, which is considered as a motivational resource for social science performance. The article questions how these criteria are reflected in the strands of globalization? I point out critical remarks in relation to those aspects of social science practice that weaken the possibility of achieving a reflected consensus in the same sciences. The article also criticizes the mimetic relation of social sciences to the modalities of market rationality. In the third part of the paper, I analyze the phenomenology of objectivity in global contexts and show that the issue of objectivity shows aspects of the antinomy mentioned. The article particularly thematizes the status of knowledge in the social sciences with particular reference to the fabrication of ignorance, and to the results of critical research in agnotology. Referring to the involvement of the social sciences in interpre- ting climate change and the crisis of 2007, the article sheds light on the relationship between objectivity and global relations. The conclusion presents the tension between market-driven globalization and the ideal of objectivity in the social sciences realized through the reflective communication of members of the scientific community.
Nauka kao javno dobro
Nauka kao javno dobro
(Science as a public good)
- Author(s):Vladimir Ž. Milisavljević
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:43-65
- No. of Pages:23
- Keywords:economics; market; public goods; science; technology
- Summary/Abstract:This text examines the merits and flaws of the once widely accepted theory of science as a „public good“ by situating it in its historical context (the Cold War period) as well as in the general theoretical framework of the economics of knowledge. The central assumption of the theory is that scientific knowledge exhibits two features by which it diverges from the standard or private goods: non-excludability and non-rivalrous consumption. This would be the reason why leaving science to the mechanisms of the free market economy, with its model of competitive equilibrium, would result in its undersupply, i.e., in a suboptimal outcome for the society as a whole. Hence the conclusion that the progress of scientific knowledge requires generous subsidies from the public authority. The central assumption of the theory of science as a public good has been widely challenged. By now, the public good model of science has been supplanted by some new concepts, such as the „endogenous growth theory“, which, by contrast, treat science as a private or monopolistic good. This shift in the economics of science relies on the growing trend of commodification of scientific research, which has dire consequences for the development of basic sciences, in particular for social sciences and humanities. However, I do not argue that we should revert to the theory of science as a public good, but rather that we should reexamine the assumption which this theory shares with the more recent orthodox liberal economic models of science: that the value of scientific research could be assessed solely in terms of its measurable economic effects. Some critical remarks are devoted to the methodology of the Serbian government for assessing the quality of scientific research, in particular when it comes to the social sciences and humanities.
Društvene nauke i izazov merljivosti – osvrt
Društvene nauke i izazov merljivosti – osvrt
(SOCIAL SCIENCES AND THE CHALLENGE OF MEASURABILITY)
- Author(s):Tibor Várady
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:67-79
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:social sciences; measurability; number of citations; objective standards; adjustment to standards
- Summary/Abstract:Objective standards have been gaining more and more ground within the realm of social sciences – just as within the process of evaluation of the results achieved in this realm. This line of development has had many positive yields, but it also has results that need critical investigation and controlling. The question arises whether everything what is being measured can, indeed, be measured. One also needs to investigate, what incentives (and what temptations) are generated by specific objective standards of measurement. The question also arises whether objective standards (and numbers in particular) will always just assist in perceiving reality, or whether they may also replace reality.
Etika u društvenim i humanističkim naukama
Etika u društvenim i humanističkim naukama
(Ethics in social sciences and humanities)
- Author(s):Jovan Babić
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Ethics / Practical Philosophy
- Page Range:83-103
- No. of Pages:21
- Keywords:ethics; ethical analysis; natural sciences; social sciences and humanities
- Summary/Abstract:In addition to everything else, the modern world is also characterised by a huge discrepancy. It concerns the status and role of social sciences in the overall life of people in the world. While on the one hand, we perceive a huge progress in technology, as well as in natural sciences on which such technology is based on, on the other hand we witness a spiritual and civilizational crisis which manifests as a general scarcity of the ideas which could serve as the basis for sustainable and morally acceptable values and criteria. In the last two centuries, natural sciences have created the foundation for an unprecedented progress in taming the nature and expanding human freedoms when it comes to tools for the attainment of previously unreachable goals. However, examination of nature, structure, as well as validity of these goals is not a subject of natural, but rather of social sciences, and these lag far behind the galloping technology which often renders current civilizational and ethical standards inapplicable and/or inadequate. There are a couple of reasons for such condition. The greatest and most important of them is a certain scholastic inertia which drives social sciences towards recycling certain pieces of research, long exhausted, and many of these gain no real results. Scholasticism drastically narrows down the domain of what is being perceived as an appropriate and welcome, even legitimate research subject. The next reason for this situation is the easiness of utilisation of social sciences for the creation and justification of utopian ideas and of the ideologies based on them, which offer the false promise of a shortcut to happiness and satisfaction. This partially parasitize on the fact that the criteria for plausibility and relevance in social sciences are hard to establish precisely and in a timely manner. It sometimes takes very long time to identify what is really relevant in them, and what is not. In the meantime, social sciences may easily serve for various apologetic purposes. However, all this cannot diminish their importance, as in the overall scheme of things, social sciences deal with something which is ultimately more important than what natural sciences deal with: goals. While natural sciences, in their attempts to explain causalities of the world, engage in research of nature and structure of resources for undefined goals, social sciences actually deal with these very goals and their potential justifications. This requires a much more complex concept of time and inclusion of different theoretical principles and contents than those that comfortably delimit research to finding and mapping causes in explaining phenomena: the introduction of final goals and theoretically quite risky parameters for articulation of potential value criteria. This risk is immediately evident in the social sciences’ imperative of impartiality and objectivity in researching what is essentially the matter of interest, i.e. the goals we care for, or we should care for. Here is perhaps where the main problem lies when it comes to social sciences: when we need to cross what we care for with what we should care for – while still maintaining the position that this is all a matter of liberty, rather than of values and facts. This crossroad of real, the causality of which is ever thoroughly explained by natural sciences, and possible, which is ever elusive, just like horizon, and can usually be attained only with major efforts, is the location of ethical analysis of social sciences and humanities.
Vrednovanja naučnog rada u društvenim i humanističkim naukama
Vrednovanja naučnog rada u društvenim i humanističkim naukama
(VALUING SCIENTIFIC WORK IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES)
- Author(s):Aleksandar Kostić
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:105-112
- No. of Pages:8
- Keywords:social sciences and humanities; evaluation; review
- Summary/Abstract:Valuing of scientific efforts in social sciences and humanities is largely conditioned by the nature of these sciences, i.e. their methodology and the manner of interpretation of the gathered findings. In a substantial number of cases, social sciences and humanities fall short of the criteria we encounter in natural sciences, such as generalisation, replicability, prediction and falsifiability. On the other hand, the range of fields and methods in social sciences and humanities is extremely wide and varied. Within certain social sciences, we identify approaches the results of which are interpreted by means of mathematical and statistical apparatuses, and in this sense, these do not differ greatly from natural sciences (e.g. research in econometrics and experimental psychology). On the other hand, we have interpretations which could hardly satisfy the criteria of scientific research (e.g. certain approaches to philosophy and anthropology). Bearing in mind the aforementioned characteristics of the outputs of social sciences and humanities, the question put here concerns the criteria based on which products of these sciences are accepted or rejected, and this question have been causing extensive arguments on the global level, still without a clear consensus being reached. When it comes to Serbia, an additional problem is that scientific communities are generally quite small, while the majority of papers are written in Serbian, which prevents them from being internationally reviewed. Finally, a part of the problems that these sciences deal with is narrowly local, yet, as a rule, extremely significant when it comes to culture and identity. One of the ways to overcome the aforementioned issues could be the introduction of international reviewing process, which implies that papers need to be written in English. Many social sciences and humanities, e.g. philosophy and psychology, could fulfil this condition. In that way, Serbian scientific production in social sciences and humanities would get relevant insights in the quality and wide accepted criteria in certain fields, regardless of their comparability with the criteria used in natural sciences. However, for the part of the production concerning issues which are local in character, there is a small probability that they would be published in prestigious international journals. The valuing thereof would still be limited to national review which should, if possible, establish more strict standards.
Uslovi za razvoj društvenih i humanističkih nauka
Uslovi za razvoj društvenih i humanističkih nauka
(CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES)
- Author(s):Snežana Smederevac
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:117-133
- No. of Pages:17
- Keywords:funding; open science; scientific evaluation; interdisciplinarity
- Summary/Abstract:Scientists and decision makers have an important role in the scientific development and recognition of the role of scientific outputs in society. The position of social sciences and humanities in Serbia reflects the general international trends, with increasing appeals for the change of their scientific and societal status. The role of social sciences and humanities in staying up to date with general trends in science and solving significant social problems, could be possible only if appropriate conditions are created for their development. The first condition should be a change in funding and quality control of scientific research. These processes are closely linked, since funding without quality control can lead to poor research practices or trivialization of research topics. Decision makers and funders need to set clear goals which they want to achieve by investing in science. The second condition is to increase the visibility of the social sciences and humanities scientific outputs. The basic principle of open science is increased visibility of scientific research. Open science includes open data, pre-registra- tion of research and many other topics which create a paradigm shift in the accessibility of scientific research and arts. Openness to solving social problems should be the backbone of core missions of universities and scientific institutions. The third condition is redefining criteria for the evaluation of scientific work. The amount of published and counted papers is becoming an insufficiently convincing criterion for scientific evaluation. A responsible system of evaluation in science should take into account the specificity of each scientific discipline, the altmetrics, the results of interdisciplinary or cross-cultural research, and qualitative criteria. The traditional division of sciences into natural and social ones faces a number of challenges, in which solving important social problems is possible only with intense interdisciplinary cooperation. The progress of science depends equally on decision makers, funders, scientific institutions and researchers, who can create conditions for overcoming a dogmatic approach to science, dysfunctional differences between scientific disciplines, non-transparency, mere counting of the results of scientific works, and the neglect of science’s main goal: scientific contribution.
Kontraindikacije kriterijuma vrednovanja akademskog rada u društvenim i humanističkim naukama u Republici Srbiji u 21. veku: Preliminarni rezultati kvalitativnog antropološkog istraživanja
Kontraindikacije kriterijuma vrednovanja akademskog rada u društvenim i humanističkim naukama u Republici Srbiji u 21. veku: Preliminarni rezultati kvalitativnog antropološkog istraživanja
(COUNTERINDICATIVE SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES ACADEMIC EVALUATION CRITERIA IN SERBIA IN 21. CENTURY: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF A QUALITATIVE ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH)
- Author(s):Miloš Milenković
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Sociology, Methodology and research technology
- Page Range:135-147
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:Serbia; humanities and social sciences; academic evaluation; research policy; anthropology of science
- Summary/Abstract:The qualitative ethnographic bottom-up research whose preliminary results are delivered in this lecture, was focused on the prolonged dispute over SSH academic evaluation criteria in Serbia. Its specific goal was to obtain a sound understanding of the impact of the current SSH research evaluation system in order to provide evidence-based recommendations for its revision. The preliminary findings of analysis of what consequences academic evaluation produces from the point of view of SSH scholars corroborated the main hypothesis – if SSH scholars are expected to engage with the knowledge-to-policy agenda they were nominally called upon, they need to re-establish their authority not only in society at large, but within the research and higher education sectors as well. Interviewed colleagues, research participants from five academic and cultural centres in Serbia, almost unanimously assert the country’s academic evaluation policy is characterised by 1) highly biased research evaluation criteria defined by policymakers serving solely interests of STEM fields, and 2) misbalanced research funding that continually devalues SSH. SSH were both structurally and systematically subordinated and have been referred to as ,,weak, “ ,,irrelevant“ and ,,underdeveloped“, because field-unspecific evaluation criteria, which left SSH specificities out of the Research and Development policy framework, were applied. SSH scholars’ general sentiment is that evaluation criteria are not only incompetently adapted to SSH research assessment, but purposively biased or even malicious. SSH as a field still lacks proper evaluation protocol capable of reflecting its cultural functions and societal potential which requires urgent policy reform.
Opšti i individualni interes u odnosu na društvene i humanističke nauke
Opšti i individualni interes u odnosu na društvene i humanističke nauke
(GENERAL AND INDIVIDUAL INTEREST IN RELATION TO THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES)
- Author(s):Pavle Milenković
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:147-159
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:interests; sociology of knowledge; science; values; ideology; practice
- Summary/Abstract:The paper discusses the historical and epistemological assumptions for the opposition of general and individual interest in the emergence, dissemination and application of scientific knowledge in the social sciences and humanities. It is generally and individually considered as analytical and typological determinants that in the historical context have relational, relative and contractual status. From the perspective of the theory and sociology of knowledge, the distinction of scientific knowledge into social and humanistic knowledge, as well as the sciences themselves into natural and social sciences has a classifying character, while scientific knowledge with a unique historical and ontological horizon is subject to cognitive and anthropological determinants of human practice and dominant value orientations.
Svet i mi: položaj naučne profesije sa osvrtom na društvene i humanističke nauke
Svet i mi: položaj naučne profesije sa osvrtom na društvene i humanističke nauke
(SCIENTIFIC PROFESSION IN SERBIA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS)
- Author(s):Suzana Ignjatović, Željka Buturović
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:161-181
- No. of Pages:21
- Keywords:academic researchers/scientists; social sciences and humanities; vertical and horizontal stratification; Serbia
- Summary/Abstract:The paper explores the status of science as a profession in general, focusing on the social and humanities in Serbia. At a global level, academic jobs are becoming increasingly unstable, poorly compensated and, consequently, less appealing. Knowledge production in academia is undergoing a profound crisis due to a new management model of efficient, useful and measurable scientific production, which has paradoxically resulted in the hyper proliferation of scientific papers and academic misconduct. In the long run, job stability and research autonomy are likely to determine the intrinsic value of scientists’ research careers, professional identities, and their reputation in society. In Serbia, these global trends have not yet reached full swing. The above-than-average socio-economic status (relative to Serbian average socio-economic status), relative job stability and significant research autonomy, may explain persistent desirability of a science career. Recent research shows that despite some unfavourable trends, research scientists remain committed to this sector and recognize the intrinsic value of scientific research. In Serbia, there is an equal share of women and men in almost all scientific fields while in the social sciences, there is also an equal share of genders in leadership positions. Institutional financing and absence of up-or-out system, help maintain environment that supports scientific risk-taking and creative autonomy. The generation gap between young and old scientists is growing because life course trajectories are overlapping with the adverse trends of jobs insecurity/scarcity for young researchers that is, paradoxically, exacerbated by efforts to recruit ever-increasing numbers of young people to science.
Big data, digitalizacija i novi putevi razvoja istraživanja u društvnim i humanističkim naukama
Big data, digitalizacija i novi putevi razvoja istraživanja u društvnim i humanističkim naukama
(BIG DATA, DIGITALIZATION AND NEW AVENUES IN RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES)
- Author(s):Bojan Todosijević, Ljubomir Hristić
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Sociology, Methodology and research technology, Evaluation research
- Page Range:185-207
- No. of Pages:23
- Keywords:digitization; Big data; social sciences; humanities; research
- Summary/Abstract:Digitization and the emergence of “Big data” reflect global technological changes. Social sciences and humanities cannot escape their influence. At the global level, an increasing amount of data is generated every day from various sources – from data on on-line behavior, through data generated by the use of mobile devices, to data from government institutions. A significant part of that is data on social and economic behavior and attitudes that did not exist before, and that opens new opportunities for research. At the same time, the process of digitization is becoming the subject of social science research. Questions such as: who organizes and controls data generation, how data is used, how data security and privacy are controlled, are in the researchers’ focus. The historic period that we live in is extremely interesting for researchers in the social sciences and humanities an increasing amount of data, not only on attitudes but also on actual social behavior, is becoming available to a wider circle of researchers. At the same time, it is a very demanding period especially due to the need for technological expertise in the field of information technology. This paper provides an overview of those aspects of digitization and Big data phenomena that are of particular importance for research in the social sciences and humanities. The first part talks about the new reality created by the digitalization and the availability of Big data. In the second part, attention is paid to the new opportunities and challenges facing researchers. For researchers to participate more fully in the digital-era research eco-sphere, it is necessary to acquire competencies in the context of modern information technologies. Formal education needs to be complemented by continuing self-education. The requirements in terms of technological expertise suggest the need to develop a culture of interdisciplinary cooperation. A culture of publicly available data archiving and metadata needs to be developed. Particular attention must be paid to protecting the privacy of respondents, and data security.
Društvene i humanističke nauke u sutrašnjem naučnom sistemu Srbije
Društvene i humanističke nauke u sutrašnjem naučnom sistemu Srbije
(SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES IN SERBIA’S SCIENTIFIC SYSTEM OF TOMORROW)
- Author(s):Mirjana M. Rašević
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences
- Page Range:209-221
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:social sciences and humanities; qualitative research; foresight method; policymakers; Serbia
- Summary/Abstract:In many countries, social and humanistic scientific communities are facing underappreciation compared to those of the natural sciences. Serbia’s scientific community in these scientific fields is additionally burdened by a series of problems. Most of them can be associated with the broader socio-political context that has existed in Serbia for quite a while. Science in general, and in particular its social and humanistic disciplines, are not mainstreamed, valued in the social sense or adequately financially supported. In addition, a considerable number of researchers are unwilling to accept contemporary trends in science. The topic of the paper was approached from two perspectives: through an analysis of the latest relevant publications and through a study based on the implementation of the foresight method. Precedence was given to the qualitative research-based approach of this method. The participants of the organised discussion, titled “A View to the Future”, were mid-career researchers with scientific/equivalent title in higher education in various social and humanistic sciences, employed with several institutes or faculties. The forecasting covered the period until 2030. This approach provided insight in the current challenges faced by social sciences and humanities in Serbia, the activities to be undertaken to address those challenges in the next decade, as well as in alternative stories about the life of a fictional researcher, based on two opposite scenarios of development of the country, these scientific fields and science in general in Serbia in the future. The selected approach aims to enable the policymakers to get a straightforward understanding of the contextual aspect of the status and prospects of Serbia’s future scientific system and, within it, the social sciences and humanities, and to motivate them to take strategic actions. The downside of the above concept is the fact that it is dominated by perceptions, expectations and fears of the researchers in the fields of social sciences and humanities.
Mogu li društvene nauke biti praktične?
Mogu li društvene nauke biti praktične?
(COULD SOCIAL SCIENCES BE PRACTICAL?)
- Author(s):Goran Bašić
- Language:Serbian
- Subject(s):Philosophy, Social Sciences, Political Theory, Political Sciences
- Page Range:223-237
- No. of Pages:15
- Keywords:society; science; positivism; public policy
- Summary/Abstract:Social sciences are objected for their abstractedness and inapplicability in everyday life. Many contest the purpose of social sciences and point to their weaknesses. The problems that social sciences encounter are divided to external and internal. The first group originate in the crisis of contemporary liberal state, while the second group is caused by the crisis of ideas. Enemies of social sciences, populists and pseudo-scientists deepen this crisis and utilise fear, deception, superficiality and seductive laicism as the agents of their own promotion, at the cost of further deterioration of social sciences. In order to overcome such condition, a paradigm shift is needed, which would strike balance between theoretical and empirical research, based on the principles of the freedom of scientific work. The new paradigm of social sciences, which follows Kuhn’s thesis on revolutionary transformations in sciences, would be preceded by the adoption of a wider, social paradigm.
