Napredak

(Tragi)comedy of errors: state double and student plenums

Vesna Đukić — 2025-08-06

The paper is based on the assumption that workers’ self-management as a road of leaving the “monopoly for power possession” of the state and party bodies developed a hybrid “state double” model as a Yugoslav predecessor of the anarcho-liberal idea of de-etatization, i.e., that self-management direct decision-making and financing social activities of common interest is the beginning of direct democracy of the plenums during the students’ university blockade. The research is aimed at perceiving the roadmap of the Yugoslav liberal “state double” model which has developed into a West-centric post-Yugoslav model of direct democracy of plenums as an alternative form of civic activism at the faculties and universities in Serbia. The research methodology is founded on the comparative historical analysis of the “state double” model in the sphere of social activities, starting from workers’ self-management. The empirical research refers to the alternative system of extra-institutional decision-making of the student plenums at the universities in Serbia supported by university professors and interested social groups which has articulated the crisis of democratization and institutionalization through introducing participatory and direct democracy of plenums.

Rethinking Machiavelli’s The Prince: Humanist Critique and the Ethics of Objective Inquiry

Milan Brdar — 2025-12-21

This paper demonstrates that a proper understanding of Machiavelli’s The Prince requires a careful reconstruction of the historical and cultural context of the Renaissance at the turn of the fifteenth to the sixteenth century. Particular attention is given to the humanists’ teaching on the virtuous man (vir virtutis) and the “mirror for princes” genre that emerged from it. Within this framework, the persistent humanist critique of Machiavelli – one that continued to exert influence well into the twentieth century – can be fully comprehended. In contrast, the interpretation advanced here contends that Machiavelli was the first to introduce a principle of methodological objectivity, later described as the value-neutral inquiry. By adopting this stance, Machiavelli can be regarded as a pioneer of political science: without the methodological foundation he established, the discipline itself could not have developed. Through adherence to this principle, he was able to present an objective account of political reality and to make it publicly intelligible, demonstrating remarkable intellectual courage. In light of this achievement, Machiavelli deserves rehabilitation from the long-standing accusations and recognition as an impartial investigator of the nature of politics— a role that humanist criticism has never been able acknowledge.

Dragoš Kalajić – A Serbian critical attitude towards western culture and civilization

Nebojša Kuzmanović — 2025-12-11

Abstract: Through the presentation of Dragoš Kalajić’s journalistic texts with the subject of war, as well as by emphasizing Kalajić’s participation in war conflicts during 1992-1995, the author strives to point to the basic corpus of values by which Kalajić was guided in life and which he fiercely defended, as well as to the higher, literary quality of his war reports. Analyzing Kalajić’s understanding of war and the place allotted to the writer in war, the author gives a clear picture of Kalajić’s “ideal” war correspondent, “the writer of God Mars”. He dedicates special attention to Kalajić’s observations regarding the character and spiritual strength of the fighters, who are the main bearers of the values about which he leaves a trace. In the conclusion, the author also gives a personal evaluation of Kalajić’s war records, as well as of the character of the war correspondent/writer standing behind them.

Indo-Pacific strategy and Europe – from politics through defence and economy to cultural and AI diplomacy. The example of the Czech Republic

Aleksandra Fostikov — 2025-12-11

In the past decades, the increase in the importance of the Indo-Pacific region, which has become not only a new geopolitical and geoeconomic, but also a geotechnical centre, led to a series of activities both of individual countries and the European Union and its member-states, resulting in a set of strategies for the Indo-Pacific during the second decade of the 21st century. The same process continued in the current, third decade. Due to their significance, the enacted strategies soon became the subject of study, whereas lately the focus has been placed exactly on analyzing the activities of individual countries. On this occasion, we have dedicated attention to the research of the activities of the Czech Republic, which adopted its strategy in 2022, immediately after the adoption of the European Union’s Strategy for the Indo-Pacific (2021) and subsequently, this region also found its place in the official politics of this country, namely in the Foreign Policy Concept (2025), as well in the National Cybersecurity Strategy (2025).

A citizen’s guide to waste incineration

Mirjana Todorović — 2025-12-22

Waste incineration is a controversial topic, even in technologically advanced and highly industrialized countries. Due to the complexity of this issue, it is necessary to approach the analysis from a broader perspective that encompasses all relevant aspects of the incineration process. This paper examines not only the technological dimensions but also the institutional conditions that support the implementation of the waste management hierarchy, as well as the principles of proximity and self-sufficiency. Special attention is given to the energy recovery of waste through various incineration and co-incineration technologies, with a focus on mechanisms that enable the control and reduction of harmful emissions.

Between Hollywood glamour and bureaucratic grayness: film as a means of influencing the public opinion determinant of foreign policy

Aleksandar Stanković — 2025-12-22

Film represents a powerful instrument capable of influencing public opinion. This paper therefore examines this medium and its impact on shaping foreign policy and determining the course a state pursues in international relations. Furthermore, it explores how different models of film vary in their influence on public opinion, as well as how they affect public attitudes toward specific issues. The theoretical foundations of foreign policy determinants, public opinion, and film are presented with the aim of identifying their common intersection—that is, the ways in which the cinematic medium can indirectly, through public opinion, influence foreign policy. The hypothesis positions film as one of the most significant factors in shaping the public-opinion determinant of foreign policy, while also partially addressing the effects it may have on the public.

Ljubica Buba Miljković – A sanctuary for the soul

Vesna Bašić — 2025-12-22

Social power and a new understanding of the world in the age of artificial intelligence

Aleksandar Babić — 2025-12-11