Ongoing Projects

Abstract

The European Sport Safeguarding Education and Promotion Action (ESSEPA) project aims to strengthen safeguarding in university sport by developing an innovative online education and certification platform. The project responds to the urgent need to equip student-athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers with knowledge and tools to prevent misconduct, promote ethical values, and foster a safe sporting environment.

Safeguarding policies in university sport vary significantly across Europe, leaving many participants without essential training or protection frameworks. To bridge this gap, ESSEPA will research good practices, develop educational content, and implement an accessible online platform that will serve as a standard for safeguarding education at university sporting events.

The project is structured into four key areas:

• Research & Content Development – Mapping existing policies and best practices, defining core safeguarding themes, and creating tailored educational materials.
• Platform Development & Implementation – Designing an interactive online platform with certification modules, ensuring engagement and accessibility.
• Communication, Dissemination & Sustainability – Promoting safeguarding education through awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and integration into university sports structures.
• Project Management & Coordination – Ensuring effective collaboration, monitoring, and long-term impact across the European university sports sector.

ESSEPA platform will be piloted at European university sporting events and remain accessible beyond the project’s duration. It will provide free and scalable safeguarding education, benefiting thousands of university athletes and other target groups, while fostering a culture of safety, fair play, and integrity in sports.

Led by EUSA Institute, in collaboration with universities, sports federations and digital experts, ESSEPA will set a new standard for safeguarding education in sport.

Abstract

The project aims to strengthen the andragogical, digital and inclusive competences of staff involved in adult education and to develop a shared methodological framework for planning, delivering and evaluating lifelong learning programmes. It will improve the quality and accessibility of provision and enhance the international dimension through the exchange of good practices, sustainable partnerships and the application of European quality standards. The expected results of the project include strengthened staff competences in adult education, the establishment of shared methodological guidelines and thematic frameworks for further development of lifelong learning programmes. The project will improve the quality, accessibility and inclusiveness of provision, enhance international cooperation, and establish sustainable mechanisms for knowledge exchange and quality assurance.

Abstract

The project examines the role and interaction of religious orders and societies in premodern Europe, with particular emphasis on the Croatian Historical Lands and the Holy Roman Empire. Through a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, it analyses how different religious orders developed as communities, how they influenced the societies around them, and how those societies, in turn, affected the orders. The project includes the study of both well-known and less-researched orders, the organisation of workshops and educational activities in Zagreb, Dresden and Šibenik, and the preparation of an online teaching manual. The results are expected to contribute to a better understanding of regional particularities and similarities and to enhance international cooperation in higher education.

This project examines the role of religious orders in shaping and interacting with societies in premodern Europe, focusing on the Croatian Historical Lands and the Holy Roman Empire. Using a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, it explores how religious orders defined themselves as distinct communities, how they were influenced by surrounding societies, and how they, in turn, transformed those societies. The project combines research, workshops, and teaching activities, including summer and winter schools, and will produce an open-access online teaching manual aimed at supporting university-level education and international academic collaboration.

Abstract

Protecting Europe’s linguistic plurality and increasing multilingualism is a clear aim of the European Union and the Council of Europe, balanced against the concern of increasing dominance of larger languages – most prominently English. The challenge is also present in the media, which is facing increased global competition and changing consumption trends, threatening media spheres in official national languages and even more so for regional and minority languages.

PLURILINGMEDIA intends to advance collaboration and bring coherence to the field of European media from the perspective of language plurality, encouraging involvement of scholars in related disciplines and facilitating knowledge transfer between academics and practitioners. This incorporates the digitalisation shifts affecting consumption and provision of media, providing opportunities and threats to journalists, as well as influencing policymakers, educators and other stakeholders.

Academics working on these topics mostly work on singular linguistic spheres and there remains a deficiency of knowledge transfer across the dimensions of academic discipline, career-stage, geography and industry. Spreading instances of good practice will be of particular relevance to smaller linguistic spheres and lesser-funded media outlets, who may be able to benefit from certain elements of digitalisation.

Moreover, involving individual content creators with institutional actors will also bring further plurality to media spheres, aiming to determine the benefits of this convergence of actors on the same platforms and share methods of reaching younger audiences.

Through all of this, PLURILINGMEDIA plans to demonstrate the plurality of a given regional or minority language sphere, empowering use of the language through media.

Abstract

The RELINK2 Action will intensify existing networking efforts of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries in the EU and beyond, to address two problems:

(1) How can democracies regain legitimacy and rebuild the link between representative institutions and citizens using the benefits of digital technologies?

(2) How can political organisations connect with digitally marginalised but politically active groups (the elderly) and with digitally active but politically marginalised ones (young citizens)?

In this regard, RELINK2 aims to find answers to three research gaps: a) the main organisational consequences of the digital transformation and their impact on re-linkage strategies, b) effectiveness of digital transformations in re-connecting intermediary structures with society, c) implementation of political organisations’ re-linking strategies to marginalised groups based on responsible use of digital tools. This requires an interdisciplinary and coordinated analytical framework.

The network will tackle challenges through research coordination objectives. Four Working Groups will be formed to bring in expertise on: 1) theoretical and 2) methodological challenges, 3) empirical analysis, 4) engagement and dissemination. RELINK2 will provide new opportunities to strengthen the career development of specific target groups and disseminate knowledge to countries and political organisations with less capacity in the field of the Action.

The practical implication of the Action is to create impact beyond the network. RELINK2 will develop a strong cooperation with stakeholders to integrate a non-academic point of view, identify good practices, and prepare recommendations. The Action aims to meet its objectives through a knowledge production and exchange with relevant stakeholders.

Abstract

The world currently faces a number of significant challenges to peace and security. Violent conflict and related victims doubled over the last decade. The Global Peace Index, trying to quantify peace on a global level, deteriorated for the ninth consecutive year. The war in Ukraine and the new levels of violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict raise fundamental questions on how to prevent violent conflict from erupting.

Moreover, climate change and polarization also pose grave challenges to peace and security, even in more ‘peaceful’ contexts. Building peace, reducing insecurity and preventing violent conflict demands us to fundamentally rethink peace. That is why this PEACE Action unites a trans-European and interdisciplinary research community that expands and strengthens a network of peace and conflict research centres and researchers from across Europe.

The main challenge for the PEACE Action is to improve our understanding of the current challenges to peace and security on the European continent and beyond, thereby inspiring new research, policy and practice. The focus areas will be on Peace & Climate, Feminist Peace, Peace & Emerging Technologies, Local Peace and a new Peace and Security Architecture in Europe.

In addition, the network will support a new generation of peace and conflict researchers in developing their careers.

Abstract

Institutions including the World Health Organisation and European Commission have called for urgent action to address societal challenges in mental health. Young people have been identified as particularly vulnerable and requiring urgent support. The European Commission recently stated: “Europe is witnessing a worsening of the mental health of the younger generations”. YouthDMH is specifically designed to help in addressing this challenge.

It will focus on the role that digital technologies can play in supporting the mental health needs of young people. Overall, it will consider the ways in which technology can support mental health from the point at which young people first become aware of the difficulties, through to the delivery of large-scale evidence-based interventions. It will do so in a way that ensures young people and marginalised communities have a voice in envisaging the future.

The core aim is to maximise the positive application of technology, whilst also mitigating the potential negative impact. The YouthDMH COST Action will establish a sustainable pan-European network, that is inclusive, interdisciplinary and intersectoral. It will support knowledge transfer, creation and dissemination and lay the foundations for coordinated research on the use of technology to support mental health in young people.

Activities throughout the Action will help bridge the gap between research and practice. The Action will also provide policy guidance and recommendations for government, civil organisations and funding bodies.

Abstract

The discovery of a message stating “With the trafficking of works of art we support our family” in the hideout of Mafia Boss Messina Denaro, arrested after 30 years on the run, underscores the deep connection between art trafficking and organized crime. Quantifying illegal revenues remains challenging due to the covert nature of these activities, yet criminals persistently exploit the illicit trade of cultural artifacts, depriving humanity of valuable archaeological knowledge and fragments of shared heritage. This issue transcends regional or failed-state boundaries, affecting numerous EU Member States. Despite isolated efforts, a comprehensive, coordinated approach involving all stakeholders is urgently needed but has yet to be fully implemented. In response, this Action seeks to establish a network of excellence that integrates, harmonizes, and disseminates existing knowledge while fostering the development of innovative services and tools to enhance cultural property protection across Europe and beyond. CPP4ALL will be structured into several Working Groups focused on advancing technological solutions, addressing legislative gaps, raising awareness, and informing policy development. To realize these goals, the initiative unites experts from diverse disciplines, including archaeology, engineering, law, social sciences, and humanities, and sectors such as academia, industry, research, civil society, and public institutions. The network will extend to COST countries, International Partner Countries, and Near Neighbour Countries, prioritizing gender balance and actively promoting the engagement of young researchers and innovators, thereby ensuring a multidisciplinary and inclusive framework for safeguarding cultural heritage.

Abstract

Since the 1960s, European artists have been experimenting with emerging technologies, incorporating film, video, sound, slides, software and networked environments into their art production. Acknowledging media art’s unique significance within the intersecting histories of art, technology and society, a diversity of museums, archives and art organisations across Europe have actively collected media art for decades. However, Europe’s heritage institutions are struggling to maintain their media art collections, as they lack critical access to specialized conservation research, expertise, practice and infrastructure. For the last 15 years, the European heritage field has been addressing its growing need for specialized conservation expertise by establishing academic university curricula in media conservation, and by dedicating specialized conservation staff to media art collections.

However, the new expertise is still relatively scarce and scattered across disconnected institutions and small university departments. Existent knowledge, tools and practices remain siloed and inaccessible, and there is no shared understanding of current practices across Europe. With the goal to avert the preservation crisis, the ambitious pan-European EMBARK (European Media and Born-Digital Art Conservation and Knowledge Network) aims to strengthen Europe’s ability to safeguard its collections of media art–an overlooked and underestimated segment of Europe’s cultural heritage and research infrastructure–for current and future generations. EMBARK connects academic researchers, heritage professionals and relevant experts from the creative and technology industries, including conservators, art historians, anthropologists, curators, archivists, artists, digital preservationists, information and computer scientists, legal experts and engineers.

Abstract

Fear of cancer recurrence is a serious concern that adversely affects the mental health of women who have survived breast or gynaecological cancer and diminishes their emotional and social quality of life for as long as ten years after diagnosis. Despite its importance, some researchers emphasise that there is no single, universally accepted definition of fear of recurrence, which reflects the complexity of the construct.

In addition, cancer stage, the type of surgical procedure and treatment, time elapsed since diagnosis, and the presence of distant metastases have all been shown to contribute significantly to predicting fear of recurrence. Negative thoughts and avoidant cognitive strategies may intensify fear of recurrence and hinder psychological adjustment to illness, thereby impairing everyday functioning.

Conversely, confidence in one’s ability to manage symptoms, emotions and behaviours associated with illness and recovery may reduce fear of recurrence and improve everyday functioning. Social support from family, friends and other significant persons has likewise been identified as a key factor in reducing fear of recurrence.

The principal aim of this project is therefore to provide a systematic overview of the psychosocial factors associated with fear of cancer recurrence among affected women. The findings generated by the project will make a significant theoretical contribution to Croatian and international scholarship and will offer a range of practical implications relevant to the planning of preventive activities.

Abstract

The project investigates how the conditions for digital inclusion and exclusion are shaped in contemporary Croatian society, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms through which different social systems reproduce patterns of access to digital resources and communication.

The project’s theoretical framework is grounded in social systems theory, which enables an analysis of the functional interconnections among social subsystems and of the role of digital technology as a medium of their integration. By analysing organisational, communicative and normative structures within these systems, the project seeks to identify social groups at risk of digital exclusion.

Alongside objective indicators, the research also examines subjective perceptions: how individuals experience their own inclusion or exclusion, which barriers they identify, and how they interpret their position within a digitally structured society.

At a later stage, the project will include standardised testing of the digital competence levels of identified vulnerable groups. The findings will provide a basis for developing targeted lifelong learning programmes and educational interventions.

By combining quantitative, qualitative and spatial methods, including GIS analysis, the project provides a multidimensional insight into patterns of digital inclusion and exclusion and actively contributes to the development of inclusive policies that strengthen social cohesion and reduce long-term structural inequalities in the digital sphere.

Abstract

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a central societal issue. Understanding it requires a theoretical framework addressing the nature and functioning of AI, the challenges associated with its development, the ways in which society approaches and uses AI, the purposes for which it is employed, and the resulting implications.

In the context of the digital transformation of Croatian society, research into AI enables the development of ethically grounded and informed approaches to its application. The project encompasses several thematic areas. The first examines the philosophical foundations of artificial intelligence, while the second analyses the use of AI in society and its impact on business.

The third thematic area examines the application of AI in science and public relations. The fourth explores opportunities for the creative use of AI and the ethical norms required for its responsible application. The project is based on the Faculty of Croatian Studies’ Strategic Research Document for 2025–2030.

The research will be conducted over four years and will combine theoretical analysis of the historical, pragmatic and technical concepts that led to the development of artificial intelligence and continue to shape its present-day use with qualitative and quantitative methods for examining AI’s impact.

The research will contribute to understanding how citizens of the Republic of Croatia perceive and use artificial intelligence and will identify groups exposed to adverse effects, thereby informing recommendations for AI use. The project will also support the development of ethical guidelines and standards for the use of AI in business, science and public relations, while advancing an interdisciplinary understanding of AI through the analysis of its cognitive, linguistic, historical and cultural dimensions.

Abstract

The project Cultural, Literary and Linguistic Aspects of Croatia’s Medieval and Neo-Latin Heritage: The Secular, the Spiritual and the Sacred seeks to advance knowledge of literary, linguistic and cultural topics from both the medieval and Neo-Latin periods, considering them within hagiographic and spiritual contexts as well as within the contrasting secular sphere.

The project is founded on Croatia’s bilingual cultural tradition in Croatian and Latin. From the Middle Ages onwards, linguistic, literary and cultural points of contact developed through the interaction of the two languages, making it difficult to examine any literary or linguistic topic without taking bilingualism into account.

The contrast between the secular and the sacred, as indicated in the title, has remained a central concern of literature throughout its extensive and enduring history. When examined from an interdisciplinary perspective, however, this contrast may be absent in certain authors, genres and historical periods, as the project activities will demonstrate, and it has been approached and treated in markedly different ways.

Rooted in Christian literature and Scripture, the medieval understanding of the relationship between life and death—salvation, redemption and eternal life—as represented in hagiographic texts stands in direct opposition to the classical understanding of the ‘earthly and honourable’. Although hagiography was the most popular literary genre of the Middle Ages, Latin hagiographic writing in Croatian literature remains overshadowed by the corresponding genre in the Croatian language. Addressing this imbalance constitutes the project proposer’s first research task.

The research intended to advance knowledge in this field will include fieldwork, particularly research in Italian libraries, in view of the early medieval connections between the western and eastern shores of the Adriatic. Hagiographic texts are also abundant in Croatian Latin literature; however, because this body of writing remains insufficiently researched, its investigation is among the project’s foremost priorities.

The project will be based on an interdisciplinary approach, which will make a substantial contribution to the quality and scope of its final results.

Abstract

The project investigates the principal challenges of Croatia’s post-transition period through the interconnected dimensions of culture, migration, education and social integration. Its central research themes include anti-intellectualism and its role in shaping educational and career outcomes, the return-migration potential of the new Croatian diaspora, perceptions of societal strengths and weaknesses, and access to resources in urban environments.

Particular attention is devoted to vulnerable social groups, including foreign workers, women, pensioners and persons with disabilities. The project employs a mixed-methods approach—quantitative surveys, longitudinal measurements, qualitative interviews and GIS analyses—to provide a comprehensive account of the relevant social processes.

The research will produce validated instruments, scholarly publications, a digital repository and public-policy recommendations. Results will be disseminated through a project website, conferences and popular-science content, thereby supporting both scientific and societal sustainability.

The project is aligned with the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO) and contributes to the development of social cohesion, lifelong learning and equitable urban planning in contemporary Croatian society.

Abstract

The Innovations in Reading and Teaching Literature project focuses on the development and evaluation of transmedia and emotionally oriented approaches to literature teaching in secondary schools.

It examines the effects of integrating film, comics and bibliotherapy on emotional literacy, narrative reflection and the comprehension of literary texts. The study will involve 120 secondary-school students from Years 1 to 4, divided into two groups.

The experimental group will use innovative methods involving film, comics and bibliotherapy, while the control group will follow conventional instruction. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be employed, including comprehension tests, emotional-resonance questionnaires, emotional-literacy scales and analyses of students’ work, such as reflections, comics and screenplays.

The project brings together an interdisciplinary team of specialists in literature, comics, language, philosophy and education. Its aim is to develop an integrated teaching model that combines students’ emotional, visual and textual experiences.

Expected outcomes include the development of new teaching tools, scholarly evaluation of the model and the publication of research findings. By connecting research and practice, the project will contribute to curricular innovation and to the development of emotionally responsive literature teaching.

Abstract

CLImateSECurity (CLI-SEC) is an interdisciplinary project that seeks to define the conditions under which climate-related risks spread across different segments of society and within geopolitical contexts, and to assess the impact of climate change on a range of social, religious and geopolitical dimensions. The project will:

• analyse the interrelationship between climate and geopolitical change within the framework of existing security challenges;
• identify different forms of security risk associated with climate change at the global, national and local levels;
• examine current societal needs for education concerning the impact of climate change on different aspects of society, particularly in education and religious communities;
• investigate changing perceptions of international security in the context of climate change;
• examine linguistic representations of climate-related topics and the historical patterns that influence contemporary security discourse;
• investigate the extent to which religious communities worldwide and in Croatia contribute to strengthening climate security;
• analyse the role of the media and social networks in shaping attitudes towards climate change in an international context;

The project findings will be translated into concrete recommendations for dissemination to relevant state-administration bodies, including ministries and agencies, and to the European Parliament Liaison Office in Croatia, with which the Faculty of Croatian Studies cooperates. The project plans to establish cooperation with international partners in Europe, including the signing of memoranda of cooperation and the development of related forms of scientific collaboration. Between one and three such partnerships are envisaged. The project also anticipates establishing between one and three formalised partnerships with state-administration bodies and with local and regional self-government units. In addition, at least one new course addressing the project’s thematic areas is planned within the Department of Sociology, to be taught by members of the project team.

Planned activities include field research, the organisation of two conferences and two educational workshops, the establishment of one to three new institutional partnerships, and the publication of a substantial number of scholarly articles, including at least two articles annually in journals ranked in the Q1, Q2 or Q3 quartiles according to the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) or SCImago Journal Rank (SJR). The project also envisages participation in international conferences, averaging three presentations per year, and the organisation of two international conferences.

Abstract

Over a period of 48 months, expert teams will investigate various forms of perception and representation of historical periods, prominent individuals and events in modern and contemporary culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on the perception and representation of history, historical events and historical figures in theatre, music, dance, architecture, the visual arts, including sculpture and painting, the decorative arts, including interior design, furniture and tableware, museum collections and antiquities collecting, heritage interpretation, literature, comics, film and television, video and computer games, fashion, travel writing and diaries, travel culture, the development of tourism, photography, historical re-enactment, sport and pseudoscience.

Planned activities include the preparation of at least three museum exhibitions in Croatia and abroad, two international conferences and their accompanying proceedings, a substantial number of scholarly articles in Croatian A1 journals, international journals and proceedings indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, and several synthetic studies, monographs, exhibition catalogues and edited volumes, as specified in the project objectives. The project will also produce a scholarly critical edition of Fran Gundrum Oriovčanin’s unpublished manuscript My Journey to Egypt (1902), as well as public forums and lectures aimed at promoting research into the perception and reception of history in modern and contemporary culture.

Abstract

The Croatian Historic Urban Landscapes project seeks to approach Croatian urban history from a range of research perspectives and across historical continuity. Conventional historiographical approaches are constrained by periodisation and by the research methodologies derived from it, which may overlook elements of urban development that extend thematically beyond established chronological boundaries.

Like every historical phenomenon, the city assumes different forms depending on the historical circumstances in which it developed and the period in which it emerged. Nevertheless, despite these pronounced particularities, certain elements consistently characterise settlements as urban environments, as demonstrated by the fact that most Croatian urban centres retained their urban character throughout the historical periods under consideration.

By adopting a diachronic approach to Croatian urban environments and highlighting the characteristics that significantly shape cities and urban life, the project will identify historical connections that transcend historiographical and period-based divisions. This will enable historical material to be examined comprehensively and through a methodologically diverse framework.

The project’s research area is defined by the contemporary political borders of Croatia. Research will be conducted through a series of case studies. Elements of urbanity will be analysed from the perspectives of intellectual history, the history of education, church history, architectural history, military history, administrative history and the history of everyday life.

The project’s historiographically, thematically and chronologically heterogeneous research will offer a new perspective on Croatia’s urban development, one that has not previously received sufficient attention in Croatian historiography.

Abstract

The project investigates emotional competencies across different developmental stages and contexts, with particular emphasis on assessing and understanding the role of emotional abilities in family life, education, work and social relations, both at the individual and societal levels.

In doing so, it will make theoretical, methodological and scientific contributions to the measurement of emotional intelligence through a multi-method approach and the construction of nomological networks.

Planned activities include qualitative and quantitative research into different models of emotional intelligence and computational methods of data processing using conventional software and artificial-intelligence tools.

These activities are intended to advance applied research, enhance scientific excellence and the visibility of scholarly work, generate societal value through cooperation with the public and business sectors, support open science, and contribute to the popularisation of science through a concept that has become exceptionally prominent in recent decades. This is particularly relevant in so-called meritocratic societies, where the idea of predicting an individual’s success solely on the basis of innate abilities, such as conventional intelligence, is becoming increasingly outdated.

Abstract

Because epigraphic production from the early modern period has been studied far less extensively than its ancient and medieval counterparts, this project has been conceived as a systematic programme of documentation, analysis and initial contextualisation of early modern Latin stone inscriptions preserved in churches in southern Istria.

It is estimated that more than two hundred religious buildings in the area contain several hundred inscriptions dating from 1420 to 1797 and possessing considerable historical, cultural, literary and artistic value. This corpus has been assessed as an appropriate volume for systematic study within a four-year project.

The material will be documented through field research conducted during the first two years of the project. Transcriptions, photographs, translations, basic descriptions and relevant bibliography will be entered into a freely accessible and searchable database, which will form the basis for a monographic catalogue of the inscriptions.

The analytical component of the project will be carried out through a series of dissemination studies addressing the material, epigraphic-palaeographic, philological-linguistic, literary-stylistic and art-historical dimensions of the inscriptions.

Finally, articles and conference papers will outline perspectives for contextualising this epigraphic heritage within local church history, political and private history, and the Glagolitic tradition.

The project and its results will be presented to the professional community through the public launch of the database and a project conference, to history students through a student workshop, and to the wider public through an exhibition of photographs of selected inscriptions.

The project will substantially enrich knowledge of the history of southern Istria in the early modern period and may also provide a methodological point of departure for epigraphic research involving other types of structures, geographical areas and languages.

Abstract

The project The Croatian Word and Identity Worldwide: Croatian-Language Education and the Croatian Diaspora in the French Republic focuses on developing and enhancing the pedagogical competencies of teachers providing Croatian-language education abroad, with particular emphasis on preserving and fostering Croatian national identity among the children and young people of Croatian emigrants in France.

Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach that combines pedagogical and didactic, Croatian-studies and demographic perspectives, the project seeks to address the specific features of Croatian-language education in a diaspora context and to analyse the challenges faced by Croatian emigrant communities.

The project’s empirical component includes field research based on semi-structured interviews with members of the Croatian diaspora in France and a survey of pupils attending Croatian-language classes. The aim is to analyse their attitudes, needs and interests in relation to the preservation of language, culture and other collective components of identity.

The project involves cooperation between the academic community and diaspora institutions. Expected outcomes include the dissemination of scientific and professional findings, the promotion of long-term cooperation, and the development of sustainable models of support for Croatian-language education and Croatian communities abroad.

Abstract

Although relatively small in number, the Croatian community in Sweden plays an important role in preserving a geographically dispersed Croatian national identity and offers substantial potential for connecting the diaspora with the homeland through social, economic, scientific, media, educational and related activities.

The project Migration Patterns and Identity: Demographic Characteristics and Potential of the Croatian Diaspora Community in Sweden (MOI–HŠ) seeks to increase the visibility of smaller diaspora communities, strengthen media presentation of their activities, and address additional research dimensions related to migration and diaspora issues.

The project brings together scientific, cultural, public and media, and diplomatic dimensions and seeks to enhance the visibility and understanding of the contemporary Croatian diaspora within the Scandinavian context.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the media habits of university students in Croatia in the context of streaming-service use. It examines the types of content students consume, the frequency of use and the circumstances in which streaming services are used. The first specific objective is to identify the sources from which students receive content recommendations, including whether they rely on friends, algorithms or influencers. The second focuses on communication related to viewed content, examining whether students discuss it with others and in which social and communicative contexts such discussions take place. The third objective is to investigate the forms, situations and motivations associated with the simultaneous use of streaming services and social media, as well as students’ perceptions of the effects of this practice on attention and the experience of content. Streaming services have become a dominant means of consuming media content. Recent reports indicate that they are used most extensively by young people aged 18 to 29 (Ofcom, 2023; Digital News Report, 2024). Research further suggests that algorithms are increasingly replacing traditional forms of recommendation within close social networks (Lobato, 2019; Bucher, 2018). Studying university students enables a better understanding of the relationship between interpersonal influence and technologically mediated content distribution. Examining communication about content is also important because such communication has a pronounced social dimension and contributes to identity formation and social connectedness (Delahunty, Verenikina and Jones, 2014). Finally, research has highlighted the fragmentation of attention and reduced depth of information processing associated with the simultaneous use of multiple media (Ophir, Nass and Wagner, 2009; Falkowski-Gilski and Uhl, 2020). Although international research has recognised the role of streaming services, qualitative studies in the Croatian context that incorporate multiple levels of analysis remain scarce. The project therefore represents an innovative contribution to Croatian media and communication research.

Abstract

The project is based on empirical research conducted among Croatian citizens in the two German federal states with the largest Croatian populations, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

The study sought to determine intentions to return or relocate to the Republic of Croatia, identify the principal factors that encourage or discourage return, and analyse the relationship between migration aspirations and respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics.

The purpose of the project is to present the research findings at a scientific and professional congress organised by the Centre for Croatian Diaspora Studies: the Seventh Croatian Diaspora Congress, which will take place in Vukovar from 25 to 28 June 2026 under the central theme ‘How to Transform Croatia: Diaspora, Immigration and Demography’. This will support the dissemination of scientific findings among academic, professional and wider public audiences and facilitate dialogue on the research topic.

The rationale for the study arises from the current demographic circumstances of the Republic of Croatia, characterised by depopulation and the emigration of people of reproductive and working age, as well as by the predominance of third-country nationals among recent immigrants. At the same time, the return of Croatian citizens and the immigration of their descendants remain at an unsatisfactory level. These groups represent considerable demographic and broader potential for the Republic of Croatia, particularly given their numbers and characteristics. The Croatian community in Germany is among the largest Croatian communities worldwide, which further underscores the relevance of the research.

Moreover, a systematic analysis of the (re)migration potential of Croatian citizens in Germany provides a scientific basis for designing more effective public policies on return migration and cooperation with the diaspora, further strengthening the rationale for both the research and the project.

Abstract

The teaching profession plays a central role in the development of the education system and in shaping the values, knowledge and cultural identity of younger generations. Contemporary teachers face a range of complex professional challenges that extend well beyond the transmission of knowledge. In addition to planning and delivering instruction, teachers are expected to manage classrooms effectively, cooperate with parents, work with pupils of diverse abilities and needs, maintain administrative records of the teaching process, and foster pupils’ motivation and active participation in learning.

During initial teacher education, student teachers gradually form understandings of the nature of teaching and develop perceptions of their own professional preparedness to address the challenges of the profession. It is therefore important to examine how future teachers assess the demands of individual aspects of teaching and the extent to which they feel competent to address them successfully.

The aim of this study is to examine student teachers’ attitudes towards the principal challenges of the teaching profession and their assessment of their own preparedness to meet those challenges. Particular attention will be devoted to perceived challenges such as maintaining classroom discipline, cooperating with parents, working in inclusive educational settings, meeting administrative obligations and fostering pupil motivation.

The findings may contribute to a better understanding of the professional

expectations of future teachers and provide an impetus for further reflection on and

improvement of pedagogical and didactic preparation in teacher-education programmes.

Abstract

Abbreviations in the Croatian language of public communication are addressed as a linguistic topic in orthographic manuals and in a small number of specialised dictionaries of abbreviations. Unlike many other languages, Croatian has so far produced only one dictionary of abbreviations that aspires to comprehensive coverage. The general assumption is that abbreviations are prescribed by orthographic manuals. However, many abbreviations are determined by legal regulation at the level of state institutions and by the administrative regulation of professional organisations. Where international regulation exists, Croatian regulation is adapted accordingly. The aims of the project are: 1) to investigate which Croatian legal and administrative provisions regulate abbreviations; 2) to identify the Croatian and international bodies responsible for the legal and administrative regulation of abbreviations; 3) to determine the hierarchy among these regulatory bodies; 4) to compare the legal and administrative regulation of abbreviations with their treatment in Croatian orthographic manuals, dictionaries and linguistic handbooks; and 5) to present the research at scientific conferences.

Abstract

The project aims to analyse the relationship between cultural conflicts and social polarisation and to consider their ethical implications in contemporary public debate. In recent decades, many European societies have experienced increasing polarisation around questions of identity, migration, religion, gender and political values. These processes are often interpreted through the concept of cultural conflict, which denotes deep divisions in values and identity within society. The project proceeds from the assumption that social polarisation cannot be understood solely through political or economic factors, but must also be examined through the broader cultural and moral conflicts that shape public discourse. In this context, it is important to connect sociological analysis of social divisions with philosophical reflection on the normative foundations of pluralism, tolerance and public dialogue through an interdisciplinary approach.

The project has three principal objectives. The first is to provide a theoretical analysis of cultural conflicts and social polarisation in contemporary societies. The second is to investigate the ethical dimensions of these processes, particularly questions concerning moral boundaries, the legitimacy of public conflict and the possibility of dialogue between opposing value positions. The third is to contribute to interdisciplinary discussion of social cohesion and public discourse through cooperation between sociology and philosophy. The research findings will be presented at scientific conferences and developed into a scholarly paper.

Abstract

The proposed interdisciplinary project builds on previous projects undertaken by the Faculty of Croatian Studies that examined Croatia’s Neo-Latin heritage from a comparative perspective across the medieval and early modern periods. Its aim is to continue expanding knowledge of the heritage of ideas and learning inherited by Croats from Europe’s Latin tradition, particularly in the religious sphere. The rationale for the research lies in the fact that the corpus of Neo-Latin literature, as well as non-literary works written in Latin, remains insufficiently studied in Croatia, especially from a comparative perspective. The project will also use the funding to develop digital-humanities tools and involve students in practical scientific research. Digital technologies enable new methods of analysis, interconnection and knowledge dissemination, thereby deepening traditional philological and historical approaches and facilitating a better understanding of the broader contexts in which texts emerged and intellectual and cultural traditions developed. In this way, Croatia’s Neo-Latin heritage is affirmed as an integral component of the shared European cultural and intellectual heritage, while new opportunities are created for its study, interpretation and presentation in the digital age.

Abstract

Mortality trends are among the principal demographic determinants of the long-term sustainability of populations and labour markets. In recent decades, Croatia has experienced substantial changes in mortality patterns associated with population ageing, epidemiological transition and regional socioeconomic disparities. At the same time, demographic ageing and the decline of the working-age population are becoming major challenges to the sustainability of the labour market and social-protection systems.

The principal aim of the MORTLAB project is to analyse mortality trends in Croatia between 2001 and 2025 and to produce mortality projections to 2040 in order to assess their implications for the demographic structure and the potential sustainability of the labour market. Particular emphasis will be placed on spatial differences in mortality patterns and on identifying regional specificities in mortality.

The project focuses on:

• analysing age-specific mortality rates by sex;

• identifying regional differences in mortality trends and clusters of high and low mortality;

• projecting mortality trends using the Lee–Carter model; and

• assessing the impact of mortality trends on the future size and structure of the labour force.

The rationale for the research derives from the need for contemporary demographic analyses that combine statistical mortality modelling with spatial analytical methods. Such an approach provides a more precise understanding of regional mortality patterns and a reliable basis for long-term demographic projections and public-policy planning.

Abstract

The proposed project Convergences in Croatian Literary History in the Twentieth Century investigates phenomena and forms of articulation in twentieth-century Croatian literature that have been neglected within literary historiography. It focuses particularly on women’s authorship within the Croatian literary corpus and on the formation of the Croatian literary field at the beginning of the twentieth century, when Croatian society was undergoing profound political and social transformations whose influence on the development of the cultural field has often been overlooked. Histories of Croatian literature published in the twentieth century by Ježić, Frangeš, Jelčić and Šicel, and in the twenty-first century by Prosperov Novak, generally approach their subject by privileging the authorial principle over other structural features of the literary field. In this way, they construct an epistemic canon of Croatian literary history that is exclusionary towards minority authorial articulations, such as women’s writing, and towards marginalised forms of meaning, such as avant-garde and ideological subversions, while remaining insufficiently sensitive to the social dynamics and structural stability of the literary field. Accordingly, the doctoral research of the three doctoral candidates involved in the project focuses on the convergences of social power and literary practice by examining the social and ideological processes that shaped the literary field during periods of pronounced social or political instability in the twentieth century. The project’s senior researchers will also establish scientific cooperation with colleagues in the Slovenian academic community and conduct research related to the project’s themes in Slovenia and Serbia.

Abstract

Sleep quality (SQ) is a consistent predictor of physical and mental health. A decline in SQ is commonly observed during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. University students constitute a particularly vulnerable group because the psychosocial characteristics of student life and changes in circadian rhythms often lead them to sleep more poorly than the general population. More than 60% of students rate their SQ as poor, while approximately 36% obtain insufficient sleep. Students readily sacrifice sleep and tend to underestimate the effects of sleep deprivation on cognition and health. Poor SQ is associated with numerous health risks, impaired cognitive and neurological functioning, and internalising problems such as anxiety, depression and stress. Reciprocal relationships have been established between SQ and internalising problems; consequently, interventions that improve SQ also reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. These findings highlight the preventive potential of SQ, which can be improved relatively readily through broad-reaching group interventions and serves as a protective factor against a range of physical and mental-health difficulties.

To improve SQ, it is important to: 1) identify effective behavioural, cognitive and environmental predictors; and 2) determine which factors contribute to readiness to change behaviour following an intervention. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1999), intention—how strongly an individual wishes to perform a behaviour—is the principal determinant of change. Intention is influenced by attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Positive attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control may predict good SQ and indicate readiness for change.

The aim of the planned study is to describe university students’ sleep habits and examine the predictive value of the TPB variables—attitudes, norms, perceived behavioural control and intention—in predicting sleep quality and readiness for change.

Abstract

The project A Shared Past in the Archives: Sources for Croatian History in the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia and the State Archives in Trieste focuses on the systematic investigation and scholarly evaluation of archival material relevant to Croatian history preserved in these two important archival institutions. Owing to the long-standing political, social and institutional connections between Croatian territories and the regions of Slovenia and Trieste within various state formations—from the Habsburg Monarchy and Austria-Hungary to the Yugoslav states of the twentieth century—these archives preserve substantial documentation that enables a deeper understanding of historical processes important to Croatian society.

The project’s principal objective is systematically to identify, examine and analyse archival material relating to Croatian political, social and institutional processes within the broader Central and South-East European context. Particular attention will be devoted to the records of state administrations, political institutions and social organisations, as well as to the personal papers of individuals who were active within the shared Croatian-Slovenian and Croatian-Triestine historical space.

The rationale for the research lies in the fact that a significant proportion of archival sources for Croatian history is preserved not only in Croatian archives but also in institutions in neighbouring countries. Systematic study of materials held by the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia and the State Archives in Trieste will generate new historiographical knowledge and encourage innovative interpretations of the historical processes that shaped Croatian society.

The research findings will be used in scholarly publications, conference presentations and, in particular, university teaching, thereby further strengthening the relationship between scientific research and higher education. The project therefore combines research value with educational potential and contributes to the comprehensive scholarly evaluation of Croatia’s historical heritage.

Abstract

The study proceeds from the observation that sport, despite its professed gender neutrality,

remains a site in which hegemonic masculinity and patriarchal patterns are reproduced.

The project’s central research question is how female athletes in different

sporting disciplines experience and construct gender identities,

bodily integrity and ethical challenges within the gender-hierarchical institutional

structures of sport.

This is particularly relevant in disciplines perceived as ‘masculine’, such as combat sports, and in those that impose strict aesthetic and bodily requirements, such as gymnastics. The aim

is to compare the experiences of female athletes in wrestling, judo and gymnastics,

with particular focus on:

1) the construction and negotiation of gender identities through embodied sporting practices;

2) ethical challenges such as pressures concerning physical appearance, eating disorders and injuries, as well as power relations between female athletes and coaches;

3) strategies of resistance and adaptation within gender-hierarchical structures;

4) institutional mechanisms that protect or fail to protect the integrity of female athletes.

The rationale for the project lies in:

a) the lack of systematic research into women’s sporting experiences in the Republic of Croatia;

b) the need for an interdisciplinary approach drawing on sociology, philosophy, bioethics and kinesiology;

c) the project’s societal relevance, as its findings will provide guidance for more ethically responsible sports policies, coaching practices and media representations in accordance with Croatian and EU gender-equality strategies;

d) its alignment with priority themes of the Faculty of Croatian Studies, including ‘Challenges of Bioethics in Contemporary Society’, ‘Psychological Well-Being of Vulnerable Groups’, ‘Interdisciplinary Research in Education’, and ‘Society and Technology’, as well as with strategic objectives emphasising the enhancement of research quality (Objective A), international visibility (Objective B) and interinstitutional cooperation;

e) its broader social relevance, as it will provide guidance for more ethically responsible sports policies and thereby contribute to Croatia’s sporting culture and gender equality.

Abstract

The project Perceptions of the Body and the Aesthetic Experience of the Sacred in Medieval Art in Croatian and European Contexts examines how medieval religious texts and visual representations shape the perception of the body as a site of the manifestation of the sacred. Grounded in an aesthetic approach, the research seeks to demonstrate that such texts and images should be understood not only as vehicles of religious content but also as artistic media that shape the ways in which communities experience suffering, sanctity and transcendence.

The research begins from the premise that medieval religious culture understood sanctity not primarily as an abstract theological category, but as an experience realised through the perception of the body, suffering and the believer’s emotional identification with representations of Christ’s Passion and the lives of the saints. The project aims to analyse the role of sensory perception in shaping religious experience in medieval art, with particular emphasis on the relationship between literary and visual representations of sanctity.

The study encompasses texts from the Passion tradition, especially the Croatian version of the Planctus Mariae, as well as iconographic representations of Christ’s suffering and the saints in medieval painting. The rationale for the research lies in the fact that Croatia’s medieval artistic and literary tradition remains insufficiently represented in contemporary international discussions of the body, perception and religious experience in the Middle Ages. Its interdisciplinary and aesthetic approach opens new possibilities for a broader understanding of medieval devotion and highlights the importance of Croatian cultural heritage within the European context.

Abstract

The project investigates the psychological and contextual factors that shape work behaviour and employee well-being in a changing working environment. Contemporary working conditions are characterised by rapid digitalisation, increasingly flexible work arrangements, changes in organisational structures and growing demands for employee adaptability. These developments may simultaneously foster positive outcomes, such as work engagement and job satisfaction, and increase the risk of negative experiences, including work–family conflict, occupational burnout, reduced personal and occupational well-being, and adaptive strategies such as workplace conformity behaviours, which have not yet been studied among Croatian employees.

The project aims to integrate several smaller empirical studies designed to identify a range of individual and contextual determinants of work behaviour and employee well-being. Particular attention will be devoted to the relationships between selected psychological characteristics of employees, features of the working environment and different criteria of occupational functioning, including work engagement, job and life satisfaction, work–family conflict and specific forms of organisational behaviour, such as facades of conformity. The project will also include studies focusing on the experiences of particular vulnerable groups of employees in order to improve understanding of inequalities and specific challenges in the contemporary labour market.

The project’s interdisciplinary approach will enable a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena under investigation. While the psychological perspective provides insight into employees’ individual processes and experiences, sociology contributes an understanding of the broader social and labour-market context, including structural changes and the position of different groups of employees. The communication-studies perspective further supports analysis of the role of organisational and digital communication in shaping work experiences and interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate and critically examine the place and meaning of free play in contemporary childhood from the perspective of childhood pedagogy. Contemporary educational contexts increasingly indicate that the time and space available for free play are diminishing, while structured activities, organised programmes and various forms of directed learning are becoming dominant features of children’s everyday lives. These changes create a need for pedagogical reflection on the role of free play in the experience of contemporary childhood.

The study proceeds from the assumption that free play is an important factor in children’s development, well-being and autonomy, as well as a key element in understanding contemporary childhood as a distinctive social and pedagogical category. Despite its recognised value, free play is frequently restricted or instrumentalised in contemporary educational practice, with play increasingly used as a means of achieving predetermined educational goals rather than broader formative aims.

The rationale for the study arises from the need to reconsider how contemporary educational contexts understand and support free play and what place it occupies in children’s everyday lives. The research will seek to advance understanding of pedagogical perspectives on free play in contemporary childhood and to create space for reflection on educational practices capable of preserving and strengthening children’s autonomy, creativity and spontaneous experience of play.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine university students’ attitudes towards labour migrants from Asia. It investigates the extent to which the increased arrival of labour migrants in Croatia has shifted the attitudes of a student population that is generally less politically engaged. Recent research indicates that students now express greater social distance towards workers from Asia, as well as towards other categories of migrants in Croatia, than was the case five years ago (Mrakovčić, Gregurović and Miočić, 2025; Mrakovčić, Lalić Novak and Gregurović, 2025). The study plans to include a total of 600 students from the University of Zagreb in order to examine these dynamics. A convenience sample will be used, and data will be collected through a paper-and-pencil survey.