Scientific Conferences

Abstract

The aim of the international scientific conference “Fascism: The Theory and History of an Idea” is to examine fascism as a political idea, movement and historical regime from theoretical and thematic perspectives, with particular emphasis on its ideological origins, social functions and political consequences. Accordingly, several contributions will address topics from twentieth-century Croatian history, placing Croatian examples within a broader international context. The conference is conceived as an interdisciplinary forum bringing together historians, political scientists, sociologists and other scholars in the humanities and social sciences. Given its international orientation and the participation of scholars from abroad, the event has the potential to enhance the Faculty’s visibility. The conference will provide the basis for an edited scholarly volume—the first of its kind in Croatia—planned for publication in 2027 as a University of Zagreb textbook.

Abstract

The scientific conference dedicated to Croatian literature of Christian inspiration is held biennially. Its aim is to contribute to the scholarly analysis and evaluation of the neglected corpus of Croatian literature of Christian inspiration and to help bridge the artificially created discontinuity in the study of Croatian literature and culture more broadly.

The presentations at the seventh conference will focus on the Bible as an enduring source of Croatian literature of Christian inspiration and Croatian cultural memory, with the aim of critically and interdisciplinarily evaluating neglected texts and traditions within literary, cultural, diasporic and psychosocial contexts.

Abstract

Witch trials in the Habsburg Monarchy constitute a complex and insufficiently integrated field of research situated at the intersection of legal history, religious change, gender regimes, social control and popular belief systems. Although individual regions and cases have been studied extensively, comparative, transregional and interdisciplinary approaches remain relatively fragmented.

The conference aims to provide a critical, interdisciplinary forum for examining early modern witch persecutions across the Habsburg lands and to foster dialogue among different methodological traditions and regional research contexts. Particular emphasis will be placed on new perspectives, comparative frameworks, and recent theoretical and archival developments.

Topics for presentations addressing witch trials and persecutions in the Habsburg Monarchy from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries include, but are not limited to:

• Regional and comparative perspectives within the Habsburg lands
• Gender, sexuality and the construction of deviance
• Social, economic and political contexts of witch persecution
• Religious discourses, demonology and confessional conflict
• Popular beliefs, folklore and vernacular knowledge
• Ethnicity, marginality and social exclusion
• Violence, coercion and confession
• Material culture, space and the geography of witch trials
• Methodological and theoretical innovations in witchcraft studies
• Digital humanities and new archival approaches

The conference seeks to bring together contributions that will provide a consolidated overview of existing research while also identifying directions for future inquiry. As this will be the first conference of its kind in Croatia, a strong response and high-quality presentations are anticipated. The event is intended to become a regional hub for future scholarly cooperation and project development, including the continuation of the conference on an annual or biennial basis, the potential development of a regional ERC project, interinstitutional partnerships and exchanges, doctoral and postdoctoral research initiatives, and related activities.

The conference proceedings will be published as a dedicated edited volume following the event, with publication planned for 2027.

Abstract

The 4th International Scientific Conference “The Importance of European Remembrance for Europe’s Future: Communist Crimes 4” is of exceptional significance to Croatian national history, culture and society. As Croatia was under communist rule for almost half a century, a thorough scholarly assessment of repression is essential so that a past marked by widespread human rights violations may be objectively investigated and incorporated into collective memory on the basis of historiographical evidence. The conference directly contributes to addressing gaps in historiography, thereby strengthening national resilience and social stability. Expected outcomes include new historiographical insights into individual and mass violations of human rights and the publication of a volume of scholarly papers, ensuring a lasting academic reference and making new findings available to the wider scholarly community. The continuity of publishing activity, building on previous proceedings, confirms the systematic and serious nature of the conference as a long-term project for the exchange of European research experience. Its primary outcome will be a systematic scholarly and historiographical examination of events caused by communist repression. The project will significantly enhance the international visibility of the Faculty of Croatian Studies. Through cooperation with distinguished international partners—including Harvard University and institutions from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia and the Czech Republic—the Faculty is positioning itself as a key European centre for research into the legacy of communist totalitarianism. Such international networking demonstrates scholarly excellence, attracts researchers from abroad and raises the level of academic discourse on twentieth-century history, establishing the Faculty as a recognised stakeholder in the European remembrance landscape and a centre of excellence for research into communist crimes.

Abstract

The scientific conference is being organised in honour of Alojz Jembrih, PhD, the first professor emeritus of the Faculty of Croatian Studies, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Through his scholarly and teaching work, Professor Jembrih has left a defining mark on an era of Croatian culture, literature and language. His extensive body of work encompasses a range of thematic fields, from Kajkavian literature and Slavic studies to Croatian Protestant authors and Croatian Studies in the broadest sense. The conference will primarily offer a renewed evaluation of Alojz Jembrih’s oeuvre and his contribution to Croatian linguistic and cultural history.

The conference will be organised by the Department of Croatian Studies, whose members also serve on the Organising Committee. It is scheduled for November 2026, allowing sufficient time for thorough preparation. The event is planned as a one-day conference, with the option of extending it to two days should the number of registered participants be greater than anticipated.

The conference is not part of an established conference series.

The planned number of presenters is 25. Participants are expected from more than three institutions in Croatia as well as from abroad. Early-career researchers are also expected to take part, particularly doctoral candidates enrolled in the doctoral programme in Croatian Studies.

Abstract

The conference is expected to generate a range of scholarly results and outputs. A printed and digital book of abstracts with an ISBN is planned, comprising approximately twenty abstracts and ensuring the immediate visibility of the presented work. Following the conference, discussions will be initiated with the editorial boards of leading international journals regarding the publication of a thematic volume or special issue containing 8–12 high-quality articles.

The conference will serve as a platform for networking and for establishing new research contacts and collaborations between scholars from the Faculty and leading regional and international experts from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Spain. Its goals include initiating international projects (Horizon Europe, Erasmus+) and fostering cooperation between the Faculty of Croatian Studies and renowned universities abroad on topics related to bioethics, the ethics of emerging technologies in sport, and the protection of vulnerable groups of athletes. Strengthening regional cooperation is also a prerequisite for the planned establishment of the South East Europe Association for the Philosophy of Sport as a branch of the European Association for the Philosophy of Sport (EAPS), in which the Faculty would assume a leading role. The conference outcomes will have a direct impact on Croatian society by affirming the ethical dimensions of sporting identity—fair play, integrity and dignity—promoting ethical issues through public debate and media engagement, and empowering vulnerable groups, including women athletes, persons with disabilities and victims of violence. Another expected outcome is the formulation of evidence-based recommendations for national sports policies, including those of the Croatian Olympic Committee, relevant ministries and sports federations, grounded in the latest research on ethical issues in sport.

Abstract

The 5th International Summer School of the Latin Language and Culture, organised by the Faculty of Croatian Studies, promotes the spoken method of learning Latin. In addition to language and syntax classes, participants are introduced to the classical heritage of the Croatian lands and to the significance of Croatian Latinity for European literature and culture. The School is of particular importance to the Faculty and its international visibility, as it attracts participants from abroad and receives substantial media coverage. Alongside Latin, participants become acquainted with the Faculty’s teaching staff and study programmes, thereby increasing the appeal of the Croatian Studies and Croatian Latinity programmes as well as other programmes offered by the Faculty. Participants are expected to be able to explain the role of the Latin language and Croatian Latinity in shaping European culture and literature from antiquity to the early modern period.