Arrangements, semiotic links and evaluations: purifying familiar environments of covid-19 among Serbia’s young professionals

Our research principally engages with the issue of encounters with COVID-19 within an everyday frame, underlining how the restoration of a “distorted” familiar environment occurs through gradual coping with such a mysterious non-human entity. The specific objective of our project was to discern how 20 young professionals from Belgrade (Serbia), whom we interviewed during the curfew, encountered, re-organized, and eventually re-settled into their common, everyday spaces and routines, while the virus was spreading in the background. Our examination first seeks to register how the distorted relationality of humans with a non-human entity – which the virus is – became distilled into everyday objectivity. More profoundly, we intended to seek understanding of what alternations the possibility of getting infected were associated with common, everyday arrangements, and how the actors pursued hygienic “purification” as a principal task. In this sense, we managed to unveil that – albeit this interplay with an invisible and rather mysterious non-human entity involved a number of confusing moments – the latter was ultimately stabilized within a specific evaluative and cognitive format that dictated the former’s actions. Being highly appreciative of domestic familiarity and intending to quite reflexively purify potentially contaminated zones and objects, our respondents also pursued a specific moral frame. In conclusion, we underline how these “purifying” actions were substantially guided by a desire to maintain the domestic order of familiarity and immediate care

Ways of intertwining city and literature: iconic urban symbols from the field of literature

The presentation analyzes the relationship between literature and city, focusing on the question of how elements of the literary field contribute to the city identity. Starting from the understanding of the literary field as a space that includes literary works, writers, literary events, and institutions, it is discussed how these different components of the field contribute to the sense of the cities’ specificity and uniqueness. The analysis is inspired by the work of Peter Nas and his associates (Nas, 1993, Nas, 1998, Nas, De Groot, Schut, 2011) and more particularly the concept of “urban symbolism”. The notion of “urban symbolism” helps us understand symbolic and ritual structures which reflect the history of the urban community and shape the identity of a city. Following the typology of “urban symbol bearers'' proposed by Peter Nas and his associates, we identified key identity markers of the city which are related to the literary sphere which are related to the literary sphere, such as monuments dedicated to writers and literary characters, literary institutions (literary museums and libraries), depictions of cities in literary works, literary events, and other related phenomena. The importance of identification of such identity markers, “urban literary symbols”, lies in providing deeper understanding of interconnection between city identity and literary field, as well as, in considering the possibility of using them as a cultural resource for local development. Urban literary symbols connected with the globally most famous authors and books are promotional icons abundantly used in city branding strategies as a tool to raise tourist attractiveness of the city. However, urban literary symbols connected with authors and literary works that did not gain global recognition are unsustainable means to promote the culture of the city, and therefore have been largely overlooked in urban cultural policies

Cognitive Reflection and Thinking Dispositions as Predictors of Rational Thinking

Mnoštvo je istraživanja posljednjih desetaka godina posvećeno proučavanju pogreški i odmaka od racionalnosti na području ljudskog zaključivanja. Kako bi objasnili (i)racionalnost i pogreške u izvedbi, istraživači su predložili teoriju dualnih procesa mišljenja – heurističko mišljenje tipa 1 i analitičko mišljenje tipa 2. U novije vrijeme sve više se istražuje povezanost analitičkog mišljenja sa različitim područjima koja su intrinzično vrijedna za ljude. Njihovi rezultati impliciraju kako su individualne razlike u analitičkom mišljenju značajan prediktor bitnih psiholoških ishoda u različitim područjima svakodnevnog života. Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati povezanost između kognitivne reflektivnosti, analitičkog stila mišljenja i različitih mjera pseudoznanstvenih vjerovanja (religiozna, paranormalna i vjerovanja u teorije zavjere) i nekritičkog mišljenja (studentski antiintelektualizam i dogmatizam) na uzorku studenata psihologije. U istraživanju je korišten prigodni uzorak od 139 ispitanika, 120 studenata Filozofskog fakulteta u Rijeci u dobi od 19 do 31 godine te 19 studenata Filozofskog fakulteta u Mostaru u Bosni i Hercegovini, u dobi od 20 do 23 godine. Rezultati su pokazali kako kognitivna refleksivnost nije povezana i ne predviđa pseudoznanstvena vjerovanja i nekritičke oblike mišljenja. Upitničke mjere analitičkog mišljenja (aktivno otvoreno mišljenje i potreba za kognicijom) negativno su povezane se sa pseudoznanstvenim vjerovanjima i nekritičkimoblicima mišljenja. Također, više razine aktivnog otvorenog mišljenja i potrebe za kognicijom predviđaju niže razine pseudoznanstvenih vjerovanja i nekritičkih oblika mišljenja.Numerous researches over the last decades have been devoted to the study of errors and irrationalitiesin the field of human reasoning. To explain irationality and errors in performance on cognitive tasks, the researchers proposed the dual-process theory of thinking, where the Type 1 processing is characterized as intuitive and heuristic and the Type 2 processing is deliberative and analytic. In recent years, more and more researchers are investigatingthe relationship between analyticthinking and different areas intrinsically important to people. Their results imply that individual differences in analytic thinking are a significant predictor of key psychological outcomes in diverse areas of everyday life. The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between cognitive reflection, analytical thinking, and various pseudoscientific beliefs (religious, paranormal and belief in conspiracy theories) and uncritical thinking (student anti-intellectualism and dogmatism) on a sample of psychology students. The sample group included 139 participants - 120 students of the Faculty of humanities and social sciences in Rijeka, aged from19 to 31 and 19 students of the Faculty of humanities and social sciences in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, aged from 20 to 23. The results have shown that cognitive reflection is not correlated and does not predict pseudoscientific beliefs and uncritical thinking. Self-report measures of analytical thinking (actively open-minded thinking and need for cognition) show negativecorrelation with pseudoscientific beliefs and uncritical thinking. Moreover, higher actively open-minded thinking and need for cognition are significant predictorsof lower pseudoscientific beliefs and uncritical thinking

Kulturna potrošnja i proizvodnja kroz prizmu poluperiferijalnosti

U ovom radu se analizira teorijski i epistemološki doprinos poluperiferijskog pristupa razvijenog u radu Marine Blagojević Hjuson na planu socioloških istraživanja kulturne potrošnje i proizvodnje. U prvom delu rada prikazuju se karakteristike poluperiferijskog pristupa Blagojević Hjuson s posebnim osvrtom na odnos između teorije poluperiferijalnosti i postkolonijalne sociologije. U drugom delu rada ispituju se saznajni i teorijski benefiti koje ovako shvaćen koncept poluperiferije ima na planu istraživanja iz domena sociologije kulture. Na primeru najznačajnijih istraživanja iz domena sociologije kulturne potrošnje i kulturne proizvodnje analizira se šta osetljivost za poluperiferijsku perspektivu donosi na saznajnom planu u ovim istraživačkim oblastima. U radu se zagovara teza da poluperiferijski pristup omogućava da se adekvatnije istraže različiti kulturni fenomeni i forme odnošenja prema objektima i pojavama iz sfere kulture, i to ne samo u vidu preciznijeg mapiranja razlika između ovih pojava u društvima centra, poluperiferije i periferije, već i da podstiče kritičku interpretaciju kulturnih i simboličkih elemenata društvenog poretka u kontekstu globalne raspodele moći. Prednosti upotrebe poluperiferijskog pristupa ogledaju se na konceptualnom nivou, s jedne strane u vidu kritičkog pristupa pojmovnoj aparaturi razvijenoj u istraživanjima sprovedenim u centru, a s druge strane u podsticaju originalnog teorijskog razvoja na poluperiferiji.This paper analyses the theoretical and the epistemological contribution of the semi - peripheral approach developed in the work of Marina Blagojević Hughson to the contemporary sociological study of cultural production and consumption. The first part of the paper presents characteristics of the semiperipheral approach of Blagojević Hughson with special reference to the relationship between the theory of semiperipherality and postcolonial sociology. The second part of the paper examines the cognitive and theoretical benefits of the concept of semiperiphery as Blagojevic had articulated it, in terms of research in the field of sociology of culture. On the example of the most significant research projects in the field of sociology of cultural consumption and cultural production, it is examined what implementation of semiperipheral perspective brings in these research areas. It argued that the semiperipheral approach enables more adequate research of various cultural phenomena and attitudes towards objects and phenomena from the sphere of culture, not only in the form of precise mapping of differences between these phenomena in the centre, semiperiphery, and periphery, but it also encourages critical interpretation of cultural and symbolic elements of the social order in the context of the global distribution of power. Advantages of using the semiperipheral approach are reflected on a conceptual level - on the one hand in the form of a critical approach to the conceptual apparatus developed in research conducted at the centre, and on the other hand in encouraging original theoretical development on the semiperiphery

Diskursi o “voditeljskoj” književnosti

U tekstu se ispituju različite forme diskurzivne konstrukcije “voditeljske književnosti” u književnom polju u današnjoj Srbiji. Polazeći od Bourdieuove teorije, književna proizvodnja se posmatra kao polje u kojem se između aktera koji su uključeni u nju (pisaca, kritičara i izdavača) vode stalne simboličke borbe. U ovim simboličkim borbama akteri u polju književne proizvodnje nastoje da nametnu one definicije književnosti i standarde vrednovanja književnih dela i književnog rada aktera koji su za njih same najpovoljniji. Termin “voditeljska književnost” nastao je u nameri da se dela aktuelnih ili nekadašnjih voditelja i voditeljki označe kao nekvalitetna, i da se na tom osnovu ovi akteri diskredituju i simbolički isključe iz polja književne proizvodnje. Kada se javi otklon prema “voditeljskoj književnosti” uglavnom je u vezi sa kritikom tržišnih strategija u književnom polju, odnosno uverenjem da neki romani nastaju sa namerom da se prodaju velikom broju čitalaca i time omoguće autoru/autorki sticanja dodatnog ekonomskog profi ta ili dodatne popularnosti. U nekim verzijama kritika “voditeljske književnosti” osporavanje ovih romana na temelju razlike između “visoke” i masovne/popularne kulture pojačano je negativnim stavom o “ženskoj književnosti”. Imajući u vidu navedene odlike termina “voditeljska književnost”, u radu se ispituje kako ga književni kritičari određuju i kako ga se upotrebljava u simboličkim borbama koje vladaju u polju književne proizvodnje u Srbiji danas. Ispitujući standarde vrednovanja na temelju kojih kritičari vrednuju “voditeljsku književnost”, otkriva se kako se govor o ovom “tipu književnosti” koristi za ocrtavanje granica književnog polja i hijerarhijsko klasifikovanje aktera i kategorizovanje dela u polje.The article examines the different forms of discursive construction of “talk show host literature” in the literary fi eld in present-day Serbia. Drawing from Bourdieu’s theory, literary production is seen as a fi eld in which constant symbolic struggles are happening between the actors involved in the fi eld (writers, critics, and publishers). In these symbolic struggles, the actors in the field of literary production seek to impose those definitions of literature and standards of valuation of literary works and professional engagement of other actors that are most favourable to them. The term “talk show host literature” was created with the intention to mark the literary works of current or former talk show hosts as worthless literature, and to consequently discredit and symbolically exclude these authors from the fi eld of literary production. When disapproval of “talk show host literature” appears, it is mostly related to the critique of market strategies in the literary fi eld, namely, beliefs that some novels are intentionally created to be sold to a great number of readers and thus enable their authors to gain economic profit and popularity. In some versions of criticism of “talk show host literature” the disapproval of these novels based on the distinction between “high” and mass/popular culture has been reinforced by a negative attitude about “women’s literature”. Bearing in mind the above-mentioned characteristics of the term “talk show host literature”, the paper examines who uses it, how they defi ne it, and accordingly, how it is used in the symbolic struggles that prevail in the fi eld of literary production in Serbia today. Examining the valuation standards by which actors in the literary fi eld evaluate “talk show host literature” reveals how speech about this “type of literature” is used for drawing boundaries of the literary fi eld and for hierarchically classifying actors and categorizing works in the field

Symbolic boundaries and struggles in the field of literary production in present-day Serbia : doctoral dissertation

The subject of this dissertation is the processes of production, maintenance, and transformation of symbolic boundaries in the literary field in contemporary Serbia. The main objective of the research is to identify, describe, and interpret various practices and discursive strategies used by writers and publishers when attempting to distinguish the literary field from other segments of the social space, as well as when evaluating other actors and themselves within the field. The research is inspired by Pierre Bourdieu's field theory, in which literary fields are viewed as relatively autonomous spaces where actors compete among themselves to gain literary prestige. Supplementary theoretical frameworks include the sociology of valuation and evaluation (SVE), as well as post-Bourdieuian approaches in the sociology of literature. Since the research focuses on differentiation strategies and symbolic struggles that are fundamentally discursive in nature, a qualitative research approach has been employed. The main source of data consists of semi-structured interviews conducted with writers and publishers, while auxiliary data sources encompass various types of documents (e.g. readership data, lists of award winners, annual production data, etc.) and newspaper articles. The presentation of research findings begins with a sketch of the publishing and bookselling landscape. Following that, the analysis is carried out to determine whether the field can be considered an autonomous domain today and what lines of division exist within it. The findings indicate the presence of beliefs concerning the importance of the field's relative autonomy, while also highlighting classification struggles within the field that may not significantly differ from those in the broader social space since drawing boundaries within the field is influenced by a range of non-literary criteria. Furthermore, the interpretation of the relationship between the national, regional, and global literary fields is also discussed

Novels from periphery in the contexts of literary globalisation: How Serbian novelists enter the centre of the global literary filed?

In this article, we analyse how novels written on peripheral languages access the centre of the global literary world. The empirical section of this paper focuses on the case of the contemporary novels primarily written in Serbian, their circulation beyond national borders and linguistic and social obstacle that determine the circulation. Based on qualitative analysis of interviews with thirty Serbian authors we investigate their strategies and challenges that they face during the process of translation of their novels and finding publishers abroad. The analysis points to power relation in global literary filed, and variety of factors (political, economic, cultural, and social) that influence translation process and publishing mechanisms. The article also suggests that position in the local field, in terms of distinction between the small-scale or large-scale production, affects writers’ willingness to participate in the centre of the global field and their interpretations of the global literary market and its logics. On the theoretical level, using Bourdieu’s field theory and concept of symbolic capital developed in postbourdiusian studies of the global market of translation, helps explaining power relation in the local and global literary filed, as well as opportunities and limitations experienced by Serbian novelist in connection to entering the centre of the global literary field