The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory was founded in 1992, following the autonomy of the Center for Philosophy and Social Theory established in 1981 under the auspices of the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade. The founders of the Center were Belgrade praxis philosophers, eight professors from the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade, who were labeled as a dissident group by the authorities, especially after the student protests in 1968, leading to their expulsion from the faculty. Following their exclusion from the University of Belgrade by an (unconstitutional) parliamentary decision in 1975, appeals were made to both domestic and international audiences, and lawsuits were filed with the Constitutional Court. Eventually, international pressure, particularly from the intellectual community and the International Labour Organization, yielded results, and in 1981, a decision was made for their reinstatement into the university. This marked the establishment of the Center for Philosophy and Social Theory within the framework of the Institute of Social Sciences, which was subsequently affiliated with the University of Belgrade.
From the outset, the Center for Philosophy and Social Theory constituted itself as a counter-institution. On one hand, it was part of the institutional apparatus, founded as a part of the Institute of Social Sciences controlled by party decisions. On the other hand, it was oriented towards critical reflection and the possibility of modifying these institutions, towards their change. The concept of engagement and its practical application became the foundation of the institute’s work from the beginning, shaping the life of the institute. The institute emerged as a product of socio-political events, serving as a witness, critic, and actor in these events. The founders’ message, emphasizing that theory can never be separated from practice, implying that theory is built through engaged interaction with the social reality we live in, connected with the seemingly contradictory idea that practice is based on theoretical critical reflection and emerges from it – this motto still reflects the work of the institute today.
The primary activity of the Institute is research and development in social and humanistic sciences. In addition to research, institute researchers are involved in various additional activities to enhance the quality of their research efforts. This includes publishing books, journals, and periodic editions, as well as printing various publications. These initiatives not only allow the sharing of research results with the wider community but also promote the dissemination of knowledge and ideas. Additionally, the institute is dedicated to informal education and professional development, organizing workshops, seminars, lectures, and other educational events. This activity contributes to education beyond formal academic programs, providing opportunities for acquiring and disseminating additional knowledge and skills. International collaboration is a crucial element in the institute’s work, facilitating the exchange of experiences and resources with other research institutions and universities. Through participation in global networking, the institute creates opportunities for joint research efforts, increasing its influence internationally. This approach enriches the process and results of the institute’s research, making it relevant and useful in a broader social context.
The institute creates an environment for socially and scientifically relevant, multiperspective, and interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical research that reflects the methodological and substantive complexity and challenges of the contemporary era, taking into account historical trends. The multiperspective and interdisciplinary nature of the institute is best reflected in the profile of its research laboratories. At present, the institute is organized into nine laboratories: Educational Theories Laboratory, Gender Research Laboratory, Digital Society Laboratory, Holocaust Studies Laboratory, Philanthropy, Solidarity, and Care Studies Laboratory, Active Citizenship and Democratic Innovations Laboratory, Social Critique Laboratory, Theory, Creation, and Policy of Space Laboratory, and Socialism Research and (Post)Yugoslav Studies Laboratory.
The institute aims to function as a gathering place for scholars from across Serbia and the region, as evidenced by the fact that all nine laboratories have numerous external members, attracted by an inclusive scientific approach, the organic development of research priorities and directions, and the opportunity to establish collaboration with leading foreign research centers through the institute. The institute operates in Serbia and the region as an example of commitment to consistently applying and enhancing best practices in theoretical and empirical research. By doing so, it stimulates the raising of academic standards in the domestic context and productive collaboration with relevant stakeholders both within and outside the academic community, emphasizing the importance of the public role of social and humanistic sciences. Through regular organization of international conferences, workshops, and projects, visits to leading global universities, and the improvement of the research collaboration network, the institute has not only restored its former level of connectivity and reputation abroad but has surpassed it, making Belgrade a significant hub on the map of socially critical thought.
The institute is committed to the development of engagement studies through the prism of social change. The themes brought into this research focus by the laboratories as research units primarily relate to social and political movements in the public space that strive for active change of the existing state, as well as the power of action of individuals and communities. In the context of (re)evaluating the possibilities and consequences of social change, key questions revolve around the effectiveness of engagement, emancipation, (limits of) solidarity, and (nature of) resistance. However, alongside the engaged perspective on social changes, the institute also considers historical and contemporary circumstances that obstruct their path, believing that such understanding can contribute to alternative forms of contemporary action and thinking. Finally, the institute pays special attention to the public role of theory and engaged knowledge transfer. The institute seeks to make the main findings of its research accessible and understandable to a wider audience. The increased demand for critical, objective, and fact-based research in various spheres of public policy provides an opportunity for closer collaboration with the media, for-profit and non-profit sectors, as well as decision-makers.