On June 11, 2025, a delegation from the Shanghai Municipal Archives, led by Ge Yingmin, Deputy Director of both the Archives and the Shanghai Archives Bureau, visited the Institute for Recent History of Serbia (INIS). During their meeting with Dr. Vladan Jovanović, Director of INIS, and Dr. Jovan Čavoški, Senior Research Associate at INIS, the guests from this distinguished Chinese institution were introduced to the Institute's publishing activities, research capacities, and possibilities for mutual collaboration. At the same time, the Chinese delegation invited INIS representatives to an exhibition in Shanghai in September commemorating the conclusion of World War II.

On Friday, 6 June 2025, the Institute for Recent History of Serbia hosted a scholarly workshop entitled “Slovenia and Serbia: Artistic and Historical Connections and Diversities.” The event was co-organized by the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the France Stele Institute of Art History in Ljubljana, the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, and the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade. The workshop opened with a welcome address by Dr Vladan Jovanović, Director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, followed by contributions from Dr Barbara Vodopivec, Mr Vukašin Zorić, and Dr Aleksandar R. Miletić. Fifteen early-career scholars, including both doctoral candidates and recent PhD recipients from Serbia and Slovenia, took part. Their presentations encompassed a wide range of thematic and methodological approaches to the shared past of the two countries, covering the period from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The following topics were examined during the workshop: the production of dynastic portraits of the Karađorđević dynasty in Slovenia, the conceptual art of the Slovenian OHO group, the development of road and rail transport in the Drava Banovina, Slovenia’s role in Yugoslav civil aviation during the socialist period, the construction of grand national narratives in interwar historiography, the emergence of authentic Yugoslav architecture in the First and Second Yugoslav states, the history of the heritage-protection and restoration service in socialist Yugoslavia, as well as issues in environmental history and gender studies. A comparative framework and the notion of “entangled histories” underpinned all contributions, and this approach was particularly evident in the discussion that followed the presentations.

On May 15, 2025, the Institute for Recent History of Serbia hosted a scholarly conference titled Challenges in Researching the History of Kosovo and Metohija in the 20th Century. The event at the Institute in Belgrade included 23 participants from academic, archival, museum, and higher education institutions in Belgrade, Priština, Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavić, Sokobanja, and Ljubljana. During the course of four sessions, 21 of them presented the findings of their research, followed by thought-provoking and productive debates.

The presentations covered a broad spectrum of topics concerning the history of Kosovo and Metohija in the 20th century, including the position and role of national minorities, the activity and influence of communist structures, the formation of collective identity within social and cultural frameworks, and methodological issues related to fieldwork and archival research. Emphasis was placed on the need for new interpretations, interdisciplinary approaches, and stronger academic collaboration. Particularly noteworthy was the contribution of early-career researchers, whose analytical clarity, innovative perspectives, and critical engagement significantly enriched the scholarly quality of the conference. The Institute for Recent History of Serbia has announced the forthcoming publication of a volume of selected papers, based on preliminary presentations made at the conference, to be edited by Božica Slavković Mirić, Milutin Živković, and Dušan Bojković.

For information about the meeting between H.H. Pope Tawadros II and Dr. Aleksandar Raković, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Contemporary History in Serbia, see the official website of the Coptic Orthodox Church

https://copticorthodox.church/en/2025/05/07/h-h-pope-tawadros-ii-meets-dr-aleksandar-rakovic-senior-researcher-at-the-institute-of-contemporary-history-in-serbia/

The third issue of Currents of History for 2024 has been released. It contains scholarly articles on Balkan modernity, possibilities for comparative research on Latin American and Eastern European history, the development of the Serbian and Yugoslav banking sectors, discussing the problems of alimony in socialism, computer technology transfer, and much more.

The complete contents of the new issue of Currents of History are available here:

https://tokovi.istorije.rs/eng/archives/23/2024/12/23/32024.html

Currents of History is a scientific journal issued by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, dedicated to publishing academic articles, essays, polemics, reviews, conference information, and historical sources pertaining to the modern history of Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the Balkans.

As part of "Be careful what you read", the Seventh Festival of Humanities, Culture and Art, in the full hall of the PTT Museum, the book was presented:
"Washing the revolutionaries - a partisan film" by Dr. Aleksandar Vranješ, Ambassador of Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The book covers the analysis of war films of Yugoslav cinema from 1946 to 1990.
The bearers of the book edition are:
Institute for Recent History of Serbia and "HERAedu".

At the promotion of the book, the following spoke: Lordan Zafranović, director, PhD, Mile Bjelajac, director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, PhD, Nebojša Jovanović, historian and the author.

The news was reported in detail by "Politika" and "Euronews".

Under the auspices of the Center for United States Studies, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade and the publishing house "Čigoja štampa", a book by John Bolton, the former national security adviser of President Donald Trump, entitled: "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir".

The book was discussed by the founder and director of the Center for United States Studies, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade, prof. Dr. Dragan R. Simić, former journalist of "Voice of America" ​​Dr. Branko Mikašinović and director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia Dr. Mile Bjelajac.

The moderator of the event was Dragan Živojinović, MSc, from the Center for United States Studies, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade.

The book, in Serbian language, was published in the midst of the election campaign in the United States and is very critical of the former US President Donald Trump.

According to Bjelajc, "The book shows what kind of damage Trump has done during his mandate, but it is also suggested that if he becomes president, he will do even more damage." In the book, Bolton presents us with Trump's attitude towards associates and his work habits".

the source: https://www.fpn.bg.ac.rs/85370

In the cultural supplement of the "Politika" daily newspaper, three articles by associates of the Institute for the Recent History of Serbia appeared

 "From euphoria to trials of transition: memory of the wartime alliance", Dr. Mile Bjelajc, scientific adviser and director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia.

Then prof. Dr. Aleksei Timofeev, scientific adviser "We sang a song about life in a dugout: The liberation of Belgrade in the fall of 1944 and the fate of Russian emigrants"

The third article was written by Dr. Milana Živanović, senior research associate, "Monuments to Red Army fighters in Yugoslavia".

source: "Politika"

Dear associates and friends of INIS,

we invite you to visit us this week at the 67th International Book Fair in Belgrade.

We are located in the old place in HALL 1, gallery, booth 1506, opposite the entrance to HALL 1.

The Institute for Recent History of Serbia organizes an international scientific conference called:

"History of Yugoslavia: perspectives of young researchers from the post-Yugoslav area" in the period from October 15 to 18, 2024 in the premises of the Archives of Yugoslavia (Vase Pelagića 33, Belgrade).

The institute will host over 30 young researchers from Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

conference program

book of abstracts

The second issue of Currents of History for 2024 has been released. The latest edition of the journal includes scholarly research on Russian-Serbian and Yugoslav-Albanian relations, the funding of interwar Belgrade, Serbian schools in Romania, Cominform supporters, Tito's visit to East Berlin, his military cabinet, the Kosovo-Metohija controversies, and other topics.

The complete contents of the new issue of Currents of History are available here.

Currents of History is a scholarly journal issued by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, dedicated to publishing academic articles, essays, polemics, reviews, conference information, and historical sources pertaining to the modern history of Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the Balkans.

Dear,

We invite you to take part in the national scientific conference "Dialogue on trends in contemporary Serbian historiography", which will be held on November 28 and 29, 2024 in Belgrade, organized by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia.

We have attached the invitation and conference details. All those interested can send an application by October 1 to the email address: dialogustoriografija@gmail.com.

Please forward this invitation to associates, as well as to all colleagues potentially interested in participating.

Sincerely,

Organizing Committee

Dr. Mile Bjelajac, director of INIS, scientific advisor

Dr. Jelena Rafailović, senior research associate

Dr. Aleksandar Stojanović, senior research associate

Dr. Milana Živanović, research associate

Dr. Natalija Dimić Lompar, research associate

Regarding the anniversary of the beginning of the First World War, which began with the attack of Austria-Hungary on Serbia on July 28, 1914, Nebojša Damjanović, MA, Historian and prof. PhD, Mile Bjelajac, political scientist and director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia.

The participants spoke about the causes, beginnings, and character of the Great War, which had far-reaching consequences for the world, as well as the Serbian state and society.

The whole show you can watch here.

The first issue of Currents of History for 2024 has been released. The latest edition of the journal includes scholarly research on the comparative history of interwar housing policy, Cossack formations in the NDH, economic cooperation between developing countries, Yugoslav Trotskyists, Serbian Orthodox Church in Vojvodina, commemorative practices, and much more.

The complete contents of the new issue of Currents of History are available here:

https://tokovi.istorije.rs/eng/archives/23/2023/12/15/32023.html

Currents of History is a scholarly journal issued by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, dedicated to publishing academic articles, essays, polemics, reviews, conference information, and historical sources pertaining to the modern history of Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the Balkans.

The Institute for Recent History of Serbia is organizing, from October 16 to 18, 2024, in Belgrade,

scientific meeting "History of Yugoslavia: perspectives of young researchers from the post-Yugoslav space".

Younger generations of historians dealing with the 20th century in the territory of the former Yugoslav republics are not sufficiently connected, despite the common subject of research - the history of Yugoslavia. One of the goals of this meeting is precisely to encourage the acquaintance of young historians, the exchange of information, experiences, opinions and ideas, to see the space for joint projects and cooperation in the research process. The participants will present the history of Yugoslavia through the prism of their research, and the scientific and general public will see the perspectives of young historians during this meeting. Accordingly, the goals of the meeting are to present the scientific achievements of young historians in the post-Yugoslav area, to open up new topics and research opportunities, as well as to look at the history of Yugoslavia from different angles. The meeting is intended for young researchers in accordance with the usual propositions that in the European academic community apply to this category of researchers - doctoral students and doctors of historical sciences who have defended their dissertations in the last three years, from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

The working languages of the meeting will be Serbian and the native languages of the region.

As a result of the meeting, it is planned to publish an international collection of papers published by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia.

The organizer of the meeting will cover the accommodation costs for the young researchers.

PDF file of the invitation

Program and organization committee of the conference

On Thursday and Friday, March 21-22, 2024, the following will take place:
International scientific conference "Serbian/Yugoslav-Romanian relations and interactions in the 20th century".

The conference will be held in the ceremonial hall of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia.

You can download the detailed program of the conference here.

INIS was visited by Arik Burakovsky, Assistant Director for the Russian and Eurasian Program of the famous Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston. In the conversation with Dr. Milet Bjelajc, director of INIS, and Dr. Jovan Čavoški, they discussed possible modes of cooperation between the two institutions. On that occasion, the personnel potential of INIS was also presented.

The Institute for Recent History of Serbia was visited and participated in a conversation with Dr. Milet Bjelajc, scientific advisor and director of INIS and Dr. Jovan Čavoski, senior research associate of our Institute, Li Jianjun and Jiang Lu, professors Center for Study of Civilizations, Capital Normal University in Beijing.

Professors Li Jianjun and Zhang Lu will be guests of the Institute during 2024 as part of the exchange program based on the cooperation agreement signed in 2023.

The latest edition of the 2023 release of Currents of History is currently accessible. This issue encompasses scholarly contributions covering various disciplines such as the history of pharmacy, music, diplomacy, the women's labor movement, industry, military justice, modern historiography, and an array of other subjects.

The complete contents of this edition of Currents of History can be accessed here:
https://tokovi.istorije.rs/eng/archives/23/2023/12/15/32023.html

Currents of History is a scholarly journal issued by the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, dedicated to publishing academic articles, essays, polemics, reviews, conference information, and historical sources pertaining to the modern history of Serbia, Yugoslavia, and the Balkans.

"At the end of November 2023, our colleague Dr. Jovan Čavoški, senior research associate, was on an official visit to East China Normal University in Shanghai. On that occasion, Dr. Čavoški gave a lecture in Chinese to colleagues present about the historical significance of the Non-Aligned Movement during the decades of the Cold War, and at the same time, he was declared an honorary researcher of the Academy of History and Documentation of Socialism at the same university. By the way, East China Normal University is the center of the most serious center for research into the Cold War and China's relations with the world, primarily with socialist countries and countries in its vicinity, on the territory Peoples Republic of China During this visit, Dr. Čavoški held detailed discussions with his Chinese colleagues about the establishment of official cooperation between the two scientific institutions, which will be realized in the near future, thereby opening up further opportunities for very fruitful bilateral cooperation in the field of historical research. The Institute for Recent History of Serbia becomes a domestic scientific institution with the most extensive network of academic contacts in the Peoples Republic of China, both in Beijing (Capital Normal University, Peking University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) and in Shanghai (East China Normal University), with already one cooperation agreement, and others will follow, all of which was achieved thanks to the personal efforts and connections of Dr. Čavoški, and that network, through his further contacts with Chinese colleagues, will continue to expand and thus contribute to greater international recognition of our Institute."

Foto source - East China Normal University in Shanghai:
The attached photo is the moment when Professor Dr. Yao Yu (Yao Yu), the director of the aforementioned Academy of History and Documentation of Socialism, hands me a plaque declaring me as their honorary researcher.