Texts

PARADOXES OF CONTEXT: MICHAEL FOUCAULT’S HETEROTOPIES

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This paper investigates the context – cultural context and culture as a context – as a paradoxical structure that is simultaneously found within a space and outside of it. Therefore the paper differentiates between the space as a given category, and the locus as something that contextualizes space by giving it identity. The context needs a referential point and that point, paradoxically, belongs to the context (it is a foundational myth) and also resides outside of the context since it cannot be contextualized (that point is outside of time and space). Heterotopies emerge as theoretical instruments that indicate that every culture while demanding homogeneity still comprises varied spaces, different loci, nonconformity of words and things, as well as things and their contexts within a culture, thereby leading to a problem of establishing an order, rules of the order and its effectiveness. This postulate leads towards the language and the problem of communicability of culture, i.e. two opposed forces that act in every context: the one force that tries to close and thereby preserve the autonomy (politics of identity) and the other that opens toward different contexts (politics of translating).

IMPLICATIONS OF DIGITALIZATION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BOOK

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The aim of this paper is to indicate possible development of the book as a media in the contemporary and future digitized social context. The first part of the paper discusses development of the book as a media. The second part of the paper analyzes current cultural context of books and indicates book industry circumstances, their distribution and reading scope. The third part tries to indicate possible future development of the book. The aim of this paper is to confront comprehension of a book as a static media, to indicate the fact that it existed, in various forms, even before Gutenberg revolution and that it will continue to exist even after digital revolution. Historical perspective and different forms of book existence will enable us to understand its evolution into digital form as something that is necessary in contemporary social context as well as to comprehend that the printed form of the book is far from vanishing. The book has not always had the form we know today (printed on paper with hard covers) over which many already lament depreciating its future. On the contrary, it has been changing its form with the advance of technology and literacy thus evolving into advanced printed forms as well as e-form which we have today

SPIRAL CREATION AND DESTRUCTION

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Starting from the point that the spiral is a natural shape, the author studies its expressions in culture. Determined by a circular line which progressively moves away from the centre, the spiral becomes a symbol of human detachment from nature in the process of self-creation. Symbolizing the process of individualization, the spiral denotes a circular determination of initial elements and a linear determination of new creation. Its metaphor also denotes a progressive increase of emotional and aggressive negativity as a challenge to human survival. Spiral spread of hatred and destruction is, however, limited by an opposite growing force. This can in fact justify why in the history, in spite of its forcefulness, the evil has never won and why it can prevail only temporarily in the future.

GENDER POLITICS IN THE SUMMER BEFORE THE DARK BY DORIS LESSING AND LIVES OF GIRLS AND WOMEN BY ALICE MUNRO

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By relying on Kate Millett’s views and her interpretations of patriarchy from different perspectives in Sexual Politics, this paper analyses the position of women in the novels The Summer Before the Dark by Doris Lessing and Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro. In both novels we come across two generations of women in anglophone culture in the seventh decade of the twentieth century. The older protagonists, Kate, in The Summer Before the Dark and Addie, in Lives of Girls and Women, cannot live in the way they want or be appreciated in the way they deserve, because patriarchal culture has imposed certain patterns of behaviour from their childhood and early youth. However, their life stories have served as a warning to younger generations in the mentioned novels. Therefore, Maureen, in The Summer Before the Dark, as well as Del, in Lives of Girls and Women, refuse to accept the stereotypical gender prejudices and to obey the rules and expectations of patriarchy.

POLITICAL CULTURE AS A CULTURE OF OBLIVION

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If dealing with our past is a significant segment of every culture then politics could be defined as directing our memory. Starting with Nietzsche’s notion of ressentiment and Deleuze’s reading of Nietzsche, this article aims to show the ways and conditions under which politics articulates the goals of a culture. A healthy, active, productive culture shapes a sovereign and self-conscious citizen, a free individual who can react. The culture of ressentiment, on the contrary, creates a community of vassals who, according to the Nietzsche-Deleuzian formula, do not activate their reaction, all in the name of a petrified past. To the petrified and instrumentalized memory Nietzsche opposes the power of forgetting as a certain cure.

ANALYSIS OF BUDGET EXPENSES FOR FINANCING OF CULTURE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

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Establishment of a system for monitoring of the execution of budgetary expenses allocated to culture as a segment of executive rule is a basic form of support to its development in the Republic of Serbia. Inadequacy of the present accounting system is caused by procedures and legal restrictions which complicate and fail to stimulate development of the cultural sector. Focusing on the budget as a fundamental financial institute we will discuss to which degree the cultural needs can be satisfied.

WHY WILL A KAFE NEVER BECOME A CAFÈ

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This paper is an attempt to answer the questions to what extent, how and under which conditions it is possible to compare one specific urban phenomenon such as a café in different environments. The basis for such a comparison can be found in historical and cultural context, first of all, but also in a number of features that stem from lifestyle and everyday urban life. Empirical insights into social reality and elements for comparison were observed within a minuscule form of everyday urban life in Rome, the homeland of contemporary European cafés.

ON THE PREVAILING COMPREHENSION OF CULTURE IN THE ORGANIZATION THEORY

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Elements of the prevailing comprehension of culture in the organization theory have been presented in the paper. This conception has been explained by the features of the organization theory itself – as a scientific discipline and a profession, and more accurately by its dominantly applied character. Economic globalization and internationalization of business operations had been key motives for the development of this discipline over the last decades. The perception of organization as an open system has introduced the concept of culture in theory and in research, enabling the development of actions and practices for creating more effective and efficient organizations (mainly economic). The nonscientific impetus for the development of this discipline has also been the main reason for somewhat simplified and insufficiently deliberated comprehension and research operationalization of the notion of culture in contemporary organization theory.

STRENGTHENING INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE BY CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROJECTS IN THE FIELD OF CULTURAL TOURISM

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European territory is marked by the roads of intercontinental migrations, redefining borders and the effect of colonialism and multinational companies. Intercultural dialogue at the international level is irreplaceable among neighbours. The subject of this paper is practical policy of intercultural dialogue which is based on the crossborder cooperation in the field of cultural tourism in Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. These countries were considered due to the fact that the establishment of intercultural dialogue in this part of Europe was realized primarily through projects of cultural tourism within the crossborder cooperation programme (Pre-Accession Assistance Program EU 2007-2013). The study provides an answer to the question how to connect the strategy of cultural development and the development of tourism (cultural tourism) at the local and national level, in order to strengthen the intercultural dialogue.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTENTS AS AN ELEMENT OF TOURIST OFFER IN OUTER BELGRADE MUNICIPALITIES

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Material and non-material cultural heritage is recognized by various tourist destinations worldwide, also partly by Serbia, as some of the most important elements of any tourist offer. Cultural contents provide to a tourist destination certain uniqueness, differentiation and authenticity that helps with increasing and harsher competition. The area of outer Belgrade municipalities is characterized by various, valuable and versatile cultural resources. The following should be singled out: Belo brdo archeological site (more famous as Vinča), Serbian churches and monasteries from different epochs (Kosmaj, Surčin, Obrenovac ), log-cabin churches (Lazarevac), etno site in Vranić which dates back to the XVIII century (Barajevo municipality), examples of industrial heritage and technical culture (Surčin, Lazarevac, Obrenovac), old city areas as spatial wholes (Grocka, Barajevo, Obrenovac), well-preserved old city and country houses (in all the municipalities) and museums (Surčin, Lazarevac). The polls carried out in May 2013 confirmed that tourists recognize and positively value cultural and historical contexts in the mentioned area. Despite that, majority of resources are not validated in a tourist sense and are not adequately promoted in line with modern tourist trends.