On February 7 and 8, the Institute of Social Sciences hosted the international scientific conference “Society and Structural Violence.” The event brought together prominent researchers, professors, and experts from various disciplines to shed light on systemic issues that contribute to the generation, reinforcement, and normalization of violence in society.
During the opening presentations, it was emphasized that structural violence is not limited to individual acts of violence or personal responsibility but is rooted in deeper social processes and unequal power relations that render it invisible and facilitate its reproduction. The discussions highlighted how an analysis of political, economic, and cultural structures can reveal the ways in which institutions, patriarchal patterns, political culture, and economic inequalities contribute to the perpetuation of violence in society.
Participants agreed that the critique of structural violence is not merely a theoretical issue but also a foundation for advocating social justice and peace-oriented policies. Special emphasis was placed on an interdisciplinary approach to identifying and addressing violence, as well as on developing strategies for its prevention.
The conference featured several thematic sessions exploring various aspects of structural violence, including: the significance and meaning of civic resistance in the Republic of Serbia today, forms of violence and the response of institutions in Serbia, violence affecting specific social groups, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the current status of Palestine etc.
The conference concluded with the recognition that further research and policy development are necessary to enable more effective prevention of structural violence, along with broader public education on its mechanisms and consequences. The event ended with a call for continued collaboration among academic institutions, civil society, and policymakers to build a more just society based on the principles of social justice and peace.
The conference was organized by the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade and the Institute of Social Sciences, with participants from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Italy and the USA.
