The thematic discussion of three books by Prof. Dr. Jovan Komšić revealed, according to the participants of the event, that these works, when considered in dialogue with one another, uncover the layered mechanisms of political and social dynamics in Serbia and encourage readers to reflect on the roots of long-standing social and institutional crises.
The discussion on Prof. Dr. Jovan Komšić’s books – Illusions of Identity: Democracy in the Fog of the “National Revival”, Downfall: A Chronicle of Great Manipulation, and Reflections on the Great Decline: Serbia’s Transitional “Elites” from War to Peace and Back (1987–2024) – brought together speakers who emphasized that these three works, when examined collectively, provide an analytical cross-section of political, social, and value-based processes in Serbia over the past four decades.
In his studies, Komšić uncovers mechanisms of manipulation, a culture of irresponsibility, and persistent ideological patterns that influenced the breakup of Yugoslavia, hindered democratic transition, and shaped Serbia’s contemporary political identity. All three texts, grounded in strong theoretical foundations and extensive historical documentation, open space for critical reflection on the causes, consequences, and possible ways of overcoming long-standing institutional and societal crises.
The speakers included Prof. Dr. Čedomir Čupić, Prof. Dr. Lino Veljak, and journalist and analyst Zoran Panović, while the discussion was opened and moderated by Dr. Goran Bašić, Director of the Institute.
Dr. Bašić emphasized that the aim of the discussion was not only to acknowledge the author’s long-standing scholarly work but also to seek answers to three essential questions: whether Serbia remains trapped in repeating the patterns of the 1990s, whether it is possible to build an identity not based on hostility, and what is required to restore dignity to truth in the public sphere. The common thread running through all three books, he noted, is Komšić’s analysis of the “culture of lies” and the “culture of irresponsibility” that have hindered Serbia’s democratic transformation.
Prof. Dr. Čedomir Čupić highlighted that Komšić’s books serve as testimony to the thirty-year transitional process that began with the dissolution of Yugoslavia, continued through various forms of manipulation of national issues, and culminated in deep value crises. In his view, the two central pillars of manipulation were the dominance of nationalism and the influence of politically and intellectually immature elites. The system of values, as the foundation of any social change, remained the most vulnerable aspect of the entire process.
Prof. Dr. Lino Veljak pointed to the question of identity as the central theme of Komšić’s oeuvre. He stressed that the author examines collective, homogenized identities – ethnic, religious, and state-based – through which political practices and cultural patterns are shaped. Komšić’s work, he argued, offers room for considering potential pathways out of social stagnation and decades-long decline.
Zoran Panović described Reflections on the Great Decline as an instructive and cathartic study that analyzes the continuity of political and social missteps from 1987 to 2024. He particularly highlighted Komšić’s interpretation of the “mental traps of Stalinism” and their role in shaping nationalist ideologies that have, from the Eighth Session (Osma sednica) to the present day, left a profound mark on Serbia’s political culture.
Concluding the discussion, the author remarked that history often moves in circles and that encounters such as this one may represent moments in which some of those circles begin to close.
The discussion demonstrated that Komšić’s books – both individually and as a whole – provide an important analytical framework for understanding political culture, identity politics, and long-standing social crises in Serbia.