Sociologists Participate in International Scientific and Professional Conference on the Croatian War of Independence in Imotski

The international scientific and professional conference “The Imotski Region in the Croatian War of Independence - 35 Years Later” was held in Imotski from May 26 to 28, 2026, bringing together numerous scholars, experts, and participants to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and the founding of the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Brigade of the Croatian National Guard.

The conference was organized by the Croatian Defence Academy ‘Dr. Franjo Tuđman’, led by Major General Slaven Zdilar, PhD, and the University of Defence and Security ‘Dr. Franjo Tuđman’, headed by Rector Ivica Lučić, PhD. Co-organizers and partners included the Catholic University of Croatia, the University of Zagreb, the University of Split, the University of Zadar, the University of Dubrovnik, the Croatian Institute of History, the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, and the Croatian Memorial-Documentation Center of the Homeland War. Veterans’ associations from the Imotski region also participated as partners, while the conference was supported by Split-Dalmatia County, the City of Imotski, and several municipalities of the Imotski region.

Throughout the conference, numerous topics from the fields of security studies, military sciences, history, sociology, and related disciplines were explored. Presentations addressed contemporary security challenges, hybrid and information warfare, military-geographical aspects of operations during the Croatian War of Independence, collective memory and oral history, as well as social and demographic changes in the Imotski region. Particular attention was devoted to research on young people, Croatian war veterans, collective memory, and contemporary social values, highlighting the importance of connecting historical, sociological, and defence-security perspectives in understanding both the Homeland War and current social processes.

Associate Professor Ivana Brstilo Lovrić, PhD, Head of the University Department of Sociology, presented original research within the topic “Young People in Croatia on National Defence and Socio-Cultural Values: A Sociological Perspective.” The presentation examined young people’s attitudes toward security, national defence, national identity, and cultural practices in the context of contemporary social change, digitalization, and global security challenges. Particular emphasis was placed on perceptions of security threats among Generation Z and younger Millennials, as well as their relationship toward the Croatian War of Independence and national identity.

Assistant Professor Mateja Plenković, PhD, presented the topic “Sociological Research with Croatian War Veterans: Trauma, Resilience, and Media Representation” on behalf of the research team from the University Department of Sociology, which also includes Prof. Gordan Črpić, PhD, Prof. Roko Mišetić, PhD, Associate Professor Mario Bara, PhD, Assistant Professor Miriam Mary Brgles, PhD, Assistant Professor Josip Ježovita, PhD, and Dr. Karla Žagi. The presentation showcased the results of two extensive empirical studies. The first analyzed media coverage of Croatian war veterans between 2010 and 2020, identifying patterns of representation and value judgments present in public discourse. The second examined conflict, resilience, and recovery among Croatian veterans from their own perspective, based on field research conducted during 2023 and 2024.

Participation in this international conference once again confirmed the importance of an interdisciplinary scientific approach to researching the Croatian War of Independence, the veteran population, and contemporary social challenges, as well as the need for cooperation between academia, institutions, and experts from various fields.

The book of abstracts can be found HERE.