We invite you to the promotion of the book Realigning Humanitarianism in the Balkans by Čarna Brković, published by Indiana University Press, which explores the transformations of humanitarianism in the Balkans from the Cold War period to the present day.

The speakers will include the author Čarna Brković and sociologist Paul Stubbs, with the discussion moderated by curator Natalija Vujošević.

The event is organized as part of the project Laboratory of the Non-Aligned Art Collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro (MSUCG).

Starting from the activities of the Yugoslav Red Cross within the Non-Aligned Movement during the 1970s, the book traces changes in humanitarian practices after the fall of socialism, up to the work of local organizations in a refugee camp in Montenegro between 2000 and 2018.

By analyzing the relationships between the West, the East, and the Global South, the author shows how new humanitarian regimes of care and discipline have become a key framework for supporting and sociocultural integration of displaced communities in the region, while at the same time producing deep structural tensions and a sense of disappointment among humanitarian workers and aid recipients.

The promotion will provide an opportunity to discuss the history and contemporary practices of humanitarianism in the Balkans, the legacy of socialist and Non-Aligned policies of solidarity, as well as the ways these changes shape today’s understanding of humanitarian aid and social care.

A discussion with the audience will follow the book presentation.