While social sciences show continued interest in their impact on the real world, there is virtually no research on their impact on one of the major recent transformations, namely the post-socialist one in Central and Eastern Europe. Aiming to fill this void, we set the conceptual and analytical framework for research on the topic. We suggest Cultural Political Economy (CPE) as the starting point, with a view to focus on how social sciences (re)crate social, political and economic imaginaries and thus formulate a particular conception of society. CPE provides us with the tools to explore evolutionary mechanisms and selectivities that produce hegemonic discourses. We then present results of preliminary empirical exploration, which revealed two key dimensions shaping the impact of social sciences – status of profession and transformative power – and on this basis develop four ideal types of social sciences’ role in societal transformations: activators, voyeurs, fellow travellers and marginals. We conclude with four temporal phases with respect to the challenges faced and topics covered – the nascent phase, the reflective phase, the reorientation phase, and new crises and challenges – and two modes of social sciences that are changing over time: social sciences as crisis sciences and social sciences as reflexive sciences.

Dr. Rončević is currently Dean and professor of sociology at the School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica (Slovenia). He is also professor at the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto (Slovenia). He holds Jean Monnet Chair and is heading Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence “Strategic Observatory for Europe 2030” and is the Fellow of Regional Studies Association.

His main research interest is at the intersection of sociology of development and economic sociology, with a particular focus on innovations and technologies in regional development, sustainable development and the European Union Studies. Throughout his career he has been very active in academic institution building and committed to raising young scholars. He was a visitng scholar at academic institutions in the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Lebanon, and Croatia.

The department leadership will highlight work performed by undergraduate and graduate students and winners of this year’s awards will be named. 

Light refreshments will be served. 

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