Projects / Programmes
Manevrska struktura Narodne zaščitev organih za notranje zadeve leta 1990 (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.01.00 |
Humanities |
Historiography |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.01 |
Humanities |
History and Archaeology |
Researchers (12)
Organisations (3)
Significance for science
The research project treated the subject of the modern history of Slovenia in view of the defence forces organisation at the stage when the Slovenian state was being founded. This way, the project has deepened and broadened the already established facts about the period when the Republic of Slovenia was acquiring its independence, and has extended the field of historiographical research to the contemporary period.
The research results of the project confirm the necessity that historiography as a science should also reach into the modern times and narrow the field of the historical distance in the temporal sense. Thus historiography can become a more topical science and ensure a greater impact on the wider public, regardless of the objective limitations with regard to the comprehensiveness of the research results.
In the narrow substantive sense only the results of the project team ensured to date made possible the first comprehensive reconstruction and thematisation of the specific clandestine organisation, Manoeuvre Structure of the National Defence, which represented a temporary organisational form of the defence forces of the Republic of Slovenia. The newly acquired sources – oral as well as written documents – allowed for a realistic outline of the individual developmental stages of the Slovenian defence force project in the period of the attainment of Slovenian independence between the spring and autumn of 1990. The established facts underline the variety of organisational principles and circumstances in which the organisation functioned in the paralysed military structures of the Territorial Defence and within the structures of the internal affairs bodies. The internal affairs bodies could integrate the formation of the clandestine organisation almost unnoticeably into their other tasks, especially the normal preparation of the police forces. However, different organisational forms were also discovered which distinguish themselves from the dominant model of the two organisational branches, the so called blue (police) and green (military) branches of the defence organisation. The analysis and presentation of the variety of organisational circumstances also resulted in the realisation about the complexity of the project Manoeuvre Structure of National Defence, which is an important achievement in view of the interpretations to date. In the methodological sense the realisation of the project emphasised the significance of combining the method of oral history with the classic methods of historiographic research. The researchers applied the method of oral history to the exploration of the most recent period, thus achieving an important methodological enrichment of historiography.
The results of the project have a direct impact on historiography. However, they will also have significant effects on the research and interpretation in other social sciences, especially in defence studies and security sciences, but also in sociology, polemology and anthropology.
Significance for the country
The period from 1989 to 1991, when Slovenia was acquiring its independence and undergoing the process democratisation, is still very much present in the Slovenian society, despite the 20-year time gap, as it has become as a milestone in Slovenia's self-definition and its modern history. Furthermore, the attitude towards the process of democratisation is used as a subject of dispute by different political forces who engage in it either directly or through civil society organisations, e. g. veteran organisations. It is important to include in the process objective findings based on well-established facts as this allows the social dialogue to be productive and establish an adequate relationship towards own history.
Therefore historiographic research – research based on expert grounds – is very important for the social dialogue in Slovenia. Facing contemporary history, its dilemmas and consequences is the basic condition for the establishment of a democratic society of mature citizens. The all round expert research of the period of the attainment of independence will be the main means of achieving a gradual social consensus and ensuring the acceptance of disputable questions. The question of the transition of socialist state structures – for example, the most important structure in terms of security, the police (militia and bodies of the Interior) – into a new period, based on the democratic principles and rule of law, is exceedingly important. This central issue is also underlined by the project Manoeuvre Structure of National Defence within the Internal Affairs Bodies in 1990, since the research focuses on reconstructing the events as well as on the value system decisions and actual choices of its members between protecting the Slovenian independence or the state of Yugoslavia. The process of the co operation of the internal affairs bodies in the defence and security organisation Manoeuvre Structure of National Defence is closely related also to the issue of accepting the new democratic system among its members, in spite of the fact that this only seems to be an issue of Slovenia vs. Yugoslavia. The realisation of this project to date has already influenced the very formation of the attitude to the Manoeuvre Structure of National Defence in the publics concerned, especially the veteran groups. The implementation of this project and the realisation that the society encourages the exploration of such issues influences their actions significantly.
Through their published material, appearances at expert conferences, transfer of established facts into the field of education, and presence in the media, the research team made an important contribution in the perception of the role and operation of clandestine defence organisation in 1990 and the process of attaining independence in general.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
