Preamble
By installing the west Slovene ethnic region, Istria and, therefore, the whole Mediterranean Slovenia in broader European and international context, we are giving this region the role of a linking factor between Mediterranean and Central European world. Notwithstanding the belief of lacking Slovene people’s cultural consciousness about the region, in other words, the belief that the region has begun gaining recognisability only after London memorandum stipulated and owing to economy development followed, we cannot overlook the fact that it has been shaped as a turning point between Slavic and Romanic reality on the grounds of historical and contemporary experience. The latter has been formed and given permanent mark by states, cultures, religions, civilisations, especially in the region of South-East and East Europe and Mediterranean. The consequences have been the innumerable and distinct sociocultural dynamics of different extensiveness, which should be understood only by radical scientific research. The respective results can be concretized only by the high professional makings of inter-disciplinarian humanistic and natural science. The latter, given the frequent experience, brings to such a specific region key value. For this reason Slovene service activities gain competitiveness against bigger and traditionally better economically and technologically developed states.
The mission
The Historical Society of Southern Primorska offers itself as a key of understanding the diversity and complexity of Mediterranean Slovenia on different levels. On inter-disciplinarian grounds through historiographical and natural science prism it should discuss the questions of North Mediterranean region, characterised by specific political, cultural and ethnical phenomenon, as well as socio-historical and economical features. In addition, the vital importance of the varied natural heritage of Mediterranean area, which ecological and biological features are addressed by the natural science section of the society, is emphasized. By wishing integration with natural science, the usage of up-to-date methodological procedures and the introduction of new technologies in the research of history of tangible and intangible cultural heritage are crucial in today information and politically economic era. The contemporary studies of the historical practice of transnational area, which deal with identities, institutions, language diversities, social and economic history and population’s common cultural patterns, gain their relevance only by pursuing their quality application in all aspects of educational activity and logical incorporation in modern socio-economical procedures. Despite being frequently neglected, »historia naturalis« forms, together with its ecological environmental mentality, an irreplaceable »travel ration« to the future of human beings.
History
Founded in 1989, the society has been focused on publishing and scheme activity, as well as organising international scientific meetings. Moreover, due to its educational activity, it has been centralised on the promotion of science to young people and broader public in general. The most important works being published are the inter-disciplinarian journal Annales: Annales for Istria and Mediterranean studies (since 1991; in 2007 the journal was indexed in the prestige index ISI: Art & Humanities Citation Index), and at the same time the natural science series of Annales and the scientific journals Acta Histriae (since 1993; in 2008 the journal was indexed in the prestige index ISI: Art & Humanities Citation Index and Social Citation Index). Both have been indexed in more secondary quotation indexes and in Central European Humanistic Index at ESF. Furthermore, the publishing of the scientific and technical monograph collections of Library Annales and Library Annales Majora is in the foreground of the society activities. The society was one among the initiators of the establishment of the Science and Research Centre of the University of Primorska, and, accordingly, are collaborating successfully now.
Vision
A continuous development of scientific research, scheme and publishing activity with the aim of being one of the key and most recognisable humanistic, sociological and natural science research societies. As a result of our work, contributing to science and the promotion of European integration through Mediterranean multicultural region and, therefore, creating an intrinsic link between research sphere and sociological, cultural, natural and economic life.
The key strategic standpoints:
- A continuous development of scientific research, scheme and publishing activity with the aim of being one of the key and most recognisable humanistic, sociological and natural science research societies;
- establishing effective forms of collaboration and integration with similar societies and foundations around the world;
- as a result of our work, contributing to science and the promotion of European integration through Mediterranean multicultural region and, therefore, creating an intrinsic link between research sphere and sociological, cultural, natural and economic life;
- creating financial and material basis for continuous research and publishing activity.
Key values: diversity as an advantage, the condition of scientific and ethnical approach, academic freedom as activities sphere and distribution and applied knowledge as a goal.
Main activities
- Interdisciplinary research and publishing activity on the field of humanities and natural sciences
- The organisation of international symposiums for interested public
- The education and promotion of science among youth and broader public
- The promotion of European integration through Mediterranean multicultural area
- Encouraging academic freedom, stressing the originality of scientific work
- Focusing on the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage
- Sharing awareness with narrower and broader public about the issues of natural heritage of the area concerned
- The promotion of inter-disciplinary as necessity in scientific research
- Cooperation with numerous Slovene and foreign, especially Croatian and Italian, researchers, who work in the Mediterranean area or is the area their scientific and professional field
- The applicability of humanistic and natural sciences in economy and in higher education educational processes