Vjekoslav Perica
Encyclopedia
Vjekoslav Perica is a Croatia
n historian, journalist and writer
who specializes in the modern history of religions
in the former Yugoslavia
.
In his youth, Perica was a talented basketball player who was a member of Jugoplastika's first team, but ultimately found academic pursuit more important than his sports career. He graduated from the Faculty of Law in Split
in 1980.
From 1985 to 1990 Perica was employed as the secretary of the government's Committee for Relations with Religious Communities. From 1988 to 1991 he wrote a column in Nedjeljna Dalmacija
called "Religion and Politics", and interviewed virtually all religious leaders in the former Yugoslavia
.
After being fired from his job in 1990, Perica went to the United States where he obtained M.Sc. in political science
(1994) and history (1995), and Ph.D. in history (1998), all from the University of Minnesota
. His Ph.D. thesis, "Religious revival and ethnic mobilization in Yugoslavia, 1965-1991: A history of the Yugoslav religious question from the reform era to the civil war", won him awards from both the United States Institute of Peace
and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
. From 1999 to 2007 he worked as a visiting lecturer on a number of American universities.
Perica is the author of the book Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States
(New York: Oxford University Press
, 2002). He is a former Research Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the United States Institute of Peace. In 2007 Perica was a U.S. Fulbright scholar in Belgrade, Serbia.
A two-volume Serbian translation of Balkan Idols, revised and expanded with a new introduction, was published by Biblioteka XX vek from Belgrade
in 2006. Perica is currently Associate Professor of history at the University of Rijeka
, Croatia, and independent scholar in the USA.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n historian, journalist and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who specializes in the modern history of religions
History of religions
The history of religion refers to the written record of human religious experiences and ideas. This period of religious history begins with the invention of writing about 5,000 years ago in the Near East. The prehistory of religion relates to a study of religious beliefs that existed prior to the...
in the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
In his youth, Perica was a talented basketball player who was a member of Jugoplastika's first team, but ultimately found academic pursuit more important than his sports career. He graduated from the Faculty of Law in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
in 1980.
From 1985 to 1990 Perica was employed as the secretary of the government's Committee for Relations with Religious Communities. From 1988 to 1991 he wrote a column in Nedjeljna Dalmacija
Nedjeljna Dalmacija
Nedjeljna Dalmacija is now defunct Yugoslavian regional weekly newspaper based in Croatia, published in the cities of Split and Zagreb.Nedjeljna Dalmacija started as special weekly edition of Split daily newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija in 1970s...
called "Religion and Politics", and interviewed virtually all religious leaders in the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
.
After being fired from his job in 1990, Perica went to the United States where he obtained M.Sc. in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
(1994) and history (1995), and Ph.D. in history (1998), all from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. His Ph.D. thesis, "Religious revival and ethnic mobilization in Yugoslavia, 1965-1991: A history of the Yugoslav religious question from the reform era to the civil war", won him awards from both the United States Institute of Peace
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace was created by Congress as a non-partisan, federal institution that works to prevent or end violent conflict around the world...
and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation was established by Harry Guggenheim to support research on violence, aggression, and dominance.The foundation writes: "He was convinced that solid, thoughtful, scholarly and scientific research, experimentation, and analysis would in the end accomplish more...
. From 1999 to 2007 he worked as a visiting lecturer on a number of American universities.
Perica is the author of the book Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States
Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States
Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States is a book by Vjekoslav Perica. It was first published in 2002 by Oxford University Press....
(New York: Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 2002). He is a former Research Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the United States Institute of Peace. In 2007 Perica was a U.S. Fulbright scholar in Belgrade, Serbia.
A two-volume Serbian translation of Balkan Idols, revised and expanded with a new introduction, was published by Biblioteka XX vek from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 2006. Perica is currently Associate Professor of history at the University of Rijeka
University of Rijeka
The University of Rijeka is situated in the city of Rijeka with faculties also located in cities throughout the regions of Primorje, Istria and Lika....
, Croatia, and independent scholar in the USA.
Sources
- http://tkojetko.irb.hr/znanstvenikDetalji.php?sifznan=16665