22 Jun Common Library #12: Maladaptation

Friday, June 25th at 7pm

KROKODIL Centar

Karađorđeva 43

Watch the live stream via the following link: https://youtu.be/Si7g-Rl4Tbc

Participants: Filip David, Rada Iveković, Igor Štiks, Dah theater

The number of guests is limited and reservations are mandatory via the email address office@krokodil.rs

On belonging and not belonging at all, on leaving and coming back, on the revision of identities. These are the topics which Igor Štiks will be discussing on the 25h of June at 6pm with Filip David and Rada Iveković – author of one of the two essays from the eighth and newest edition of the series Common Library, under the name Maladaptation (Neprilagođenost). We will be showcasing the essays “(Ne)prilagođen” by Mirko Kovač and “Prije i poslije” by Rada Iveković, followed by a theater interpretation by Ivana Milenović Popović from Dah teatar.

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The Common library is a direct continuation of the Languages and Nationalism project, and its translation from the field of linguistic science to the field of literature. 

The aim of the Common library program is raising the public’s awareness about the important topic of the misuse of languages for political purposes, in order to find the best tool to influence political authorities to make a legislative change when it comes to the recognition of the fact that the 4 “political languages” spoken in the region are actually nothing but equal variants of the same yet unnamed polycentric language.

This legislative recognition would effectively bring an end to educational, cultural, and consequently, political segregation in the region based on the false premise of identity politics that claims each nation/ethnic group has the right (or even obligation) to its own  language, an idea that disregards  the integrative linguistic reality, or even plain common sense.

The goal of the COMMON LIBRARY project is also the collection of a significant amount of literary material created in a common language in the region of former Yugoslavia, both in the past and today.

Our aim is to unambiguously build a common literary treasury in the name of one grand common language literature, opposed to forcing nationalistic selection often based on “blood” or an exclusive belonging of authors and their work. This treasury will serve as a reference point for contemporary intellectual and artistic discussions within a region encompassed by a common language.

The event was supported by the Open Society Foundation.