Representatives of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, participated in the 24th Lošinj Days of Bioethics, an international scientific and cultural event held in Mali Lošinj from 17 to 20 May.

On behalf of the Faculty of Croatian Studies and the Croatian Philosophical Society, the participants were welcomed by Ivan Perkov, a member of the Executive Board of the Croatian Philosophical Society and the Organizing Committee of the Lošinj Days of Bioethics. On this occasion, he emphasized that the Lošinj Days of Bioethics continue to be “a rare oasis of sincere dialogue and respect for diversity,” a value that has almost disappeared in today’s society, as well as “a top-tier scientific, cultural, spiritual, and contemplative event.”

At the symposium “Integrative Bioethics and the New Epoch,” Perkov delivered a presentation entitled “Between Conflict and Dialogue: Culture Wars as a Bioethical Issue.” In his presentation, he analyzed culture wars as one of the key features of contemporary societies, highlighting how many bioethical issues are increasingly being transformed into ideological and political conflicts. Special emphasis was placed on the need to preserve dialogue and the possibility of mutual understanding in a time of pronounced social polarization, with integrative bioethics offering a space for the encounter of different perspectives and worldviews.

Students from the Department of Sociology participated in the Student Bioethics Workshop “(Non)Body: Me, You, the Other.” Ana Aračić delivered a presentation entitled “The Vicious Cycle of Genetic Engineering,” Ena Mikolčić presented “The Body as Raw Material of Digital Capitalism,” Lucijan Mofardin presented “The Medicalization of the Body and the Logic of Social Capital,” Petra Budimir-Bekan presented “The Body as a Mechanism of Social Progress,” while Jana Krnić presented “The Boundaries Between Humans and Animals in Contemporary Biotechnology – ‘What If an Animal Becomes More Than an Animal?’”.

The Faculty of Croatian Studies enabled students to participate in this event as an important form of practical work and professional development. Participation in the Lošinj Days of Bioethics provides students with the opportunity to meet collaborators and future employers, as well as to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue with representatives of various universities, faculties, and scientific communities from Croatia and abroad.