Institute of History Belgrade
The Institute of History was founded on July 15, 1947, with the mission to research the economic, social, political, and cultural history of the Serbian people, as well as their relations with South Slavic and other Balkan nations, while fostering the development of all branches of historical science. Since 1961, by a decision of the Serbian government, the Institute has operated as an independent scientific institution, separated from the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Over the years, its organizational structure has evolved, and today its research focuses chronologically on the period from the early Middle Ages to 1918, marking the early 20th century and the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
Beside general research coducted through five scientific sections, the Institute currently has several active scientific research projects which include the study of the concepts of nationalism and patriotism in Serbian political discourse from the Middle Ages to early modern period (CoNatPat project), research on the transformation of nobility and the formation of a new Christian elite in Ottoman Serbia from the 15th to the 18th centuries (Nobility project), investigations into networks for forest by-products such as charcoal, potash, tar, and resin (EU-PoTaRCh project), and the pursuit of silver and gold within the context of early modern entrepreneurs in mining settlements of the Ottoman Balkans from the 15th to the 16th centuries (GOLDEME project).
In recent years, a new web platform for the digital repository of the Institute of History in Belgrade, RIH, has been launched. Its purpose is to introduce researchers in history and related scientific fields to the work of the Institute’s associates. This platform provides an opportunity to present scientific results through an innovative open-access approach with bilingual data (Serbian and English). Consequently, the Institute and its researchers have become more transparent in their work and more accessible to the users, not only at the national level but also regionally and globally.
The long-standing tradition of studying the history of Serbia and its relations with the surrounding countries and nations sets this institution apart and establishes it as a significant center for researching the past and informing the public about important historical events in this part of the Balkans.
