SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSITION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO STUDY OF SOCIAL CHANGES

Четврт века након пада Берлинског зида, као симболичног почетка процеса транзиције, Урош Шуваковић научној, али и широј читалачкој публици представио је монографију под називом Транзиција, прилог социолошком проучавању друштвених појава. Три године након њеног објављивања, ова књига се умногоме показала као вредан допринос не само социолошком, већ и мулти(интер)дисциплинарном проучавању изузетно комплексног миљеа савременог друштва, испреплетаности његових друштвених процеса и последица њихових садејстава. На почетку ваља истаћи да је похвална ауторова тенденција ка свеобухватности, конзистентности мисли, дубинском приступу и пружању шире слике сваког истраживачког проблема понаособ, кроз јасно разграничених и добро осмишљених четрнаест поглавља. Књига садржи и увод, поседује преко петсто референци, те именски и предметни регистар, резиме на два светска језика и читав низ илустративних и статистичких показатеља. Монографија је настала као резултат истраживња у оквиру научнои-

Marina D. Nedeljković 1 University of Novi Sad Faculty of Philosophy Department of Sociology Novi Sad (Serbia) Quarter century after the fall of Berlin Wall as a symbolic beginning of the transition process, Uroš Šuvaković has presented the monography: Transition, Contribution to Sociological Study of Social Changes to scientific, as well as to wider audience. Three years after it's published, this book has proved to be important contribution not only to sociological, but to multi and interdisciplinary study of contemporary society's complex mileu, the complexity of its social processes and consequences of their corelations.

SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSITION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO STUDY OF SOCIAL CHANGES
What shoud be stressed at the beginning is a praisworthy tendency of the author towards comprehesivness, consistency of thought, deep-seeted approach and providing a wider picture of each research problem separately, through well-designet 14 chapters. Besides the chapters, the book consists of a preface and 500 references, along with names and subjects glossary, summary in two world languages, and a whole series of illustrative and statistical indicators. The monography was created as the result of a research within a scientific research project III 47023 "Kosovo and Metohija Between National Identity and Eurointegration" which was funded by Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, publisihed by the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prishtina with temporary Head Office in Kosovska Mitrovica.
Aiming to demistify the process of transition and penetrate a little deeper in comparison to "mainstream" theorists-apologetics, the author places these social phenomena into different analytical contexts, placing the theoretical and conceptual corpus of this monograph through a series of experiential indicators and rationally substainated arguments. What is visibile in the first pages of the monograph is a kind of ambivalence towards the transition process as a subject of analysis, where Šuvaković sees these social phenomena dualy. In this monograph transition is regarded as a uniform process which is happening in the context of "global society" under the influene of ideology of globalism, but simultaniously represents a social change that is going on in specific conditions, which are typical for every particular society. Author also sees transition as "contrarevolution with delayed effect", or as a qualitative social change of the wheel of history from realsocialist society to capitalist one. But, Šuvaković stresses that class relations which were established in contemporary globalized society do not represent the end of history, but the possibility of establishing a new social order, which would be more just and more solid than this, known to us.
In the following, he highlights that if we use ideally-type analysis, it is possible to distinguish five groups of transitional societies, where our country is in the last one: "State of South-Western Balkans" which is characterized by its tightness and underdevelopment of social institutions. By reading between the lines, Serbian society is in the group of countries that are lagging behind the implementation of the so-called "European values and standards", and it seems that "comprehensive qualitative social transformation" has not yet given the wanted results.
What are the features of one transitional society such is Serbian? Democracy without people. Modernization without tradition. Education without the future. People without identity. Media without freedom. Power without sovereignty and partocracy as the basis of corruption of the system, and with the goal of remaining on power while manipulating the will of the people. All these features together represent the imanent values of one society in transition, such as Serbian. Author also very systematically observes other phenomena such are repositioning political parties on left-wing: rightwing relation in contemporary societies and turning points in evaluating basic human rights and values from socio-economical to citizen and political rights.
As it is stressed out -in the core of transition process there is a whole transformation of state property to private and command (planned) economy to market economy, having in mind that private property is no less than a "wholy cow" of capitalism. But the consequences of transition aren't the same in every society, nor do they always have positive aura, and according to Šuvaković, Serbian society represents an excellent example of this statement (Šuvaković, 2014). Model of transition and privatisation that was applied in the case of Serbia resulted in a crisis and de-industrialization of economy, the rise in unimployment and the decline in social standards, the collapse of value-system along wtih the sovereignty of our country. In this manner, a very pragmatic question is raised and asked upon in the monograph: what do Serbian citizens actually get from the transition proess if we presume that this is a qualitaive social change, and that, in addition to its naturaly historical character, it is still a humanly instrumentalized process.
By avoiding typical trap of identifying scientific image of reality with a common sense, media or ideological image, Šuvaković strives to analyze all the sensitive parts of human coexistence. Through macrosociological study of transition, it is specifically shown how is human fate interwined with the fate of society, and the reader is given the opportunity to understand different social phenomena, he himself testifies every day, in a new and different manner.
On the other hand, this monograph in an excellent way shows why is sociology the science about modern society -representing an important contribution to scientific and cognitive interpretation of a contemporary transition process, and the concrete implications of that process. In support of this -the final message of the book states that we will not perish, regardless of the fact that the majority of Serbian citizens belong to the category of so called "losers of transition". And through the survival and continuity of social structures the feature of modern societies that was noticed a long time ago, is best whown -the strong capabillity to adapt. The explanatory concept "center-perifery", along with the evident possibility of its further elaboration, provides the author theoretical background, enabling him to show not only statistically, but also comparatively -in what way are transitional societies actually (not) free, (not) independent and (not) sovereign in regards to the leading world powers.
The pages of the book reflect clear Marxist terminology and causal relations, such as stressing the class essence of transition process, and it is clear to the reader that its "red" notes don't end with the book covers. Remaining consistent with his worldview, hesitantly criticizing reality, Šuvaković reminds us of several important sociological postulates, such as the emphasis on the importance of sociological context, and the fact that social phenomena, processes and relations don't fall aout of the blue, but are firmly connected and conditioned.
Although contemporary processes offer a new development opportunity, it is still uncertain wheter the world will develop on the principles of global understanding and solidarity, or, due to the capital-relations and antagonistic system of the distribution of social power, will move towards thechnocratic, post-humane anti-utopia (Mitrović, 2014)? Finally, we can ask ourselves: where is the exit from this Serbian "den" and is the solution, as Šuvaković believes, in the possibility of solidary development and joint progress?