The Alma Mater Europaea University and Alma Mater Vienna presented the scientific monograph Cultural Formations in Context in Vienna, which, with 13 contributions from Slovenian and German authors, highlights the influence of historical and contemporary cultural processes on the shaping of society.
Alma Mater Europaea University and Alma Mater Vienna premiered the interdisciplinary scientific monograph Cultural Formations in Context: Historical and Contemporary Analyses on April 17, 2025, in Vienna.
The book offers a comprehensive and innovative view of cultural formations over time and combines diverse academic perspectives in a world increasingly marked by complex cultural shifts and interdisciplinary challenges. The volume comprises 350 pages and includes 13 original contributions by authors from Slovenia and Germany in the fields of humanities and social sciences, helping to better understand the key processes shaping our world.
"Understanding modernity, contemporary society, interpersonal relations, and fundamental aspects of coexistence is more important today than ever before," emphasized co-editor and author Daniel Siter.
The scientific book, edited by Dr. Daniel Siter (history), Dr. Anja Hellmuth Kramberger (archaeology) and Dr. Jurij Toplak (law), was published by the renowned German publisher LIT Verlag (2025). The publication and presentation of the book are part of the research activities within the program group ‘Researching Cultural Formations’ operating at the Faculty of Humanities of Alma Mater Europaea University in Ljubljana.
The editors and authors presented key insights from the book and their contributions. Historian Dr. Daniel Siter analyzed the subversive influence of local cells of Kulturbund in Slovenia and their role in persecuting nationally conscious Slovenes and intelligentsia during the German occupation.
Archaeologist Dr. Anja Hellmuth Kramberger presented her research on the monumental archaeological site Göbekli Tepe as a place where collective memory and community identity were materially anchored during times of profound social and environmental changes: "Göbekli Tepe is more than an archaeological site; it is a prehistoric place of memory where collective memory was shaped in stone."
Dr. Meike Haken highlighted from a sociological perspective on scientific communication as a cultural formation that transcends the traditional concept of one-way knowledge transfer, that "popular-cultural scientific communication as a cultural formation encompasses spatial-temporal nonlinearity and the parallel effect of different forms of communication."
Dr. Gašper Pirc focused on the philosophical investigation of the impact of technological progress and digitalization of society, whose processes challenge our understanding of human nature, normative social structures, and patterns of social behavior. "These challenges must be addressed as soon as possible to mitigate their effects on society and cultural formations of the future."
Miha Kunstelj presented his perspective on cultural formations through a study of urn burial customs on the Istrian peninsula in the Bronze Age, emphasizing the role of the peninsula as a connecting space between Central Europe and the Mediterranean.
Alma Mater Vienna in Vienna offers undergraduate studies in physiotherapy and doctoral studies in Applied Artificial Intelligence. Currently, 19 students are studying in Vienna, actively participating in the Alma Mater educational process. The director of Alma Mater Vienna Prof. Dr. Jurij Toplak wishes for the Vienna campus to become an inspiring venue for study, research, book presentations, conferences, and many other academic activities. "I invite you to continue co-creating this promising academic institution in Austria, to design ideas, projects, and partnerships," concluded Dr. Jurij Toplak.
The important event in Vienna was also joined by the rector of Alma Mater Europaea University, Prof. Dr. Ludvik Toplak, who in his address emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary social challenges and highlighted the international relevance and scientific weight of the presented volume.
With an undergraduate program in physiotherapy and a doctoral program in Applied Artificial Intelligence, it lays the foundation for interdisciplinary education that addresses contemporary challenges.
With its international orientation and active student involvement, Alma Mater Vienna is an ideal environment for growth, research, and innovation, making it the right choice for ambitious individuals who want to co-create the future.
