By Marko Škorić, Jovana Čikić, Jovana Škorić, and Aleksej Kišjuhas
Publication Date: January 2026
Free Downloads: English | Serbian
What really happens inside a movement when people decide to govern themselves? Anatomy of the Plenum takes readers inside the student blockades that swept universities in Serbia after the deadly Novi Sad railway station collapse, offering a rare, ground-level view of how ordinary students built extraordinary systems of collective decision-making. Drawing on dozens of in-depth interviews, this special report reveals how plenums—horizontal, participatory assemblies—became living laboratories of democracy: spaces where students debated strategy, managed conflict, organized logistics, confronted repression, and wrestled with the messy realities of direct rule by the many.
Press Coverage:
Autonómia. “Istraživanje: Studentski plenumi su se pokazali kao funkcionalan sistem direktne demokratije.” 26 January, 2026.
About the Authors:
Marko Škorić (1976) is a sociologist and a full professor at the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad. He is the author of numerous papers, including ten monographs. His primary research interests encompass evolutionary theory, scientific skepticism, the problem of pseudoscience, and critical thinking.
Jovana Čikić (1978) is a full professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad. Her academic work includes six monographs and more than 110 scholarly publications. She has participated in over 30 research projects. Her research interests focus on the sociology of the family, tourism, education, and social deviance.
Jovana Škorić (1989) is an associate professor at the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad. She has published more than 40 academic papers and has participated in over 30 research projects. She is a member of national and international working bodies in the fields of social work and social protection. Her main areas of academic and professional interest include human rights, community-based social work, juvenile delinquency, and issues of social justice.
Aleksej Kišjuhas (1983) is a sociologist and a full professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad. His research interests are theoretical sociology, sociology of revolutions, and sociology of emotions. He is also a regular columnist for the daily newspaper Danas.