RCH bRunCH

RCH bRunCH are a series of transdisciplinary gatherings organized by the Research Centre for the Humanities at the University of Nova Gorica. They aim to create a space for in-depth conversations, exchange of ideas, and networking among researchers, students at all three levels of study, and the broader academic community. In a pleasant and informal atmosphere – accompanied by coffee, snacks, and an open mind – we host diverse interlocutors to explore the intersections of science, art, and society. The bRunCH gatherings are a place for meeting, co-creation, and critical reflection, fostering dialogue across disciplines, generations, and approaches.

RCH bRunCH 2024/25

First RCH bRunCH event: How Do Algorithms Read Cankar?

At the first event in the RCH bRunCH series, we hosted Lucija Mandić, a young researcher and digital humanist from the Institute of Slovenian Literature and Literary Studies at ZRC SAZU. In her lecture, she presented the use of digital methods in studying the Slovenian literary canon, with a focus on comparing canonized and non-canonized prose of the (long) 19th century.

The event concluded in a relaxed atmosphere with coffee, snacks, and a lively discussion that confirmed the space between algorithms and Cankar can also be a space for vibrant human encounters.

Second RCH bRunCH event: Memory, Literature, and Rižarna

At the second event in the RCH bRunCH series, we hosted Dr. Natka Badurina from the University of Udine. In the lecture, she presented analytical and research approaches to memory studies through the lens of Trieste literature, with a particular focus on literary and social remembrance of Rižarna as a symbol of a traumatic past.

The event concluded with informal socializing, once again confirming that bRunCH gatherings are a space for meaningful content and open conversations.

Third RCH bRunCH event: Letters Across Borders – on Emigration, Memory, and Research

At the third event in the RCH bRunCH series, we hosted interesting international guests along with students from the Faculty of Humanities, including participants from the international EMMIR program. The central focus was the presentation of the PISMA project, led by Dr. Katja Mihurko Poniž, which explores the significance of personal correspondence in the context of cultural history and memory.

Dr. Mirjam Milharčič Hladnik gave a short lecture on emigration history and its relevance for understanding contemporary migration issues, while Joe Valenčič, a descendant of Slovenian emigrants in the USA, shared his family’s extensive correspondence and reflections on the importance of immigrant history in shaping identity.

The event concluded with a discussion and socializing over coffee and snacks.

Fourth RCH bRunCH event: The Minority Problem Between the Wars – Historical Responses to National Minorities in Europe

The fourth RCH bRunCH event shed light on one of the key yet often overlooked issues in European history – the situation of national minorities during the interwar period. Our guest, Dr. Oskar Mulej, historian and researcher at the Institute for East European History at the University of Vienna, presented a complex picture of the so-called "minority problem" and the diverse responses to it. The event concluded in the spirit of bRunCH gatherings –with conversation over coffee and snacks.