Slađana Ćurčić

Biography

Slađana Ćurčić is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade,
where she also completed her undergraduate and master’s academic studies, as the best student in
the generation. The main areas of her academic interest are: safety culture, youth safety, human
security, health security, as well as EU security policy and strategic autonomy. During her
undergraduate studies, she was engaged as a student researcher in research centers at the Faculty
of Security Studies (Human Security Research Center, Center for Applied Security). During
2017/2018 she attended a six-month internship program at the Belgrade Center for Security
Policy. From 2019 to 2021 she worked as a junior teaching assistant at the Faculty of Security
Studies. During 2023/2024 she attended the regional peacebuilding program Western Balkans
Regional Youth Partnership Program, which brought together young people from the region,
with the aim of reconciliation and building good neighborly relations. During various levels of
her studies, she was a scholarship holder of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, The Ministry of
Education, Science and Technological Development, The Ministry of Youth and Sports (Dositeja
scholarship) and the ManpowerGroup company. She speaks English.

Education

2019 – present – doctoral studies, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade
2018-2019 – master’s studies, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade (master’s thesis
“The Military Intelligence Agency reform within the security-intelligence system of the Republic
of Serbia”)
2014-2018 – undergraduate studies, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade (thesis
“Independent state bodies in the Republic of Serbia and their role in democratic civilian control”)

Employment

2022 – Junior Research Assistant, Institute for European Studies
2019-2021 – Junior Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade

Bibliography

Journal articles

Ćurčić, S. (2024). Cultural dimensions of safe cities. National Security Policy, 27(2), 183-208.
DOI: 10.5937/pnb27-43653 .
Igrutinović, M. and Ćurčić, S. (2024). The strength of the intergovernmental principle in the
Common Security and Defense Policy and the weakness of the EU’s strategic autonomy
ambitions in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. International Problems, 76(2), 223-248. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2298/MEDJP2402223I .
Ćurčić, S. (2023). The European Union and health security in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic. National Interest, 44(1), 83-106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/nint44-43172 .
Ćurčić, S. (2021). Contribution of primary and secondary education curricula to the
development of youth safety culture. Security, 63(3), 163-186. DOI:
10.5937/bezbednost2103163C .
Ćurčić, S. (2021). Epistemic communities in the field of nuclear arms control as subjects of
security. National Interest, 42(3), 137-165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22182/ni.4032021.6 .
Ćurčić, S. (2021). Countering hybrid threats in the security policy of the European Union.
International Politics, 72(1181), 23-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/iipe_mp.2021.72.1181.2 .
Ćurčić, S. (2020). Comparative analysis of national security strategies of Serbia, Montenegro
and Croatia. Culture of Polis, 17(43), 259-275.
https://kpolisa.com/index.php/kp/article/view/245 .
Ćurčić, S. (2020). The impact of environmental degradation on human security. Political
Review, 65(3), 95-124. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22182/pr.6532020.5 .
Ćurčić, S. (2019). The security-intelligence system of the Republic of Serbia reform – the need
to establish an intelligence (sub)system. Yearbook of the Faculty of Security, 2019, 255-280.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/fb _godisnjak.2019.13.

Book chapters/proceedings

Ćurčić, S. (2024). “Cybersecurity culture from the perspective of Social Cognitive Theory:
examining the relevance of the reciprocal determinism model”, In Lj. Bojić, S. Žikić, J. Matthes
and D. Trilling (Eds), Navigating the Digital Age: An In-Depth Exploration into the Intersection
of Modern Technologies and Societal Transformation, pp. 377-406. Belgrade: Institute for
Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, University of Vienna, Department of
Communication. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14204694.
Ćurčić, S. (2024). “Rethinking human security in the post-COVID-19 world – lessons learned
from the human-centric approach to health security.” In V. Mitrović and D.O’Mathúna (Eds),
Disaster construction and reconstruction: lessons from COVID-19 for ethics, politics and law,
pp.112-132. Belgrade: Institute of Social Sciences. https://idn.org.rs/wp-
content/uploads/2024/02/Zbornici-IDN-2024-DISASTER-CONSTRUCTION-AND-
RECONSTRUCTION-el.v.pdf .
Ćurčić, S. (2024). “The Strategic Relevance of the Indo-Pacific in the Security Policy of the
European Union.” In N. Vuković and M. Kopanja (Eds), Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific: A Great Testing Ground for Global Confrontation, pp. 136-153. Belgrade: Institute for International
Politics and Economics, Faculty of Security Studies. DOI: 10.18485/iipe_indopac.2024.ch7.
Ćurčić, S. (2021). “The Strategic Autonomy of the European Union in the ‘Post-Pandemic
World’ – A Neoclassical Realist Perspective.” In N. Stanković, D. Dabić and G. Bandov (Eds),
Development Directions of the European Union after the Covid-19 Pandemic, pp. 169-194.
Belgrade: Institute for International Politics and Economics (IIPE).
https://www.diplomacy.bg.ac.rs/wp-
content/uploads/2021/12/2021_Stankovic_Dabic_Bandov_Razvojni-pravci-EU.pdf.
Ćurčić, S. (2021). ” ‘Solidary Union’ – present and perspectives.” In Z. Keković, M. Đorić & J.
Polović (Eds), Security Crises in the 21st Century and How to Manage Them – Social and
Security aspects, volume 1, pp. 175-183. Proceedings of the international scientific conference
Security Crises in the 21st Century and How to Manage Them (оnline), 13-14 October 2020.
Belgrade: Center for Risk Analysis and Crisis Management (CARUK), Croatian Association for
International Studies (HUMS), Institute for Development and International Relations Croatia
(IRMO), and Libertas International University.

Research analyses/policy papers

Stojanović, F. and Ćurčić, S. (2022). Gender, climate and security: Why is it important to
include climate change in the new NAP 1325 in Serbia? Belgrade: Public Policy Research
Center, OSCE Mission to Serbia.
Ćurčić, S. (2019). “Serbia on the European path – in the whirlpool of its own crisis and the crisis
of the European Union.” In B.Stojanović, M. Pejić and N. Jović (Eds), European Union and
European integration of the Republic of Serbia, pp. 77-96. Belgrade: National Youth Council of
Serbia.
Ćurčić, S. (2019). “The disaster risk reduction concept on the example of (un)learned lessons
from the 2014 floods in Serbia.” In Human Security – Collection of Student Papers, pp. 11-32.
Belgrade: Public Policy Research Center, OSCE Mission to Serbia.

Scientific conferences

• The Seventh Global International Studies Conference of the World International Studies Committee (WISC): International Relations in a World of Flux: Understanding Continuity, Change and Contestation, 24-26 July 2024. Poland: University of Warsaw.
• Annual Scientific Conference on Geopolitics and Strategic Studies – Waves of Competition: Strategic Rivalries in the Indo-Pacific, April 18 th , 2024. Belgrade: Institute of International Politics and Economics, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade.
• International Scientific Conference Social, Economic and Political Construction of COVID-19, 12-13 May 2023. Belgrade: Institute of Social Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York.
• International Scientific Conference Digital Society Now – EMERGE 2022, 16-18 December 2022. Belgrade: Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, University of Vienna, Department of Communication, The American University of Paris.
• International Scientific Conference Security Crises in the 21st Century and How to Manage Them – Social and Security aspects (online), 13-14 October 2020. Belgrade: CARUK, HUMS, IRMO, and Libertas International University.

Invited Lectures

“Safety culture as a factor of prevention of health security threats”, within the scientific
conference Culture and Security-New or Old Nexus in Security: How to Understand and Develop
the Concept of Security Culture, March 2025. Skopje (North Macedonia): Friedrich-Ebert-
Foundation.

Projects

2024. – ongoing – COST Action Peace Research Community Europe (PEACE)

2022. Gender, climate and security: Why is it important to include climate change in the new
NAP 1325 in Serbia? Public Policy Research Center, OSCE Mission to Serbia.

Membership in Scientific Organizations

from 2025. – European International Studies Association (EISA), Zürich, Switzerland