On December 1, 2025, the TPO Foundation, in cooperation with the University of Banja Luka – Faculty of Philosophy, held the second promotion of the book Who’s Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler. The promotion was part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign. Participants were Prof. Dr Milena Karepetrović and Dr Željko Šarić from the Department of Philosophy. At the beginning of the program, the moderator, Željko Šarić, emphasized the importance of this international campaign.
A dedicated segment of the discussion focused on interpreting key concepts within feminist and gender theory, with particular emphasis on the notion of gender as a socially and culturally constructed category. The speakers also reflected on themes addressed in Judith Butler’s earlier works and highlighted her significant contribution to the theoretical development of the concept of gender. Milena Karapetrović presented an analysis of contemporary anti-gender narratives, which have been appearing with growing frequency in political and media discourse. It was underscored that the term “gender ideology” functions as a political construct aimed at undermining human rights and gender equality. Numerous global examples illustrating the expansion of anti-gender campaigns were provided, including attacks on the Istanbul Convention and attempts to restrict or prohibit content related to gender education. The discussion reiterated the importance of sustaining academic research and dialogue on the concepts of gender and sex, as well as the need to translate research findings into public policy, given their crucial role in advancing the democratization of society, effectively combating gender-based violence, and promoting gender equality.
The event was organized by the Advisory Board and the Faculty of Philosophy, in cooperation with the UNIGEM Network and the TPO Foundation from Sarajevo, the publisher of Judith Butler’s book. The presentation was attended by students and academic staff from the Faculty of Philosophy, the Faculty of Political Sciences, and the Faculty of Architecture–Civil Engineering–Geodesy at the University of Banja Luka.
