Project title: Croatian and Anglophone Crime Fiction: Text, Context, Translation

Duration of the project: 01/10/2025 – 30/09/2029

Research group:

• Mario Kolar (principal investigator), University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Tatjana Jukić, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Antonija Primorac, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Domagoj Brozović, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Croatian Studies

Abstract:

The project will focus on the study of Croatian and Anglophone crime fiction. Considering insights from contemporary literary and cultural theory—which highlights and problematizes the complex and often unequal relationship between popular and so-called literary fiction/elite literature, as well as the even more problematic and frequently dismissive stance literary studies tends to take toward popular literature—this project will approach crime fiction as an integral and equal part of the national literary corpus.

Within this methodological framework, the research starts from the hypothesis that Croatian crime fiction includes works of significant artistic value, and that the most prominent authors within this body of work have established a distinct Croatian tradition within this global literary genre. The second hypothesis posits that translations of Anglophone crime fiction have had a substantial influence on the development of Croatian crime fiction. To test these hypotheses, the project will focus on the analysis and interpretation of key works of Croatian crime fiction, as well as the study and evaluation of major translations of Anglophone crime fiction in Croatia.

Another important objective is the assessment of existing critical and theoretical approaches to crime fiction within Croatian literary studies and their further development in line with the latest findings from contemporary literary and cultural theory. This research initiative is motivated by the fact that, to date, Croatian literary studies has devoted insufficient attention to the theory and practice of crime fiction, indicating a clear need for more systematic studies. In this context, the intended outcomes of the project—including scholarly articles, conference lectures, and a bibliography of the most important Croatian crime novels—aim to contribute to Croatian, Slavic, and English literary studies.

Project is funded by University of Rijeka and NextGeneration EU.