Practitioners of vexillology have long worked to apply modern historical techniques and research methods to professionalize this study, once approached mainly through narrative and anecdotal methods. Vexillology is a useful auxiliary to history, political science, sociology, semiology, and design – but is it a social science of its own rather than a mere adjunct to more traditional fields? Many years of scholarly debate have not settled this question. In this excerpt from his PhD thesis at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, made available for the first time in English by the Flag Heritage Foundation, Dr. Željko Heimer reviews the arguments and evidence and offers a reasoned conclusion in support of vexillology as a social science. 72 pages, with scholarly bibliography. The book may be seen and/or downloaded here. Copies of the book may be ordered from the Foundation (North American orders), or from the author’s website (outside North America). The full dissertation, including a treatment of Croatian military flags and 200 high-quality color illustrations, will be printed on demand: inquire here.
Vexillology as a Social Science
by Željko Heimer