The poetics of the novel The Loves of Virgin Magdalene

The poetics of the novel The Loves of Virgin Magdalene

Author(s): Agnesë Shkodra / Language(s): English / Issue: 25/2022

Keywords: poioumenon; double coding; narrator; narrataire; taboo;

In this article are analysed some postmodern features and techniques of the Ridvan Dibra’s novel The Loves of Virgin Magdalene(2018), which is new novel made by his two older plays (the play Twilight and monodrama with same name as a novel). Also, here are discussed narrative elements as narrator, narrataire, focalization, structure etc., and some psychological details. So, here is applied an integral method with psychoanalytical, intertextual and narratological approaches.

Christ between the human and the divine

Christ between the human and the divine

Author(s): Leonora Hajra / Language(s): English / Issue: 25/2022

Keywords: intertext; hypertext; hypotext; dualism; misanthropy; spirituality;

One of the founding postulates of postmodern poetry is intertextuality – the idea that every text communicates with pre-existing texts, and thus that at heart the author is in no way wholly innovative, but original merely in style, in the way in which they shape a particular work from its components. Bible lore offers a rich theological culture with thematic and characterological elements sufficiently fertile for the development of literature, and specifically what is termed second degree literature (intertext, hypertext, hypotext). Transformed by literary context, diverse parts of the Bible are instrumentalized to portray universal truths with mankind as transition through psychological and social dimensions. The Last Temptation by Kazantzakis is a work that, having as its template the biography of Jesus as told by the four Evangelists of the New Testament (The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), constructs a broad history of Jesus’ journey from youth to crucifixion as the Son of Man. Here the author demythologizes, rendering familiar, humane and twisted with vices and virtues a figure usually painted as untouchable – remaining suspended in the sublime details of churches and in the crevices of Christian souls. With fact and fiction interwoven, the work reveals a finely-drawn history of the Israelites, probing on the one hand religious identity, profaneness, class differences and the consequences of such distinctions, and on a broader psychological plane the conflict between dualist forces in mankind – good and evil, misanthropy and philanthropy, body and soul.

For the philosophy of education as a science and as an art of life

For the philosophy of education as a science and as an art of life

Author(s): Gersa Rrudha / Language(s): English / Issue: 25/2022

Keywords: education; philosophy; pedagogy; morality; teaching;

As a long-term structure of its general character, Albanian life and history present a strange phenomenon of alignment and civilizational and ideological weakness. And this happens in a time and space in the middle of a great multitude of influences from the strongest and most behaviour-changing. There is no doubt that various coercive and external historical-political or socio-psychological reasons have contributed to this situation. But from a purely national point of view, non-focus on education as the best means and path of proper character formation has been an important reason and a decisive factor in our backwardness. This is why education should be considered today as the key to any social movement that can be thought of for developing a modernized Albania. “The realization of the treatment of the character of the Albanian must start from the educational school” has always been the compelling call of our most prominent thinkers. But now, what is the ideal stage of the Albanian man’s education? Have we managed to build an educational school?

The psycholinguistic approach to writing assessment at the beginning of formal education – spelling tests battery

The psycholinguistic approach to writing assessment at the beginning of formal education – spelling tests battery

Author(s): Elżbieta Awramiuk,Grażyna Krasowicz-Kupis,Katarzyna Wiejak / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: early literacy;spelling ability;writing evaluation;literacy development

Young children’s ability to write provides insight into their phonological representations of words, reflects strategies of phonological segmentation, allows inference about their conceptualization of written language and its relation to spoken language, and illustrates the process of increasing both language and orthographic awareness. The aim of this paper is presenting the tests battery for the assessment of spelling skills at the start of education (Spelling Tests Battery) in Poland. The battery consists of six tests assessing the graphotactic, phonological, morphological and orthographic awareness, as important abilities connected with spelling success. All tools have passed through a normalization study (3600 children; aged 5;6 to 7;6). All tests have appropriate psychometric properties. The battery allows to monitor the development of children, to capture any irregularities and implement early intervention, to increase the teaching effectiveness through the individualization, and to predict the future reading and writing skills.

EU RESTRICTIONS ON INTENTIONALLY ADDED MICROPLASTICS – SMALL PLASTIC, LOW AMBITION

EU RESTRICTIONS ON INTENTIONALLY ADDED MICROPLASTICS – SMALL PLASTIC, LOW AMBITION

Author(s): Amna Hrustić / Language(s): English / Issue: 31/2022

Keywords: microplastics; rinse-off products; EU Plastic Strategy; COVID-19; environmental protection;

The paper discusses the need for an EU wide ban of microplastics. The focus is on the announced EU regulation on the ban of intentionally added microplastics. The paper firstly presents published results from research in natural science on the widespread of microplastic pollution and its influence on human health and life of animals and plants. These findings are used to analyse from a legal perspective to what extent there is a need for an EU ban on microplastics, what should be the scope of such regulation and what are the potential economic and regulatory impacts. The increase of plastic pollution caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is in this paper analysed as an important factor for a stricter EU approach towards microplastics. The EU for now decided to ban only the use of microplastics in rinse-off products and not in leave-on products. The EU did not show the ambition to be a front-runner on this matter, despite the economic benefits and its front-runner status in recycling. The comparative analysis confirms that the EU so far only reacts to already enacted legislation in other parts of the globe.

TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES OF INCORPORATION OF THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES OF INCORPORATION OF THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

Author(s): Zoran Vasiljević / Language(s): English / Issue: 31/2022

Keywords: Incorporation; Limited Liability Company; Registration;

The author analyzes the process of establishing companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an emphasis on limited liability companies, making a comparison with the surrounding countries and the acquis communautaire. It is pointed out that the incorporation is not limited to registration and in that sense the substantive difference between the two terms is explained, especially from the aspect of defining legal relations from the pre-incorporation phase and liability for the undertaken obligations. Regarding the registration procedure itself, it is concluded that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. its entities and Brčko District, which are competent for regulating the analyzed matter, the trends of neighboring countries and the European Union are followed, and that the improvement is especially related to the introduction of electronic registration, shortening and facilitating of procedure and rationalization of costs.

DIGESTIVE JURISPRUDENCE RESTATED: ON BREAKFAST AND DIGESTION AS BIAS-AROUSERS

DIGESTIVE JURISPRUDENCE RESTATED: ON BREAKFAST AND DIGESTION AS BIAS-AROUSERS

Author(s): Giovanni Tuzet / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: Digestive Jurisprudence; Frank; Holmes; Legal Realism; Pragmatism

“Digestive Jurisprudence” is the view that judicial decisions depend on what judges had for breakfast. The view is usually associated with Frank’s version of Legal Realism. The paper shows that, disputable as it is, that view comes from the philosophical background of Peirce’s pragmatism and the legal background of Holmes’ prediction theory. Peirce’s pragmatism was an account of concepts in terms of their predictable consequences. Holmes’ prediction theory was an account of law in terms of predictions of what judges will do. And Legal Realism focused on judicial behavior as determined by various factors including, in its most extreme and provocative version, breakfast quality and digestive processes. The paper does not ascertain whether the digestive view is true (to some extent); rather, it makes the working hypothesis that breakfast quality, or digestion quality, is not a sufficient condition of a certain outcome but, most likely, a bias-arouser.

CANONICAL JURISPRUDENCE IN THE KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA IN THE MIDDLE AGES

CANONICAL JURISPRUDENCE IN THE KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Author(s): Pavel Krafl / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: Canonical jurisprudence; Canonists; Kingdom of Bohemia; Medieval canon law; Prague Law University

During the High and Late Middle Ages, canon law played a crucial role. This study provides an overview of ecclesiastical legal scholarship in the Czech lands, i.e. in Bohemia (in the Archdiocese of Prague) and in Moravia (in the Diocese of Olomouc). The development of a legal jurisprudence went hand in hand with the development of ecclesiastical administration in the second half of the 14th century and in the early 15th century, which evolved into a compact system. An important factor in this was the establishment of Prague University, including the Law Faculty, in 1348, and also, in particular, the establishment of the separate Prague Law University in 1372. Amongst the major canonists who left work behind were Štěpán of Roudnice, Bohuslav of Krnov, Kuneš of Třebovle, Mikuláš Puchník, and Jan of Jesenice, amongst others.

FIDIC FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF SERBIAN LAW

FIDIC FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF SERBIAN LAW

Author(s): Sara Stojković / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: FIDIC General Conditions; Force majeure; Impossibility to perform; Serbian Law on Obligations; Temporary impossibility.

The purpose of this paper is to present force majeure as stipulated in FIDIC forms, which are nowadays frequently in use when negotiating the conclusion of construction contracts concerning major projects. An important remark is that these forms have been greatly influenced by common law systems where operation of force majeure is dependent on the contractual definition and wording of the clause. On the other hand, the Serbian Law on Obligations contains its own understanding of force majeure-related concept, which might be amended in accordance with the principle of party autonomy. The paper further aims to elaborate on this interplay between these FIDIC forms and Serbian law. The conclusion is that the FIDIC force majeure clause represents an important contribution to the domestic regime, which does not expressly address scenarios with temporary impediments, which is necessary for successful completion of construction works.

Gabriele Carapezza Figlia, Ljubinka Kovačević, Eleonor Kristoffersson (eds). 2023. Gender Perspectives in Private Law. Cham: Springer

Gabriele Carapezza Figlia, Ljubinka Kovačević, Eleonor Kristoffersson (eds). 2023. Gender Perspectives in Private Law. Cham: Springer

Author(s): Letizia Coppo / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Krstić, Ivana, Marco Evola, Maria Isabel Ribes Moreno (eds). 2023. Legal Issues of International Law from a Gender Perspective. Cham: Springer, 224.

Krstić, Ivana, Marco Evola, Maria Isabel Ribes Moreno (eds). 2023. Legal Issues of International Law from a Gender Perspective. Cham: Springer, 224.

Author(s): Ana Zdravković / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Former Villages of Patara Liakhvi Gorge

Former Villages of Patara Liakhvi Gorge

Author(s): Giorgi Sosiashvili,Ioseb Alimbarashvili / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2022

Keywords: Former villages; Patara Liakhvi gorge; Shida Kartli; historical sources; Riv. Patara Likahvi;

The gorges of Shida Kartli, including the Patara Liakhvi gorge, were densely populated already in the Eneolithic and early Bronze Age, as evidenced by the material obtained as a result of the archaeological excavations conducted in this area at different times (fragments of obsidian and clay vessels, collective and individual burials of the dead, copper or bronze blades etc.,) reveals, however, as a result of historical and natural cataclysms (epidemics, invasions of Lezgins and Ossetians, etc.), many villages became desolate. The names of some of the villages in Patara Liakhvi gorge have been preserved only by historical sources. As a result of studying the information preserved in the documents, it is possible to determine the location of several former villages in the Liakhvi gorge. One of these folktales “Kvabni” can be found in 1392 in document of the Catholic estates of Kartl-Kakhet-Meskheti, where a number of villages in the valleys of the Didi and Patara Liakhvi are mentioned. In the document we read: “Gori, the estates and merchants of Mtskheta, the village of Zerti, the village of Tsita with the estate, former village Satibi, the village of Kushi, the village of Disevi, Plavi, the village of Chkhriketi, the village of Satikhari and nine households of Vanati, the village of Kvabni, the village of Kordi and Patara Meghvrekisi. Ereds Giladze’s, Virsha Monastery with the introduction of Archangel; from Krtskhinvali Eliozidze a jew, with his estate.” The “kvabni” mentioned in the document, in our opinion, was located in the upper part of the Patara Liakhvi gorge and bordered the village of Vanati.

For a Political Portrait of Nikoloz (Carlo) Chkheidze

For a Political Portrait of Nikoloz (Carlo) Chkheidze

Author(s): Otar Janelidze / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2022

Keywords: Parliament; Constituent Assembly; Deputy; Democratic Republic of Georgia; Karlo Chkheidze;

The elite of the Democratic Republic of Georgia is decorated with many famous personalities. Among them are Karlo Chkheidze, one of the founders of the Mesame Dasi (Third Group) deputy of the State Duma of Russia of the third and fourth convocations and leader of the Social Democratic faction, chairman of the Transcaucasian Seim, and then the National Council, Parliament and Constituent Assembly of Georgia. His name is closely connected not only with the revolutionary movement and the spread of Marxist ideology in the working circles of our country but also with the history of the Georgian Democratic Republic of 1918-1921. He was one of the prominent figures among those who led and laid the foundation for the new Georgian state, inextricably rooted in Western values, parliamentary democracy, freedom of speech, self-expression, and so on. in Georgian reality. Thanks to his professionalism, inner honesty, and moral authority, he was respected not only by members of the Social Democratic Party who headed the government but also by representatives of the opposition spectrum and Georgian society as a whole. Karlo Chkheidze was well known and appreciated both in the circles of the Russian and the international socialist movement. He was also an important figure in the Georgian political emigration, which continued the struggle for the liberation of Georgia abroad since 1921.

The First British Consulate in Batumi During Ottoman Rule: Reasons for Establishment, Purpose and Strategy (1840-1852)

The First British Consulate in Batumi During Ottoman Rule: Reasons for Establishment, Purpose and Strategy (1840-1852)

Author(s): Irakli Baramidze / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2022

Keywords: Batumi; Britain; Consulate; Guarracino; Holmes;

From the 30s of the 19th century, the interest in Batumi began to grow, which was connected, on the one hand, with the results of the Russian-Ottoman war of 1828-1829 (Ottomans lost the eastern coast of the Black Sea), and on the other hand, with the influence of Russia in Anatolia. This was followed by the opening of Great Britain's diplomatic representtation first in Trebizond (in 1831) and then in Batumi (in 1840). The opening of consulates at that time served to weaken the influence of Russia on Iran and the Ottomans and to pursue British interests. At the same time, the British government wanted to get quick and correct information about all the events that were happening in Georgia and the North Caucasus, as well as to facilitate British trade. 20-year-old Frederic Guarracino was selected as the first vice-consul of Batumi, who was appointed to the position in November 1839, although he began to perform his duties in April 1840. By the instructions received from the diplomatic agency, F. Guarracino had to collect all kinds of information (geographical, statistical, political, trade...), study interesting places from a commercial point of view, gain the favor of the locals, establish good relations with the ruling elite... Frederic Guarracino served as the British Vice-Consul in Batumi for 6 years. From June 1846 until the abolition of the diplomatic mission (December 1852), William Richard Holmes was appointed vice-consul. The reason for closing the consulate was probably that, at that stage, Britain apparently did not see the development prospects of Batumi: constant unrest, adverse climatic conditions, and limited scale of trade became the basis for making such a decision.

From Economic Remittances to Societal Transmittances Experiences from the European Union

From Economic Remittances to Societal Transmittances Experiences from the European Union

Author(s): Ludger Pries / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: Remittances; EU; transmittances; development; transnational migration;

Analysis and debates on remittances concentrate on sending money from the Global North to the Global South. Here we deepen the aspects of social remittances and propose a broader view on transmittances as bi-directional and multi-dimensional flows in the context of migration taking Europe as a region less taken into account in these debates. The effects of remittances have to be analyzed in the overall context of historical conditions, economic and demographic cycles and transnational societal textures between the regions under consideration. We take the example of the accession of Poland and of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU and show the usefulness of an extended perspective on transmittances, that is, taking into account the multifaceted bidirectional impacts of migration. Some conclusions on desiderata for further research are drawn.

The 2022 Elections in Bulgaria: Another Dead-end Street. Election Analysis

The 2022 Elections in Bulgaria: Another Dead-end Street. Election Analysis

Author(s): Emilia Zankina / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: elections; Bulgarian politics; corruption; party systems; new parties;

In October 2022, Bulgarian voters went to the polls for the fourth time in 18 months. The elections produced a fragmented parliament unable to agree on a coalition government and new early elections are scheduled for April 2023. In fact, only one of the previous four elections resulted in a government which stayed in power for seven short months. For the rest of the time since April 2021, Bulgaria has had a series of caretaker governments appointed by the president, a scenario that will continue at least until April 2023.

Can Christian Nationalism Explain Anti-Vaccination Attitudes Against COVID-19 in Greece?

Can Christian Nationalism Explain Anti-Vaccination Attitudes Against COVID-19 in Greece?

Author(s): Dimitra Mareta / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: Christian nationalism; Greece; anti-vaccination protests; COVID-19;

This paper examines the attitudes of the people participating in protests against COVID-19 (mandatory) vaccination in Athens, Greece. The central question is to examine whether the protesters adopt the main theses of Christian nationalism and opposition to science, as expressed and theorised in the United States, by examining an indicative sample of participants in these protests. The paper first examines the Greek context regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, it presents the theoretical context of Christian nationalism and, finally, it presents the questionnaire and the findings from field research conducted by the author during these Athens protests in summer 2021. As such, the paper contributes to the knowledge gap regarding Christian nationalism beyond the American context and introduces this topic for the first time with regard to Greece.

The Vulnerability of Hope and Optimism: Reflecting on Turkey’s 2023 Elections. Election Analysis

The Vulnerability of Hope and Optimism: Reflecting on Turkey’s 2023 Elections. Election Analysis

Author(s): Derya Özkaya / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: hope; optimism; electoral alliances; opposition; Turkey;

In May, Turkey held one of the most consequential elections in its recent history. The vote took place amid a deepening economic crisis, one of the deadliest earthquakes of the last century, and an expanded realm of oppression targeting almost all fields of social and political life. What made the elections of May 2023 more contested than their predecessors was that it was the first time in the last two decades, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) were not viewed as the clear favorites. Motivated by the collective sense of urgency to hand the ruling government an electoral defeat, along with a strong desire for constructing a more democratic republican regime for the centennial, broad but oftentimes disparate alliances were constructed in an effort to oust. While expectations ran high, with the political opposition brimming with unbridled hopes and optimism leading up to the parliamentary and presidential elections on May 14, Erdoğan defeated his two challengers Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Sinan Oğan with a slim margin (49.5 percent), but could not avoid a second round. The country trudged to the polls again on May 28 for a run-off election, which resulted in a victory for Erdoğan and a secured third term as president. Though the presidential elections garnered widespread attention from the public, media, and international observers, the parliamentary elections also held significant implications for Turkey’s politics. Erdoğan’s AKP saw a decline in vote share, but their governing coalition strengthened with support from far-right, nationalist, and Islamist parties. This coalition protected AKP’s parliamentary majority, retaining 322 out of 600 seats. On the other hand, the opposition parties performed below expectations, only securing 35 percent of the parliamentary vote.

Characters and Masks: Counter-Discursive Strategies in the Poetry of Yuri Andrukhovych

Characters and Masks: Counter-Discursive Strategies in the Poetry of Yuri Andrukhovych

Author(s): Iryna Borysiuk / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: contemporary Ukrainian poetry; Yuri Andrukhovych; counter-discourse; the Soviet heroic discourse; deheroization;

Ukrainian poetry of the 1990s deals with the Soviet past in different ways – there are official rhetoric parodying, poetic clichés ironical rethinking, and Soviet narratives in-depth working out. The last way is used by Yuri Andrukhovych in his Yarmarkovi patrety poem collection. Andrukhovych creates the portrait gallery of outcasts, losers, and victims, and this works for hierarchy destruction, established meanings dissemination, and a refusal to maintain the black and white Soviet worldview. In his Yarmarkovi patrety, Andrukhovych refers to the Soviet heroic discourse within which numerous heroic role models have been created. In his dismantling of the heroic discourse, Andrukhovych uses different strategies. The strategy of inversion is based on the narrative perspective shift, resulting in a character’s dislocation – there is moving from the heroic national pantheon to that of the traitors, and vice versa. In Andrukhovych’s poetry, the strategy of inversion is applied to historical figures and political acts. According to the strategy of substitution, a hero is replaced by a criminal, but with saving in the narrative all the formal qualities of the heroic biography. There is the carnival and burlesque criminal pantheon parodying canonical one and calling into question the relevance of the last. The strategy of cancellation destroys the binary totalitarian paradigm within which heroes / non-heroes dichotomy is presented.

From a Role to Individuality. Comments on the Changes to the Relationship between a Dialectologist and a Respondent

From a Role to Individuality. Comments on the Changes to the Relationship between a Dialectologist and a Respondent

Author(s): Błażej Osowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2023

Keywords: dialectology; sociology; methodology; history of linguistics

This article discusses the theory of dialectological methodology and focuses mainly on the participation of an informant and a researcher in a research process. An analysis of the development of dialectological methodology shows a change – a transformation from the prevalence of a role (a respondent, a researcher) to individuality (of a respondent, a researcher) i.e. transformation from the social to the individual factor. While the change is rarely defined in writing, it has been observed for some time now (the 20th–21st centuries).