Fiscal Illusions

Iluzje fiskalne

Author(s): Jerzy Bartkowski / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: fiscal illusion;public finance

Scholars working with public finance introduced a term fiscal illusions (James Buchanan). They are social stereotypes dealing with the matter of public finance: spendings and rev¬enues. They result in strong pressure on public spendings. They are perceived separately from each other, especially spendings from revenues. They are very important socially and politically. They can be easily mobilized by political populists. Fiscal illusion are not myths because of lacking narrative elements. Though they are similar to them with their function of legitimize some social beliefs and their close relations to social values, and especially – to social justice. Fiscal illusions tend to direct fiscalism onto social groups of higher so¬cial status and to make taxation a mean of social redistribution not economic growth. The emergence and persistence of the fiscal illusion confirm the strength of political myths. They are able to penetrate even such a rational and calculable area as public finance.

It's Essence is Completely Different... About Tyutchev's Formula-Myth about Russianness and Russia

Istota jej odmienna zgoła… O Tiutczewowskiej formule-micie rosyjskości i Rosji

Author(s): Marian Broda / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Fyodor Tyutchev;formula-myth;Russianhood;Russia;“soul”;“soul of the world”;vision;imperialness

According to the canonical, for the Russian cultural tradition and the communal consciousness of the Russians, poetic formula presented by Fyodor Tiutchev, Russia is – unlike all the other countries, inexplicable in the notions of profane knowledge – the sacred Reality. As Wladimir Soloviev appropriately recognized the nature of the accompanying conceptualization the world, it assumes, expresses and explains the understanding of Russianhood and Russia in terms of a “soul” and the “soul of the world.” In turn, according to the identification-diagnosis by Andrzej Walicki, we are dealing here with “Tyutchev’s imperial vision,” which, please note, confirms both the content articulated by the poet in the poem On the Taking of Warsaw as well as his apoetical political texts. In the theoretical perspective, co-created by both of these interpretative methods, it is worth looking into the mythical content and implications of the analysed vision of Russianhood and Russia as well as the mental-social basis, and the consequences, of its still lasting vitality.

“The Russian Idea” in Putins Ideology

„Idea rosyjska” w ideologii Putina

Author(s): Andrzej de Lazari / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Russian idea;Putin;Dostoevsky;Solzhenitsyn

It was Fedor Dostoevskii who introduced the category of “Russian idea” into ideological discussion. Today the category is again in its heyday in Russian nationalism and appears even in Vladimir Putin’s statements. Some believe that Putin puts Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s concept into practice. In my text I attempt to question this stance

Russian Journalists: Radicalization of Virtual Space

Rosyjscy dziennikarze: radykalizacja przestrzeni wirtualnej

Author(s): Jan Morawicki / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Russia;journalism;social media;journalists;strategies in the journalists;authoritarian regime

Journalism in Russia faces not only a problem of co-existence with an authoritarian re¬gime. Intense changes within distribution of information (growth of popularity of social media, common access to video and sound recording devices, problem of fact-checking) lead to – in conditions of the present political situation – forming of specific strategies in the journalists’ behavior in the visual space, so that arises the matter of characteristic fea¬tures of alterations within the following relations: employee–employer, journalist–receiver, journalist–journalist, journalist–state

Russia as a Providential Force in the Propaganda of the Central States during the Great War

Pokój z Iwanem. Rosja jako siła opatrznościowa w propagandzie Państw Centralnych doby Wielkiej Wojny

Author(s): Magdalena Żakowska / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Russia;Central Powers;revolution;peace;propaganda;World War I

The purpose of this article is to trace the ambiguous images of Russia which had been presented after October Revolution in propaganda of Central Powers. Because of the Bol-sheviks’ peace slogans this country suddenly became the most desired ally of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The autor aims to answer the following questions: – Which narratives connected to Russia did dominate in German society in 1917–1918? – To which extent were they similar and in which different from the leading narratives in such countries as Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria? – What was the background of the mentioned narratives and images? The author distinguished two major motifs connected to the image of Russia as a kind of providential force: 1) of Russia-the-Saviour (as an exemplification of the myth of “Grandpa Ivan“), 2) of Russia-a-fighter-for-peace (as a continuation of the myth of Russian Revolution).

Leksikon YU mitologije – The Phenomena of Yugoslavian Popular Culture and their “Second Life”

Leksikon YU mitologije – fenomeny jugosłowiańskiej kultury popularnej i ich „życie po życiu”

Author(s): Wojciech Szczepański / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Lexicon of YU mythology;Yugoslavia;popular culture;communism;myths;symbols;memory;yugo-nostalgia

For some time now Poles seem to be increasingly more interested in the Yugoslav popular culture which has thus been gaining its own experts as well as lovers in Poland. It is undoubtedly associated with the development of studies in fields such as (Southern) Slavonic and Balkan Philology as well as with increasing historical, politological, ethnological and anthropological research into the past and present of the post-Slavic area, including cultural, social and political issues. Leksikon YU mitologije (The Lexicon of YU mythology), published in 2005 in Serbian (Belgrade) and distributed more widely in Croatia, is a unique work in the field of cataloging and recognizing phenomena of popular culture of Yugoslavia. This impressive book edited by Iris Adrić, Vladimir Arsenijević and Djordje Matić several years after the break-up of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) is the result of work of many professional lexicographers and even a larger group of amateur lexicographers representing different nationalities. It is also the realisation of a design of Dubravka Ugrešić, Dejan Kršić and Ivan Molek dating back to 1989, a few years before the fall of SFRY. The thoughts on some of the content contained in lexicon is to provide not only an opportunity to look at the selected phenomena of popular Yugoslav culture in the communist period. It is also intended as a contribution to reflection and discussion on the relationship of these phenomena with the identity of the Yugoslavs over their current functioning, hence “life after life”), and finally on the determinants of the process of the creation of certain specific images of collective memory, among which one should mention “yugonostalgia”, which is one of the most important imperatives of participation of many authors of the lexicon

Research on the Stereotype of a Chinese or How Chinese are Seen by Poles

Badania nad stereotypem Chińczyka, czyli jak Polacy postrzegają przedstawicieli Państwa Środka

Author(s): Katarzyna Grabowska / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: national stereotypes,Chinese;research in Poland;image of Chinese

In international relations national stereotypes play a very crucial role. Since they have an influence on our subconscious level, they also decide about our sympathy or antipathy to¬ward individual nations. Fields, German, Russian, Chinese etc. stereotypes make us project images which are built on the vision of a nation that was inherited by us in the process of growing up in a particular cultural environment. Based on research conducted in Poland and as well as my own research survey I will pre¬sent how the eyes of Poles are presented by the Chinese

Juche Ideology as an Element Strongly Affecting the Society in North Korea

Ideologie dżucze jako element silnie oddziałujący na społeczeństwo w Korei Północnej

Author(s): Dominik Wróblewski / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: juche;juche society;Confucianism

The Juche ideology, despite political and economic aspects, has influenced socio-cultural aspect in North Korea. Kim Il Sung’s doctrine is an important factor that strongly unites state’s inhabitants. North Korean society, which can be called juche society, was formed on solid foundations that have historical and doctrinal conditions. Furthermore, juche’ function is to mobilize and integrate North Korean society. It is also an inspiration to community activity. It provides entity’s progress but under collective. Additionally, North Korean society shows thinking due to juche ideology. The purpose of this publication is to show juche as an important factor that influences and unites North Korean society

Polish-Ukrainian Relations as a Factor Conditioning the Identity of Lviv

Relacje polsko-ukraińskie jako czynnik warunkujący tożsamość lwowian

Author(s): Nataliya Melnyk / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: identification;regional identity;myth;collective memory;European identity

The article addresses the problem of shaping the centuries-long relationship between Polish people and Ukrainians from Galicia, and discusses the factors influencing the process of shaping the national identity of the inhabitants of Lvov. The publication underlines the historical and ethnic backgrounds influencing the people living in Lvov region and in Lvov itself. The article also refers to the issue of identifying Lvov residents as Europeans. The author of the article also highlighted obstacles preventing the creation of solid foundation between the inhabitants of Lvov to build a common regional identity despite centuries of co-existence. The destabilizing elements were primarily claims to the same territory. Despite the complicated history, there is one common feature of the Lvov residents which has been preserved – as the author of the article points out – namely, their European identity. This belief has risen to the rank of myth. The article has made a synthetic analysis of the mutual relationship between Polish people and Ukrainians from the 15th century up to the present day, taking into account the influence of elements of collective memory. The current relations between the two nations are relatively well formed. After joining the EU, Poland acts as a Ukrainian supporter, regularly defending its interests. This, as well as the Orange Revolution, Euro 2012 and the Revolution of Dignity contributed to the untightened relations between these two nations. However, despite these positive actions in common relations, the attitude of a decisive part of the intellectual elite of modern Lvov residents is more and more influenced by the mythology of the multiculturalism of this city and its membership “ever since” to Europe, with the dominant Ukrainian language, and simultaneous marginalization of thousand years of belonging to the Polish state, which in effect creates a fake image of the city and its inhabitants

The Myth of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy in the Light of Future Attempts to Use Sport to Create International Convergence

Mit dyplomacji pingpongowej w świetle przyszłych prób wykorzystania sportu w celu kreacji zbliżenia międzynarodowego

Author(s): Michał Marcin Kobierecki / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: sports diplomacy;nation’s brand;sport;public diplomacy

The aim of the article is to investigate the ways of using sport in order to shape international brand of a state. Accordingly, various forms of shaping state’s international image with the use of sports diplomacy have been analyzed and shortly described – within the proposed typology. An attempt to verify a hypothesis concerning sports diplomacy as a significant tool of shaping state’s international brand was also made

The Jewish Concept of the Covenant According to Max Weber

Żydowska Koncepcja Przymierza w ujęciu Maxa Webera

Author(s): Lucyna Chmielewska / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: covenant;Israel;Yahweh;tribal union;ethics;rationalization

In Max Weber’s interpretation, the covenant was a political instrument of the Israelites. In Weber’s view, the original goal of the Sinai covenant was the political goal – strengthening the defense force of scattered Israeli tribes, and within the tribes it gave the durability of socio-economic relations between social groups, mainly between shepherds of small herds and a farmers or a city military patriciate owning land. The covenant had a defensive character with regard to the tribal union and socio-political character in terms of intertribal relations. Israel was developing and gaining its specific character as a cult and military union based on free shepherds and farmers, uniting during the wars against enemies. In the later age of prophets, the covenant became a catalyst for the process of rationalizing and ethicizing the Jewish religion. This process was, therefore, a consequence of the development of the political consciousness of the Israelites, expressed in the form of the covenant with Yahweh

Foreword

Предисловие

Author(s): Sergei Gennadievich Bocharov,Ayrat G. Sitdikov / Language(s): English,Russian / Publication Year: 0

Introduction

Введение

Author(s): Sergei Gennadievich Bocharov,Véronique François,Ayrat G. Sitdikov / Language(s): English,Russian / Publication Year: 0

Curriculum thinking, ‘capabilities’ and the place of geographical knowledge in schools

Miejsce wiedzy geograficznej i umiejętności w tworzeniu curriculum

Author(s): David Lambert / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: curriculum;curriculum making;powerful knowledge;capabilities

This paper argues that curriculum thinking in education has been enormously influential on selecting what is taught and learned in geography classrooms. Although this may appear to be self-evident, we are reminded that in the UK at least the idea of curriculum only really emerged in geography educational thought in the last quarter of the twentieth century. During this time curriculum thinking in schools has managed to cement the importance of ‘aims’. This paper argues that although beneficial in manyways, aims-led curriculum planning and development has arguably been somewhat careless with knowledge, and has even undermined the place of knowledge in the classroom. The paper argues for a re-emphasis on knowledge-led curriculum making, asone of the cornerstones of genuine progressive educational practice. It introduces the possibility of a capabilities approach as a heuristic to connect and reconcile aims-led and knowledge-led curriculum thought and action.

Geography education in Hesse – from primary school to university

Edukacja geograficzna w Hesji – od szkoły podstawowej do uniwersytetu

Author(s): Martin Lößner / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: geography education;Hesse;interests;geographical topics and methods

The article is about the situation of Geography Education in the educational system of the federal State Hessen. The author describes the structure of educational institution swhere pupils and students undergo geographical education. Another focus of the paper is put on the themes the students learn and the number of lessons they are taught in geography in comparison to other subjects. The article answers several vital questions such as: Which parts of the geography education in school are mandatory for the pupils and when do they take the decision to choose geography or other subjects? Which geographical subjects at the University can young students select? Lastly the author presents an overview of pupils` preferences concerning geographical themes and teaching methods. Thus the paper outlines the didactical principles of geography education in Hessen.

Geography in the Spanish education system – Comenius assistantship experience

Geografia w hiszpańskim systemie edukacji – doświadczenie asystentury Comeniusa

Author(s): Katarzyna Kowalska / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: Spain;education system;Comenius Assistantship;Natural Science;geography

In this article the author writes about the structure of the Spanish education system that she familiarized herself with during her stay in Andalusia when she took part in the Comenius Assistantship program. In the first part of the article, the author describes the general structure of the Spanish education system starting from kindergarten. In the third chapter, Natural Science as a subject in the primary school is described. This part of the education system the author got to know best as she used to teach Natural Science in English in one of the Andalusian bilingual primary schools. She described the topics taught, the principles, and the internal and external system of students’ evaluation. Afterwards the position of Geography in the secondary school in Spain is presented. The author mentions the topics covered on this stage of education and the place of Geography among other subjects. In the conclusion, one can find the author’s thoughts about her stay in Spain and about the Comenius Assistantship program.

The directions of change in the academic geographical education in the Czech Republic and Poland

Kierunki zmian w akademickim kształceniu geograficznym w Czechach i w Polsce

Author(s): Elżbieta Szkurłat,Barbara Baarová / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: academic geographical education;directions of change;Bologna strategy;student education in the Czech Republic;student education in Poland;comparison;geography education centres

The article presents the general tendencies of change in the higher education systems in Czechia and Poland in the last years. Secondly, the directions of change in the academic geographical education in the above mentioned countries have been compared. The main criteria for the comparison embrace the following: change in the number of candidates and students of geography, changes in the recruitment policies, development of centres, faculties and institutes of the academic geographical education, new courses of study at the geography faculties, accreditation requirements and changes in the funding system.There have been many, usually disadvantageous, changes common for Czechia and Poland, such as: declining number of candidates, dispersion of geographical education over different faculties, creation of many new study courses, which do not use the term“geography” any more, drastic drop in the number of students of geography, formal and organizational difficulties in the geography teacher education. These changes are connected with the implementation of the Bologna strategy as well as the unfavorable demographic shift (falling population number) and the social transformation (rising scholarization ratio).The main differences in the direction of change in the academic education in Czechia and Poland include: functioning of many more private schools in Poland, lower growth of the number of students in the Czech Republic than in Poland, higher dispersion of geographical education over different faculties in Czechia than in Poland, cancellation of educational standards in Poland and the attempts of their implementation in Czechia and lastly different systems of study funding.

Eye tracking in the research on the perception and construction of geographical knowledge

Okulografia w badaniach postrzegania i konstruowania wiedzy geograficznej

Author(s): Iwona Piotrowska / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: eye tracking;sources of geographical knowledge;perception;determinants of perception process

Eye tracking is a modern method of studying perception, cognitive and thought processes that occur when various sources of geographical information are used. It allows determining the visual competence of the recipient. Saccades (eye movements) and fixations (points at which the eyes are relatively stationary) offer an insight into the process of perception of various geographical objects, the way in which text and graphic information is read and absorbed, and the identification of those parts of the contents that the user finds the most interesting and useful. This article, therefore, seeks to present a new approach in the research on geographical education. The eye-tracking method shows the role of an individual perception of reality, the keenness of the observation conducted, and the time necessary for an individual to obtain information, and hence for the process of learning.

School expeditions and scientific camps as an alternative form of learning by action – an example of teacher’s good practice in School Complex No. 1 in Tychy

Wyprawy i obozy naukowe jako alternatywna forma uczenia się przez działanie – przykład dobrej praktyki nauczycieli ZS nr 1 w Tychach

Author(s): Katarzyna Dacy-Ignatiuk,Ireneusz Oleksik / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: education;fieldworks;school scientific expeditions

The acquisition of knowledge and skills by action has long been an important aspect in education. Each of practising teachers, however, knows that at a present-day school it is extremely difficult to find the time and technical capability to carry out practical activities properly. The pursuit of conducting the appropriate number of hours of the course, effectively discourages many teachers from the implementation of the curriculum beyond the school walls. The authors, a geography teacher in SC No. 1 in Tychy, along with a colleague – a biologist, worked out his own way to deal with this problem:for a decade they have been organizing school scientific camps across the country, and for six years – school expeditions to various parts of the world. The article introduces the forms of working with students, along with the notable effects, as well as the logistic side of the project, together with conclusions for the future.

The role of science learning centres in informal sciences education on the example of Innovation Center Mill of Knowledge in Toruń

Rola centrów nauki w przyrodniczej edukacji nieformalnej na przykładzie Centrum Nowoczesności Młyn Wiedzy w Toruniu

Author(s): Zbigniew Podgórski,Przemysław Charzyński / Language(s): English,Polish / Publication Year: 0

Keywords: informal education;science centre;Innovation Center Mill of Knowledge;interactive exhibitions

Informal education is a complex process of shaping attitudes, skills acquisition (including evaluation) and gaining knowledge, as en effect of different experiences and under the influence of social environment. Its effectiveness can be improved by applying new, attractive forms such as modern, popular science communication. Due to that in the study they were described opportunities created by science centers. Primary goals of these institutions are to arouse scientific interests in the society, initiate and conduct discussions, encourage self-learning and support education system. Centers of science are supposed to popularise knowledge, mainly by performing interactive presentations about specially selected, scientific topics. Worth noting is that informal education efforts in Poland are relatively recent and they are dated back only to the previous decade, while in Western Europe and United States they have already several decades history. The excellent results achieved by science learning centers in the education field, is an argument for involving natural science educators in implementation of the projects, aimed at developing activity programs for these institutions. A good example of science centre is Innovation Center Mill of Knowledge in Toruń.This organisation is actually able to show selected issues from various fields of science, technology, culture in an interdisciplinary way and its programme significantly goes beyond interactive exhibitions. Through amusement and independent experiments it introduces children and adults to the world of science and technology, enables theunderstanding of natural phenomena and therefore the world around.