![Erich Auerbach’s “European Philology”](/api/image/getissuecoverimage?id=picture_2008_10711.jpg)
Abstract. Agrarian policies, rural areas and the peasantry in Southeastern Europe are typically studied from the perspective of either economic transition or EU institutionalism. Students of multi-layered governance often approach rural issues in Southeastern Europe in terms of the intricacies of EU integration and acquis harmonisation. Conversely, studies of postcommunist transition discuss agriculture and the peasantry mostly by holding them responsible for economic and political wrongs. Economically, they consider agriculture the main stumbling block for structural modernisation and marketisation. Politically, they portray peasants as the misguided constituencies that effectively destroyed the process of democratisation – as unreformed postcommunists, nationalists or populists. The present study sets out to question these assumptions. Over the past twenty years, much has changed in the rural backwaters of the Southeast European region in economic terms, albeit not always for the better. A closer look at electorates and elections in selected rural counties of Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and Croatia suggests that the stereotype of rural areas as strongholds of conservatism susceptible to postcommunist, nationalist and populist propaganda needs revising.
More...Keywords: Descartes; More; God; Omnipresence; Disposition; Power; Essence
In this paper, I shall suggest that, what Descartes supported in his letter to More of August 1649, when he claimed that God’s essence might be present everywhere, was not that God can’t exist without being extended, i.e. being omnipresent, but that God has necessarily the disposition to be extended. If my interpretation is correct, then the claim that God’s essence is omnipresent is consistant with the thesis that God is omnipresent ratione potentiæ.
More...Keywords: Sicherheitsdienst; Auswärtiges Amt; Origin of the Slovak state; German – Slovak relations; Break up of Czecho-Slovakia; Vojtech Tuka; March events of 1939
Part of the historical community and the lay public generally regard the circumstances of the origin of the Slovak state as a well-researched and closed theme. Our research over several years into German sources in foreign archives shows that this is not true. Documents are constantly found that disturb the familiar stereotypes or even overturn them. They undoubtedly include the hitherto practically unknown report of Werner Göttsch, a member of the Führer’s Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst – SD ). It is not only interesting for the fact that it originated two weeks after the turbulent events, but especially for its content. Its author presents some entirely new facts, which shed some new light on the circumstances of the origin of the Slovak state in March 1939. In particular, he deals with the role of Vojtech Tuka in the plans of the SD foreign intelligence and the Berlin Foreign Ministry, a view of the Slovak political spectrum from the point of view of the intelligence bodies of the Reich, the activities of the SD in the autonomous Slovak region and the role of the leadership of the German minority during the March events of 1939. It also gives the researcher a picture of the relations between the individual components of the Nazi apparatus, which had Slovakia in their job description, and the rivalry between the two components of the SD – domestic and foreign. The hitherto unknown aspects of the role of V. Tuka in the political game surrounding Slovak independence are also a promising stimulus for further discussion in Slovak historiography.
More...The paper is mostly based on both published and unpublished archives for researching the normative determinants and circumstances of the emergence of military courts established in the periods during and after the Second World War by Yugoslav Communists. The organisational and normative system of military courts emerged gradually and was fully established in the last years of World War II, when the Yugoslav Communists created other major repressive bodies. However, the normative determinants and structure of military courts were continually governed by party interests. Thus appeared the norms and structure which were in every way in opposition to other contemporary non-communist judiciary models.
More...La découverte du document du 22 mars 1660, dans les archives de la monastère Vatoped du Mont Athos, où le prince Ştefăniţă Lupu renforce le droit de propriété de deux villages pour la monastère Golia, nous a fourni l’occasion d’insister sur un héritage byzantin dans la diplomatique médiévale moldave, peu recherchée jusqu’à présent, - les chrysobulles ornés de portraits princiers. Dans la diplomatique moldave sont connus, sauf ce document, encore deux chrysobulles, datant du décembre 1627, avec les portraits du prince Miron Barnovschi. En même temps, en partant de l’aspect de la maquette de l’église portée dans les mains de Ştefăniţă Lupu, nous avons formulé certaines hypothèses sur le couronnement de l’église appartenant au monastère Golia. Après nous avons analysé les témoignages de l’époque, nous avons formulé l’hypothèse que le tableau votif a été emplacé au début sur le mûr du naos ; l’actuel portrait votif, trouvé sur le mûr occidental du pronaos, représente l’histoire iconographique de l’église et a été peint au milieu du XVIIIe siècle.
More...Contemporary historiography has actively engaged the subject of the influence of Russian imperial authorities on the religious and national identity of the Jewish population. As is clear from the most recent works, in spite of vacillation, disruption, and failure, the authorities’ orientation toward inclusion of particular segments of the Jewish population in the estate (soslovie) structure of Russian society – “selective integration” in the terminology of Benjamin Nathans – represented the most well-considered approach to the resolution of the Jewish problem.
More...Keywords: Stjepan Radić; January 6th Dictatorship; Political symbols; National ideology; Hero cult
Stjepan Radić kept his position, as one of the beloved national symbols, even after his death and the population embraced his name as one of the saints in Croatian national Pantheon. His heart and brain were extracted from his body right after his death. These organs, as a set of strong icons, were meant to symbolize Radić’s love for the people and his ideals that would guide the Nation even after his death. But during the dictatorship of King Alexander and his successors these relics were never revealed and implemented, as Croatian Peasant Party leadership planed, in a grand mausoleum that would serve as the Croatian national place of memory. Nevertheless Radić’s name and character was recognized by the Croatian people as one of the symbols of “silent rebellion” against the bad treatments of the Dictatorship. Authorities became aware of that soon after the start of the new, heavy-handed regime. So they prohibited Radić’s name and figure on any object it was put with the excuse it could provoke outbursts of (Serbo-Croatian) “tribal hate” in, only nominally, onenation state. The objects with his portrait or name, which varied from pictures and badges through table cloths, handkerchiefs, hats, pocket mirrors and cigarette cases to chocolates and scythes, tell us how a person in a very short time can transform from a role of political leader to the position of national martyr.
More...Keywords: Social representations; Hungarian/Magyar and Slovak nationalism; Nationalist discourses; Social categories of nation; nationality and people` World War I; 1914 –1918
In this study the author analyses the changes of social representations of the Slovak speaking population of the north-western part of the Hungarian Kingdom in the regional Magyar press during the years of the Great War. The article is based on analyses of five Magyar regional newspapers (issued in mainly Slovak inhabited areas), in which the author explores the usage of various categories (such as “people/folk”, “nationality”, “nation”, as well as notions of “loyalty”, “treacherousness”, and “Pan-Slavism”) and stereotypes as they were utilized in the representations of the Slovaks. The analyses follows how the seemingly subtle changes within the predominant Hunagarian/Magyar nationalist ideology of the “Hungarian (political) nation” and particular events in the domestic policy and abroad (the policy of limited cooperation with the leaders of of the non/Hungarian nationalist movements pursued by the prime minister I. Tisza on the eve of the World War, and the activities of Czech and Slovak politicians in exile, and of the Czech members of parliament in the Vienna Reichsrat during the last two years of the war) influenced and in fact changed the social representations of the Slovak population within tthe period Hungarian/Magyar discourse.
More...Keywords: Switzerland; neutral countries in the Holocaust; Holocaust; Bystanders; Theresienstadt; Zionism; Red Cross;
Die Persönlichkeit Dr. Fritz Ullmanns (1902-1972) ist bei uns wenig bekannt, obwohl er zu den bedeutenden Gestalten des tschechoslowakischen Widerstandes gehörte. Diese Studie ist besonders auf die Zeit seines Genfer Exils konzentriert, auf seine Tätigkeit in der Schweiz in den Jahren 1939-1946. In meinem Versuch eines biographischen Porträts stütze ich mich vor allem auf F. Ullmanns Hinterlassenschaft. Er war ein bedeutender Vertreter der Zionistischen Bewegung und stammte aus der Tschechoslowakei. Er wurde hier geboren (noch während der Österreich-Ungarischen Monarchie), und zwar in der Gemeinde Luck bei Karlsbad...
More...Keywords: middle ages; Latin literature; stylistic theory; "difficult ornateness" (ornatus difficilis); "easy ornateness" (ornatus facilis); semiotics
The article is an attempt to sketch a theoretical basis of stylistic formation in the aesthetic of mature European Middle Ages. The briefly discussed style, characteristic of Latin literature and visual arts (particularly in sculpture and different forms of painting), rooted in a philosophical trend of Platonic world view and in conceptual realism, appeared in literary theory, especially in its two modes known as poetria and ars dictaminis. Its characteristic elements are derived from a stylistic theory called “difficult ornateness” (ornatus difficilis), the core of which the author sees in the practice of hiding the secondary, figurative meanings (sensus transsumptivus) with the use of verbal signs conveying literal meanings (sensus litteralis). This practice gave rise to texts having two semantic layers that required from the reader a hermeneutical effort based on the knowledge of this theory and its detailed rules comprising a mode of creating characters that were embodiments of abstract notions (prosopopoeia). This theory, founded on some elements of antique tradition, developed in 12th and 13th philosophy and well known in Medieval Poland, influenced not only the formation of texts in Latin and later in Polish, but also in Cracow 15th century university treatises (mainly in artes dictaminis), completely unknown to European scholars. The style in question was not the only permissible literary strategy of Medieval writers, since poetics allowed also an “easy ornateness” (ornatus facilis) of texts devoid of semantic duality that was crucial for “difficult ornateness”. Furthermore, the writing practice (also in Poland) dictated a way of speaking with single meaning and without ornateness. A different stylistic rules are observed in the writings composed within the biblical circle; this is, however, a subject of different theoretical and aesthetic-philosophical investigations.
More...The aim of this article is to provide insight into the development of comparative empirical sociological surveys on religion. The article focuses on the sociological theories that influenced empirical studies in France, Germany, Great Britain and America and on the specific features of the theoretical traditions in these countries. The article gives an overview of the main research topics of the European Values Study (EVS), International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) and European Social Survey (ESS). The article analyses differences and similarities of research methods (questions, scales), the possibilities and constraints of data comparison. The authors examine publications which are based on International Social Survey Programme data, describe the most influential empirical researchers’ associations, most popular academic journals and data sources.
More...Keywords: physician-patient relationship; telemedicine; e-patient; e-health
The article presents changes taking place in the relationship between a physician and a patient after the advent of new communication technologies, particularly the Internet. The author presents selected models, which tend to move away from paternalistic tradition of Hippocrates and resign from power of physician towards more patient’s autonomy, subjectivity and responsibility. In real life situations, the relationship between physician and patient is shaped by political, economic and social conditions. The advent of telemedicine and use of the Internet in the health care system change the traditional system of dependencies based on power-knowledge. New notions that characterize new communication situations emerge, e.g. e-patient, e-health, e-doctor, which change the context of relationship between a physician and a patient. The Internet popularizes medical knowledge depriving it of “aura of mystery”. It becomes the space of new relations and forms of communication about health, disease and medicine.
More...Keywords: older people; religiosity; health; quality of life
According to theory and research conducted within sociology and psychology of religion, religious involvement may reduce psychological distress and increase health status and psychological well-being in several ways, e.g. by generating high levels of social resources, including social integration and social support, by shaping behavioral patterns and lifestyles in ways that reduce the risk of major chronic and acute stressors and by providing specific cognitive resources that are useful in the problem-solving or coping with stressors (Ellison 1994). Religion plays an especially important role in later life because religious involvement helps older people to face impending death, to find and maintain a sense of meaningfulness and significance in life, to accept the inevitable loses of old age and to discover and utilize the compensatory values that are potential of old age (Barron 1961). The aim of the study was to verify hypothesis on the relationship between religiosity and health in older age. Conducted analyses revealed that religious involvement is a significant predictor of mental health in older age. Religious provision of meaning is probably the most important causal mechanism associated with this relationship.
More...Keywords: modern conflict archaeology; Lithuanian partisan war; archaeological investigation; Daugėliškiai Forest bunker
This article presents modern conflict archaeology, revealing its features as well as theoretical and methodical definitions. The archaeological investigation of Lithuanian partisan war sites (1992–2013) and their results are examined and the separate research directions are distinguished and surveyed. The authors pay special attention to the 2010 investigation of the Daugėliškiai Forest (Raseiniai District) headquarters of L. Grigonis-Užpalis, Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Council of the Union of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters. The results of the investigation of this partisan bunker reveal the role of archaeology in the investigation partisan war sites and help to define the boundaries between archaeological science and method in modern conflict archaeology.
More...The territorial issues of Central and Eastern Europe were at the heart of the tripartite negotiations. British diplomacy was deeply involved in planning the new postwar borders of Central and Eastern Europe. The Foreign Office favored the territorial reorganization of this space through the establishment of confederated countries. But the British plans were blocked by the opposition of the Soviet Union. The strategic and security interests of the Soviet Union were incompatible with the existence of a federation in Central and Eastern Europe. The advance of Soviet armies in Central and Eastern Europe forced British diplomacy to give up the federal project and to concentrate on finding a compromise formula destined to limit the Soviet presence in Great Britain’s sphere of interest. At the end of the war, the territorial changes to the map of Central and Eastern Europe were determined only by the strategic objectives of the Soviet Union.
More...Recently, there has been considerable scholarly interest in the role of French geographer Emmanuel de Martonne (1873-1955) at the Versailles Peace Conference of 1919. After having established his international reputation thanks to works on the physical and human geography of Romania, de Martonne placed his knowledge at the service of the cause of Greater Romania, which he considered to be a natural ally of France. This article looks at the final stage of de Martonne’s long relationship with Romania: firstly, as ‘missionary’ for France in post-war Romania, and in particular at the University of Cluj, then as a vocal opponent of both Hungarian revisionism and German geopolitics. Ironically, some of his Romanian disciples would be attracted by geopolitics in the context of the territorial changes before and during the Second World War. The article concludes with the eclipse of de Martonne and his disciples after the imposition of the Communist dictatorship and the end of Greater Romania.
More...Keywords: Ilija Garasanin; France; Serbia; Napoleon III; prince Alexander Karadjordjevic; prince Mihailo Obrenovic; Alexandre Walewski; Edouard Thouvenel; Edouard Drouyn de Lhuys; Jovan Marinovic
Ilija Garasanin was the first serbian politician who acquainted French with Serbian foreign politics problems and establish connection with them. Garasanin traveled to the Paris for the first time in May 1852 and met leading French internal and foreign affairs representatives. Being aware that Serbia can not do much without support of one of the great world powers on one hand and wishing to free Serbia from the alternating influences of Russia, Austria and Turkey on the other, Garasanin had been seeking from french support. French and Serbian interests in the Balkans were not in the collision for that moment, and in the period up to 1860. converged completely, when the France had been working on suppressing Russian and Austrian influence in the Balkans. Garasanin’s trip to Paris in 1857, as the previous visit in 1855, was connected to attended takeover on the Serbian trone. In one hand, since the return of Obrenovic dynasty on the Serbian trone, Garasanin had been in good relationship with the prince Mihailo. On the other hand confidence that French have in Garasanin, and advice that Russian governement gave to Marinovic during his stay in St. Petersbourg influenced prince’s Mihailo decision to return Garasanin to the active stay duty. Prince Mihailo has accepted Garasanin idea of making Balkan union that had been elaborated within Načertanije document from 1844. According to this idea, Serbia was given role to the unite deliberating efforts of Balkan people and to be their stronghold. After deliberation from Turks, armed force of Balkan people should prevent other great world force to replace Turkey and conquer the Balkans. During the second period of Mihailo administration this concept has been established as foreign doctrine of Serbian principality, in which all Serbian political parties contributed.
More...Keywords: Moldavia; emancipation; Gypsies; reforms; modernization; press.
The Gipsy problem in Romania is both an old and a new one. Its meaning can be grasped by understanding the circumstances which led to the emancipation of the Gypsies in the Principalities. Consisting of two phases, the emancipation process was a progressive one, manifesting itself almost identically in Moldavia and Walachia during the fifth and sixth decades of the nineteenth century. The press of the period offers information of great importance for understanding the process mentioned above, representing a true source of knowledge; the study which follows aims to appeal to this historical source in analyzing the last stage of the emancipation of the Gypsies, making use of the Moldavian press of the years 1855-1856.
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