Series:Politologia i Ekonomia polityczna

Bezpieczeństwo zdrowotne w nauce i polityce społecznej. Wprowadzenie do dyskusji

Author(s): Paweł Grzywna / Language(s): Polish

This work tackles the issue of health security analysed in social policy studies. The first part contains reflections on terminology. The author endeavours to define the category of security, among others in the context of values and social needs. He also presents the analysis of security from the perspective of a sector approach, showing the variety of types of security and referring to the concept of human security. Thereafter, the author outlines political connotations of this sector of security, which determine social perception of the functioning of the health care system. Notions that determine the scope of health security – including the right to health care and equality of access to health care services – have become the main issues in the author’s reflections. The choice of notions has helped formulate the definitional scope of the term of health security. In the next part, the author presents the ways of interpreting the notion of security in social policy studies. Another objective of this work is to reflect upon principal issues that condition the problematic field of health security, since the author has underlined basic elements that make health security significant for social policy, has delineated the model of monitoring dangers of health security and has pointed to the role of the category of health security as a cognitive device. This work is addressed to the circle ofpeople interested in the subject areas of health security and social policy, policymakers, and institutions responsible for shaping health security of citizens.

Etos polityków w kodeksach etycznych radnych

Author(s): Tomasz Czakon,Danuta Ślęczek-Czakon / Language(s): Polish

Politics and politicians are harshly evaluated. One of the politicians᾽ answers to the accusations and social expectations of following the most important moral principles is adopting ethical codes, in which they declare their good intentions, specify the standards of conduct and commit themselves to comply with them. Ethical codes are adopted by politicians in many countries. The situation is similar in Poland, where parliamentarians, as well councillors of many different local government units have their own codes. The authors᾽ subject of interest are ethical codes of councillors. This is because there are a lot of them and thanks to that it allows the authors to assess the dominant ethos among politicians. That notion is defined as the set of values and norms considered to be binding in politics. The authors assume that there are many similarities between councillors (of various levels of government) and members of parliament (councillors become parliamentarians, parliamentarians become councillors, both councillors and parliamentarians are members of the same political parties or local political organizations), thus by analysing the ethical codes of councillors, the ethos of politicians can be reconstructed.The authors analysed 58 codes from various local government levels from all over Poland (different regions of country). The analysis of the content of the codes was based on the assumption that the ethos of politicians create not only the virtues of politicians, but also the nature of the institutions in which they act, relations with the environment and — especially — with voters. This was also the basis for establishing research questions and hypotheses: some of them concern the formal side of the codes (do they meet the requirements of constructing codes?), however, the majority refers to the declared values and principles that make up the ethos of councillor‑politicians. One of the hypotheses assumed that in the codes of ethics for councillors, who are operating in a democratic state, a politician‑democrat ethos should be revealed. Analysis of the content of codes of ethics for councillors led to the conclusion that the democratic ethos is poorly outlined in them, whereas corruption prevention and autocratic attitude prevail. Democratic values are present only in 1/3 of the analysed codes. The ethos of politicians, implicit in the ethical codes, is a chaotic and inconsistent collection of various values, principles and attitudes.

Impact of economic crisis on the functioning of political systems. A case study of Greece, Spain, and Italy

Author(s): Małgorzata Myśliwiec,Małgorzata Lorencka,Tomasz Kubin / Language(s): English

The main scientific goal of the following study is to show the impact of an economic crisis on the functioning of a political system. The object of detailed research studies was the political systems of Greece, Spain and Italy. It was in these European Union countries that the effects of the worldwide economic crisis seemed to have had the biggest influence on the workings of the constituent elements of the political system.The leading research hypothesis is that, under the conditions of representative democracy,the economic situation of a state is one of the major determinants of the stability and continuity of its political system. The better the economic condition of a state, the bigger its political system’s functional stability and ability to endure. On the other hand, under the conditions of a political crisis, this stability and continuity are seriously compromised.The analysis of the impact of the economic crisis on the functioning of political systems ledthe authors to the formulation of the following detailed hypotheses:The operations of political decision-making centres in Greece, Spain and Italy pertainingto economic issues — both on the central and local level — caused serious disruptions to thefunctioning of their political systems.1. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy caused considerable disruption to the rhythm of election cycles.2. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy affected the functioning of the party systems in these countries.3. The economic crisis in Spain and Italy considerably influenced an intensification of decentralizing tendencies in these countries.4. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy influenced an intensification of the process of formulating anti-system postulates by certain political groups.In the introduction, the subject related and methodological assumptions of the conductedresearch were put forward. Chapter one contains an analysis of problems related to the origins, course and consequences of the economic crisis of 2008. The next three chapters contain an analysis of the consequences of this crisis for the functioning of the political systems of Greece, Spain and Italy. The closing chapter contains general conclusions resulting from the conducted research process.

Kim Ty jesteś? Ja kontra Adwersarz w polskiej debacie przedwyborczej. Język a rzeczywistość w kategoriach ekspresji, polityki, ideologii

Author(s): Piotr Czerwiński,Aneta Banaszek-Szapowałowa,Maciej Walczak / Language(s): Russian,Polish

This monography attempts to answer the question about the role and significance of the Other under circumstances of political communication. What interests the authors are mostly relations between active participants of political debate (I versus the Adversary) that point to both their self-image and how they construe their political competitor. The said images may be provided by a given politician either explicitly or transmitted in a covert manner, including innuendos or prosodic and phonetic markers. The presented analysis is based on the text of a pre-election debate between Jarosław Kaczyński and Donald Tusk in 2007, yet it is not aimed at assessing those two particular political opponents, their views, and programmes; it rather endeavours to depict objectively what is divulged by the politicians’ public statements and utterances. The authors are first and foremost focused on how individuals utilise language and on language itself in the sphere of politics, especially when interlocutors confront each other in a pre-election debate.The monography commences with a theoretical introduction that outlines the notion ofother which is fundamental for the issues discussed in the book; the said notion is consideredin terms of political communication not only in its linguistic, but also philosophical andpsychological aspects.Chapter one is devoted to prosodic-phonetic exponents of assessing one’s political opponent and, furthermore, to emotionality of utterances displayed at acoustic, intonation, and sometimes purely articulation level. The following chapter searches for covert (non-verbalised) elements of the politicians’ mutual characteristics, oftentimes hidden in a subtext of communication strategies deployed by sides of political struggle. The final chapter is a proposition of unveiling and characterising particular language components that interact with one another during a confrontation of debate participants, in addition to their formalisation in a form of models pertaining self-images and images of one’s political adversary.The monography’s appendix contains a transcript of the debate in its entirety, whose particular elements were subjected to closer analysis in the main body of the book.

Kompleksowa umowa gospodarczo-handlowa CETA – korzyści i zagrożenia

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

W dniu 21 września 2017 r. tymczasowo weszła w życie1 Kompleksowa umowa gospodarczo‑handlowa (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA)2 – porozumienie handlowe zawarte pomiędzy Unią Europejską a Kanadą. O poziomie doniosłości tego aktu prawnego świadczy zarówno długość okresu prowadzenia negocjacji w zakresie jego treści (lata 2009–2014)3, jak również ogromne zainteresowanie medialne i liczba kontrowersji (fala protestów) związanych z samym zawarciem umowy4, a przede wszystkim zawartość merytoryczna porozumienia wprowadzającego znaczące ułatwienia w wymianie handlowej między Kanadą a państwami członkowskimi Unii Europejskiej. Głównym celem CETA jest likwidacja barier i ograniczeń w stosunkach gospodarczych łączących przedsiębiorstwa działające po obu stronach Atlantyku. Szacuje się, że porozumienie to doprowadzi do zniesienia 98% (docelowo 99%) ceł pobieranych przy wymianie handlowej dokonywanej pomiędzy Kanadą i UE5. Ponadto, CETA ma również m.in. ułatwić przedsiębiorcom inwestowanie w Kanadzie i ubieganie się o udzielenie zamówień publicznych w tym państwie, otwarcie rynku kanadyjskiego na europejskie produkty oraz przynieść wymierne korzyści dla konsumentów6. /fragment wstępu/ 1 https://ec.europa.eu/poland/news/1709201_ceta_pl [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.]. 2 Tekst umowy dostępny na stronie Komisji Europejskiej: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in‑focus/ceta/ceta‑chapter‑by‑chapter/index_pl.htm [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.]. 3 Http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/eu‑ue/policies‑politiques/trade_agreements‑accords_commerciaux.aspx? lang=eng [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.]. 4 Zob. np.: Protesty przeciwko CETA w Europie, https://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Protesty‑przeciwko‑CETA‑w‑Europie‑Galeria‑tygodnia‑7481810.html; Gigantyczny kurczak, dziesiątki transparentów. „CETA stop w Warszawie”, https://www.tvn24.pl/wiadomosci‑z‑kraju,3/protesty‑przeciw‑ceta‑i‑ttip‑w‑polsce, 684214.html; Niemcy: masowe protesty przeciwko umowom transatlantyckim TTIP i CETA, http://www.dw.com/pl/niemcymasowe‑protesty‑przeciwko‑umowom‑transatlantyckim‑ttip‑i‑ceta/a‑19558993 [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.]. 5 Http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2017/february/tradoc_155355.pdf [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.]. 6 Http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in‑focus/ceta/ceta‑explained/index_pl.htm [Dostęp: 21 maja 2018 r.].

Koncepcje teoretyczne rozwoju regionalnego

Author(s): Alicja Szajnowska-Wysocka,Sławomir Sitek / Language(s): Polish

We have endeavoured to ensure that the structure of this monograph is logical and consistent, therefore it has been comprised into five chapters: The first chapter is of a terminological character and comprises deliberations about the concept of development, which – owing to the fact that it is difficult to define, is formulated equivocally. In general terms, development is a process of metamorphosis, change, transformation to more complex or finer states or forms. However, in social and economic sciences, it is formulated in various ways. Currently, the narrow, techno-economic approach to development is being abandoned, as it ignored the cultural background and considered the growing gross domestic product as the measure of success. This was conducive to the creation of many ideas, concepts, theories and visions. Theories of development point to the diversity of possibilities of economic growth, and explain mechanisms for arising of disparities between countries. They are related to the dichotomy between development and underdevelopment. Theories of modernisation (internal factors are decisive, development is both endogenous and phaseal, as well as linear and isomorphic) constitute a distinct group of explanatory theories. The criticism of the theories of modernisation resulted in the appearance of concepts of dependent development. Their supporters (‘dependists’) treat development as an evolutionary process (however non-pheasal), which is multilinear and dependent on social transformations. Moreover, methods for analysing and measuring the development have been reviewed. The complexity of the phenomenon means that there is no single, universally accepted standard of research. The procedures have been grouped into four main blocks, comprising the following methods: statistical, spatial analysis, strategic research and social research. Subsequently, selected measures of development have been presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. The availability of statistic data required in the process of empirical evaluation of regional development have been also considered. This knowledge enables assessing the practical possibility for employing methods that are appropriate because of the availability of the information. The second chapter presents development in the light of globalisation, which reorganises the political, social and economic space. In result, it becomes the cause and, at the same time, the effect of broader transformations in all spheres of human activity (an increase of transplanetary suprateritorial links). Globalisation is an extremely ambiguous and difficult to define concept, nevertheless, defining it is absolutely essential. Four main definitions have been introduced, under which globalisation is presented as: 1) internationalisation, 2) liberalisation, 3) universalisation, 4) Westernisation. J.A. Scholte (2006) suggests another, the fifth one: globalisation is the process of spreading transplanetary and (contemporary) suprateritorial social relationships, which are generally detached from the territory. Afterwords, the theoretical foundations of different explanations of globalisation have been presented (liberalism, political realism, Marxism, constructivism, postmodernism and feminism) and subsequent stages of its development have been characterised: 1) foretokens of globalisation, 2) the initial phase of globalisation, 3) the contemporary accelerated globalisation. The second chapter has been completed with shedding light on attitudes towards globalisation and its future. In the extensive third chapter, selected theoretical concepts of regional development have been presented in the following groups: 1) classical concepts: among others, the concept of the economic base, the theory of the basic product, the theory of growth poles, the centre-periphery model, concepts of innovation networks, the production cycle theory and the theory of clusters; 2) concepts of endogenous regional development. In the last decade of the twentieth century, concepts of alternative development appeared, which emphasised the importance of social progress, human capital and local communities and their alternativeness for regional development. They were a response to the shortcomings of classical theories of development. They create the possibility of supplementing them with such growth models in which not only infrastructure investment and production are considered as the internal resources, but also expenditure on science, research and development programs, education and economic policy of the government and local governments. The fourth chapter discusses the contemporary development processes, dominated by categories of sustainable and integrated development. The first of the categories, also known as permanent, self-sustaining development or eco-development, has become a constitutional principle of the functioning of the state. It is based on the assumption that the three components: community, environment and economy are treated equally. Increasingly popular are becoming pre-ecological views, which attach the greatest importance to nature. On the other hand, integrated development is a new philosophy of the approach to this phenomenon. It places emphasis on complex actions, which consist in combining spatial development with social and economic objectives. Such development is multidimensional, requiring consolidation and coordination treatments and strategic management. This model has holistic characteristics and involves systemic and institutional conditions for harmonisation of development processes. The last chapter deals with selected determinants and problems of regional and local development. Reference has been made to the condition of development in the border areas, which exhibit characteristics of outermost regions. Determinants which may constitute positive circumstances for development in the vicinity of the border have been indicated. Moreover, the possibility of shaping development processes in a situation of depopulation, and a real significance of innovation and competitiveness as the conditions for growth have been considered. The final section presents the importance of local systems and localisms for development processes. It emphasises the importance of local development, especially in the era of globalisation, pointing to its significant correlation with the place and the community that inhabit it. What is more, complementarity of local development in relation to regional and global processes has been demonstrated. The study has been complemented with an extensive, important for methodological and didactic reasons bibliography, which is the result of the comprehensive character of the review.

Konflikty zbrojne na Bliskim Wschodzie i w Afryce w drugiej dekadzie XXI wieku. Przebieg – uwarunkowania – implikacje

Author(s): Katarzyna Czornik,Miron Lakomy / Language(s): Polish

There currently exists a burning necessity for undertaking an academic analysis of the nature of the armed conflicts which occurred in the second decade of the 21 century in the Middle East and Africa. With an increasing frequency they exert a significant influence on the security of the nations of NATO and the European Union, a clear sign of this being the immigration crisis of 2015 and the dramatic increase in the number of terrorist attacks in Europe in the recent years. The problem grows more serious as the world and local public opinion perceive the above symptoms in a very simplified manner, saturated with stereotypes or distortions, frequently thoughtlessly proliferated by the mass media. The main research purpose of the monograph is to present the course, the basic conditions and the most important implications of the selected armed conflict in the area of the Middle East and Africa in the second decade of the 21st century. Altogether six armed conflicts have been selected for the analysis: in Syria, Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic, the war with the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Israel-Palestine conflict. Among the specific aims of the presented monograph the following should be enumerated: the discussion of the course of all of the selected armed conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, the verification of the stereotypes and distortions which have grown around these conflicts, the characteristic of the most important internal and external factors which have influenced the eruption and the course of the selected armed conflicts, the distinguishing, as far as it is possible, of the common features of the military conflicts in Africa and the Middle East in the second decade of the 21st century and the indication of the most important implications of the armed conflicts for the security of the discussed countries, as well as international security.

Kryzysy w Unii Europejskiej w drugiej dekadzie XXI wieku. Uwarunkowania – przebieg – implikacje

Author(s): / Language(s): English,Polish

The research objective undertaken in the present work is the analysis of the most important issues regarding the main reasons and manifestations of the crises occurring in the EU in the second decade of the 21st century, together with indicating the possibilities of their overcoming, and discussing their most important implications as far as the further realization of the integration project is concerned. It should be mentioned that only some of the consequences of the EU crises which have occurred in the second decade of the 21st century can be successfully diagnosed. Others will surely set in, only in a shorter or a longer term. Moreover, there is the difficulty with a precise separation of some reasons (sources) from the symptoms of the crises (e.g. the deficit of democracy in the EU). It remains a fact that further process of European integration has become much less predictable than it was a couple of years ago. There emerge various, more or less probable, scenarios of the functioning or disintegration of the EU and its main consequences for the UE member countries, as well as for both the European and the global international system. In the present work, the expressions “the EU crisis” and “the crises in the EU” are used interchangeably. Typically, in literature on the subject these terms are used with different scopes of meaning. The authors of the studies devoted to this problem, including the authors of some of the texts printed in the present volume, draw attention to the fact that a crisis or crises in the EU may be of fragmentary nature, concerning some levels or dimensions of integration within the EU. They claim that the crises in the EU do not have negative influence on the functioning of the Union as a whole. The EU crisis, on the other hand, refers to the crisis of the entire system, the crisis that is spatial and structural, and which poses a threat to the very existence of the EU. It should be kept in mind, though, that the multiplicity and the intensity of the crises, as well as the fact that there have been numerous crises overlapping in a relatively short time in the second decade of the 21st century, have resulted in the situation where the crises in the EU transform, as it were, into the crisis of the EU. Therefore, we have to do with the situation when the crises in the EU in consequence become the EU crisis. The present volume contains 24 articles divided into four parts. The allocation of some articles to a given part of the volume is fairly arbitrary due to the fact that the authors of some texts printed in the present work discuss the issues that concern both the reasons or symptoms, as well as the consequences of the crises under consideration. Because of this, several articles might as well belong to other parts of the volume as well. In the first part, entitled “The theoretical aspects of the crises in the European Union”, there can be found articles written by Zbigniew D. Czachór, Janusz Ruszkowski, Józef M. Fiszer, and Piotr Tosiek. Part Two, entitled “The determinants of crises in the European Union”, contains the studies in which the authors have exposed some internal (intra‑Union) as well as external determinants of the crises occurring in the EU. In this part of the volume there are articles by Dariusz Milczarek and Olga Barburska, Rafał Riedel, Jerzy Jaskiernia, Katarzyna Czornik, and Agnieszka Miarka. The most extensive part of the volume is Part Three, “The symptoms of the crises in the European Union”. Here, one can find texts written by Jacek Pietrucha, Sławomir Czech, Andrzej Podrazy, Michał Dulak, Bogdan Góralczyk, Ryszard Zięba, Mieczysław Stolarczyk, Joanna Ciesielska‑Klikowska, and Anna Pacześniak. In the final part of the present work there are articles by Agnieszka Nitszke, Justyna Zając, Artur Adamczyk, Monika Szynol, Magdalena Tusińska, and Tomasz Kubin. The present study is addressed to a wide range of readers. The editors of the volume hope that the articles contained in the present publication will contribute to the enhancement of the knowledge concerning the main reasons, symptoms, and implications of the crises occurring in the European Union in the second decade of the 21st century. They wish for the present book to become a significant form of scholarly participation from various academic centres of our country in the on‑going discussion devoted to this problem and the voice in the discourse concerning not only the fundamental issues of integration politics of Poland and other EU member countries, but also the matters of preliminary importance for the politics of the security of Poland and other countries, as well as international security in Europe and the world. Because further regression, and all the more the disintegration of the EU, would have difficult to overestimate implications not only for the European international system, but also for the international system globally.

Militarne i pozamilitarne aspekty współczesnego bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego. Wybrane problemy. T. 1

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

"Today, it seems obvious that research on international and national security must cover all types of threats and factors affecting its form, the dynamics of the processes that create it, and the possibility of maintaining the adopted status quo. The current paradigm of research into security goes beyond mere attempts to understand the principles of the use of armed force by states, and the control of such activities, at the same time, however, it does not abandon this perspective but takes it into consideration in the analysis. It results from the very essence of the concept of security, which etymologically and semantically does not have to be limited to military security or external security. The state of certain stability and predictability of social relations in the national and international dimension should be recognized as security, therefore it is beyond dispute that it is necessary to take into account not only the classically distinguished soft aspects of security (economic, social, political etc.), but also other factors that may even indirectly affect the security situation of a given community, such as cultural, demographic, institutional and legal aspects. Only a holistic and interdisciplinary view on national, regional and global security can contribute to a true understanding of the dynamics of threats to the values that modern societies have committed to protect. In order to explain what security is and how to respond to the challenges resulting from ensuring it, it is not sufficient to consider only one of many scientific and praxeological perspectives. Only the synergistic utilization of different tools will enable getting a little closer to understanding security threats and their dynamics. However, a thorough and reliable consideration of all these perspectives is beyond the capability of one researcher.What was the result of such a defined scope of research were twelve chapters written by invited researchers and collected in this volume. The adopted title of the collection, i.e. Military and non-military aspects of contemporary international security. Selected problems corresponds to the aim of the research and is supposed to give evidence for taking into account all the aforementioned challenges and the multiplicity of possible scientific perspectives, not limited to only one discipline or subject. At the same time, the publication is to be an attempt to take into account the multiplicity of threats and research perspectives in the scientific reflection over broadly understood security. It should be emphasized that this volume is only the first part of the two planned, because of the fact that the conducted research went beyond the scope of merely one publication and required the preparation of the second collective work. "(Excerpt from the introduction)

Militarne i pozamilitarne aspekty współczesnego bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego. Wybrane problemy. T. 2

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

Na drodze do wyjaśnienia problemów politycznych. Księga jubileuszowa ofiarowana Profesorowi Markowi Barańskiemu

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

This publication contains articles which undertake the analysis of problems within the research realm of political science. Among the notions discussed by the authors are those from the field of political theory, social and political thought, political systems, internations relations, local and regional politics, social policies, social and political communication, and historical questions. The book is addressed to persons willing to acquire in depth the knowledge pertaining to various aspects of public life analysis from the vantage point of political sciences.

Nierówności zdrowotne wykluczonych ekonomicznie mieszkańców Siemianowic Śląskich

Author(s): Paweł Grzywna / Language(s): Polish

An integral element of social development is the aspiration of individual countries to reduce differences in health condition among individuals representing different social standings. Good health in the community is considered to be one of the basic conditions of a balanced development, it is also an indicator of inner integrity and social balance. Moreover, the state of human health is seen from the perspective of fundamental rights and value especially protected by individual members of the society, as it influences, among others, the process of fulfilling social roles. Health condition of the people of Poland, which is still worse than the average in other countries of the European Union, determines actions undertaken to improve the state of health of Polish society in such a way as to narrow the existing gap between Poland and the average level of health condition in the European Union. A significant challenge for public authorities is also the reduction of social and territorial differences in the state of health of the whole population. Implementing the actions connected with the improvement of health condition of the society and levelling existing inequalities requires, however, access to the results of empirical research. For this reason, it is well-grounded and valuable to conduct empirical and theoretical studies on health policies which also take into consideration economic inequalities. The present work, therefore, undertakes the problem of theoretical aspects of economic exclusion and health inequalities, but the main purpose is to present the results of empirical studies that can offer a better identification of social and economic conditionings of health inequalities on the example of postindustrial space. Thereby, the work is a contribution to an in-depth analysis of health inequalities occurring among individuals affected by economic exclusion and inhabiting a post-industrial space, which undoubtedly the city of Siemianowice Śląskie exemplifies. Social problems that this city faces may in fact be regarded as a conglomerate of problems of post-industrial areas – at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries a coal mine and ironworks in which most inhabitants of the city had been employed were closed down. In consequence, the rate of unemployment reached 30 per cent, and further social problems appeared, especially poverty as well as social and economic exclusion. The monograph consists of four chapters, in which the following issues have been characterised: in Chapter One – reflections on the meaning of the notion of space in social sciences, with emphasis on post-industrial space and its relations with social and economic exclusion; in Chapter Two – social and demographic problems that occur in Siemianowice Śląskie; in Chapter Three – theoretical discussion of the organization and implementation of the research process; in Chapter Four – the results of the empirical research covering the determinants of health state and social and economic inequalities in health among excluded inhabitants of Siemianowice Śląskie. Also, the problem of using health-care system has been discussed here. The publication is addressed at readers interested in the problem of health policy and economic exclusion, governing bodies, especially including the representatives of local authorities, as well as non-governmental institutions.

Oblicza współczesnej propagandy. Przypadek chińsko-tajwańskiej wojny informacyjnej

Author(s): Robert Rajczyk / Language(s): Polish

The book „Contemporary propaganda. The case of the Chinese-Taiwan information war” depicts the oldest propaganda conflict in the world. The first three chapters of the monograph relate to the theory of propaganda in international communication. The next ones review the role of mass as well as social media in creating contemporary propaganda narratives. In the fourth chapter, Taiwan’s propaganda activities are analyzed, taking into account the specific situation of this non-recognized state. The last chapter consists of the analysis of the propaganda activities of the People’s Republic of China in relation to the Taiwanese issue. The research on the narratives and propaganda actions of both countries presents their strategic goals, directions, and adapted methods and techniques. The particular attention was focused on the role of traditional media as well as on the new media. The analysis shows that while the propaganda strategies and actions of both countries are determined by the changing political and economic conditions of both entities, they are also mutually dependent. The Taiwan’s propaganda aim is to create its own image as the „only one Chinese democracy” and to develop favourable economic and cultural relations. On the other hand, continental China promotes the idea of one China (one China policy), and the propaganda activities are focused on strengthening the country’s political and economic position in the world. The future of Taiwanese propaganda will be shaped primarily on the basis of new media focused on the important role of the e-image of the state and the intensive protection of its own information sphere. The future of Chinese propaganda will be related to the development of the international broadcasting of information programmes by the state-financed television stations having a global reach, and the expansion of state-supported Chinese private capital to dominate ownership in media organizations that operate in the media markets within the areas of the political and economic interests of the People’s Republic of China.

Od opiekuńczości do pomocniczości. Z perspektywy polityki społecznej.

Author(s): Joanna Lustig,Marian Mitręga,Natalia Stępień‑Lampa / Language(s): Polish

The book addresses social policy issues in the context of two organizing principles governing the approach towards this discipline – the principles of protection and assistance. The monograph is both theoretical and practical, since it considers social policy theory and practice in Poland. The role of social policy in the contemporary world is constantly on the increase owing to demographic changes, the emergence of new social problems or aggravation of those previously existing, among other things. Moreover, this discipline also undergoes numerous transformations, along with the changing set of priorities and the way of thinking about societal intervention in the social sphere. On this account it is essential that continuous studies of social policy be conducted, as was the authors of this study’s intention. The monograph consists of three chapters. Chapter one characterizes doctrines, trends, and selected interactions in social policy. Chapter two addresses issues regarding social assistance. Chapter three examines the cooperation of public administration with the civic sector. This publication is addressed to those who have interests in matters of social policy, policymakers, particularly local governments’ officials, and those representing the institutions of the Secondary and Tertiary Sectors.

Polityka społeczna. Rozważania o teorii i praktyce

Author(s): Marian Mitręga,Joanna Lustig,Natalia Stępień-Lampa,Bożena Zasępa,Paweł Grzywna / Language(s): Polish

The work engages the problems of social policy and its subdisciplines. The social policy in Poland was subject to numerous transformations. Due to the institutional changes which are being constantly introduced, the transformations in the social structure and the technological progress, this process cannot be considered finished. The increasing range of services, new methods of managements, the development of a knowledge‑based society and the more and more closer international collaboration render this activity impossible to be perceived merely in terms of redistributive justice. Due to this, according to the authors, it is legitimate and worthwhile to conduct research in this scholarly field. The considerations that are presented in this work represent two currents of thinking about social policy – social policy as theory and as practice.The monograph constitutes a synthetic guide to the principal research areas of modern social policy. The work consists of sixteen chapters which describe the following problems of social policy: the problem of a definition, the genesis of the social policy and support activities, a model‑based approach, social security, the activities of the third sector, the population‑relatedpolicy, the policy associated with handicapped people, social protection, poverty, educationalpolicy, health‑related policy, the policy of the job market, the housing policy and the familypolicy. The publication is intended for people who are interested in the problems of social policy, political decision‑makers, including especially the representatives of self‑governmentauthorities and also the institutions of the second and third sectors.

Polityka wyrównywania szans edukacyjnych w III RP

Author(s): Natalia Stępień-Lampa / Language(s): Polish

This book is concerned with the problem of offering equal educational opportunities. The first part deals with terminological issues. The author attempts to define the policy of offering equal educational opportunities and places this area of social life in the system of social policy. Next, she describes actions aimed at giving equal educational opportunities undertaken in Poland since 1989. Finally, she discusses the goals and assumptions of the educational reform of 1999 and its continuation – the change in the Basis of General Education Programme, introduced to schools ten years later. The second part discusses the instruments of public social policy for levelling out educational opportunities for children and young people coming from poverty-stricken families. These instruments are divided into two groups (those targeted at the student and at his or her family) and thoroughly analysed, taking into account the legal situation. The book closes with issues of the multisector approach to active policy of offering equal educational opportunities. Because actions introduced by the public sector do not produce expected effects, the author suggests that steps should also be taken by non-governmental organisations and the private sector to alleviate differences in educational opportunities. This book is targeted at people interested in social policy, politicians, representatives of local authorities and regional councils, business sector institutions and non-governmental organisations.

Polityka zagraniczna Polski wobec Ameryki Łacińskiej w okresie pozimnowojennym

Author(s): Justyna Łapaj-Kucharska / Language(s): Polish

The work is a compendium of information and a study of Polish-Latin American relations, with particular emphasis on the implications of Poland’s accession to the structures of the European Union in the context of the country’s policy towards Latin America. The monograph is the first in the literature on the subject in which the title issue has been presented within the framework of the entire post-cold war period, i.e. 1989/1990–2016, and in a comprehensive way, on the political, economic, scientific and cultural levels.The author has focused on the analysis of bilateral relations with Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. The determinant of such a choice was the desire to discuss Poland’s relations with its main Latin American partners. In accordance with the government document Strategia RP w odniesieniu do pozaeuropejskich krajów rozwijających się [Strategy of the Republic of Poland with regard to non-European developing countries] of 2004, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico were included among the priority partners, while Colombia and Venezuela were defined as important. These are the Latin American countries with which Poland conducts political dialogue both bilaterally and multilaterally (within the EU or the Pacific Alliance, which includes three of the countries listed in the Strategy – Mexico, Chile and Colombia), and Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile account for the largest percentage of Poland’s trade with the region (about 75%). As far as the historical experience of mutual contacts is concerned, it should be noted that these countries, especially Brazil and Argentina, were the main directions of emigration from Poland to Latin America. The work also mentions Poland’s relations with other countries of the region, such as Cuba, Peru, Panama and Ecuador.The study is devoted to the post-war period, but it takes into account the context of Poland’s earlier policy towards Latin America, divided into the most characteristic stages, corresponding to continuity and change in the bilateral relations. It discusses Poland’s contacts with the countries of this region in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as in the 19th century, when there was an increased emigration of Poles, especially to Brazil (the so-called Brazilian fever) and Argentina.The title issue has been presented in the bilateral and multilateral dimension, taking into account the formal and legal basis and the results of meetings at the highest and lowest levels. Factors hindering and facilitating relations between Poland and Latin American countries and the position of these countries in the foreign policy of Poland have been identified. Determinants and tendencies in Polish policy towards the Latin American region, its manifestations, as well as dilemmas and challenges that appeared in the 21st century have been presented. Moreover, arguments for intensification of mutual relations in bilateral and multilateral forums and potential areas of cooperation in the field of political, economic, scientific and cultural relations have been indicated.

Polskie wybory 2014–2015. Kontekst krajowy i międzynarodowy - przebieg rywalizacji - konsekwencje polityczne. T. 1

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

Opracowania zawarte w niniejszym tomie odnoszą się do trzech podstawowych grup zagadnień: strategicznego ukierunkowania poszczególnych kampanii, roli pełnionej w strategiach komunikacyjnych przez media masowe oraz personalizacji kampanii (ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem ekspozycji kampanijnej kobiet pełniących rolę liderów politycznych/twarzy kampanii). (fragment wstępu)

Polskie wybory 2014–2015. Kontekst krajowy i międzynarodowy - przebieg rywalizacji - konsekwencje polityczne. T. 2

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

W niniejszym tomie zawarto opracowania odnoszące się do kilku kluczowych kwestii problemowych związanych z rywalizacją wyborczą w Polsce: uwarunkowań formalno-prawnych i finansowych kampanii wyborczych, jakości oferty wyborczej w kampaniach oraz znaczenia zewnętrznych, międzynarodowych czynników determinujących przebieg kampanii wyborczych lat 2014–2015. Fundamentalne znaczenie dla oceny przebiegu rywalizacji w cyklu wyborczym 2014–2015 powinno mieć rozstrzygnięcie, czy w danym układzie czynników determinujących (niewątpliwe sprzyjających wzrostowi zainteresowania społecznego toczącą się rywalizacją polityczną) partie polityczne (zarówno rynkowe, jak i pozarynkowe) / komitety wyborcze były w stanie przygotować ofertę polityczną odnoszącą się do kluczowych problemów społecznych i politycznych (w tym także do dylematów międzynarodowych), czy też ograniczyły się do (niezwykle sprawnego) wykorzystania kluczowych kwestii dla sformatowania kontekstowego, efektywnego marketingowo przekazu kampanijnego. Książka jest adresowana dla badaczy (politologów, socjologów) obszaru rywalizacji politycznej w Polsce.

Proces demokratyzacji i jego determinanty. Analiza na przykładzie Republiki Czeskiej i Węgier (1990-2016)

Author(s): Sebastian Kubas / Language(s): Polish

This study is concerned with an analysis of the democratisation processes in two Central European states: the Czech Republic and Hungary in the years 1990–2016. It consists of two parts, with the first one presenting a theoretical analysis of the phenomenon of democracy, the process of democratisation, and the determinants of this process, and the second one focusing on the empirical analysis of the democratisation processes in the Czech Republic and Hungary. Today democracy means that almost all adult citizens participate in the exercising of power. In substantive terms, democracy relies on freedom, equality, and majority rule. At the same time, it is also a regime that rests on specific principles and procedures (the procedural perspective). The process of consolidating democratic values and procedures goes through various stages. First, the erosion of a non-democratic regime involves the transfer of power from former elites to new political actors. Next, during the transition stage, the democratic institutional design is introduced into the political system. Finally, during the consolidation stage, the democratic principles of political life become well-established and democratic values accepted and internalized by the society. The most important determinants of the stage of erosion include: the heritage of the past and the influence of the surroundings. The transition is determined by: the structure of the state, national identity, political elites’ work on the constitution, the relationship between the organs of government, the party system, the electoral system, lustration, decentralisation of power to a system of local authorities, and external factors. The consolidation stage depends on institutional factors on the one hand. such as the final design of the constitution, a stable model of relations between the organs of government, the development of a pluralistic party system, and solidification of the electoral system, and on behavioural factors on the other, such as acceptance and internalisation of democratic values by the society. The process of democratization can be analysed and evaluated with the use of quantitative and qualitative indicators. This study employs indices used by Freedom House, The Economist Intelligence Unit, and The Bertelsmann Foundation.The erosion of the non-democratic regime in Czechoslovakia and Hungary was marked by the transfer of power from political elites to democratic actors. In Hungary, this process was accomplished by negotiations, leading to an agreement signed in the autumn of 1989; in Czechoslovakia, it resulted from the inefficient political elites surrendering the control of the country. The fall of the regime was non-violent. In the initial phase of democratisation, the Czechs could draw on richer experience and more substantial democratic achievements than the Hungarians.During the transition stage, various contributing factors not always influenced the Czech and Hungarian processes of democratisation in the same way. Differences can be seen in the case of such determinants as the structure of the state, national identity, or particular elements of the institutional design. While the Czechs formed their own state in 1992, after 1990 the Hungarians had to redefine their stance towards a several-million Hungarian diaspora in neighbouring countries. The Constitution of the Czech Republic was adopted in 1992, while the Hungarian communist Constitution of 1949 was amended in 1989 and 1990. Both states adopted the parliamentary cabinet system of government, but Hungary opted for the chancellor model. Multi-party systems emerged, but the electoral systems for parliaments were different – with proportional representation in the Czech Republic and mixed in Hungary. The process of lustration was more radical and effective in the Czech Republic. The impact of exogenous determinants was similar in both states because the situation was conducive to the promotion of democracy.The consolidation stage brought changes in the institutional design in both countries. In Hungary, a major restructuring took place after 2010, including the approval of the new Constitution in 2011. Its laws reflect the axiological stance of the legislator, based on conservative and national values rather than on liberal principles that were highlighted before. The party systems have remained pluralistic in both states, but the Czech one is more decentralised. This results in multi-party government coalitions and negatively influences the cabinet stability. In Hungary, the complicated electoral system has been simplified but the mixed formula has been retained. The democracy indices applied in the analysis – The Freedom House index, The Economist Intelligence Unit’s index, and The Bertelsmann Foundation’s index – unanimously indicate that the Czech Republic is more advanced than Hungary in its progress towards consolidated democracy.