We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
In this interview, Prof. Shahrzad Mojab reflects on her longstanding personal, political, and intellectual engagement with Kurdish women. Twenty years after publishing the ground-breaking edited volume Women of a Non-State Nation: The Kurds (Mazda Publishers, 2001), Mojab assesses the complex relation between Kurdish Studies and feminism and evaluates current discussions regarding gendered power relations in Kurdish scholarship. Gender relations in Kurdish society and in Kurdish Studies can only be understood, she insists, when taking into account how gender intersects with capitalism, class, colonialism, nationalism, and patriarchy. Through her personal trajectory, the interview offers insight into the historical developments that have facilitated Kurdish women to increasingly be included in Kurdish Studies as both researchers and research participants.
More...
The Arab spring changed the political landscape of the Middle East. Leaders from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen were forced out of power through unprecedented public agitations. The protracted struggle for change and power caused mass displacement of ordinary people leading to a big refugee crisis. This paper explores the media portrayal of these events and the people who were affected by the political unrest. Specifically, it focuses on narratives of two English dailies, the Washington Post and the Guardian, and uses micro- and macro-linguistic strategies to study the presentation of the protestors and the refugees.
More...
Newspapers have played a great role in all aspects of people’s lives, especially in literary aspects since they have been created. The literary aspect has been affected by newspapers in terms of both forms and contents. As long as Persian literature is concerned, newspapers have been influential either in prose or poetry. Literary development has also taken place in Persian literature especially newspapers, which have been used to reflect people’s lives, speak about freedom, independence, patriotism and decolonization, and helped appear new themes and terminologies. There were well-known newspapers such as “sur-e-Esrafil” and “Nasim-e-Shomal” which played active roles in creating Persian literary development. In this research, we will study development in Persian prose, which have occurred under the influence of newspapers, in this case Sur-e-Esrafil.
More...
More than a century ago, African American sociologist and political activist W.E.B. Du Bois proclaimed that the problem of the 20th century was the problem of the colour bar. Had Du Bois lived today he would have broadened his perspective; he would probably have added [the] ethnic and religious intolerance bars. Today, the human race has developed powerful and far more effective means of communication through which mutual tolerance and respect, civilized and enlightened relationships between peoples of all races, cultures, religions, countries and continents could be cultivated. However, we appear only capable of recycling intolerance-driven stereotypes, and fear- and hatred-laced prejudices through the mass media and the “knowledge industry” as a whole, feeding our base instincts of fear, suspicion and consequently hatred for people who do not "belong to us."
More...
In view of the dynamic development of Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the context of expanding imperialism, the subject of genesis and ideological evolution of Pan-Asian concepts provokes special attention at research level. The paper explores the principal dimensions of the unfolding process of Pan-Asianism during this period. The author discusses the fundamental factors for its emergence in Japan and the directions for the manifestation of the „spillover effects” on other countries, which adopt these ideas, but also form their own directions in its development. The analysis showcases the main vectors of the expansion of Pan-Asianism, by applying a comparative perspective for its influence in the region.
More...
The political activity at grass-roots level most often is perceived as verbal communications. Predominant part in the public and official discourse is due to ideology-burdened terms for „national (and alliance) interests”, „values (universal, democratic, European, euro-atlantic)” and „legitimacy”. For a third decade societal, group and individual consciousness is subjected to constant coordinated, institutionalized impact under the motto of „civilisational choice” aiming at a change of national identity (from Bulgarian into European, „European citizens”), substitution of traditional values for „European” (essentially neo-liberal). In fact a substitution of national interests with others, partially or entirely alien ones. The flow of the narrative interests-values-legitimacy marks the enlargement of subjective on behalf of the onjective.
More...
The paper reveals the state and growing distrust towards democracy in Bulgaria. The crisis processes in civic participation, parties and political representation are analysed. Their cause and effect relationship and their negative impact on the democratic process in Bulgaria are identified. Possible approaches are proposed to alleviate the democratic crisis and its manifestations. In methodological aspect, the paper adheres to the political analysis that combines theoretical conclusions and empirical data and assessments of the researched problems.
More...
The purpose of this article is to analyze whether and how social institutions could imitate biological mechanisms. The assumption is that both types of systems are complicated and can be put under a single denominator, which states that the analogies are not mechanical. This research applies the principles of interaction, structuring of quantities and self-establishment, typical for evolutionary complex systems, to the social dynamics and the construction of identity in minority groups in the Balkans. The article is not intended to be framed only in the field of biology alone, but rather seeks to expand and enrich the transitional field of connections between the biological and the social. The ant colony was used as a prototype of a biological system. The minority groups included in the research are Slavic in ethnicity and Muslims as religious denomination from several Balkan countries. In order to achieve the purpose of the analysis, first, the ways to structure quantities are considered, as the basis of the assumption for comparability between biological and social interaction. Second, the mechanisms for the interaction of an ant colony type of system are discussed. Third, these mechanisms and characteristics are compared to the dynamics and characteristics of the minority groups in the Balkans. Finally, the strengths and limitations of such analysis are outlined as well as an assessment of the applicability of the biological models to social interactions is made.
More...
The present study aims at tracing the correlations between democratization and GDP growth in the Western Balkans for the period 2009-2018. To achieve this goal, a democratization index is used, which refers to GDP growth through a Pearson bilateral correlation. This methodology provides an opportunity to track whether (1) there is a statistically significant linear relationship between two continuous random variables – democratization index and GDP growth, (2) the strength of the linear relationship between them and (3) its direction. The study takes into account the countries of the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result of the analysis, it was found that with regard to these countries, the processes of democratization do not lead to economic growth. An exception to this conclusion is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where GDP growth is a consequence of democratization and therefore only in this country does democratization lead to economic growth.
More...
This study presents a long-standing research of contemporary barter exchange systems, the logical continuation of which is a scientific project of UNWE. The purpose of the analysis is the main position of stakeholders for taking part in the organization and operation of a contemporary barter exchange systems in the Bulgarian municipality to be highlighted. In addition to outlining the problem in the multilateral study (evolution in terminology and design of all stakeholders’ behavior, grouped according to their specific roles), a number of clarifications are made, including additional arguments used as a focus on the subject of the research. The object is the conceptual construction of the contemporary barter exchange systems together with its main element, which manifests it – “private non-bankc money”, both as a holistic entity. The subject is the interests and roles of potential participants in this system, primarily at the level of Bulgarian municipality. It has been considered the opinion that private non-bankc money could be applied as an useful tool not only for reducing the severity of systemic crises that the traditional financial order regularly creates, but also as a countermeasure to external shocks of various kinds, including measures to limit Covid-19, which forever changed the economic and social reality all over the world.
More...
Practical realisation of the idea of the European unification started after the Second World War. However, we must go back to centuries ago to trace its roots. The idea of connecting Europe appeared in different forms in the history of the Old Continent from ancient times until today. The parts of Europe were interconnected in various periods of history and for various reasons, but they were not united. Knowing the history of the European unification idea ensures the understanding of the European integration process, the manner of its establishment and functioning,the periods of stagnation and paralysis in its development, and the understanding of its most significant product – the European Union, the sui generis creation of international relations. The aim of this paper is to indicate the value and significance of the European integration process through the analysis of different propositions about connecting European peoples, especially during the 20th century, considering that this is the first time in the history of Europe that most of the continent has been willingly included in a project that has provided peace and economic integrity for seven decades.
More...
English became an official language of the European Union (EU) in 1973. However, until 1990s, the dominant language of the EU was French. Over the years, as new member states joined the Union, some of which had English as a second or a very popular foreign language, the use of English as a lingua franca in the EU institutions has rapidly grown. When the UK announced its withdrawal from the EU (2016),one immediate repercussion of such decision was the beginning of public debates regarding the future status of English. Some hoped Brexit could have finally cleared some linguistic space for some other languages (French), while others were horrified by such scenario. This paper gives an overview of the most important socio historical factors which have led to the creation of Euro-English which continues to serve as the primary working language of the EU institutions after Brexit. In addition, the paper also discusses some features of Euro-English vocabulary and grammar for the purpose of highlighting that Euro-English must not be confused with British English. The paper is expected to raise awareness on the importance of Euro-English among translators,interpreters, terminologists and other experts involved in the process of European integration in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
More...
The article explores the practice of risk management in the field of public utility services. The purpose of the present research is to identify the present situation related to risk management practiced in the field of community water supply and sewerage services in Romania and to highlight the future prospects of improving it.The first part of the article describes the considerable importance of the sector of public utility services. In addition, the special features of this sector of activity are pointed out and the need to practice effective risk management is explained.In the second part, there is a brief presentation of the Romanian situation connected to the practice of risk management in the case of public water supply and sewerage services and the hypothesis from which the research was conducted.The research methods are represented by documentary analysis of the official and scientific data in the studied field and by applying a questionnaire to validate the initial hypothesis and to determinate the future possibilities of updating the practice of risk management in the public water services.The originality of this article consists of identifying the drivers and barriers for risk management, and also the tools for risk assesment and treatment in public water services from Romania by survey of the operators in the field.
More...
The aim of the research, the results of which are presented in the article, was to determine the importance of development policy for the European Parliament. The analysis is focused on the last two terms of the EP (VII and VIII). The research uses the method of source analysis and statistical method, as well as elements of participatory observation. The research on the importance of development policy in the work of the Parliament took into account the quantitative dimension – the number of members of the Development Committee; the number of adopted reports as well as the qualitative dimension – the internal prestige of the Parliament’s bodies, the attractiveness of chairing these bodies, the degree of autonomy of development policy. The hypothesis of great importance of development policy in the work of the Parliament was not confirmed. Development policy does not occupy an important place – neither quantitatively or informally. It is less important to the majority of MPs than foreign and security policy, even though Parliament has less power in these areas than in development policy.
More...
The subject of this article is the parliamentary discussion of 1938 concerning 8 the religious dispute in the south-eastern borderlands of the Second Polish Republic. The disputes concerned, among other things, the political role of the Greek Catholic Church, which was strongly involved in the Ukrainian national movement. In 1938 a revindication action took place in the Chełm region, as a result of which the Polish authorities liquidated over one hundred Orthodox churches. These actions were the subject of a stormy debate in the Parliament between Polish and Ukrainian MPs. The arguments of the Polish side concerned, above all, the protection of the security of the Polish state threatened by intervention from both the East (USSR) and the West (Germany).
More...
The issue of electoral law in elections to the Senate of the Republic of Poland arouses great interest among lawyers, political scientists and representatives of exact sciences (especially mathematicians). Both the fundamental principles of electoral law and the principles guiding the basic elements of the electoral system were included in the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. These provisions are not numerous, although crucial for the construction of the electoral system. The wrong tendency and practice of making changes to the electoral law just before the election prompted the legislator to introduce single-mandate constituencies. The adoption of the Electoral Code was also aimed at avoiding the manipulation of changes in constituencies under the influence of poll results, and highlighted the problem of implementing the constitutional provisions in this matter. Unfortunately, the literature on the subject often underestimates the weight of the vote and the estimation of voting power, which translates into the construction of a fair electoral system. The authors tried to present in the article changes in the electoral system against the background of domestic and foreign experience, using methods characteristic of the humanities and sciences.
More...
In a previously published article (Przegląd Sejmowy No. 5(142)/2017) the authors proposed definitions of the following concepts: normativity, redundancy and uselessness of a legal text. The article provides a typological review of Polish legal texts. The authors analysed the basic units of the integral (articulated) part of normative acts, i.e. legal provisions, showing their normativity, redundancy, and uselessness. The analyse includes: internal preambles, provisions describing the object and subject scope of the act, legal principles, programme and task provisions, meliorative provisions, emendations, permanently unrealisable regulations, legal definitions. The analyses led to identification of four basic types of errors in legal provisions, which were named: “doubles”, “widows”, “orphans”, and “botches”. In their closing remarks, the authors signalled the need to supplement the analysis with a description of non-integral (non-articulated) parts of normative acts. Another part of the study, devoted to these problems, is currently being prepared.
More...
The minority issues in the era of creation of the nations and nationalism in Europe during the XIX century, directly affected the existence of the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the minority problems in Southeastern Europe were an indirect generator of the crucial issues within the international concert. Observed from the aspect of the religious protectorate, these issues inspired the Russian-Turkish military clashes and started the wave of national uprisings among the Balkan peoples, which culminated during the Balkan wars. The struggle for primacy over the Christian population within the Ottoman Empire also affected the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and the Russian Empire. In a certain moment, even France demonstrated its interest, becoming not only a strategic partner of the Ottomans and protector of the Orthodox Christian population on the Balkan during the period from the end of the Crimean War in 1856 until the outbreak of the Great Eastern crisis. At the 1919 international conference in Paris, a more serious, though unsuccessful attempt was made to protect minorities from possible tortures and injustices of any kind. In fact, we can safely conclude that the purpose of establishing the Corps Minority Issues within the Versailles system was not contained in the intention to resolve minority problems, but to construct appropriate ways that would encourage intervention. This approach, both politically and from a legal, and, of course, from a psychological point of view, represented a very sensitive area, which often resulted in a collision with the individual interests of the states, and at the same time threatened to disrupt the already established international relations. It is very obvious that the system of minority issues after the war was limited exceptionally to the weaker countries, and especially treated those countries which were defeated in the same war. In no existing sense this system could be implemented in the internal law of all the states-members of the League of Nations. Therefore, the international problematization of the issues from the minority corpus slipping through its historical progress, entering the phase when they culminated in the concentration camps, or, in the slightly better version, in the emigration in the countries of the new world.
More...
Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately-by diverting funds intended for development, undermining a government’s ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice, and discouraging foreign investment and aid (Kofi A.Annan). In general terms, globalization is seen by many authors as a major cause of many positive effects, but also negative. So this globalization was accompanied also b y t h e development of economic crime, which although in different countries was widely shown in our country every year is becoming more evident. This is a concern that even from different studies but also in everyday life is expanding and extends roots in all part of our community. The biggest and the most irreproachable challenge for a developing country is corruption, which as a phenomenon consist of money dispersion or misuse of official positions for personal gain We usually find it as a phenomenon in all countries of the world, but with varying degrees. There are many definitions of what corruption is. The variety itself and the lack of a clear definition of what corruption is, makes even more difficult the fight against it. Corruption poses the most serious threat to the justice of a state where instead of ruling justice and its forms govern the individual led by their coveted goals. This is a direct attack to the constitutional order. Corruption is a phenomenon that occurs in every sphere of life ranging from education, health, courts, ministries etc. which means that the occurrences of it is occurrence is inevitable in everyday life. The level of corruption in the health institutes results alarming. In the hospitals of our country "white blouses" take bribes. These conclusions are confirmed by the World Bank and by a study conducted by some institutes. Every single person in the society is aware of corruption and abuse in the public healthcare service. Macedonia is building an efficient system for the protection of citizens, most of the reforms made in the judiciary consist in the prevention of corruption and other forms of crime. However, reality shows the opposite. Judges continue to be the most corrupt individuals, destroying not only the justice system, but also social morality in general. Corruption in education is one of the most dangerous forms, mainly because all future individuals of a society are developed and educated in broken systems of ethical, moral, economic and social values. Corruption in education is one of the most dangerous forms, mainly because all future individuals of a society are developed and educated in broken systems of ethical, moral, economic and social values In Macedonia, the role of the media in denouncing cases and corrupt practices has been steadily increasing, although there is still a marked lack of transparency in state institutions in providing information to the public and journalists. An important indicator of its professionalism or lack thereof the press and the way of explaining the problem of corruption and the evidence that i being brought about it. In conclusion we can say that corruption reporting has made progress in reflecting correctly, though not always in depth. There is much to do, not just from the state, the media and the institutions, but from all of us.
More...