LA FRONTIERELE CIVILIZAȚIILOR. BASARABIA IN CONTEXT GEOPOLITIC, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL ȘI RELIGIOS

Author(s): / Language(s): Romanian

GALIMATIAS. ZAPRZEPASZCZONY SENS OŚWIECENIA

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

Nowoczesność jest rozdarta, uwikłana w sprzeczności. Próbując wyrwać się z zamętu świata, odwołaliśmy się do autorytetu rozumu. Dziś świetnie już wiemy, że zamęt związany może być także z rozumem. Optymistyczne przesłanie Wieku Świateł załamało się. Symbolika Oświecenia to symbolika dobroczynnej iluminacji. Już rewolucja francuska stawia nam jednak przed oczami obraz parkosyzmów ludzkiego szaleństwa. A dzisiaj? Ze wszystkich stron wkrada się wieloznaczność i niepewność. Czy jesteśmy racjonalni? Żyjemy w gmatwaninie prawd ułomnych, mających krótki żywot. Mówimy o demokracji, z pewnością nie wypada nam już jednak mówić o rządach rozumu. Przed bezradnością bronimy się, uciekając do krainy mitów. W mętnych wodach popkultury rodzą się nowe mitologie. Walczymy z nimi orężem utopii. Obraz Miasta Słońca zastąpiła dziś utopia rozumu komunikacyjnego. Powstaje galimatias. Czy potrafimy się z nim zmierzyć? Racjonalność terroru (obrona rewolucji przed jej wrogami, zagrożenie obleganej przez nieprzyjaciół ojczyzny) ma charakter pozorny. W istocie bowiem najważniejsza jest sama furia sponiewierania i zastraszenia, która niweczy wszelkie wymagania rozumu. Jakże inaczej mielibyśmy bowiem oceniać samą formułę obwinienia, którą przyjmowano, tworząc prawne podstawy machiny śmierci. Zgodnie z dekretem z 22 prairiala (10 czerwca) 1794 roku Trybunał Rewolucyjny mógł wydać tylko dwa wyroki – uniewinnienie lub śmierć. Na żadne niuanse nie ma miejsca. Rewolucyjny „wymiar sprawiedliwości” stanowi w istocie świadectwo manichejskiej obsesji, która sens działania odnajduje w pragnieniu oczyszczenia, dokonującego się poprzez śmierć, poprzez unicestwienie tego, co „nieczyste”.

Rewolucja parasolkowa w Hongkongu. Przyczyny, przebieg, następstwa

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

The author presents the causes, course and consequences of the so-called umbrella revolution in Hong Kong in 2014. The protests should be interpreted in the wider context of the changes that followed 1997, that is, from the moment of the transfer of authority over the region to the People's Republic of China. Although they lasted less than three months, they left a significant mark on the internal situation and the party system as well as the social-political attitudes of the residence of Hong-Kong (Hong-Kongians).

Militaryzacja subregionu Zatoki Perskiej w perspektywie teorii regionalnych kompleksów bezpieczeństwa

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

The book discusses the scale of militarization and the dynamics of the increase in military spending in the subregion of the Persian Gulf and the reasons for the intensive development of military potentials by different countries of the region from the perspective of regional security complexes theory. The countries of the Persian Gulf are increasing their military potential because subjectively they feel endangered on account of the scale of tensions, conflicts and objective threats, as well because they possess the necessary resources.

Sinizacja systemu politycznego Hongkongu

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

The author addresses the issue of socio-political changes in Hong Kong which are the effect of the People’s Republic of China taking over sovereignty of the region. The author presents the process of the sinicization of Hong Kong which is progressing despite the limitations which had been placed on the central authorities in Beijing in accordance with the “one country, two systems” principle.

Komisja prawdy. Mechanizm odpowiedzialności za naruszenie praw człowieka

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

The monograph is devoted to the institution of truth commissions, treated as an instrument for investigating responsibility for human rights violations committed before the period of systemic transformation. The author presents its functions, operation mechanisms, and its role in the introduction of the democratic system against the background of the development of international humanitarian law and regulations concerned with issues of human rights. The author analyses the work of 22 truth commissions, functioning in, among others, Argentina, Paraguay, South Africa, and the Solomon Islands.

DYPLOMACJA PUBLICZNA UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ

Author(s): Marta Ryniejska-Kiełdanowicz / Language(s): Polish

Oddawana w ręce Czytelnika publikacja pozwala spojrzeć na dzisiejszą dyplomację europejską z różnych perspektyw: od analizy procesu decyzyjnego Unii Europejskiej, przez ukazanie poszczególnych działań realizowanych w jej lokalnym, polskim wymiarze, po ekonomiczno-globalne spojrzenie na efekty poszczególnych decyzji. […] Interdyscyplinarność nauki o stosunkach międzynarodowych determinowała zastosowane w pracy podejście badawcze. Jednym z celów, które postawiła sobie Autorka, było zdefiniowanie nowego ujęcia integrującego metody badawcze z zakresu stosunków międzynarodowych i komunikowania politycznego.z recenzji dr hab. Ilony Biernackiej-Ligięzy, prof. UMCSKonstrukcja pracy wskazuje, że mamy do czynienia z realizacją przemyślanego zamysłu badawczego Autorki. Zwłaszcza podział pracy na część teoretyczną i weryfikację empiryczną podnosi walor publikacji do rangi wysoko ocenianych monografii prezentujących bardzo dobry warsztat naukowy, który powinien być upowszechniany w celach dydaktycznych dla kolejnych pokoleń naukowców. […] Publikacja wyróżnia się na rynku i stanowi inspirujące opracowanie o szerokich walorach poznawczych integrujących różne podejścia badawcze.z recenzji dr hab. Marty WitkowskiejMarta Ryniejska-Kiełdanowicz – politolog, adiunkt w Zakładzie Komunikowania Międzynarodowego w Instytucie Studiów Międzynarodowych Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. W kręgu jej zainteresowań naukowych znajdują się takie zagadnienia, jak międzynarodowe public relations, studia nad dyplomacją publiczną i kulturalną oraz dyplomacja miast.

Przeznaczeni do wielkości! Poczucie misji w polityce zagranicznej. Przypadek Rosji

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

A sense of mission, present in foreign policy is not a Russian "pathology", but a common occurrence in international activity of states. Mission themes which appear in contemporary politics are not connected to religious tradition, but they are a key factor in forming identity, shaping status ambitions and building the sense of state security. The in-depth analysis of contemporary Russian messianism brings a fresh, new look at identity, history and foreign policy of today’s Russia.

Przemiany kulturowe w Afryce. Historia i antropologia

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

The authors describe the history of Africa, starting from prehistoric times, throughout the period of early and late European penetrations, to contemporary political problems. They also present issues concerning the history of travel, discoveries, conquest and colonisation. The volume contains a text devoted to the methodology of African Studies. Several articles are based on ethnographic field research and concern contemporary phenomena in Africa.

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.

Romanian Military Thinking International Scientific Conference Proceedings. Military Strategy Coordinates under the Circumstances of a Synergistic Approach to Resilience in the Security Field

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

The second edition of the Romanian Military Thinking Conference, entitled “Military Strategy Coordinates under the Circumstances of a Synergistic Approach to Resilience in the Security Field”, proposes a topical issue: defence, approached synergistically and intelligently, increases efficiency in our noble mission, that of serving national interests. It is important for the actors involved to reach a common understanding of the concept of resilience, addressed in a double key, as it is specified in the National Defence Strategy for the period 2020-2024. From an organisational point of view, the conference had an academic component, focused on the presentation and publication of scientific articles, and a debate-based component, focused on a practical perspective. Both components of the conference were covered by three sections: Intelligence and Security, Military Theory and Art, Defence Resources Management.

The Regime of Digital Coloniality. Bosnian Forensic Contemporaneity

Author(s): Adla Isanović / Language(s): English

This book problematizes and critically analyzes how database are being conceived and what their relation is to knowledge production within the current settings of global capitalism, biopolitics and necropolitics, also in relation to digital paradigms. Database logic and aesthetics appear to be something that is imposed as a norm; its inclusion is visible in science, media, social networking, state governing, policy making, juridical processes, and military interventions, but also in a wider range of art practices, including contemporary presentation/exhibition models and forms. Simultaneously, we also recognize a forensic shift, the prevailing forensic methodology and aesthetics conducted through different forums, as for example that of international humanitarian politics, law and art. The book in front of us is also indispensable for discussing and thinking about the aftermath of the 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Excavated mass graves of Bosnians are now places open to forensics to speed up the processes of remembering past horrors of Srebrenica and genocide on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territory.

Zasady postępowania egzekucyjnego w administracji

Author(s): Magdalena Strożek-Kucharska / Language(s): Polish

The study is a compendium of knowledge on the issues of general principles used in administrative enforcement proceedings. It refers both to the rules regulated in the enforcement act, as well as those resulting from other legal acts: the Constitution, the Code of Administrative Procedure, and acts of international law. In order to facilitate the understanding of the issues discussed, they are presented using calculations, exemplification and comparisons. The whole is enriched with reference to numerous court decisions.

Експертне середовище Білорусії про сучасні виклики та інтеграційні перспективи України в контексті російської агресії в Криму та на Донбасі

Author(s): Mykola Gorbatiuk / Language(s): Ukrainian

The estimations and predictions from the analysts and experts of the Republic Belarus concerning the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation, the Russian-Ukrainian war in the Donbass region, the place and role of Ukraine in the new geopolitical conditions are analysed. The brief excursus into the activities of the Belorussian analytical centres is made, their peculiarities of functioning are shown.

Państwo, które działa. O fińskich politykach publicznych

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

The book „The State that Works. On Finnish Public Policies” summarizes few years of author’s research into various aspects of functioning of the Finnish state, depicting them in a broad, historical and cultural perspective.The aim of the books is the description and analysis of mainly internal factors relating to the political processes and public policy-planning that allowed Finland unprecedented development and promotion to the group of most economically and technologically advanced states in the world. It was possible to achieve even though in the mid-21 century Finland still remained a peripheral country with the economy based on a basic production and export of the wood, it’s only natural resource available on a mass scale.In the introduction, author describes crucial geographical, historical and cultural factors determining he institutions’ building processes and the situation of Finnish society before gaining the independence in a year 1917 and in the first decades of sovereign Finnish state.In the following parts, devoted to economic, educational and social policies, he describes political processes and concrete solutions implemented in these spheres which at the turn of the XX and XXI century allowed achieving aforementioned success and increase in the affluence and quality of life of Finnish people.In the concluding chapter, author pays special attention to the role of education, knowledge and science in planning and designing or public policies in Finland as a key factors allowing the radical transformation of Finnish economy and society. The books ends with a discussion about the major challenges that Finnish state and society confront at the moment and most promising future research fields.

Dylematy systemowe Unii Europejskiej u zarania trzeciej dekady XXI w.

Author(s): Marta Witkowska,Radoslaw Potorski,Danuta Kabat-Rudnicka,Karolina Boiret / Language(s): Polish

The publication addresses issues related to integration processes within the European Union. The authors ask whether and in what way the dilemmas which the political system of the community is facing today influence or may affect its future shape and the accepted form ofcooperation, and in what direction the reform of the system is moving and what theaspirations of the Member States are.

Raising Fear of Conflicts vs Raising Hopes in Collaboration and Solidarity: How the Serbian Public Perceives Regional Relations

Author(s): Luka Šterić,Maja Bjeloš / Language(s): English

Legitymizacja systemu instytucjonalnego Unii Europejskiej

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

The book contains a thorough analysis of the European Union institutional systemas a specific, sui generis international organisation, in the context of its legitimization(its validity and legitimacy). The book is mainly theoretical. Primarily, the author aimsat presenting a reliable depiction of the EU institutional system legitimization throughthe prism of the theoretical output concerning legitimization of the political power,including and accentuating the indicated specificity of the EU as a distinct internationalorganisation. Secondly, he took into consideration the changes introduced intothe legal foundations of the EU functioning, pursuant to the Lisbon Treaty – the latesttreaty reforming the structures of the Union. In the context of the main theme of thepresent study, these changes are important not only in terms of the EU institutionsthemselves, i.e. their competences and reciprocal relations, but also with regard to thefundamental change of the legal character of the EU, and the alterations introducedinto the individual Union politics. Thirdly, the author attempts to present the problemof the EU institutional system legitimization in the special circumstances, i.e. in thesituation of the most profound economic crisis that the EU members have faced sincethe beginning of the integration process.The EU is regarded as a specific structure, being neither a state nor a typical internationalorganisation. Such an approach was the starting point for the main premise ofthe present book – the idea that the thesis about the deficiency of democracy in the EU,formulated in the literature on the subject and in the public debate, is a certain simplification,and the characteristic features of the EU and its institutions, which provokedthe formulation of such a thesis, should be considered in a broader context, such as theproblem of the EU institutional system legitimization and, alternatively, the deficiency ofthat legitimization. For the direct democratic legitimization is only one of many sourcesof legitimacy of the EU institutional system and of the Union as a specific internationalorganisation in general – an extremely important source, perhaps the most important,yet not the only one. Thus, the legitimization of the EU and its institutions should beanalysed in a broader perspective, which also includes other sources of legitimization – asit is done in case of every political power which, striving for its legitimization to be asstrong as possible, attempts to derive it from the largest number of sources. Accordingto the author of the book, to base the EU institutional system legitimization only onthe grounds of the direct democratic legitimization characteristic of a democratic state,would be tantamount to a certain disruption of the right order. It would rather be asymptom of too advanced an integration on the “institutional” level in comparison tothe extent of the “material” integration. Until the EU is a structure sui generis, in whichcase it is a combination of features characteristic of an intergovernmental, internationalorganisation, a supranational organisation or a state, the nature of legitimization ofthis structure should also be specific. The most important role should be played bythe democratic legitimization, which should be completed with other sources, owingto which the functioning of the EU institutional system, and the whole EU, could berecognised as legally valid.Apart from the main thesis also other theses and hypotheses are posed in the book.The first chapter is a certain theoretical introduction and a basis to the deliberationspresented in the further parts of this study. In the first subsection, with reference tothe literature on the subject, the problem of legitimization (legitimacy) of the politicalpower, i.e. the concept, classifications and sources of legitimization (legitimacy) of thepolitical power, have been synthetically depicted. In another part of chapter one, theauthor attempts to relate the problem of legitimization to the EU as a specific internationalorganisation and to formulate his own definition of legitimization deficiencywith regard to EU institutional system. Bearing in mind that the problem of legitimizationdeficiency in the EU (EC) has not been discussed on a larger scale until certainstage of development of integration process was reached, in 1.3. subsection, the authorraises some questions concerning: the sufficiency of legitimization of the integrationprocess during the first few decades after the Second World War, the grounds for thatlegitimization and the reasons why, at a certain stage of the EU (EC) development thelegitimization of the Union’s institutional system started to be considered insufficient,which was manifested in the opinions acknowledging the democracy and legitimizationdeficiency. The first chapter ends with a passage devoted to the importance ofthe EU institutional system legitimization, whereas the significance of legitimization tothe political power and political institutions in general, consitutes its reference point.The second chapter (subsections 2.3.–2.8.) presents a synthesis of the evolutionof the EU (EC) institutional system in the context of its legitimization, from the momentof the EC founding treaties ratification, till the time the changes pursuant to theLisbon Treaty were introduced. The author focused here mainly on the competences ofthe particular EC (EU) institutions and their reciprocal relations, which should makeit possible to observe two main tendencies in the dynamics of changes taking place inthis field, and present its specificity and distinctiveness in comparison to the systemsof democratic states. At the beginning of this chapter, a thesis has been formulated(simultaneously, becoming an extension of the attempt to determine why, at a certainstage of the integration process, the issue of democracy/legitimization deficiency startedto be discussed – a question that was raised in the first chapter), which states that thelegitimization of the EU institutional system will be sufficient, if the law regulationsand political practice of their functioning are convergent with the level of advancementof the integration process in various spheres of social life; in other words, the “institutional”integration should correspond with the “material” integration (that is the Unionpolitics). To that end, the author made an attempt to present, in a synthetized form,the development of the “material” integration (subsection 2.1.), which he completedwith an analogical endeavour to illustrate the evolution of the EU (EC) institutionalsystem in the context of its legitimization (subsection 2.9). For in accordance with theincreasingly common approach, the EU institutions are treated as a system, the conceptand principles of which have been presented in 2.2. subsection.In the third chapter, the author presents the EU institutional system in its currentform, that is with the changes introduced under the Lisbon Treaty. Here, the selectedaspects regarding competences and functioning of the particular EU institutions havebeen depicted, as well as the relations between them in the context of legitimization.Additionally, three selected problems regarding the EU institutional system have beenraised, which are especially important in the context of its legitimization (the relationbetween the EU institutional system and the institutions of the EU member states, thequestion of transparency in the functioning of the EU institutions, as well as the Unionbudgets in the consecutive years). In the last subsection (3.9.) the specific features ofthe EU institutional system, significant in the context of its legitimization, have beenidentified.The fourth chapter is devoted to the functioning of the EU institutional system inthe perspective of four basic sources of its legitimization, i.e. indirect and technocratic,direct and democratic, utilitarian, and one consisting of “values”. The chapter endswith a conclusion outlining the specificity of the EU and its institutional system withregard to the sources of its legitimization, which is especially important in the contextof the book’s main thesis.The fifth chapter concerns the problem of legitimization of the EU institutions inthe context of the economic crisis, which the EU member states struggle with sincearound the year 2008. The sixth chapter, in turn, regards the so called subjective (empirical,social) dimension of the EU institutions’ legitimization, that is, the way thisproblem is perceived by the citizens of the EU member states. It has been based on theresults of opinion polls conducted for the use of Eurobarometer, from among whichthese questions and answers were selected, which could be applied to illustrate the waythe EU citizens perceive the Union institutions in the context of their legitimization.The closing remarks include the most important conclusions drawn from the conductedanalyses and the potential reforms and modifications of the EU institutionalsystem, which may allow for the reinforcement of its legitimization, primarily in itsdemocratic aspect. The bibliography contains a list of sources which were cited andreferred to in the book.

Social Discourse in Challenging Times. The International Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference 2023 Proceedings and Book of Abstracts

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

In the light of current digital advancements, the discourse surrounding digitalization has increased in importance, and the International Scientific Conference “Social Discourse in Challenging Times” reflected upon this trend. Coordinated by the University of Economics in Bratislava, this event was organized within the ODDEA project, at the University of Economics in Bratislava, between May 17th-20th, 2023. The value and impact of the ODDEA project are also reflected within this volume. From discussions around current discourses to the exploration of the digitalization pathways, this collection represents a milestone in our journey towards a digital society research that would be both inclusive and resilient. These presentations provide insights into the selected problems of digital transformation and are invaluable contributions to the understanding of digitalization during these challenging times. Our sincere appreciation goes out to the researchers, contributors, reviewers and the academic community who have made this significant contribution possible. We hope that this volume will fuel further discussions, inspire additional research, and drive innovative breakthroughs in digitalization and interdisciplinary studies.

PARYSKA KULTURA – 1991 / 525

Author(s): Maciej Zieliński,Marcin W. Zieliński,Krzysztof Wolicki,Leopold Unger,Zbigniew M. Fallenbuchl,Tadeusz Chrzanowski,Adam Kruczek,Marek Adamiec,Andrzej Dobosz / Language(s): Polish