European Union at the crossroads: The European perspectives after the global crisis

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

In May 2011, during the Hungarian EU presidency a big international conference was organized in Budapest that offered a good occasion to review of the SBH team presidency and to look beyond to the competitive Europe in the postcrisis period in both national and regional terms. No doubt that the European Union arrived at the crossroads and it necessitated to deal with the European perspectives after the global crisis. So this issue has become the central topic, and also the title of the present, 14th volume of this series, based mostly on the papers of the Budapest expert conference. The protracted global crisis took a “W” shape that culminated in the summer 2011, in such a way the authors closed their chapters in an open ending game in August 2011.

Између Европе и несврстаности. Југославија и Савет Европе 1960–1980.

Author(s): Ratomir Milikić / Language(s): Serbian

МЕЖДУНАРОДНИЯТ ТРАНСФЕР НА АДМИНИСТРАТИВНИ МОДЕЛИ И ИНСТРУМЕНТИ: ВЪЗМОЖНОСТИ, ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ И РИСКОВЕ. Доклади от Първа международна конференция по публична администрация София, СУ „Св. Климент Охридски“, април 2017 г.

Author(s): Aleksandar Marinov,Georgi Peev,Mariana Dimitrova,Milena Stefanova,Snežana Ilieva,Yana Chakarova,Todor Tanev,Fabrice Larat,Andrei Velchev,Atanas Slavov,Elena Kalfova,Kliment Naydenov,Metodi Ivanov,Vladyslav Akulov-Muratov,Boril Mechkov,Petia Branzova,Simeon Petrov,Tatiana Tomova,Jaroslav Dvorak,Gabrielė Burbulytė – Tsiskarishvili,Edita Stumbraitė-Vilkišienė,Liudmila Guzikova,Lyubimka Andreeva,Georgi Vuldjev,Georgy Ganev,Georgy Sarakostov,Nikolai Valkanov,Ognian Boyukliev,Stoyan Panchev,Krassen Stanchev,Maria Kotseva-Tikova,Milkana Mochurova,Venko Petkov,Galina Stoyanova,Georgi Temelkov,Detelin Dimitrov,Iskra Mileva,Liliya Elenkova,Mariela Yordanova,Nikoleta Efremova,Petya Krasteva,Todor Izhbehov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian

What thoughts the following theme does evoke – “International transfer of administrative models and instruments: opportunities, constraints and risks?” It became an object of “love at first sight” for me immediately after it was proposed as a unifying “crown” of the international scientific conference on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Sofia University’s Department of Public Administration. What broader content could be set which nevertheless presupposes most specific definitions? What more dynamic context might exist which in fact supports the opposite of dynamics – the sustainability of administrative models resistant to pressures for change? What other topic bundles better tradition and reform of administrative systems? First and foremost, it is the host of the conference – the jubilee Department of Public Administration at Sofia University – that is a living example of the international transfer of theories and trends in the field of administrative science. This small scientific community had to meet all challenges of that transfer during its formative years. On the one hand it was pressed to accept the changing political trends in Western societies by theorizing the administrative models backed by them as a manifestation of progressiveness. On the other hand, the need to create an explanation and prescription for his own Bulgarian administrative practice as a manifestation of elementary adequacy it has always existed. The conclusion from the distance of the past 20 years is that these two lines were combined continuously and successfully. If the themes of international forums on public administration in the 90s of the 20th century are considered it will become clear that the separation of administration from politics was the prevailing problem. This sturdy preference was supported by the use of the authority of classic authors such as Max Weber or Woodrow Wilson. It seemed that the emancipation of administrative science was thus achieved once forever. It happened so that the Department of Public Administration got separated structurally and thematically from other disciplines in Sofia University exactly during the same moment. Similar matching of global trends with local developments within the field of administrative science in few other universities paralleled Sofia University’s Department of PA emancipation from Political Science. As a result, Bulgarian versions of the ideal of what is “civil service” started being sought for with skeptical optimism. Should the administration in the democratic future of the country, however, follow imported Victorian models of “civil service”, or, on the contrary, more creative and proactive participation in decision making should be hammered out? The answer to this dilemma followed quite soon. The tempestuous liberal development in the West considered an objective by the Bulgarian leaders changed the emphasis in administrative science. It was not enough to Theorizing the functional distinction between politics and administration per se became insufficient. It was a matter of good scientific tone to find ways and reasons to minimize government intervention in sector management and place the latter as a new unprecedented major task of public administration. The development of a Bulgarian version of apolitical governance through public policies designed and managed by special networks formed ad hoc by citizens and economic operators became the main task of administrative science in the first years of the 21st century. It was in this way that the original thematic field of administration expanded in Bulgaria by inclusion of research on issues of public policy. The emerging soon after concept of “Good Governance” in the Western world undermined confidence in the traditional rational “Management by Objectives”. The period of initial harmonization of Bulgaria with the European directives in the first years after the country as an EU member somehow naturally draw the attention of our researchers to lists of desirable qualities called “good governance” created by international banks and global organizations. Quite naturally, observing the transitive setting that determined the entry of the good governance principles in the Bulgarian administrative practice made our researchers for the first time be attentive to the problems that the direct import of standard projects for good governance in the country could create. For example, the National Ombudsman institution led by Mr. Ginyo Ganev developed a concise Bulgarian conceptual framework for good governance with the help of the Department of PA at Sofia. It started being applied actively with an increasing success to diverse cases in the focus of attention of this institution. Developments in this regard expanded as much as the creation of an entirely Bulgarian concept of a new human “right of good governance”. The Department of PA consulted and developed strategic projects of the Council of Ministers in the bosom of “good governance” and public policy. The original purely theoretical interest in global paradigms in the field of economic management such as “quality management” and “total quality management” gradually evolved into an interest for their practical application in the Bulgarian administrative practice. As it is in countries with developed democracy over the last decade, it is looked for project appraisals, impact assessment of policies, etc. in context of quality management in Bulgaria as well. It is in this way that certain doubts emerged for the first time. First, how possible is it to successfully transfer, adapt and develop economic theories in the socio-political field without losing their basic sense? Second, if the quality management in the public sphere is examined, how is the object to be tested to be defined? What does quality of public governance mean? What are the legitimate criteria for it to be funded, adopted, and maintained? Until this moment versions of Western administrative mindset penetrating via European directives and other vehicles of influence were intensively developed. However, Bulgaria’s own development from this moment on started imposing a brand new round of research. The past decade uncorked the bottle with the spirit of administrative reforms. A whole arsenal of new problems: what is reform, what is change, what is direction, what is progress and so on was added to the issues already accumulated by the transfer of ideas and best practices considered as “best”. A genuine Bulgarian view on issues of local administrative reforms started getting formed by separate members of Sofia University’s scientific community more and more boldly. What has never been done so far in sufficient size, however, is the development of the old theme of sustainable development from a national perspective. It was left in the hands of political bureaucracy and I hope that it is not abandoned there by our researchers. Sustainable development does not only look like but is generally an issue of key importance. It amalgamates the political, administrative, economic and social problems. The pressure for direct application of practices arising from the so-called “Global sustainable development goals” became tumultuous form of formal accountability. The parameters of the polar sets resistance-development, global-local, political-administrative, etc. remain unclear. Thus the meanders of the development of Bulgarian administrative science that followed up to this moment gradually the sequence of changes in the same area in the world for its own reasons found at last the main problem hidden all the time. This problem is: what are the opportunities, limitations and risks of international transfers of administrative models and instruments? However, this is the theme of the conference. In other words, the wall separating political and administrative management is already raised – administrative decisions today are taken in agreement with the so called social partners, NGOs, networks, etc. Various formulas of good governance, in particular lawfulness, transparency, etc., are applied since long ago be it in one degree or another. Management in the public sphere is fragmented by sector policies and hence by separate projects driven by networking teams. The quality of management activities is measured although only by the proportion between the invested funds and tasks performed such as numbers of training pf administrators, etc. Why is the widespread opinion then that the administration is not working well despite all the good intentions with which people work behind the counters of state and local institutions? I think the key answer is modernization, not modernity. Modernization is a continuous process of an existing human community with a will of life. In contrast, modernity is a condition that those inferior according to someone's perspective should or should not, may or may not adopt. Modernization is moving forward in the name of preserving the general essence intact. Conversely, the movement toward modernity is changing the nature of those perceived as non-modern whereby however no one guarantees either the meaning or the consequences, or even the opportunity that this could happen. What are the ultimate objectives of administrative science keeping modernization in mind if this really is the most general question? Modernization implies preserving the identity of the human community under changing circumstances. Why identity must be maintained is another question that is absurd per se, least according Kant’s Categorical imperative. Without “subjectivity”, at least according to Hegel’s philosophy (why not according to classical economic and legal theory), it no action is possible at all, including actions for “improving the situation.” Values separate at least as much as they unite. Could Eastern European societies follow some winning value model at the beginning of the political changes? Was it only their totalitarian political past that made them different from foreign models? The Anglo-Saxon model of governance is based on the culture of urban individualism. The culture of successful Asian “dragons” is based on collectivist Confucian rationalism. Seen at this background, the Western model based on Roman law is offering rational norms. Although somewhat differing one from the other, Eastern European societies, including Bulgarian, proved to be different from all that. In an effort to get modernized once again they had to make hard choices for their future. The triple eclecticism between Eastern European value system, the successful Asian “developmental dictatorship” and the victorious superindividualistic urban West was even more impossible. However, it turns out that the Western and Eastern universe have defended themselves for centuries by modernization cast in strictly defined areas and volumes sufficient only to maintain their own development model. It seems that the task of the Bulgarian administration and administrative science after 20 years of establishment is no more and no less the same. So, the international scientific conference on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Sofia University’s Public Administration Department turns out to be something like a membrane separating past from future development. The transition from the former to the latter is a clarification of how possible and how necessary the international transfer of administrative models and instruments is.

KA ODGOVORNOM I PROFESIONALNOM POSTUPANJU SA LEZBEJKAMA, GEJEVIMA, BISEKSUALNIM, TRANSRODNIM I INTERSPOLNIM OSOBAMA - PRIRUČNIK ZA PREDSTAVNIKE_CE INSTITUCIJA KOJE DJELUJU NA NIVOU OPĆINA, GRADOVA I KANTONA U BIH

Author(s): Dajana Cvjetković,Vladana Vasić / Language(s): Bosnian

Poštovane_i profesionalke_profesionalci, ako se nikad u svom radu niste susrele_i sa lezbejkom, gejem, biseksualnom, transrodnom ili interspolnom (LGBTI) osobom, onda je ovaj priručnik namijenjen upravo vama. Razmislite! Ukoliko tokom višegodišnjeg profesionalnog rada niste upoznale_i LGBTI osobu, da li to možda znači da je niste prepoznale_i, a ne da je nije bilo?! Dopustite da navedemo jedan primjer. Prema rezultatima popisa stanovništva iz 2013. godine, u Federaciji BiH živi oko 80.000 građanki i građana koje_i se ne izjašnjavaju kao pripadnice_i konstitutivnih naroda, već kao pripadnice_i nacionalnih manjina, kao Bosanke_ci i/ili Hercegovke_ci, kao pripadnice_i drugih etničkih identiteta, ili se naprosto ne izjašnjavaju u vezi s etničkom pripadnošću. Uzimajući to u obzir, da li ste se u radu susreli_e sa Romkinjama_Romima, Jevrejkama_Jevrejima, Albankama_ Albancima, Crnogorkama_Crnogorcima? Ili sa osobama koje se nacionalno ne izjašnjavaju? Njih u FBiH ima oko 18 hiljada. Poznajete li osobu koja se izjašnjava kao Hrvatica_Hrvat u Kantonu Sarajevo? Njih 17.000 tako se izjasnilo. Pripadnice_pripadnike svih ovih zajednica i grupa sigurno poznajete. Kako je onda moguće da ne poznajete niti jednu ili jako mali broj LGBTI osoba, koje, prema procjenama, širom svijeta čine od 3 do 12 posto ukupnog broja stanovništva? U Kantonu Sarajevo, 10 posto stanovništva je više od 40.000 osoba – da li je, stoga, moguće da nikada niti jedna LGBTI osoba nije došla po uslugu kod vas?

Ženy v řídících pozicích

Author(s): Alena Králíková,Věra Kudynová,Alena Křížková / Language(s): Czech

This ebook is a collection of paper from an international conference: The women in leading positons", which has been held on November, 2005. The main topic was an analyse why in Czechia men are still prevalated in the leading positons. Vážené čtenářky, vážení čtenáři, žen je v dozorčích a správních radách, mezi generálními řediteli a na nejvyšších manažerských pozicích pomálu. Konstatování, k němuž lze v případě České republiky dojít i při letmém pohledu na data o tom, jak jsou ženy reprezentovány na rozhodovacích pozicích – a to nejen v privátním sektoru. Proč ale na uvedených postech chybějí, v čem „zaostávají“ za muži, že jim nejsou na takové úrovni rovny, co jim brání v tom, aby uspěly a vůbec dostaly šanci svým kolegům a nadřízeným dokázat, že mají na to danou pozici zaujmout? Tyto a další otázky jsme si v Gender Studies, o.p.s. kladly, když jsme se zamýšlely nad dalším kolem Soutěže o nejlepší firmu s rovnými pří ležitostmi pro ženy a muže v České republice a jejím stěžejním tématem. Na jednu stranu z celé řady výzkumů a statistik víme, že ženy jsou srovnatelně vzdělané a mají tedy alespoň na úvod svých kariér podobnou star tovací čáru jako muži. Na druhou stranu však tytéž výzkumy a statistické údaje uvádějí, že ženy významně převažují mezi nezaměstnanými právě v době, kdy by své kariérní plány měly začít uplatňovat, tj. ve věku mezi 25 a 35 lety, a že - pokud zaměstnané jsou - jejich výdělek je ve srovnání s pří jmem jejich mužskými kolegy nižší a kariérní vzestup pozvolnější. Jak je to možné a kde se stala „chyba“? Nedostatek žen v rozhodovacích pozicích souvisí s celou řadou aspektů, z nichž mnohé jsou nepojmenovatelné nebo spjaté s tradičními stereotypy o mužských a ženských rolí, a proto těžko odbouratelné. Má-li dojít k nějaké změně v zastoupení žen a mužů na různých úrovních rozhodování, je třeba nejen citlivosti k tomuto tématu „shora“, tedy ze strany stávající ho vedení, ale i obecné otevřenosti žen i mužů k diskusi o vlastních rolích – zvolených i tradičních, životních a kariérních plánech, a nepochybně také o možnostech sladit soukromí s rodinou a zaměstnáním. [...]The women in leading positionsThe women in leading positionsThe women in leading positionsin Czechia

Montirani procesi protiv kosovskih Albanaca (1999-2001)

Author(s): Fahri Musliu / Language(s): Serbian

The book “Framed Trials of Kosovo Albanians” is a product of the author’s three-year coverage of some of hundreds of proceedings against Kosovo Albanians from the autumn of 1999 till mid-2001. As the only Albanian journalist and longstanding Belgrade correspondent for the media in Albanian, the author was keeping the Albanian public posted on those trials via the Radio Voice of America and the Pristine-seated Zeri daily. Though not in detail such political trials usually necessitate, the book factually and authentically speaks of the legal processes instituted against prisoners of war – actually 2,000 Albanian hostages who were lucky enough to survive. The others met their death in prisons. The author finished his manuscript in May 2001 when all trials were practically over and the great majority of prisoners released under the Amnesty Law. However, for objective reasons, it was only in May 2002 that the book came out of print in Albanian. On March 26, 2002, the last group of 145 prisoners was transferred from Serbian prisons to Kosovo under the agreement between the Serbian authorities and the UNMIK administration. Thus, as mother of the well-known political prisoner Nait Hasani put it, “the doors of Serbian prisons were finally and forever closed for Albanians.” The book also reveals the nature and philosophy of Serbian public prosecutor offices and trial chambers that have been moved from Kosovo to Serbia. They did all but administer justice. They were nothing but mouthpieces of the then criminal regime symbolized in Slobodan Milosevic. The Albanians – including numbers of juveniles and women – they took hostage were indicted of terrorism either as members or supporters of the KLA labeled a terrorist organization. Without a single argument and evidence supportive to the charges, they meted out draconian punishment to those people. Many legal experts, independent intellectuals and human rights organizations from Serbia raised their voice against court decisions, calling those trials “the biggest defeat of the Serbian judiciary ever disgracing not only the legal profession but also the Serbian nation as a whole.”

Bezcenna przyjaźń. Kremlowskie wsparcie dla przyjaciół Putina

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

Od marca 2014 roku rosyjska gospodarka zmuszona jest funkcjonować w warunkach sankcji, którymi objęta została przez USA, Unię Europejską i wiele innych państw świata zachodniego w odpowiedzi na agresję na Ukrainę i aneksję Krymu. Sankcje polegały m.in. na wprowadzeniu szeregu ograniczeń współpracy gospodarczej Federacji Rosyjskiej z państwami zachodnimi. Najmniej dotkliwe ekonomicznie, mające jednak znaczenie prestiżowe, były sankcje o charakterze dyplomatycznym, w konsekwencji których Rosja została wykluczona z formatu G8 – grupy najbardziej wpływowych państw świata, zawieszone zostały jej negocjacje akcesyjne z Organizacją Współpracy Gospodarczej i Rozwoju, a przywódcy państw zachodnich początkowo powstrzymywali się od oficjalnych kontaktów z rosyjskimi władzami. Nałożone restrykcje ponadto pozbawiły Rosję dostępu do środków organizacji międzynarodowych, m.in. Bank Światowy i wszystkie jego agendy zawiesiły finansowanie nowych projektów w Rosji, podobną decyzję podjął Europejski Bank Odbudowy i Rozwoju. Rosyjska gospodarka objęta została także sankcjami sektorowymi, które m.in. limitowały dostęp do rynków kapitałowych największym bankom państwowym Rosji, a także kilku państwowym spółkom naftowym i zbrojeniowym; wprowadzały również zakaz eksportu do Rosji uzbrojenia i towarów podwójnego zastosowania; ponadto ograniczały dostęp do wybranych technologii i usług wykorzystywanych w sektorze wydobycia ropy naftowej.

Konkurence a výkonnost na evropských železnicích

Author(s): Zdeněk Tomeš / Language(s): Czech

European countries after 1993 applied railway reforms. The reform strategy included vertical separation (infrastructure – services), horizontal separation (freight – passenger) and the entry of competition. The aim of this book is to identify the effect of reforms on railway’s output. Based on regression analysis of data in 27 European countries in the period 1995–2011 it was identified, that horizontal separation is increasing output where as no clear effectcould be identified in case of vertical separation. The effect of competition entry was different for sample of Western and Eastern European countries. In passenger sector the entry of competition was increasing output in Western Europe but decreasing it in Eastern Europe. Also other reform and control variables had significantly different effects for samples of Western and Eastern European countries. The results therefore indicate that European railway reform generates different results for Western and Eatstern European countries.

Český lokální a regionální tisk mezi lety 1989 a 2009

Author(s): Lenka Waschková Císařová / Language(s): Czech

The fall of communism in 1989 brought major social, political and cultural changes in the Czechoslovakia. This book concentrates on changes in one particular segment of the media market, the subsystem of local and regional print media. This segment of the media landscapeis rarely studied although – arguably – it is a significant part of the media system, particularlyas it enables strong identifications at the local/regional level. Czech local and regional press has been the centre of attention in relation to the entry of foreign owners on the market and particularlyin relation to issues of possible media concentration on this segment of the market but concentrated academic study of this subject is seriously lacking. The text aims at mapping structural changes that characterize this segment of the media market between 1989 and 2009. It analyzes political and economic factors that played a role in the transformation and identifies commercialization as a major influence. The book makes use of three research methods: document analysis, semi-structured in-depth interviews, survey and content analysis. The analysis operates at two levels, those of the media system and the media organization and it uses a case study approach for an in-depth analysis of the case of the Vltava-Labe-Press (VLP) publishing house that has become dominant on the Czech local and regional print media market. The main hypothesis that the book addresses is that the influence of commercialization (and its constituting elements on the macro and micro levels) within the transformation process leads to the gradual erosion of the local characteristics (a process we term delocalization) of this particular segment of the media system.

Populist Political Parties in East-Central Europe

Author(s): Aneta Pinková,Vlastimil Havlík,Ilze Balcere,Blagovesta Cholova,Vratislav Havlík,Alenka Krašovec,Markéta Smrčková,Peter Spáč,Kinga Wojtas / Language(s): English

Populism is a term which has become established in the public consciousness. It has become a part of the rhetoric (as a form of attack) of political players and has also found a firm place in academic debates. This is despite the fact, or perhaps because, that a generally accepted and heuristically seamless concept of populism does not exist. The term populism somehow carries an automatic negative connotation. Party leaders are accused of populism, proposed solutions to political problems are attacked by their opponents as populist and, as such, summarily rejected. Populism in the public as well as journalistic discourse has in many cases become synonymous – as we describe in the theoretical chapter of this book – with demagoguery or rhetorical statements full of empty promises.

The Balkans and Europe between Integration and Particularism

Author(s): Andrey Nonchev,Diana Yarosh,Hristo Draganov,Ivan-Petar Yovchev,Filip Petkov,Maria Bakalova,Anton Parvanov,Blaga Blagoeva,Daniela Pastarmadzhieva,Elisabeth Yoneva,Alexei Margoevski,Margarita Ivanova,Kalina Ishpekova-Bratanova,Plamen Ralchev,Gabriela Motoi,Ivo Barzov,Chaya Koleva,Albena Hinkova,Sonia Hinkova,Georgi Chankov,Ana Dimitrovska,Galya Mancheva,Elena Simeonova,Elena Zlateva,Lilia Markova,Denica Dimitrova,Mariana Stamova,Aleko Stoyanov,Dinko Dinkov,Monika Panayotova / Language(s): English

This volume is a collection of papers presented at the International conference THE BALKANS AND EUROPE BETWEEN INTEGRATION AND PARTICULARISM: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS, organized by the Faculty of International Economics and Politics at UNWE and the Bulgarian Political Science Association and held in Sofia on October 25-26, 2018. The conference invited presentations on a number of issues such as: The integration potential of the EU (28-1) and the “enlargement fatigue”; Ethno-politics and integration: dimensions, patterns and results in the EU and Western Balkans; The Bulgaria’s Presidency and the EU prospects of the Western Balkans; “Fatigued from waiting”: the countries of the Western Balkans; Bilateral relations in the Balkans: between historical mythology and pragmatism; Connectivity and cooperation in the Balkans: projects and realities, etc.Around fifty scholars and researchers – both established and younger ones – participated in the scientific forum representing a number of universities and research institutions from several countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Russia). What is worth noting is the high rate of participation of doctoral students, as well as the contribution of undergraduate students from universities in Bulgaria and from MGIMO in Russia. Notably, some of the participants took part in the conference in absentia by poster presentations. The present volume contains the texts of those of the conference participants who sent their presentations in written form. The volume is structured in three parts except for the keynote speeches, which are presented separately as they were delivered during the Conference. The first part encompasses research papers dealing with issues pertinent to the whole European Union and various aspects of the integration processes. The focus in the second part is on the Balkans in the context of the EU integration. The papers in the third part deal with the Western Balkans in particular, featuring also case-studies on individual countries.

Presidents above Parties?: Presidents in Central and Eastern Europe, Their Formal Competencies and Informal Power

Author(s): Vít Hloušek,Lubomír Kopeček,Josef Mlejnek,Gábor Dobos,Attila Gyulai,Attila Horváth,Piotr Sula,Agnieszka Szumigalska,Peter Spáč,Rein Toomla,Daunis Auers,Algis Krupavičius,Blagovesta Cholova,Sergiu Gherghina / Language(s): English

The book aims at an examination of the discrepancies between the formal and actual positions of presidents in Central and Eastern European countries, especially those which are classified as parliamentary democracies and those which have semi-presidential features. Constitutionally, presidents are normally endowed with symbolic functions and duties that are shared with the government (such as appointment of important officials), regardless of whether they are elected directly or indirectly. Governments are thus typically perceived of as being the dominant executive institutions. The influence of presidents in select political systems is not only contingent upon the letter of the constitution, but also historically rooted in constitutional traditions, as well as the personal charisma and power wielded by specific presidents.

Regional Security Interdependence: Proceedings of the Workshop Organized by the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of Social Studies of the Masaryk University in Brno on 25 September 2015

Author(s): Miroslav Mareš,Tomáš Šmíd,Tomáš Kaválek,Iveta Hlouchová,Martin Laryš,Tomáš Bělonožník,Lukáš Visingr / Language(s): English

Contemporary security development is characterized by growing interdependence of security phenomena at local, national, regional and global level (Kegley, Wittkopf 2006). Within the world regions regional security complexes with their regional security orders were established (Stewart-Ingersoll, Frazier: 2012). The so called “new definition”of the regional security complex is related to „a set of units whose major processes of securitization, desecuritization or both are so interlinked that their security problems cannot reasonably be analyzed or resolved apart from one another“ (Buzan, Waever, de Wilde 1997: 201)“.

Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe and the Operations of Russian State-Owned Energy Enterprises

Author(s): Martin Jirušek,Tomáš Vlček,Hedvika Koďousková,Roger W. Jr. Robinson,Anna Leshchenko,Filip Černoch,Lukáš Lehotský,Veronika Zapletalová / Language(s): English

Dear distinguished reader, It is my utmost honor to present you the first volume of a series of energy security threat assessment studies stemming from the comprehensive, in-depth research of the Energy Security team at the Department of International Relations and European Studies of the Faculty of Social Studies of the Masaryk University conducted with the valuable support of, and in collaboration with, the Prague Security Studies Institute. This study addresses the rapidly evolving energy sector of Central and Eastern Europe, a sensitive, vulnerable region with regard to present and past Russian efforts to exercise varying levels of control over infrastructure, supply and pricing. The authors examine the operations and behavioral characteristics of two key Russian state-owned enterprises in the natural gas and nuclear energy sectors, namely Gazprom JSC and Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, and seek to detect specific patterns and determining factors that shape their decision-making.

Interception of Electronic Communications in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Author(s): Jakub Míšek,Radim Polčák,Václav Stupka,Pavel Loutocký,Tomáš Abelovský / Language(s): English

One of the most important forming factors of the distribution of public powers in the Czech Republic is its totalitarian history. There is a strong sense of distrust towards official institutions in the general public. It is probably due to this fact, that the procedures and powers of public bodies and agencies are set very rigidly. The principle of legality is set in Art. 2 para. 3 of the Czech Constitution (Act No. 1/1993 Sb. Constitution of the Czech Republic), which states that “State authority is to serve all citizens and may be asserted only in cases, within the bounds, and in the manner provided forby law” and in Art. 2 para. 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (the Resolution of the Presidium of the Czech National Council of 16 December 1992 on the declaration of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms as a part of the constitutional order of the Czech Republic No. 2/1993 Sb.), which states that “State authority may be asserted only in cases and within the bounds provided for by law and only in the manner prescribed by law”. Since all the public authorities authorized to intercept telecommunication fall within the scope of these articles, they are permitted to act only within the framework of what is expressly allowed for them by law.

European Financial Systems 2012: 21st and 22nd June 2012

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

The methodical approach to project cost management in the construction industry requires the knowledge of accounting principles applicable to cost calculations. Such knowledge helps to exert actual control over expenses incurred on the execution of a construction investment project. There are various approaches to cost calculation for the presentation in the cost budget of a construction project. In practice, the methods which can be used for this purpose include expert estimation, estimation by analogy, parametric modelling and the specific identification method. The paper focuses on these methods and its main aim is to outline them and indicate their possible applications in economy, taking Poland as an example.

Rasa. Tożsamość. Performans. Rasowość i jej konstrukcje w kulturze Stanów Zjednoczonych

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

Race identity and white hegemony in the US public discourse. Analysis of the performative dimension of the race. Passings, crossovers and blackface/whiteface as forms of masquarade and performance. The construction of race identity in US culture.

Dobrodružství historické interpretace

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

This collection of nineteen essays written by prominent historians demonstrates the diversity of academic approaches. Their work with historical sources, the foundation stone of research, is combined with ethical and aesthetic decision-making, which forms an indisputable part of their work. This is often surprising - both for the readers and themselves. It represents a great intellectual adventure. They cannot invent sources or set arbitrary rules, plots, and twists and turns, as a novelist might. However, they can write a scientific work which is the result of a creative approach.

A Century of Greek–Turkish Relations – A Handbook

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

“A Century of Greek-Turkish Relations is an important handbook written by leading authorities from both shores of the Aegean Sea. Greek and Turkish scholars present in a balanced and objective way, as well as in a graspable and meaningful manner, the main periods in which key events brought the two sides into dispute or even conflict. These events, which are integrated in parallel and conflicting national narratives, fuel the historicity of the two national rivals. A century since the end of the Greek-Turkish war, the trauma of the Greek military defeat and the “disaster of the Asia Minor Greeks”, the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and the emblematic Treaty of Lausanne, render this kind of handbook undoubtedly essential. It opens the discussion to the wider audience in a rational and composed way and most importantly, the reader can follow through the pages, the dialogue between Turkish and Greek scholars. A book of this kind was missing from public history.” – Prof. Sia Anagnostopoulou, Panteion University“As an expert on the subject of “minorities” for the past fifty years with a number of publications in Turkish, English, and French, and based on the experts that are participating in the A Century of Greek-Turkish Relations: A Handbook, there is no doubt that this will become an indispensable tool, and above all, an objective account of the Greek-Turkish relations for both experts and the wider public.” – Prof. (emeritus) Baskin Oran, Ankara University“As editors of this important and timely book, Nikos Christofis and Anthony Deriziotis assert that uneducated narratives have perpetuated misunderstandings within Turkish-Greek relations. In their enlightening work, they dismantle these misconceptions, offering a nuanced exploration of the historical and contemporary complexities between the two nations. By featuring insights from leading experts, this book provides a crucial resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Turkish-Greek relations, presenting new historical insights and analytical viewpoints on bilateral relations.” – Prof. Evren Balta, Özyeğin University“A comprehensive and insightful survey of Greek-Turkish relations. A number of distinguished academics have offered their expertise succeeding in the formidable task of touching upon several sensitive issues avoiding stereotypes and easy readings of problems that are burdened by history. A must read for students and experts alike.” – Prof. Sotiris Roussos, University of Peloponnese

Küreselleşen Dünyada Kadın V: Sağlıktan Sanata, Ekonomiden Siyasete

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

Women in a Global World V: From Health to Art, Economy to Politics offers an in-depth exploration of women’s roles, challenges, and achievements across diverse domains in today’s interconnected world. Edited by Zeynep Banu Dalaman, this volume gathers insights from leading scholars and researchers, dissecting the multifaceted issues impacting women globally and regionally.Organized into six sections, the book begins with the harsh realities of gender inequality, violence, and the institutional support available to women, including discussions on the effects of gender apartheid and misogyny. Moving to the realm of artistic and literary expression, it highlights female resilience and creativity, showcasing iconic figures like Grace Nichols and Paula Scher, and examining the evolution of women’s roles from traditional forms to modern representation.The third section delves into the unique vulnerabilities women face during disasters, including invisible labor and health challenges, while the fourth addresses the economic empowerment of women through employment initiatives, the hurdles of workplace inequality, and strategies for economic resilience. Health-focused topics in the fifth section bring attention to reproductive health, midwifery, and evidence-based practices that impact women’s well-being across life stages.Finally, the book examines women’s political and media representation, from the historical legacy of female leaders to contemporary issues such as gender quotas and gendered disinformation. By interweaving these perspectives, Women in a Global World V provides a profound understanding of women’s ongoing struggle for equality, creativity, and empowerment within a rapidly changing global landscape.Ideal for scholars, policymakers, activists, and anyone interested in the intersections of gender, society, and global dynamics, this volume is a vital resource for understanding and supporting women’s roles in shaping the future.