Influence of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council on EU Relations with Countries of the Eastern Partnership

Influence of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council on EU Relations with Countries of the Eastern Partnership

Author(s): Bruno Vandecasteele / Language(s): English / Issue: 31/2014

The Eastern Partnership initiative has run a bumpy course during its first five years of existence. It has not yet reached its goal of stabilising the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, and drawbacks in relation to each of the Eastern Partnership countries might even lead to the conclusion that the partnership no longer exists. The results are far short of what was expected, with many EU member states having lost their interest in the Eastern Neighbourhood. Nevertheless, the Lithuanian presidency of the Council in the second half of 2013 identified the Eastern Partnership as one of its key priorities, aiming to reinvigorate the EU’s relations with its Eastern neighbours. This article discusses the efforts of the Lithuanian presidency to maintain and strengthen EU-Eastern Partnership relations and analyses the extent to which Lithuania has been influential in this regard. In doing so, it assesses three interlinked indicators: (i) Lithuania’s achievement of goals; (ii) the extent to which the achievement of goals can be ascribed to the presidency; and (iii) the political relevance of Eastern Partnershiprelated developments in 2013. The article concludes that the presidency is not usually influential in existing frameworks for cooperation, but does exert influence in establishing and consolidating cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries in specific policy areas, as well as in providing political backing to push certain measures forward.

The Jews Arrival in Săpânta

SOSIREA EVREILOR ÎN COMUNA SĂPÂNŢA ÎNTRE MIT ŞI ADEVĂR ISTORIC

Author(s): Ileana Sauliuc / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: history of Maramures, Jewish, life story, monography

No one knows exactly when the Jews came in Săpânţa. At least, it hasn’t been discovered yet a document to state for sure their arrival. Probably they came in Săpânţa in the moment when they arrived in Sighet, for the distance between the two localities is almost 20 km.; or, their arrival is related to the invasion in Poland and Russia. Anyway it is certain that at the beginning of the 20th Century there were almost 1000 Jews in Săpânţa: they controlled the inland trade and the land outside the village. The story of their arrival was kept in the collective memory, known from generation to generation, without a certain date: “Only two families were at the beginning, I don’t know exactly when, because they didn’t tell me years, but I know for sure that two Jewish families lived in the centre of the village, in front of the actual Vets. Their burial stones are there too. (…) They maintained their civilized relationships with a strong community from Poland, but it was no space for them there. They told Polish about the Romanians: owning horses, cows, sheep, land; plenty of wood, nobody cut it. So people came from Poland to Săpânţa to see the land and the people went back and taught their children Romanian to be ready to come here. And they did come; the eldest said they had come in a caravan nearby the village, up to a place called “Under the Chair”, beside Tisa. It was summer and they had negotiated with the villagers to buy land inside the village in order to build houses. So they bought land, built houses and they moved in the village. They have carpenters, hammer men, shoe makers, all kind of craftsmen. And they moved in the new houses.

CENSORSHIP IN PRINT

CENZURA ÎN PRESA SCRISĂ

Author(s): Virgil Lazăr / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: censorship, communism, press, memories

The aim of this study is not a theory about censorship but a reconstruction of some of the ways in which it functioned at „Free Romania” Magazine. The study put together memories during the evenings when I was the “clear mind” before the censorship; that is I was responsible for the correctness of the texts to appear in the magazine. About midnight the censor on duty came in and did his job in a passionate way: he had to remove all the words that did not fit to the communist ideology, or the words that he did not understand: synonyms, neologisms and sometimes regional words. But he also took care of print mistakes. Unfortunately, anthological stories are to be remembered: “a caw visit of comrade Niclolae Ceausescu” (a Romanian play on words vita&vizita) or: „the tired activity of comrade Nicolae Ceausescu” (it had to be “untired activity” etc. What was the censorship?!... Officially it was called The Directorate-General of Press and Printed by the Council of Ministers. That is a great authority. Its manager was for 20 years the Jewish Iosif Ardelean, from Transylvania and Horia Panaitescu, Raia Vidraşcu, M. Rosenzweig as deputies. This institution had also a proper ’school’ led by Irina Schwartz, Molho Salvador etc. Censors were focused on publications, publishing houses, radio. And there were departments in all regions of Romania: no book, newspaper, magazine, banner, advertise could appear without its stamp. Being a censor was a secret job. Censors‘analysis and opinions determined the “life” of any written text.

The Image of Childhood in the Villages Nearby Brad (Hunedoara County) Before and After the World War II

IPOSTAZE ALE COPILĂRIEI ÎN SATELE MOŢILOR CRIŞENI, ÎNAINTE ŞI DUPĂ AL DOILEA RĂZBOI MONDIAL

Author(s): Livia Coroi / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: childhood, memory, life-story, collectivization

Although this study is not focused on a large research on childhood, it does reveal main aspects of childhood related to the evolution of the villages nearby Brad, during interwar and the communist regime, the segment of collectivization. Comparing to nowadays, the elders reveals realities of their childhood between the two World Wars: having certain housework to do – in their family or hired by rich families - , bad dressed and having poor dreams for their future. Afterwar, the descendants of kulaks regret their childhood ill-spent in the class struggle of the authorities against their relatives: full of humiliations and restrictions. Generally speaking, regarding the childhood, the role of school is more and more important, as a mean of blackmail for the parents in order to force them to join the collectivization and an instrument for communist indoctrination. The economic duty of the child in the house is diminished, but it is related to the whole family duty for collectivization.

Fragments out of a Journal from the Front

FRAGMENTE DINTR-UN JURNAL DE FRONT

Author(s): Florin Şerbu / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: Journal fragments

The first woman in sport journalism. Her life story

PRIMA FEMEIE JURNALIST SPORTIV DIN ROMÂNIA. POVESTEA VIEŢII

Author(s): Oana Popiţiu / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: life story, interview, journalist, communism, women

The present research is based on a number of aspectualisations of the oral history, i.e of the dimensions attributed to the collective memory and, from a micro-historic perspective, it is trying to reassemble referential details from the communist era. Another purpose of this study is to revisualize behaviors and social judgments characteristic to the communist society by using the biographical narration of the first sports journalist in Romania, Nuşa Demian. In order to evaluate the social construct of that time, we are using the oral history interview. Besides, we have chosen to recreate Nuşa Demian’s biography in order to study the evolution of the woman-journalist in an era when the access of women to the professional life was limited, their emancipation being only meretriciously supported.

ONIK SAHAKIAN: DALI WAS A GURU FOR ME!The story of the artist who lived for 19 years with Salvador Dali

ONIK SAHAKIAN: DALI WAS A GURU FOR ME!The story of the artist who lived for 19 years with Salvador Dali

Author(s): Oana Popiţiu / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: interview

Onik Sahakian obtained a grant at the prestigious Fine Arts Institute of Tehran. His artwork has brought him numerous academic distinctions, including a Masters Degree and Achievement Award from Chouinard School in Los Angeles in 1964, the “Who's who in the World”, Men of Achievement from IBC Cambridge, United Kingdom, in 1986, and the Diploma de Academia Correspondente de Arts from the Academia das Letras e Artes in Lisbon in 1992.

The Extreme Fear. Pitesti Prison (1949-1952)

FRICA IN EXTREMIS. ÎNCHISOAREA PITEŞTI (1949-1952)

Author(s): Dinu Gherman / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: extreme fear, representation, cenesthesia, focalization, analepsis, prolepsis, semantic memory, discourse, Pitesti experiment/ phenomenon, collective fear.

The memorialistic discourse upon the extreme fear experienced by the former Romanian political prisoners during the so-called Piteşti experiment (1949-1952) has developed certain peculiarities. The fear is being conveyed into the narrative discourse mainly through the semantic memory, and the manner of focalization pays special attention to a discursive occurrence we called cenesthesia (a vivid psychological perception of pain). The way some authors bring into the light the fearful past can reveal multiple levels of reality and discourse representation, notifying the presence of fear to an abnormal extent even after many years from the ordeals. The paper also takes into account an inventory of common fears of the Piteşti Prison inmates during this period.

Rosia Montană: Between Local and Global

ROŞIA MONTANĂ: ÎNTRE LOCAL ŞI GLOBAL

Author(s): Dana Cataramă / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: globalization, local history, life story, mentality

The interest of this study is focused on the way Roşia Montană Gold Corporation Project is perceived and interpreted by different social actors. Our research data lead to our attempt to understand the phenomenon Roşia Montană. We focused on how social relationships were affected in the community, because the company’s offer divided the community: some agree the project, others oppose to it. This project also influences native families: to stay and to accept the offer or to leave Roşia Montană and move away.

Oral Testimonies of Romanian Cultural Environment in Serbian Banat in the Beginning of Communist Regime in Yugoslavia

MĂRTURII ORALE PRIVIND SITUAŢIA CULTURALĂ A ROMÂNILOR DIN BANATUL SÂRBESC ÎN ANII INSTAURĂRII REGIMULUI COMUNIST ÎN IUGOSLAVIA

Author(s): Mircea Măran,Aleksandra M. Petrović / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: oral testimony, communism, minor comunity, oral sources

There are around 40 settlements of Romanian national community in the Vojvodina Autonomous Region in the Western part of Banat, the former “historical Banat” that became a part of Yugoslav state after the First World War. According to the statistical data of inhabitants in 1948, the first registry after the Second World War, there were 57 000 Romanians who shared the destiny with the others during the times when Tito’s communist regime was gaining the power. Having in mind the connections that Romania had in the Second World War with Hitler’s Germany, Yugoslav Government did not trust the Romanian community. Transition to the new state governance was painful. The state’s repression of the upper middle class and rich people was not avoided by Romanian peasants. On the other hand, from the very beginning, new state governance was supported by the part of the Romanian intelligence, but also, the other social groups that found their interest to take over the better social positions. As far as the cultural activities are concerned, it was under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Cultural Society. Romanian Cultural Society was founded in 1945 for fulfilling the aims of Yugoslav cultural politics. From 1948 Association of Cultural and Educational activities of Vojvodina that was founded in the time of Informbiro overtook the jurisdiction of cultural activities. The first efforts were made in the last years to collect the data on cultural oral history of Romanian minority during the communist regime. The research that was done in Banat’s villages has indicated the wide spectrum of attitudes, emotions and memories concerning the transition to the socialism and the years when Communist Party of Yugoslavia was getting the power. The results showed that that people were adapting to the new conditions, accepting the reality. In this way, they became a part of the society,socialism that was a different model comparing with the societies in Romania and the other countries of socialistic governance.

The National Movement of Resistance in Oltenia. Tismana Monastery

MIŞCAREA NAŢIONALĂ DE REZISTENŢĂ DIN OLTENIA (M.N.R.O.). ROLUL MĂNĂSTIRII TISMANA

Author(s): Hadrian Gorun,Gheorghe Gorun / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: communism, National Movement of Resistance, monastery, imprisonment

This study deals with the National Movement of Resistance in Oltenia. A few Romanians chose to go in the mountains and to organize military resistance against Soviet occupation and communism. We tried to emphasize the role of the general Ion Carlaonţ, and also the role of the abbot of Tismana monastery, Gherasim Iscu. This place had to represent the center of the movement, a kind of headquarter. The resistance against communism in Gorj and in the region of Oltenia began in 1945. Among the most important personalities, we have to mention Ion Carlaonţ, Aurel Aldea, Gheorghe Cărăuşu, Ştefan Hălălău. Ion Carlaonţ was born in the village of Tihomir (Miculeşti). The main activities were to be carried out in the counties of Gorj and Mehedinţi, especially in the localities Tismana, Apa Neagră and Padeş. Among the collaborators, we mention the following names: Victor Croitoru, Teodor Palamaru, Gherasim Cărăvan (priest in the monastery), Gheorghe Avramescu (the mayor of Tismana village), Ion Raţă from Racoţi-Arjoci, Pătraşcu, Petrişor Bărbulescu, Jean Bărbulescu, gen. Săvoiu, cpt. Căpăţână, Saiu Ciotor and others. The anti-communist fighters were captured by the authorities and condemned to many years of imprisonment: for instance, Ioan Robu twenty years, Ion Carlaonţ fifteen years and father Gherasim Iscu ten years of heavy jail. So, unfortunatelly, the National Movement of Resistance in Oltenia remained only a simple project.

The Moment of Unification of the Two Universities of Cluj „V. Babes” and „J. Bolyai” in the Memory of Students (1959)

UNIFICAREA CELOR DOUĂ UNIVERSITĂŢI CLUJENE „V. BABEŞ” ŞI „J. BOLYAI” ÎN MEMORIA STUDENŢEASCĂ (1959)

Author(s): Ionuţ Ţene / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: university unification, oral history, testimony, university life, memory

After October 1944, when Cluj was liberated of Horthy’s troops an important mission was bringing back the University from its exile in Sibiu. In March 1946, ”King Ferdinand” University opened its gates in the same time as the new Hungarian University “J. Bolyai” did, in order to create a new consciousness according to the ideology of proletarian internationalism. The two Universities cohabited until 1959. In that year the system decided that the Hungarian University has to be integrated to „V. Babeş” University. This moment is remembered by some remarkable nowadays professors: Camil Mureşanu, Csucsuja István, Nicolae Sabău, Vasile Vese, Aurel Negucioiu etc. Our attempt tries to reveal the importance of the oral discourse regarding an official moment in the communist regime. The oral reconstruction of the events connected to the unification of the two Universities is essential in order to have a complete framework of those days.

From places of memory to memory of places

DE LA LOCURILE MEMORIEI LA MEMORIA LOCURILOR

Author(s): Doru Radosav / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: XI/2011

Keywords: memory, oral history, memory of places, local history

There are almost three decades since a project of reconfiguration of memory as a key to actualize the past was initiated, says P. Nora. The experiences of the past accumulated and kept in mind through memories determined a new view on memory as a rich, multifunctional property of human mind. First of all, this study deals with memory as incorporated in history and the consecution of historical facts put to light memories by monuments, museums, archives, symbols, signs etc. All these are integrated to a significant group of human representation and national mythology. Places of memory are connected to collective human behavior. On the other hand, historiographical applications regarding the double relationship places of memory - memory of places bring together geo-linguistics, toponomastics, oral and written culture. On this respect, our study concentrates on a situational analysis, similar to constructivism. To sum up, on the discourse between places of memory and memory of places a new and fruitful dimension appears: orality.

Variations of biopower in lifestyle discourse

Variace biomoci v lifestylovém diskurzu

Author(s): Johana Kotišová / Language(s): Czech / Issue: 02/2011

Keywords: biopower – corporeality – media representation – discourse analysis – lifestyle magazines

The paper is concerned with circulation of biopower in a printed media discourse; it is based on a study, which theoretically builts on Michel Foucault’s approach to power as an omnipresent, polymorph and dynamic relation between energies, on a notion of socially constructive character of media representation and on an idea of human bodily existence not only as an individual, biological, but also as social and political phenomenon. Through the use of discourse analysis of four lifestyle periodicals´ articles covering corporeality, the paper investigates displays of biopower – a power over life and body – within the involved discourse strategies of media representation of corporeality. Research findings depict media as a disciplinary apparatus of society, quasi particular kind of disciplinary institution touching the domain of corporeality. Textually constructed lifestyle magazines consumers’ activity – self-discipline and truth-telling, leading to normalization of their corporeality and satisfying disciplinary power, turns out to be the key process in the course of performing biopower. The study also confirms a strong position of expert knowledge, or interconnection of media and biomedicine discourse.

Reviews

Recenze

Author(s): Radim Wolák,Barbora Osvaldová,Barbora Vacková,Martin Škop,Todd Nesbitt,Michal V. Šimůnek,Jiří Poláček / Language(s): Czech / Issue: 02/2011

Dating Accuracy of Well-Known Public Events

Přesnost datace mediálně známých veřejných událostí

Author(s): Stanislav Ježek,Jana Hoferková ,Aleš Neusar / Language(s): Czech / Issue: 02/2011

Keywords: event dating – public event – date estimate – date recall – temporal schema – landmarks – media

The study examines the accuracy of dating of public events from 2005 to 2008 and explores the properties of events that would enable them to function as temporal landmarks. The accuracy of public-event dating is usually not high even when the events were directly experienced by the respondents. There are only a few events comparable in their impact to the Velvet revolution or the split-up of Czechoslovakia so that they could become a temporal landmark. Nevertheless, each year there are many events which are both important and heavily covered by the media. The study focuses on events from 2006 and 2007 (and several events from 2005 and 2008 are added). Data were gathered via online questionnaire (N = 250; 34 % male). Respondents’ task was to date (or estimate) the month and year for all 35 events and to freely recall events from this period. Respondents knew all events took place within the period of 2005–2008. Analysis focuses on two types of predictors of dating accuracy-event characteristics and participants’ individual characteristics. More accurately are dated those events containing the temporal schema for both month and year (i.e., periodically repeated national votes) and culminating events. More accurate are those people who evaluate their dating memory as better, people with interest in public events (e.g., sport events) and people who have a personal association with the events

Illustrations Related to the Article of Stoyanka Boyadzhieva and Svetla Petkova pp. 45-69

Illustrations Related to the Article of Stoyanka Boyadzhieva and Svetla Petkova pp. 45-69

Author(s): Stoyanka Boyadzhieva,Svetla Petkova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2-3/2003

Illustration pages 48 ff (without pagination in the printed edition)

"Living Human Treasures. List of activities - Bulgaria"

"Живи човешки съкровища. Номенклатура на дейностите - България"

Author(s): Ekaterina Anastasova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2-3/2003

Illustrations Related to the Article of Lyubomir Mikov and Bojidar Alexiev pp. 70-87

Illustrations Related to the Article of Lyubomir Mikov and Bojidar Alexiev pp. 70-87

Author(s): Lubomir Mikov,Bozhidar Alexiev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2-3/2003

Illustration pages 80 ff (without pagination in the printed edition)

Editorial

Editorial

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2-3/2003