School libraries in Poland: selected issues

Biblioteki szkolne w Polsce – wybrane zagadnienia

Author(s): Justyna Osiecka-Chojnacka / Language(s): / Issue: 10/2015

Keywords: Poland; school libraries;

The article provides an overview of the current functioning of school libraries in Poland. The main focus is placed on the challenges as the local governments which manage the schools often underestimate the value added by the libraries. The author presents the legal framework, ongoing disputes and current legislative initiatives related to that subject, as well as the data on school libraries and relevant development programmes. She claims that tackling legal, organizational, financial and other substantive school libraries’ issues requires an accurate diagnosis and co-operation among central government, local authorities and teachers.

People, robots, androids: An assumption of corporeality

Хора, роботи, андроиди – хипотези за телесност

Author(s): Veneta Doycheva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2015

The paper treats the issue of robot as a dramatic character. The play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek is analysed focusing on the robots and the idea of the corporeal principle. The contained therein comparisons between robots and humans are followed from the vantage point of the notions of normality, abnormality and monstrosity. The predictive insight of Čapek is accentuated, who has brought up for discussion the coexistence between humans and humanoid robot and has promoted horizons that contemporary practices open up in a new light. A parallel is drawn between Čapek’s problematics and the Oriza Hirata’s play ‘Sayonara’ (‘Goodbye’) meant to be performed by an android actress alongside a human actress. The actual sensitivity about the effect of virtuosity in the anthropomorphism of bio-robots, their theatrical use and audience reception are commented.

Perceptions of long edit sequences of fight and action scenes

Възприятия на дългите монтажни серии на бойни и екшън сцени

Author(s): Yosif Astrukov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2015

Action is among the most cinematographic genres. Ever since the advent of cinema, the genre has developed rapidly, making now the highest-grossing films with the biggest budgets. Practically, action occurs in all commercial genres. The paper treats the trends in action movies and two elements in particular: fight and chase scenes. Three major trends are highlighted: of increasing dynamism, movement on the brink of perceptions and the ‘endless’ duration of action episodes and the way these are taken by the audiences.

Aesthetic effect and social reception of children’s film

Естетическо въздействие и социална рецепция на филмите с детска тематика

Author(s): Radostina Neykova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2015

Children’s film evinces all the elements of the processes of human individualisation. Children’s movies show key moments of the way worked up by or lying ahead for human consciousness. The issues of on-screen vision in contemporary children’s stories could be addressed in the light of receptive aesthetics, whose roots underlie various theoretical platforms (phenomenology, psychoanalyse, cognitive psychology, etc.). This methodology focuses on the meaning of the work, on the way in which the messages are generated, rather than on the analysis of the stylistic and aesthetic specifics of a movie; it does not search (as is the case) for the roots of a screen work in reproducing the fairy story, but rather accentuates the shaping of the meaning of the work itself, of the outcome of the process of its active perception and intercommunication with viewers.

Stanislavski’s system and Socialist Realism

Системата на Станиславски и социалистическият реализъм

Author(s): Rumiana Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2015

The article is part of a study on Bulgarian theatre under socialism. It focuses on the imposition of the doctrine of Socialist Realism as an official art style in theatrical productions. Using documents, the paper seeks to establish when and how this has happened. It presents also the tenets of Socialist Realism. When Socialist Realism was imposed onto theatrical productions, this created a need for certain methods providing specific instructions not only for casts and directors, but also for stagings as a whole. Stanislavski’s system proved to be the right method. The article traces how Stanislavski’s system has been presented and imposed on Bulgarian theatre. The paper arrives at the conclusion that communist authorities used a simplified, expanded, and ideologically interpreted version of Stanislavski’s work in order to establish Socialist Realism as the only acceptable method of staging.

Film distribution, exhibition and film market after 1989: Processes and periodization

Киноразпространение, кинопоказ и кинопазар след 1989 година – процеси и периодизация

Author(s): Alexander Donev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2015

Film distribution and exhibition are undergoing a profound transformation after 1989. It’s not just about breaking the state’s monopoly and prioritising private capital as a form of ownership pertaining to the current economic organizations. The period was also characterized by a radical change in the structure of the film repertoire and a significant reduction in the number of operating theatres. The paper outlines the stages undergone by this transformation, the main trends typical of it, the way these processes reflect upon the relationship between Bulgarian film audiences and national film between the early 1990s and the mid-2010s.

The Newly-Discovered Old Bulgarian Canon for Whit Sunday and its Byzantine Model

Новооткритият старобългарски Канон за Неделя Петдесетница и неговият византийски образец

Author(s): Georgi Popov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3/2006

The newly-discovered Old Bulgarian Canon for Whit Sunday is published together withthe iambic canon of John of Damascus.The acrostic formed by the initial letters of the verses in the heirmoi and the troparia reveals the characteristic features of Old Bulgarian and the Old Bulgarian glagolitic script.The text of the newly-discovered Old Bulgarian Canon for Whit Sunday is new and important evidence of the wide use of the acrostic and the skilful application of its most complicated metric form in the hymnographic practice of the disciples of Cyril and Methodius.

Textual Observations on the Church Slavonic Gospel in B. Tjapinsky's Belarusian Protestant Edition from the Second Half of the 16th Century

Текстологические наблюдения над церковнославянским Евангелием по изданию белорусского протестанта В. Тяпинского второй половины XVI в

Author(s): Ihar Klimau / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 3/2006

In the bilingual (Old Belarusian and Church Slavonic) Gospel printed in Belarus in the 1570s Tjapinsky quotes readings from two early Church Slavonic versions of the Gospel in margine, referred to as aprakasb and tetrb. The analysis of the readings shows that Tjapinsky used the text of a complete lectionary. Tjapinsky's quotations show furthermore that he used a text that belongs to the Preslav tradition when referring to the lectionary. His variants in margine contain in many cases Preslav readings (42 examples) and agree almost completely with Slavova's 1988 list of Preslav variants. The material from Tjapinsky's variants allows to expand Slavova's list considerably. Readings from the tetrb are quoted by Tjapinsky only 4 times, but those variants are typical of the Cyrillo-Methodian version. Tjapinsky's variants are the result of textual criticism in domain of vocabulary, but in domain of sentence such variants are appeared in a few cases only and they are almost never of a grammatical nature. The analysis of Tjapinsky's edition is very important in order to understand the history of transmission and preservation of the Bible text in the Slavonic world. Tjapinsky presumably used the knowledge about different versions of the Church Slavonic Gospel available in his time. This knowledge can be reconstructed to a certain extent. Furthermore we may assume that a certain stability of the Gospel text was reached before the 2nd half of the 16th century.

The Bulgarian-Byzantine Dialogue in the Domain of Culture

Le dialogue byzantino-bulgare dans le domaine de la culture

Author(s): Vassil Gjuzelev / Language(s): French / Issue: 3/2006

In the article are presented the points of view of the famous Bulgarian and foreign researchers about centuries-old Bulgarian-Byzantine cultural dialogue. It is explained essence of the concept “Bulgarian-Byzantine Cultural Dialogue” and its manifestations during VII-XV C. It is defended the concept that the Christianization plays a fundamental role for the changing of pagan Bulgarian cultural model.

The "Archaic" Inscription on the Big Stone Cross

„Архаичният“ надпис на Големия каменен кръст

Author(s): Jordan Tabov,Nikolay Todorov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3/2006

Due to the symbols IYI inscribed upon it, the so-called Big Stone Cross from North-East Bulgaria attracts the attention of investigators of ancient Bulgarian history. The inscriptions and the symbols on it were described and analysed in a recent monograph by Peter Dobrev and Milena Dobreva. Of special interest is the "archaic" inscription in Cyrillic in the lower part of the cross, which they consider to have been written in the 1 Oth с in the language of the ancient "non-Slavic" Bulgarians, and for which they propose a translation from the point of view of roughly speaking the "Eastern languages" (of the Iranian and Caucasian peoples). In a recent Internet publication Ivan Dobrev suggests a "mixed" translation: according to him the first two lines are in Walachian, and the next ones are in Bulgarian.The purpose of this paper is: 1) to argue for the thesis that the inscription is in Walachian and that it was created most probably in the 18th c, and 2) to propose a translation, thus stimulating further investigations of the inscription as well as of the entire cross.

Charles Gribble at 70

Чарлз Грибъл на 70 години

Author(s): Veselka Zhelyazkova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3/2006

On the Translation of the Book on Early Medieval Notation by C. Floros with Special Emphasis on Its Importance for the Study of Early Bulgarian Orthodox Chant

On the Translation of the Book on Early Medieval Notation by C. Floros with Special Emphasis on Its Importance for the Study of Early Bulgarian Orthodox Chant

Author(s): Svetlana Kujumdzieva / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2006

Cyrillo-Methodian Lectures 2006

Кирило-Методиевски четения 2006

Author(s): Tatjana Plachkova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3/2006

The essence of the legal institution of citizenship

O istocie instytucji prawnej obywatelstwa

Author(s): Dorota Pudzianowska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: citizenship; civil rights; civic duties; national law; international law

The article focuses on the essence of the institution of citizenship by describing its elements which are of constitutive character. It first reviews multiplicity of meanings and applications of this institution and its legal definitions. The author claims that from the legal point of view the relation created by the institution of citizenship is twofold: intrastate, but also legal and international. Therefore, the characteristics of citizenship have to take into consideration this dual character. In the final section she discusses which rights and responsibilities are vital element of institution of citizenship.

EU citizenship

Obywatelstwo Unii Europejskiej

Author(s): Ewa Wojnarska-Krajewska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: EU citizenship; freedom of movement; prohibition of discrimination

This article deals with the issue of European Union citizenship.Since 1992, both the Treaties and the case law of the Court of Justice havehelped to create a direct and evolving bond of citizenship between the individualand the Union. Any person who holds the nationality of an EU memberstate is automatically also an EU citizen. EU citizenship is additional to and doesnot replace national citizenship. Moreover, European citizenship is evolving notonly as a direct bond between the citizen and the Union but also as a sphereof relationships between the citizen and all the member states. That aspect ofcitizenship guarantees all the nationals the right to move freely throughout theterritory of the Union, as well as the right to reside in any member state.

Growth of the non-governmental sector in Poland after 1989

Rozwój sektora organizacji pozarządowych w Polsce po 1989 r.

Author(s): Grzegorz Makowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: civil society; non-governmental organizations; third sector; public benefit; civic activity; democratic transformation

The main objective of the paper is to present a brief characteristics of the process of development of the third sector in Poland after the fall of communism in 1989. The author first discusses the theoretical background of the idea of non-governmental sector and the discourse upon which in Poland this sector was constituted as a domain of associations and foundations activity. Next, the turning points in the recent history of the third sector in Poland, are presented. They are linked in particular to the adoption of two historical pieces of legislation – the Act of 1989 on Associations and the Act of 2003 on Public Benefit Activity and Volunteering. The author also reviews the key current problems of the third sector in Poland which serves as an attempt to foresee in which direction Polish non-governmental orgnisations (NGOs) may evolve in the near future.

Trust as a foundation for civic society – challenges for Polish education

Zaufanie jako fundament społeczeństwa obywatelskiego – wyzwania dla polskiego szkolnictwa

Author(s): Justyna Osiecka-Chojnacka / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: social capital; trust; education policy; opinion polls

The article looks at the concept of social capital which emphasizes the importance of trust and co-operation for strengthening civic society. The author presents the data on the crisis of trust in Poland and reviews the activities for overcoming this crisis through the education system. She claims that it will require fundamental changes in the model of Polish school.

Participatory budgeting as a form of civic activity in the Polish local government units

Budżet obywatelski jako przejaw aktywności społecznej – analiza doświadczeń na przykładzie jednostek samorządu terytorialnego

Author(s): Monika Korolewska,Kamilla Marchewka-Bartkowiak / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: participatory budgeting; civil society; public governance

An analysis of experience. The article presents the results of a research conducted by the Bureau of Research of the Chancellery of the Sejm on the first experiences with participatory budgeting in selected local government units in Poland, which is one of the newest initiatives undertaken within a broader concept of public governance. The authors also assess the current state and perspectives for participatory budgeting.

Internet users in Poland and their civic potential in the perspective of the digital divide and social capital

Użytkownicy internetu w Polsce i ich obywatelski potencjał w perspektywie cyfrowego podziału i kapitału społecznego

Author(s): Tomasz Masłyk / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: internet; digital divide; social capital; civil society; Social Diagnosis

This article presents the characteristics of Internet users in Poland in the digital divide perspective, taking into account the scale of civic engagement of Internet users and non-users. This goal was achieved in three steps. Firstly, the author presents sociodemographic characteristics of Poles who use Internet. Secondly, the nature of civic activity was specified in relation to the social capital amount of users and non-users, taking into account differences in civic initiatives in which they are engaged. Thirdly, the author presents the relationship between social capital which remains at the disposal of Internet users and scale of the use of Internet social functions through which social capital can be accumulated and mobilized. The empirical analysis was based on the data from the Diagnoza Społeczna (Social Diagnosis) research of 2013.

Social impact bonds – a new instrument to finance social services

Obligacje społeczne – nowy instrument finansowania zadań społecznych

Author(s): Kamilla Marchewka-Bartkowiak,Marcin Wiśniewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2015

Keywords: social impact bonds; social services; pay-for-success concept; social finance

The article analyses a new financial instrument, social impact bond, which aim to achieve social outcomes on a pay-for-success basis. The authors present the mechanism of this instrument, the advantages and challenges related to its use, and selected examples of social impact bonds worldwide. They claim that public entities should not be the only one to bear responsibility for the outcomes of the social tasks, and more and more non-governmental organizations and private entities cooperate and participate in performing public administration tasks.