Maternal Single-Parent Family in Social Risk Situation. Psychosocial and Behavioral Characteristics

Maternal Single-Parent Family in Social Risk Situation. Psychosocial and Behavioral Characteristics

Author(s): Mihaela Gotea,M. Busuioc / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: vulnerable groups; single-parent family; single-mother family

This paper aims to explore some relevant aspects of the intra family dynamics, to reveal the meanings and analyse the evolution of maternal single-parent families that are socially vulnerable, as it is described in the scholarly literature, and to present the specific characteristics of this family type. It also includes some results of a qualitative study carried out among single parent families in social risk situation, from Brasov County. One of the main ideas of the study is that the lack of future prospects and the restricted possibilities to escape from difficult situation, in which they are, induce to single-parents the feeling of fatality, perpetuating undesirable coping styles.

CURRENT CHALLENGES CONCERNING THE LAW OF WATER SERVICES IN HUNGARY

CURRENT CHALLENGES CONCERNING THE LAW OF WATER SERVICES IN HUNGARY

Author(s): János Ede Szilágyi / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: water management law; water law concepts; water services; water utility supplies; agricultural water services.

Water-related challenges exist in almost every country all around the world. These challenges encompass problems connected to different scientific fields, including law. The legal background of water issues is quite fragmented and, furthermore, consists of different levels of law – i.e. international, EU and national law – as well. Though, the present paper focuses on the Hungarian water-related legal challenges, it is absolutely clear that these challenges might not be solved without the achievements of other scientific fields (beyond law), and without a multi-level and comprehensive legal approach. This paper presents the most important focal points of the Hungarian water-legislation (i.e. water law concepts) in consideration of which the law-makers adopt the law concerning water management and water protection. By now, these water law concepts have been developed separately from each other. The present paper draws attention to the importance of integrative instruments among water law concepts. These integrative instruments are elementary to solve the challenges of the 21st century. The paper provides some examples of these integrative instruments. Afterwards, one of the water law concepts is analysed in a deeper way; that is the so-called `water as a natural resource and the subject of commercial deals´, and especially its sub-category, water services. In connection with water services, the paper also assesses the so-called Arad-Békés water service agreement according to which the Hungarian and Romanian parties endeavor to transfer drinking water from Romania to Hungary. Such solutions in water utility supplies may be regarded relatively rare.

BRIEF CONSIDERATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES SPECIFIC TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION LAW

BRIEF CONSIDERATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES SPECIFIC TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION LAW

Author(s): Augustin Fuerea / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: principles of EU law; principle of subsidiarity; principle of loyal cooperation; principle of proportionality.

The principles specific to the implementation of EU law have as characteristic that they mark the specificity of EU law in relation to other legal orders, from national or international point of view. These principles include the principle of conferral, with multiple consequences on the entire EU system, but also the principle of subsidiarity, proportionality or of sincere cooperation.

THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO DELIVER A CANCELLATION JUDGMENT REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO WHICH THE EU IS PARTY

THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO DELIVER A CANCELLATION JUDGMENT REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO WHICH THE EU IS PARTY

Author(s): Roxana-Mariana Popescu / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: competence; Court of Justice of the European Union; action for cancellation; international agreements.

In the case where international agreements are treated as legal acts of EU institutions, they may be subject to judicial review exercised by the Court in Luxembourg. Given the fact that we assimilate international agreements to legal acts of the European Union, we would be tempted to ask ourselves the following questions: to what extent declaring an agreement, by a judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU delivered in the action for cancellation, as being inapplicable to the EU legal order, affects the security of international relationships? If these relationships are affected, is it possible to exclude the subsequent verification conducted by the Court? In the study below, our purpose is to find answer to these questions.

THE LIMITS OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S JURISDICTION TO ANSWER PRELIMINARY REFERENCES

THE LIMITS OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S JURISDICTION TO ANSWER PRELIMINARY REFERENCES

Author(s): Iuliana-Mădălina Larion / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: article 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; preliminary question/reference; preliminary ruling/judgment; court of a member state; jurisdiction limits.

Starting from a concise analysis of the Court of Justice’s jurisdiction in the matter of preliminary references ratione materiae, ratione personae, ratione loci and ratione temporis, the study intends to highlight what preliminary questions this international court can and cannot answer and haw far can its rulings reach into the national law of the member states of the European Union.

The Theory of Unpredictability ”NON HAECIN FOEDERA VENI”

The Theory of Unpredictability ”NON HAECIN FOEDERA VENI”

Author(s): Roxana Matefi,L. Cernea / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: unpredictability; contract; enforcement; risk; fluctuation; equilibrium; circumstances

The present paper presents the institution of unpredictability, one of a great impact within the actual economic context, introduced by the 2011 Romanian Civil Code. Before the coming into force of the present Civil Code, there was no general regulation within this area as the previous regulations contained only few particular ways of applying this theory. The need to regulate this theory was generated by the fact that, while a contract is in effect, the circumstances that existed when the parties concluded it, could suffer substantial changes and, as a result, it needs to be adjusted. The regulation of this institution should be regarded as a step forward, not an impediment, both theoretical and practical in its application by the court. It is without doubt in the context of the economic crisis, this institution had to find its legislative consecration.

Law Institutions in Roman Dacia

Law Institutions in Roman Dacia

Author(s): Cristinel Ioan Murzea / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: moral person; college; universitatis personarum; selling contract; empti instrumentum probationis

From the symbiosis of the indigenous-Dacia system of law and the Roman one, with its divisions “ius civilae”,“ius naturae” and “ius gentium” new institutions became crystallized, specific to both public and private law, which, along with other factors, have defined the important changes undergone by the structure of society in the Carpathian - Danube - Pontic space during the Roman empire occupation. By valorizing the practical sense of the Romans through principles, institutions and legal constructions with a high degree of abstraction and perfection, but also by integrating elements of the legal thinking of the indigenous Geto-Dacians expressed through regulations and local habits, a new system of law was created, one which was influenced by the specific factors of law, thus defining new institutions and regulations of public and private law.

DRONE OPERATORS – LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

DRONE OPERATORS – LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

Author(s): Andrei-Alexandru Stoica / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: drones; operators; International Criminal Court; strike; man-in-the-loop.

Drones or unmanned or remote vehicles represent a new generation of devices that were designed to help mankind achieve better results in areas that were proven to hazardous. By developing drones, new areas of economic activities have been unlocked for better exploitation, but at the same time, the lack of a proper legal system to back-up the new technology allowed a new wave of gray-lined uses of drones that must be tackled. As the Director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institute1 explains in an interview in 2012 that “a revolutionary technology is a game-changing technology on a historic level. It is technology like gunpowder, or the steam engine, or the atomic bomb”. With this in mind, drones mark the revolution to carry out strikes from thousands of kilometers away, while also ensuring a permanent eye in the sky for both military and also law enforcement operations. The aforementioned facts are just small percentages of what a drone is truly capable of and its full potential will only be unlocked once artificial intelligence will become an integral part of robotics.

Appalachians / Carpathians: researching, documenting, and preserving Highland traditions

Appalachians / Carpathians: researching, documenting, and preserving Highland traditions

Author(s): / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Researching and documenting Appalachian and Carpathian traditions: a comparative approach

Researching and documenting Appalachian and Carpathian traditions: a comparative approach

Author(s): Donald E. Davis / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: plenary; Appalachian/Carpathian parallels; Columbian exchange

This address, delivered at the conference plenary, provides an overview of Appalachian/Carpathian scholarly exchanges over the last two decades. It also illuminates the many historical and cultural connections between Appalachia and the Carpathian. The presenter argues that there are more than just superficial similarities between the two mountain regions: individuals from the Appalachians and Carpathians practice the same land-use strategies as a result of “the Columbian Exchange.” For two centuries, people in the Carpathians have been growing and consuming maize, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, peppers and sunflowers, all cultigens from North and South America. Conversely, Appalachians share a unique European ancestry and maintained many Old World cultural traditions well into the 20th century. Additionally, a significant number of Hungarians, Ukrainians, and Romanians settled in Appalachian coalmining communities during the early 20th century. Suggestions for future research and collaboration conclude the discussion.

Representation of History in American and Romanian regional newspapers

Representation of History in American and Romanian regional newspapers

Author(s): Gabriela Chefneux / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: local newspapers; history; lexis; dialogism; argumentation

The paper analyzes the way in which history is represented in local newspapers in the Appalachian and the Western Carpathian regions, areas which have similarities in terms of economy and culture. It starts from the assumption that newspapers represent the world and reinforce the community’s beliefs and values, thus providing social consensus. The paper attempts to identify differences and similarities related to the way in which local and national historical events are presented in such newspapers. The concepts used for the analysis are lexical choices, dialogism and argumentation.

Patterns of intercultural communication: a case study of Caţa rural district

Patterns of intercultural communication: a case study of Caţa rural district

Author(s): Adrian Lesenciuc,Elena Buja / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: intercultural communication; ethnography of communication; S-P-E-A-K-I-N-G

This paper studies the patterns of communication among the ethnic groups living in the Transylvanian rural district of Caţa, aiming at identifying the people’s willingness to communicate and the non-conflictual nature of the dialogue in this rural area. The framework employed in the analysis is Dell Hymes’s (1974) interactional S-P-E-A-K-I-N-G schema. The study is based on data collected by the first author during two periods (August – September, 2012 and January, 2013), using two instruments: the direct, participant observation and the interview. The participants are representatives of four ethnic groups, namely Romanians, Hungarians, Germans and Roma people. The findings of the analysis show that the inter-ethnic communication in Caţa is non-conflictual and non-exclusive due to the people’s openness to adapt to the others and that the limitations of the intercultural dialogue are rather suggested by the administrative authorities and the national ethnic organizations.

Mountain Mystics: magic practitioners in Appalachian witchlore

Mountain Mystics: magic practitioners in Appalachian witchlore

Author(s): J. Tyler Chadwell,Tiffany D. Martin / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: witchcraft; magic; mountains; Appalachia; folklore

Although Witchcraft has been traditionally thought of as mostly a feminine pursuit, Appalachian witchlore showcases many examples of breaking those gender expectations. In the tales collected by Ruth Anne Musick, Gerald Milnes, and Patrick Gainer, both genders equally demonstrate a knowledge of folk-magic practices. Following an examination of the varying tales surrounding Appalachian witchlore, similar themes emerged which can be attributed to, in part, the unique environment cultivated in the region. Commentary on gender, identity, and cultural fears as seen through the lens of the region are on display in these tales. One such example, the common fear of the outsider, is a central theme. Another cultural value of the region, a strong sense of community heightened by the helping hand of one’s neighbor, is present in these tales. Witches can gain magical control through the acquisition of possessions, often through the willingness to lend a helping hand. This article explores the ways in which Appalachian beliefs of witchcraft and magic have prevailed through the years. A current trend show’s Appalachian communities following American trends of holistic medicine and folk remedies. However, anecdotal evidence would suggest that the Appalachian community may never have stopped practicing folk magic of this kind.

The memory of symbolic indeterminations – the founding legends of Râşnov Citadel

The memory of symbolic indeterminations – the founding legends of Râşnov Citadel

Author(s): Rodica Ilie,Andreea Ivan / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: founding legends; Râşnov; multi-ethnic community; symbolic patrimony; axiological structures

This paper retrieves elements and mechanisms of identity to be articulated in a symbolic inventory to the multi-ethnic community of Râşnov. Our aim is to identify the Transylvanian behavioral and attitudinal structures originating with the cohabitation of Saxons, Romanians and Szeklers. Our research points to the fact that the symbolic imaginary and the multiethnic cultural act are embedded in elements of local history and ethical culture and that they constitute a model to the moral experience, in the sense that it reconsiders the relations to the past, to the self and to the otherness. The axiological structures of this community have been identified through the involvement of the subjects in the legitimizing events, in the activated normative, symbolic, or pragmatic-intellectual memory forms.

Surveying the Interval: Henry David Thoreau’s Climb of Saddle-back Mountain in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

Surveying the Interval: Henry David Thoreau’s Climb of Saddle-back Mountain in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

Author(s): Iuliu Raţiu / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: Thoreau; Romanticism; mountain literature; land surveying

In July 1844, on route to the Catskill Mountains in New York, Henry David Thoreau climbed Saddleback Mt. (now Greylock), the highest natural point in Massachusetts. Situated in the northwestern part of the state, the mountain is traversed by a network of hiking trails, including the tail end of the Appalachian Trail. Thoreau later described this experience in his first published book A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, whose manuscript he wrote during his stay at Walden Pond between 1845 and 1847. In my paper, I analyze Thoreau’s description of the climb and cast the ascent as a meditation in the Romantic tradition of the quest for the sacred and for the sublime.

Transylvania: biodiversity, living tradition and future prosperity

Transylvania: biodiversity, living tradition and future prosperity

Author(s): John R. Akeroyd / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: Transylvania; biodiversity; conservation; grassland; farming communities

Transylvania was for centuries a cultured, influential and prosperous region. Today, after decades of poverty and depressed rural economy, it is best known for its rich heritage of traditional rural life and biodiversity. Conservationists, by protecting the natural environment and assisting the economic development of farming communities, are working to protect and enhance the natural wealth of plants and animals. This richness was the basis for much of the region’s former prosperity, particularly in the Saxon Villages area of southeast Transylvania. Most Saxons have now left, but their agricultural heritage can be a sound basis for future economic growth. For both people and nature, this should combine the best of traditional farming practices and innovative technology to achieve an enhanced rural economy that can provide a good livelihood again for farming families.

Globalization and family farm survival in Southern Appalachia

Globalization and family farm survival in Southern Appalachia

Author(s): Chris Baker / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: Southern Appalachia; family farming; tourism; cultural heritage

Southern Appalachian family farming communities continue to support cultural heritage and traditional foodways fueled by expanding tourist markets and middle class demand for fresh local foods. Small farming is integral to rural development - promoting economic and environmentally sustainable practices along with being essential to heritage and land preservation. More than any other aspect of culture, food defines mountain communities which continue to identify with the agricultural landscape and a sense of “food place”. Globalization creates both challenges and opportunities for farm communities requiring we redefine our understanding of the role of local food in development strategies. Lastly scaling up local foods requires a new development narrative challenging the existing food system and sharing power with small-scale agriculture.

Response and Consequence: The Asheville Flood of 1916

Response and Consequence: The Asheville Flood of 1916

Author(s): Anthony DePaul Sander / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: natural disaster; flood; Asheville; industry; environment; Progressive Era

This paper provides an overview of a larger project concerning the environmental, social, and economic ramifications of the Great Flood of 1916 in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The proceedings served as an introduction to a Master’s Thesis on the subject as well as a historiographical essay on the environmental history of southern waterways and disasters. The disastrous flood of 1916 was no “act of God.” The actions of a few powerful white men and women added to the severity of the disaster. The socio-economic priorities of city leaders shifted. Tourism received the full support of Asheville’s government leaders as river-based industries declined. As a result, hundreds of laborers, both black and white, lost their jobs, homes, and places in society. Forced by circumstance, they joined nation-wide migrations to the West and North. This story is about class, race, and the rise of industrial capitalism in America. It also adds to historiography a detailed analysis of the natural disasters that shaped regional socio-economies.

Town Building and Town Persistence in Virginia’s Blue Ridge: Lessons from the Past and for the Future

Town Building and Town Persistence in Virginia’s Blue Ridge: Lessons from the Past and for the Future

Author(s): Barry Whittemore / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Keywords: development; exploitation; Appalachia; towns; railroads

This paper looks at eight towns in the southern Blue Ridge section of Virginia, USA, during their formative stage, circa 1880-1920. It asks why they were built and why some persisted while others faded. Three major factors seem to predict their creation and longevity: 1] the availability of an appropriate transportation system, 2] their level of economic complexity, and 3] the proximity (or distance) to their source of investment capital. Towns based on single resource extraction, financed by distant capital fared the worst, while locally developed, economically diverse communities did well. The results tend to re-enforce Helen Lewis’s Internal Colonial Model. This story of creation and collapse in southern Appalachian America offers a cautionary tale for post-Soviet Eastern Europe.

Appalachia in the Classroom Teaching the Region – Theresa L. Burriss and Patricia M. Gantt (eds.)

Appalachia in the Classroom Teaching the Region – Theresa L. Burriss and Patricia M. Gantt (eds.)

Author(s): Gabriela Chefneux / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016