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The article deals with the third resource of the EU budget, which is a certain percentage of VAT returned by Member States. It focuses on correlation between average propensity to consume and Member states’GNP per capita. It is a response to critical assessments of alleged regressiveness of the third resource resulting from presumed higher relative consumption in poor vis-à-vis rich countries. Correlation analysis confirms relatively high negative interdependency of both variables. However, the author does not recommend to link VAT payments to average propensity to consume. The results indicate that besides economic prosperity there are also other factors influencing the average propensity to consume. This is even clearer from the EU-13 model not comprising Greece and Luxembourg, which significantly codetermine the intensity of measured dependency. Comparison of average propensity to consume and GNPpc with the average figures for EU-15 shows four Member States where the negative correlation does not hold. The author also estimates the position of individual Member States towards further existence of VAT as an EU budget resource, including its possible abolition. While proportional payments are among realistic possibilities, introduction of progressive elements into EU budget payments is considered politically unacceptable. Despite the discussed disadvantages, VAT is found as the most appropriate tax revenue for the common EU budget.
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The article looks into Austrian attitude to security co-operation in Central Europe. Austria has arrived at a very flexible definition of its neutrality concept. The recent security and defence doctrine (2001) describes Austria not as a neutral but as a “non-allied state”. In has introduced the principle of “European solidarity” in the Austrian security policy. The neutrality, however, remains to be a sensitive political issue, which splits the Austrian society. The regional partnership has created a new regional platform, which has produced positive results in several policy sectors. At the same time, the real political potential of the co-operation has yet to be seen, mainly in the course of the EU-enlargement. The security dimension of regional co-operation has developed with some dynamism. It testified willingness and ability of the military and experts to work with regional partners. Nonetheless, the co-operation has remained largely low-key. The reasons are, firstly, that the prioritising of the orientation of Austria to the West prevented Vienna from an active regional policy for most of the 1990s. Secondly, and in the long run even more crucially, the non-allied status of Austria hampers the security co-operation in the most crucial areas: defence, sharing of sensitive information, sharing and thus cutting the costs of rearmament and modernisation of the armed forces and of the defence infrastructure.
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The article addresses issues related to the growing importance of non-governmental organizations and social movements in world politics. The key question that the article deals with is whether there are structures of global political activism in the making? In other words, is a “global civil society” being constituted? If yes, how does this “global civil society” relate to local actors? Are global actors partners in the building of local activism? In addition, how do the actors of the “global civil society” relate to states? Do they transcend the confines of the state? In order to answer these questions, the article first describes the evolving debate around the issue of transnational relations. During the last decade this issue has become an important research problem in at least two social scientific disciplines –the theory of international relations and the theory of collective action. Moreover, the attention paid to transnational social movements and networks of non-governmental organizations has influenced debates in certain fields of political theory where actors described as “global civil society” came to be perceived as the manifestation of reformist hopes associated with globally organized civic activism. This activism is believed to hold the promise of future global democratization. In sum, the issue of transnational relations and transnational political action is an interdisciplinary problem. The aim of this article is to answer the specified questions above. It reflects the most important aspects of the debate on transnational political action. The ambition of the article is to critically assess both empirically oriented approaches and normatively motivated explorations of the possibilities for global democratization through political involvement of transnational movements and non-governmental organizations. The paper maintains that the concept of “global civil society” is applicable for the description of political action “beyond borders” only under...
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The article aims to review the political developments in African states throughout their recent post-colonial past. Uprooting political violence and anchoring a stable structure based on a society- wide consensus being just two of the several prerequisites for solving so many other problems which trouble Africa today, this article aims to diagnose at least some root causes and consequences of the generally unsatisfactory political situation on the continent. Having identified a set of political instability symptoms (coups d’état, civil wars, failed putches etc.) the author first ranks African states according to their political instability rate. On the basis of statistical correlation analysis, the author then investigates the relation between political instability in Africa and a number of quantifiable geographical, demographical, military and economic variables. The author has identified some dispositions increasing – though with only small statistical significance – the probability of instability in African states. In order of importance, these include: large territory, high illiteracy rate, low urbanisation, high number of ethnic groups living within the territory, and large population. Also, there is a close link between political instability and governmental military spending. It probably has a negative impact on a number of key economic indicators, be it GDP growth, GDP per capita levels, domestic savings, or price level developments. In the final part of his article, the author makes a brief summary of political developments in African countries in the 21st century.
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This article reviews the major contribution made by studies of physical anthropology to the development of a theory of human mortuary practice throughout time. We will briefly present the main directions of physical anthropology, grouped into specific trends developed by different schools over time. The knowledge gained, and the methods and techniques developed by physical anthropology in the last century allow the development of modern theories about past populations and their specific social behaviour. Taking into account the scope of the subject, we limit our presentation only to those authors who have made a major contribution to the development of theoretical and methodological practices within physical anthropology.
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Cet article présente des objets de parure en terre cuite découverts sur plusieurs sites énéolithiques du département de Dâmboviţa, ces sites appartenant à la culture Gumelniţa se trouvent sur la rivière Neajlov ou sur la Dâmboviţa. Du point de vue typologique, les objets forment quatre groupes: les pendentifs coniques, les pendentifs-plaques, les pendentifs zoomorphes ou les pendentifs-colliers. Le dernier ne possède aucune analogie connue dans la culture Gumelniţa. Pour chaque type de pendentif présenté sont discutés des aspects typologiques et chronologiques.
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This paper aims to present details of some of the hearths discovered at Vităneşti ‘Măgurice’ tell settlement, belonging to both B1 and A2 phases of Gumelniţa culture. The level corresponding to the later phase was partially investigated through a small surface excavation. Despite the generally poor preservation of hearths some interesting details regarding construction were revealed, especially for those from the later phase.
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This study aims to present a group of objects belonging to the early Neolithic, category of finds known as 'altars', 'small altars' or 'cult tables’. The items were discovered on sites in Măgura, Teleorman County and are one of the largest groups of such objects found in southern Romania. The artefact types belonging to two chronological sequences: Starčevo-Criş I and Starčevo- Criş III are examined. The discussion takes into account the terminology, functionality, morphology and context of the finds, as well as their connection to similar discoveries in south-eastern Europe.
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The issue of craft activities and the spaces within which they were performed has been a constant topic of discussion amongst archaeologists working in this area. Traditionally, when we talk about the existence of ‘workshops’ we have to consider those structures which display features distinct from those perceived as belong to a house. The presence of craft workshops within a settlement has traditionally been seen as an indication of its ‘special’ status. The question that arises is how can we identify a workshop, and what are the criteria for distinguishing between the buildings deigned for living in and those built specifically for the manufacture of goods. The purchase of iron and iron tools and weapons was a preoccupation for people living in this area. The iron ‘embargo’ imposed on this part of the Byzantine Empire meant that other sources of raw materials had to be found in the surrounding areas. This study presents and analyzes the main complexes interpreted as workshops in this area, and discusses other discoveries connected with craft manufacture.
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Between 1867 and 1873, Dimitrie C. Butculescu (1845-1916) carried out an archaeological excavation of the tell settlement of ‘Măgura Calonfirescu’, located on his family estate in Ţigăneşti (Teleorman county). The results of the excavation were published by Butculescu in a periodical paper called ‘Revista contimporană. Litere, arte, şciinţe’ (Bucharest). This article, published over three edition of the journal in 1873 (totaling 30 pages with illustrations), can be considered the first Romanian archeological report focused on a prehistoric site. Here, this rare article is published again, with only minimal editing from Butculescu’s original text.
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In this article we present some of the pottery and metal objects found during excavations conducted by Emil Moscalu between 1969 and 1975. These objects are dated to the second half of the 4th century BC and possibly in the first half of next century.
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L-am cunoscut pe Vasile Boroneanţ sub o bagheta comună, aceea a marelui salvator şi creator de Şcoală pentru cercetarea paleoliticului din România - regretatul profesor C.S. Nicolăescu- Plopşor. Într-unul din marile sale proiecte de cercetare, la Porţile de Fier, aduna, printre cercetătorii din diverse domenii, cu predilecţie pe cei dedicaţi arheologiei paleoliticului. Eram la începutul carierei mele, constatând prea repede că aveam să fiu şi ultimul dintre tinerii căruia viaţa îmi oferise şansa să beneficiez de protecţia marelui profesor.
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Vasile Boroneanţ s-a născut la 28 decembrie 1930 în comuna Conop, jud. Arad, fiul lui Vasilie Boroneanţ, acar la CFR şi al Fronei. Copilul Lie, cum îl alintau acasă, urmează şcoala primară în Ghioroc, jucându-se şi învăţând într-un mediu multi-etnic (având colegi români, maghiari, germani, ceangăi), ca în mai toate satele din Transilvania. Paşii au părut să îl conducă o vreme spre un domeniu economic, în 1942 promovând examenul de admitere la Şcoala medie tehnică de administraţie economică din Lipova, pe care a urmat-o până în primăvara lui 1950. În toamnă aceluiaşi an a dat însă admitere la Facultatea de Istorie din Bucureşti. Pe întreaga durată a studiilor universitare (1951-1954) fost ghid la Muzeul Naţional de Antichităţi iar vacanţele universitare le-a petrecut pe şantierele arheologice de la Traian, Hlincea-Iaşi şi Suceava, însoţindu-i pe Corneliu Mateescu, Mircea Petrescu-Dîmboviţa şi Hortensia Dumitrescu.
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Dans cet article on présente un nombre de représentations ornithomorphes provenant des sites Precucuteni et Cucuteni de la région sous-Carpatique de la Moldavie en Roumanie. Ce genre de pièces est assez rare dans la zone étudiée, où les représentations prédominantes sont celles des quadrupèdes. Selon le modelage, les pièces peuvent être divisées en plusieurs types: des statuettes ornithomorphes, des vases ornithomorphes, des vases avec des attributs ou les protomés ornithomorphes.
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While going through the main data on the Iron Gates Mesolithic, the present paper suggests a chronological approach of the local Mesolithic based on the important number of 14C dates available at this point. Nevertherless, data is biased by the fact that important sites lack the publication of substantial archaeological data and new 14C dates. The proposed chronology is provisional but adaptable to new information, when available.
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This paper discusses some Thessalian type Vinča anthropomorphic figurines discovered around Hinova village in Mehedinţi county. The majority were discovered during surface surveys by Al. Bărcăcilă in 1920-1921 with others recovered later by D. Berciu. Eleven figurines have been discovered on the Ostrovul Corbului ‘Botul Piscului’ site, and one at Hinova ‘Pichetul de grăniceri’. These Thessalian type figurines are characterised by the presence of a vertical perforation. In some cases these perforations permeate the entire figurine, while in other cases there are two holes, one on the upper part of the figure and another on the lower part. It appears that the upper holes could have been use to insert another piece, like a clay umbrella or a hat where figurines have a head. In other cases we can presume that separate heads were inserted into these holes.
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This paper introduces the unpublished Stoicani-Aldeni materials from Bârlăleşti- ‘Stanţia’ settlement, Vaslui County, discovered during excavations conducted by Silvia Marinescu-Bîlcu in 1963. Various issues are examined in relation to the pottery, such as the relationship between shape and function, the significance of the decoration and the analogy between vessel shape and the human body.
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