Balkan - teror kulture

Author(s): Ivan Čolović / Language(s): Serbian

Ivan Čolović is an ethnologist, an essayist, and the founder of The 20th Century Library (1971). He has published thirteen books and numerous articles on issues and problems of literature, urban ethnology, ethno-linguistics, and political anthropology. In the thirteen essays of which tis book consists the author speaks of culure as a detonator of hatred and wars in the Balkans. ”I had seen it at work over the years of crisis and war in former Yugoslavia, then I saw it come out of that cisis and those wars more or less intact and ready, to serve – if need be – the same purpose – that of detonating. This prompted me to pay particular attention to the post-war ”patriotic” discourse about culture in Serbia and other Balkan countries in order to determine in which manner, thanks to these retorical strategies, it manages to preserve its explosive potential. Thus, I became interested in myths of the so called ”national spiritual and cultural space” or those of ostensible organic oneness between the Balkan nations and the soil on which they live, and to which they lay exclusive claim. My attention was focused on cults of the national tongue, of poets and their tombs and monuments, of the epic tradition and its main symbol ”the gusle”.(From the Foreword).

Политичка антропологија и модерни светски систем

Author(s): Vladimir Ribić / Language(s): Serbian

HELSINŠKE SVESKE №14: Vlasi ili Rumuni iz istočne Srbije i “Vlaško pitanje”

Author(s): Dragomir Dragić / Language(s): Romanian,Serbian

(Serbian and Romanian edition) Uoči popisa stanovništva u Saveznoj republici Jugoslaviji, odnosno u Republici Srbiji, neophodno je detabuizirati tzv. “vlaško pitanje”. Naime, postoji neodrživo nasleđe u tumačenju forme i sadržaja ovoga pitanja. U ovoj brošuri Forum za kulturu Vlaha (na vlaškom: Forumu' pėntru Cultura a Rumâńilor) govori o Vlasima u istočnoj Srbiji, tačnije rečeno između Morave, Dunava i Timoka, kao produktu romanizacije, a ne o nekoj kategoriji “vlaha” koji nemaju takav etnički predznak. Nekih drugih “vlaha” i nema na pomenutom prostoru, sem ako se ne izmisle. Romanizacija kao fenomen započeo je sa rimskim zaposedanjem Ilirika, na istočnoj obali Jadrana, u III veku pre nove ere, a na prostorima gde i danas žive na jezicima nepripadnika tzv. Vlasi, posle 168. godine p.n.e. Tada je nestala antička Makedonija da bi se na jugu Balkanskog poluostrva instaliralo Rimsko carstvo. Ovo carstvo se u prvom veku nove ere proširilo do Dunava, a sa Trajanovim osvajanjima, od 101. do 105. godine nove ere, i preko Dunava. Tako je nastala Trajanova Dakija koja opstaje do 271. godine n.e. Te godine, iz strateških razloga, po odluci imperatora Aurelijana, Rimljani i deo romanizovane populacije napuštaju prostore severno od Dunava, pa se južno od Dunava uspostavlja Aurelijanova Dakija. Ovde se nastavlja proces romanizacije autohtone populacije Tračana, kao i onih koji su iz različitih motiva došli ili su dovedeni sa raznih drugih strana Rimske imperije. Verovatno je taj proces osnažen i promenom u rimskoj legislaciji kroz unifikaciju statusa rimskih građana Ediktom imperatora Karakale 212. godine. Tako su se u jugoistočnoj Evropi rodili “Vlasi”. Zbog intenzivnosti tog procesa na karpatsko-podunavskom prostoru, istorijski gledano ovo šire područje se može označiti prostorom gde su se pojavili “Vlasi”, tj. to je “vlaški matični prostor”. U današnje vreme, imajući u vidu istorijske i antropološko-kulturološke promene koje su se dogodile u proteklih dva milenijuma, tako se može kvalifikovati samo današnja Rumunija. U etnogenetskim procesima, za koje se smatra da su se okončali od VII-X veka, ovaj balkanski element je dobio novo ruho. Njegovom uobličavanju u novi etnički entitet doprinos su dali i Sloveni u svom pomeranju na Balkanskom poluostrvu. U toku ili pri kraju takvog procesa došlo je do razdvajanja severnog i južnog ogranka ove populacije, koja se pod imenom Vlaha pominje u istoriji 976. godine, povodom pogibije Davida, brata cara Samuila. Još iz najranijih vremena Germani su susedne Kelte i Rimljane nazivali WALHOS. Kasnije se ova etnička odrednica suzila na romanizovane populacije koje su dobile svoju latinsku identifikaciju ROMANUS. Od ova dva naziva nastale su hipostaze koje poznajemo i u današnje vreme, uključujući i slovenski naziv “Vlah, Vlasi”, odnosno “vlaški”, na rumunskom književnom jeziku “Român, Români”, na rumunskom narodnom govoru “Rumân, Rumâni” (kao npr. u Dosoftejevom Psaltiru u stihovima na rumunskom iz 1673., te u Šerbanovoj Bibliji na rumunskom iz 1688., itd.), naime na muntenskom, krišanskom, maramureškom, moldavskom i banatskom narečju rumunskog jezika.

POZIMNOWOJENNE DWUDZIESTOLECIE: 1989–2010

Author(s): Roman Kuźniar / Language(s): Polish

Książka jest pierwszą w naszej literaturze przedmiotu autorską próbą analizy przemian w życiu międzynarodowym po zimnej wojnie. Roman Kuźniar nie uchyla się przy tym od ocen. Polityka bowiem, podobnie jak inne sfery ludzkiej aktywności, nie dzieje się poza dobrem i złem. Książka ma przy tym charakter systematycznego wykładu, który obejmuje wszystkie regiony świata oraz główne dziedziny i problemy stosunków międzynarodowych w tym okresie. Punktem wyjścia rozważań jest konsekwentne przedstawienie przebiegu zimnej wojny. Następnie autor opisuje wydarzenia i procesy z okresu dwóch następnych dekad – istotnie różniących się od siebie. Od kryzysu 2008 datuje zaś nową epokę.Książka adresowana jest w szczególności do studentów stosunków międzynarodowych, ale jest też niezastąpioną lekturą  dla wszystkich interesujących się problemami współczesnego świata.

Ústav pro studium totalitních režimů - Archiv bezpečnostních složek

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English,Czech

This prospect is a guide to the activities of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. In the first part has been described the purpose of the establishing of the Institute for the Study of totalitarian regimes. Large space is dedicated to the introduction of the books and journals published in the Institute. The second part describes the function of the Security Services Archive.

Osud odbojové organizace Černý Lev 777 - Příspěvek k historii ozbrojeného odporu proti komunistickéme reïmu v Československu

Author(s): Tomáš Bursík / Language(s): Czech

This study describes the history of Černý lev 777 (“Black Lion 777”), one of the anti-Communist resistance groups in the former Czechoslovakia. The study is based on primary sources including the memories of the sister of one of the executed members of Černý lev 777, and also uses resources containing some characteristics of the more general relationships that relate to the topic of the third resistance in Czechoslovakia. Černý lev 777 proves that there were, and are, people who were not content to remain merely unresponsive victims of the Communist atrocities and decided to act. This meant taking a weapon and responding with adequate steps to combat the Communist totalitarian regime. From this viewpoint, the activities of Černý lev 777 in the broader Czechoslovak context may appear equal to those of, for instance, the Mašín brethren and others. Jiří Řezáč, Jaroslav Sirotek and Bohumil Šíma, the key representatives of Černý lev 777 and their companions responded to the Communist doctrine of class struggle in the same manner and decided to put up an active resistance. Stockpiling weapons, intimidating Communist Party officials, fighting to prevent the collectivisation of village farmsteads and attempting to establish links with foreign intelligence agents were some of the activities Černý lev 777 was involved in. Its greatest acts were the bomb blasts which destroyed the district committee offices of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in Sedlčany in July 1949 and in Milevsko in May 1950. It was not until 5 years after the group’s first actions that the members were arrested, at the beginning of July 1954. Besides the members of the anti-Communist organisation, many other people, such as relatives, friends and people who had nothing in common with Černý lev 777, were arrested over a few weeks. Much is already known about the investigation methods of State Security Police (StB) in the first half of the 1950’s: long overnight interrogations, physical and mental stress, falsification of protocols, use of prison informers in the cells of detainees, etc. The three court hearings before the regional court in České Budějovice were merely a formality. They resulted in three death penalties (Jiří Řezáč, Jaroslav Sirotek and Bohumil Šíma) and many other heavy sentences. Many people were arrested for committing crimes which the court never proved. These processes were also used by the Communist propaganda to further intimidate those who refused to approve the so called “people’s democratic establishment”. Those sentenced in the trial of Jiří Řezáč and co. and in the subsequent trials of “František Nygrýn and Co.” and “Vladimír Hřebejk and Co.” passed through many Czechoslovak prison facilities in 1950’s and 1960’s. It was not only themselves but also their families that suffered. They were not fully rehabilitated until the 1990’s.

Wpływ kryzysu gospodarczego na działanie systemu politycznego. Analiza przypadku Grecji, Hiszpanii i Włoch

Author(s): Tomasz Kubin,Małgorzata Lorencka,Małgorzata Myśliwiec / Language(s): Polish

The main scientific goal of the following study is to show the impact of an economic crisis on the functioning of a political system. The object of detailed research studies was the political systems of Greece, Spain and Italy. It was in these European Union countries that the effects of the worldwide economic crisis seemed to have had the biggest influence on the workings of the constituent elements of the political system.The leading research hypothesis is that, under the conditions of representative democracy,the economic situation of a state is one of the major determinants of the stability and continuity of its political system. The better the economic condition of a state, the bigger its political system’s functional stability and ability to endure. On the other hand, under the conditions of a political crisis, this stability and continuity are seriously compromised.The analysis of the impact of the economic crisis on the functioning of political systems ledthe authors to the formulation of the following detailed hypotheses:The operations of political decision-making centres in Greece, Spain and Italy pertainingto economic issues — both on the central and local level — caused serious disruptions to thefunctioning of their political systems.1. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy caused considerable disruption to the rhythm of election cycles.2. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy affected the functioning of the party systems in these countries.3. The economic crisis in Spain and Italy considerably influenced an intensification of decentralizing tendencies in these countries.4. The economic crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy influenced an intensification of the process of formulating anti-system postulates by certain political groups.In the introduction, the subject related and methodological assumptions of the conductedresearch were put forward. Chapter one contains an analysis of problems related to the origins,course and consequences of the economic crisis of 2008. The next three chapters contain ananalysis of the consequences of this crisis for the functioning of the political systems of Greece, Spain and Italy. The closing chapter contains general conclusions resulting from the conducted research process.

Teško zemlji

Author(s): Tony R. Judt / Language(s): Serbian

Something is profoundly wrong with the way we think about how we should live today.In Ill Fares The Land, Tony Judt, one of our leading historians and thinkers, reveals how we have arrived at our present dangerously confused moment. Judt masterfully crystallizes what we've all been feeling into a way to think our way into, and thus out of, our great collective dis-ease about the current state of things.As the economic collapse of 2008 made clear, the social contract that defined postwar life in Europe and America“ the guarantee of a basal level of security, stability and fairness -- is no longer guaranteed; in fact, it’s no longer part of the common discourse. Judt offers the language we need to address our common needs, rejecting the nihilistic individualism of the far right and the debunked socialism of the past. To find a way forward, we must look to our not so distant past and to social democracy in action: to re-enshrining fairness over mere efficiency.Distinctly absent from our national dialogue, social democrats believe that the state can play an enhanced role in our lives without threatening our liberties. Instead of placing blind faith in the market—as we have to our detriment for the past thirty years social democrats entrust their fellow citizens and the state itself.Ill Fares the Land challenges us to confront our societal ills and to shoulder responsibility for the world we live in. For hope remains. In reintroducing alternatives to the status quo, Judt reinvigorates our political conversation, providing the tools necessary to imagine a new form of governance, a new way of life.

Revisiting the Objectivist/Subjectivist Debate

Author(s): Tibor R. Machan / Language(s): English

Not only is philosophy a discipline that’s rarely discussed outside of the academy; sometimes it’s regarded to be a very curious, obscure subject matter, one that people don’t know where to place. Yet no one can avoid philosophy entirely. Even to try amounts to being philosophical. When it comes to philosophy’s various branches, most would list only ethics as a familiar one since the question of how people should conduct themselves is difficult to classify as a branch of any other discipline, such as sociology, economics or chemistry. Ethics is pretty widely acknowledged to be part of philosophy as well as an everyday concern while it’s also quite problematic. Within ethics it is pretty usual to find that people wonder whether one can discover anything that is objectively true, as most of us would agree it’s possible in fields such as physics or chemistry. The natural or hard sciences, in other words, would all be about what is true, what is not, how we tell the difference, and so forth. Other disciplines are viewed to be less amenable to that possibility. In the field of ethics a lot of people believe truth is difficult if not entirely impossible to find. Is it true that one should not lie, deceive, steal, cheat, mislead, etc.? Or is it something that’s up to the acting agent or one's cultural group? In other words, are ethical claims subjective or objective? Yet that’s not the only branch of human inquiry wherein this issue arises. Are religious claims subjective or objective? Are claims in such fields as sociology, anthropology, or economics open to objective investigation or are these mostly subjective, a matter of what the person who is involved in considering them decides?We often hear that beliefs or claims in these areas are advanced from someone’s point of view, which is to say they are subjective. In this short book that is the issue that’s the central focus: are judgments people make in various fields of concern subjective or objective, can they be the latter or only the former? If the former, will we then ever get to know the world as it really is? Or only as we like it to be or it appears to be? If objectivity is available, is it restricted only to the natural sciences? Or could we be objective about politics, art and psychology? That is basically what this book is about, whether people can obtain objective knowledge.

TechnoFeminist Science Fiction

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

This study has coined the term TechnoFeminist Science Fiction by grounding it on the insights of Judy Wajcman’s TechnoFeminist approach that combines cyberfeminism and cyborg feminism following the philosophies of Sadie Plant and Donna Haraway. The core study of TechnoFeminism gives voice to the mutual relationship between women and technology that is a constructivist and a sociotechnical network by rejecting technological determinism. Likewise, TechnoFeminist Science Fiction, a new trend in women or feminist science fiction, provides both technoscientific politics and TechnoFeminist politics in desire for women or feminist science fiction writers to be more active in creating female cyber and cyborg images in their technoscience fictions. Thus, it aims to create new women perspectives and point of views by erasing the gender duality problem with characterization of emancipatory cyberself and cyborg embodiment through breaking down the boundaries between human and machine, animal/organism and machine, and physical and non-physical organisms. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how British novelists, Justina Robson and Sue Thomas, have opened a different technodigital space for equal and mutual relationship between gender and technology by weaving the issues of TechnoFeminism and the concepts of technoscience, AIs, genetic technologies, the internet, regenerative technologies, communication technologies, nanotechnology, biotechnology, molecular biology and they have also developed an image of the cyborg consistent with any of Haraway’s cyborg metaphors and cyberspace consistent with Plant’s cyberfeminism with wired, wet, fluid, flexible, adaptable, mutable, multiple, ever-flowing, unstable, self-controlled, virtual cyberselves.

FAKE NEWS - A ROADMAP

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

In the summer of 2017 a group of students on the Strategic Communications Masters at King’s College London decided to bring some clarity to the discussion of Fake News. Their concern was that what separated truth from untruth had for too long been obscured—made ever less intelligible by certain people intent on distorting responsible debate, while others simply fail to do their research. The term Fake News has become the default catchphrase for truth-seekers wishing to label inaccurate reporting, truth-obscurers spreading malevolent assertions, or the unprepared who simply want to close down uncomfortable discussion. The shorthand expression ‘Fake News’ may fit neatly into tweeted messages, but willing amplifiers have spread it across all media, traditional and social, without necessarily giving it a meaningful definition. Fake News: A Roadmap is published by King’s Centre for Strategic Communications (KCSC) and the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, in Riga, Latvia. Both organisations are committed to encouraging young talent and innovative thinking. In keeping with NATO’s remit, this book is published and made available free of charge to any reader around the world. Fake News: A Roadmap is edited by Jente Althuis and Leonie Haiden. Its authors are Iona Allan, Jente Althuis, Alexander Averin, Giulia Conci, Sarah Dooley, Erin Duffy, Douglas Gray, Leonie Haiden, Mitchell Ilbury, Natalia Kantovich, Chelsea McManus, Celeste Michaud, Emma Moore, Kierat Ranautta-Sambhi, and Siri Strand. We wish to thank for their advice and support: KCSC – Dr Neville Bolt, Professor David Betz, Dr Nicholas Michelsen, Professor Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, John Williams, Dr Francesca Granelli, Andrea Berger, Victoria Preston, Sophia Krauel. NATO StratCom COE - Jānis Sārts, Linda Curika, Benjamin Heap.

DIGITAL HYDRA: SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF FALSE INFORMATION ONLINE

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

The study investigates misinformation and disinformation on social media in the context of the rise of ‘fake news’ and the birth of the ‘post-truth’ era. Are these concerns substantiated by facts? What are the consequences of these phenomena for the information environment? Most importantly, do these phenomena pose a threat for our societal security? This study will provide actionable knowledge by answering to these questions. This introduction is an attempt to position the emergence of ‘fake news’ in a wider societal context. Particular emphasis is placed on the cognitive biases that enable information manipulation. In turn, this will lead to a discussion about the tactics employed by adversarial actors to carry out information activities.

Globalization and Transformation in Central European Countries: The Case of Poland

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

The aim of the book is present and assess the relationship of globalization and market transformation of Poland at the background of development of selected CE and SE countries. The first Chapter identifies and assesses the interplay between liberalization and the course of events in the contemporary globalization stage. The second Chapter is devoted to post WWII economic policy. It shows the economic policy experience and theory available for CECs both at the outset of their market transformation and intellectual climate preceding the economic and financial events that erupted in 2007-2008. The third Chapter reviews and assesses literature on financial crises. On the one hand they stemmed from human errors, on the other their pace of development and scope of contagion they caused should be seen as negative externalities of globalization. Both crises, but in particular the global financial crisis that began in the US in 2007 had harmful consequences for CECs. Following the first three Chapters the aim of the fourth Chapter is an empirical evaluation and comparison of Poland’s economic performance during market transformation against the background of results achieved in the same period, on the one hand by Hungary, the Czech and Slovak Republics and Ukraine, and on the other by SECs. The fifth Chapter, linked with the fourth is devoted to the major institutional aspect of economic transformation: privatization in Poland. The aim of the sixth Chapter is twofold. The first is to empirically assess the macroeconomic performance of the Polish consecutive democratic accountability terms against the background of economic results achieved in CECs and SECs in 1990-2012. The second aim, referring to findings of Chapter three, is empirical evaluation and comparison of economic performance of Poland and CECs and SECs during the Asian and global financial crises.

IMPROVING NATO STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TERMINOLOGY

Author(s): Neville Bolt,Leonie Haiden / Language(s): English

The proposal for “StratCom Terminology Improvement” came from the Netherlands, one of the founding member of the NATO StratCom COE, and was approved by the Steering Committee in December 2017. The Terminology Working Group held consultative sessions throughout 2018. Terminology projects are usually concerned with making communication within a specialized language community more efficient and minimizing misunderstandings. Improving StratCom terminology aims to unify different NATO agencies in their endeavors but also increase efficiency in planning and executing military (communications) operations. NATO is a multi-national organization with civilian and military personnel, working toward political and military objectives. A common language (in the broader sense) is one of the key success factors for effective Strategic Communications.

THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATORS IN COUNTERING THE MALICIOUS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Author(s): James Pamment,Howard Nothhaft,Henrik Agardh-Twetman,Alicia Fjällhed / Language(s): English

This brief discusses the role of communicators in countering the malicious use of social media. It is based on the report ‘Countering Information Influence Activities: The State of the Art’ (2018) developed by the Department of Strategic Communication at Lund University and published by the Swedish Civil Contingency Agency (MSB).

INDUSTRY RESPONSES TO THE MALICIOUS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Author(s): Emily Taylor,Stacie Walsh,Samantha Bradshaw / Language(s): English

In November 2016, the idea that one of the world’s most sophisticated democracies could have been gamed by hostile states using social media platforms seemed ‘crazy’ to many people, not just Mark Zuckerberg. But as evidence continues to emerge, whether from FBI investigations, disclosures by whistle-blowers, or digitally-distributed disinformation campaigns in other countries, an uncomfortable picture takes shape — Silicon Valley’s leading technology platforms have found themselves at the centre of a perfect storm.

Neostvarena prava i promašene politike 2: Zastupljenost nacionalnih manjina u državnoj upravi, pravosuđu i policiji

Author(s): Ljubomir Mikić / Language(s): English,Croatian

Relying on the fact of by law guaranteed right on proportional representation of national minorities members in public authorities that has for years presented a big problem and challenge for the Republic of Croatia, Serb National Council (SNC) published the analysis Unrealized Rights and Failed Policies: Representation of National Minorities in State Administration, Judiciary and Police in March of 2014. The analysis was based on competent authorities’ data about the representation of national minorities in stated institutions, highlighting the representation of Serbs followed and collected by SNC and the Independent Democratic Serbian Party Club in the Croatian Parliament between the middle of 2008 and the middle of 2013, respectively until the beginning of the EU membership of Republic of Croatia in July of 2013. The results of the analysis were devastating. It has been noticed that during the analysed period, despite the specific measures of the Government of Republic of Croatia, not only there was no improvement in realization of the rights, but previously achieved level of representation demonstrate tendencies of moderate to significant degradation. Former politics of the Government directed towards increasing the number of national minorities’ members in competent authorities have been rated as useless, and stated reasonable doubt they were only fulfilling the form in order to meet the criteria of the EU entry negotiations. The conclusion, among other, stated the necessity for the Government and other competent authorities to undertake decisive, comprehensive and concrete measures in collaboration and with participation of national minorities’ representatives and independent experts in the following period in order to implement the corresponding guaranteed rights.

Govor mržnje i nasilje prema Srbima u 2015.

Author(s): Tamara Opačić / Language(s): English,Croatian

The year behind us was marked by an increased number of physical assaults on Serbs in Croatia, threats against them and destruction of their property. In 2015 Cyrillic script1 in Vukovar was practically abolished and we have witnessed numerous attempts to rehabilitate the Independent State of Croatia (NDH)2 as well as an increased incidence of hate speech by public figures and part of the media. For this reason 2015 will be remembered as the year in which nationalist and anti-minority atmosphere – which became more intense since Croatia’s accession to the European Union in 2013 – has reached a worrying scale.

MAPPING EXTREMIST COMMUNITIES: A SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS APPROACH

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Online social networks are used by everyone in our everyday lives, including by malicious actors and organisations. Previous work has characterised the specific online behaviour of Middle East-based terror groups. However, this behaviour is constantly evolving, as a response to events such as the battle of Mosul and also due to the strengthening of the platforms’ moderation rules. Terror groups target social media platforms such as Twitter, Telegram, and Discord, and while their past behavioural patterns and narrative strategies have been well documented, the adaptive nature of these groups require continuous analysis of their online presence.

Asia’s global expansion: business and finacial aspects

Author(s): Magdalena Rosińska-Bukowska,Klaudia Zielińska-Lont,Aleksandra Nacewska-Twardowska,Dominika Brózda-Wilamek,Tomasz Motowidlak,Agnieszka Matuszewska-Pierzynka / Language(s): English

The concept of this monograph is focused on an analysis of the prospects for improving the competitive position of Asian countries in the global economy. The authors argue that a comprehensive analysis of Asia’s economic development requires studying its business and financial aspects in parallel. The authors of the monography concentrate on the chosen business aspects of Asia’s expansion, such as: trade and value chain development, Asian transnational corporations, international mergers and acquisitions, growth potential of energy industry, GDP growth model.The unique nature of the studies conducted for this book stems from their wide thematic and geographical scope. Consequently, both business and financial features of economic growth are analysed. This approach is further used to study the financial aspects of China’s development in a related book prepared by the authors from the same Department: China’s economic growth: selected financial aspects.According to the opinion expressed by the reviewer the following monograph constitutes a valuable contribution to the discussion concerning the new role of Asian economies in the world. It is recommended to scientists, students and journalist who study the problems of Asia’s economic development and its role in the global economy. The results can be also useful to companies interested in developing their business activities in the countries of the region.