University Rankings and their Influence on Contemporary Academic Policy

Author(s): Sergiey Kurbatov / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2015

The paper is devoted to the problem of influence of university ranking of contemporaryacademic policy. The author argues that due to specific indicators, which are used in the maininternational university rankings, we would observe the temporal and spatial asymmetry ofunderstanding of university mission, especially in elite segment of higher education: the shiftto research activities in temporal context and the shift to internationalization in the spatial one. So, the overcoming of these asymmetries is an important task for contemporary ranking theory and methodology.

Neo-hobbesiánus demokrácia

Author(s): Milán Pap / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2016

In political theory, the criticism of Rawlsian constructivist liberalism has been articulated in theories of political realism. John Gray, one of the promoters of realist liberalism, recommends a neo-Hobbesian way of social coexistence which is based on the conflictual and antagonistic idea of political life. It takes social values and forms of life as incommensurable in modern multicultural societies. Taking value-pluralism and its conflicts seriously, a theory of modus vivendi has been articulated among realist political thinkers. Being a post-liberal (or post-Enlightenment) theory, modus vivendi is more a practice oriented and open-ended theory than philosophical constructions based on high morality. Modus vivendi theorists make an emphasis on the peaceful co-existence of social groups and a moral minimum of the political society. One of the deficiency of the theory is that it says not much about democracy, though it would be highly useful according to two contextual considerations.On the one hand, a modern political system would be impossible or outrageous without any form of democratic legitimacy. On the other hand, there is an exhaustion of the liberal project(s) and the societies featured by multicultural prosperity. Besides constitutional protection, defending democracy in this new context means balancing between cultural and other value-oriented groups in modern societies. In my paper, I make an attempt to examine the concept of democracy in the light of modus vivendi theory.

Hu Chunhua – dotychczasowa kariera i szanse na awans

Author(s): Dominik Michoński / Language(s): Polish Issue: 10/2016

The article aims to describe the political career of one of the most promising members of the so-called sixth generation of Chinese leaders, Hu Chunhua. Hu, a protégé of the former Secretary Hu Jintao, is currently a strong candidate for a place in the Standing Committee of the CPC’s Politburo, whose members will be officially appointed next year. However, there are several indications that Hu’s political future may not look as bright as in 2012, at the beginning of Xi Jinping’s first term of office. The conclusion of the paper therefore aims to critically assess Hu Chunhua’s chances of future promotion in the context of the changing political status quo.

Je li egalitarni sindrom samo teorijska fantazija? Empirijski hommage Josipu Županovu

Author(s): Aleksandar Štulhofer,Ivan Burić / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 03/2015

The egalitarian syndrome theory (EST), proposed in 1970 by Croatian political scientist and sociologist Josip Županov (1923-2004), is likely the most important theoretical contribution to the Croatian social sciences. Due to the fact that EST has never been operationalized and systematically verified, its influence has been steadily diminishing – particularly among mainstream researchers. The aim of this study is to operationalize EST and, using confirmatory factor analytic approach, to construct and validate a multi-faceted measure of the egalitarian syndrome. Based on two models characterized by acceptable fit to data, the authors propose a longer version (27-item long) and a shorter version (15-item long) of the Egalitarian Syndrome Scale. The initial validation of the scale suggests that the composite measure can be useful in a wide range of social science studies. For the first time, Županov’s claim that egalitarianism remains a persisting obstacle to the country’s socioeconomic development can be rigorously tested.

RUCHY SPOŁECZNE I MYŚL POLITYCZNA – CO, JAK I PO CO BADAĆ?

Author(s): Paweł Malendowicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 04/2016

The article is a form of reflection upon the research subject, the research methods and the aim of research on social movements and political thought. The author of the article suggests that in the research being carried out one should use methods characteristic of other scientific disciplines and the terms used in other sciences, for example in medicine, cognitive science or sociology. Replying to the question of the aim of research, the author explains that science is to serve the cognition and understanding of the world. Science is not supposed to be an art cultivated by a small circle of scholars in order not to contribute to the degeneration of the social system.

Społeczne usytuowanie pedagoga resocjalizacynego w terenowych badaniach jakościowych Dylematy metodologiczne i etyczne badacza w „trudnym terenie”

Author(s): Małgorzata Michel / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2015

Celem artykułu jest ukazanie pewnych trudności, problemów natury etycznej i dylematów moralnych jakie napotyka badacz jakościowy w terenie. Poruszane zagadnienia są własnymi refleksjami autorki po przeprowadzonych badaniach terenowych w przestrzeni miasta z perspektywy pedagogiki resocjalizacyjnej.

The Sociodrama Narrative: Political Aspects

Author(s): Jasna J. Veljković,Vera Despotović / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2017

This paper examines the political discourse of sociodrama by considering some basic postulates of sociodrama methods introduced by Moreno (Јаcob Levy Moreno).2 The aim of the paper is to explore sociodrama method by analyzing its practical application within different contexts of contemporary society. In this paper, we will define sociodrama as an experiential procedure used to research intergroup relations and relations among different parties in a dispute or conflict of interest. After we describe the basic theoretical postulates of Moreno’s psychodrama, we will focus on crises and conflicts affecting contemporary society, particularly those occurring within large groups. The main objective of sociodrama in this context would be to gain a greater understanding between socials groups leading to the resolution of inter-group conflict and the achievement of balance between conflicting parties.

Quantitative Analysis of Web Content in Support of Qualitative Research. Examples from the Study of Post-Soviet De Facto States

Author(s): Giorgio Comai / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2017

In recent years, the internet has been increasingly adopted as a key means of communication by local authorities, organisations and news media throughout the post-Soviet context. This has led to the creation and on-line publication of content that is routinely consulted and quoted by scholars of area studies, who, however, seemingly approach the web as an inordinate mass of content that can be superficially explored thanks to search engines and meaningful keywords. Structured analysis of content is still uncommon in area studies for a few reasons: it is considered to be time consuming, difficult to learn and, fundamentally, relevant datasets are usually not readily available. This paper briefly presents how to overcome these obstacles by introducing an open source package developed by the author that facilitates the creation of structured textual datasets from web content, and allows for basic word frequency analysis in a straightforward web interface.This article argues in favour of a wider use of quantitative methods based on the analysis of word frequency in textual datasets extracted from the internet as a starting point for in depth research with established qualitative methods. The examples presented in this paper relate to the study of post-Soviet de facto states.

Slovo na úvod

Author(s): Alexander Duleba / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2017

Hranice a cezhraničná spolupráca. Úvod do výskumu hraníc. Prešov: ADIN s.r.o. 2017. 152 s. ISBN 978-80-89540-89-1.

Author(s): Yuriy Ostapets / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2017

O.: Duleba, A. a kol.: Hranice a cezhraničná spolupráca. Úvod do výskumu hraníc. Prešov: ADIN s.r.o. 2017. 152 s. ISBN 978-80-89540-89-1

Облици операционализације националног идентитета

Author(s): Jasna Milošević-Đorđević / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 3/2011

In this paper we analyzed current definition and way of exploring national identity and other similar concepts in Serbia. Special focus has been made on operationalization of mentioned concept, and how different methodological approaches influences the interpretation of this phenomenon. Few concepts and way of measuring of modern, civil, democratic, national, cultural, educational type of collective and individual identity has been identified. Six different way of measuring national identity has been discovered, and all of them can be grouped in fewer theoretical concepts that can be confirmed by mentioned methodological approaches.

On Exceeding of Division for Qualitative and Quantitative Researches in Contemporary Scientific Methodology

Author(s): Uroš V. Šuvaković / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2011

Argumentation in favor of the attitude on exceeding the long ago established division of scientific researches to qualitative and quantitative is discussed in the work. Considering the attitude of materialistic dialecticians that every scientific research must deal with a subject, the attitude is represented according to which it is impossible to perform any quantitative research without prior establishing the quality that is being investigated. Since nothing cannot be investigated, but always only something, it means that it is necessary to establish precisely (to define) the quality that is being researched and to do this it is necessary to perform an adequate research. This is valid for all researches, including measuring, for which it is considered in the literature that these are only quantitative researches. It is shown on the example of designing two instruments for measuring successfulness of political parties – the scale and the quotient of party successfulness and the Bogardus`s scale of social distance On the other hand, even the expressively qualitative research methods (e.g. qualitative content analysis, case study, method of biography, etc.) as the rule comprehend certain quantifications. Aiming to methodological correctness, it would be the most accurately to consider as surpassed the existing dichotomy to qualitative and quantitative research, and to establish typology of scientific researches to qualitative-quantitative (prevailing element is qualitative) and quantitative-qualitative (prevailing element is quantitative) researches, depending on which element in the research is more dominant, with clear establishment of their interconnection.

Моралне норме и грађанско право са освртом на права проналазача

Author(s): Nina Planojević,Siniša Varga / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 2/2011

Subject of the paper is an analysis of methods of civil law - moral adjustment. The emphasis is on the method where legal norm prescribes obligation to act in pursuance of moral. The aim of authors is to point out on problems which may arise in the application of this kind of legal norms, mostly in regard to contents of moral cognition. For example in Patent Act is laid down that inventions are excluded from patentability if their publication or exploitation would be contrary to (order public or) morality. Starting from the fact that biotech inventions are principally exposed to ethical estimation, authors represent a number of reasons against such kind of legal regulation, concluding that it is not usable in every part of law, particularly in patent law. It is especially because immoral invention can be commercially exploited anyway. Because of that, their proposal is to take out ethical estimation of existing invention on the basis of the legal norm that contains assignment onto moral norm, but to introduce the taking moral norms over into legal ones for the purpose of regulation of processes of (scientific) research which precede to origination of inventions.

Дилеме традиционалне дијалектичке дихотомије политичких партија на левицу и десницу у савременом друштву

Author(s): Uroš V. Šuvaković / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 4/2010

The reasons for impossibility of continuance of the traditional dialectic dichotomy of political parties to the left and the right in contemporary society and the necessity of its overgrowing to classification are methodologically discussed here. Temporal and geographical character is pointed out of the ideas of the party left and the party right. It is also pointed out that in the case of classification also, regardless the number of members, the principle of consistency is disturbed, since the dividing criterion has been changed during the history, but also the criteria of completeness, exhaustiness, reciprocal exclusion of groups at the same level and enough capability for discrimination, which all must be fulfilled with methodologically correctly implemented classifications. In the 21st century it is necessary perform again recognition of political ideas and practical operation of political parties and name them by the name that really expresses their substantive features.

Postrzeganie bezpieczeństwa przez samorządowców – wnioski z badań

Author(s): Maciej Drzonek,Agnieszka Ignasiak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The paper demonstrates the results of research on the perception of security by councilors in selected municipalities and cities in the West Pomeranian Region and Lubuskie Region. The survey was conducted at the turn of 2015 and 2016 and involved 126 councilors – 78.26% of those who formally worked in the surveyed councils. The results of the survey were compared to the findings of the study of Poles conducted by the CBOS at the end of 2014. The analysis showed that the councilors’ assessment of security and factors threatening security varies. Councilors were more concerned about the political chaos in Poland, the influx of refugees, as well as cyber-attacks and terrorist threats. Their views were also shown to have been affected by such factors as gender, the number of terms in a local government and political preferences.

Centrum federalne wobec problemu aktywności międzynarodowej regionów w kontekście ewolucji stosunków federacyjnych w Rosji

Author(s): Michał Słowikowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The paper’s aim is to explore the federal-regional model of relations as far as international activities of regions is concerned. A persistent centralization tendency,applied to the federal-regional model of relations and started under Vladimir Putin’s presidency, has created an unusual concept of centralist coordination concerning the international activity of regions. Despite the federal dominance over regions, the concept is far from being consolidated, since the Kremlin lacks the resources, mainly human, to fully control the political situation in the regions. Yet, this evolving centralist concept seems to be detrimental not only to regions’ interest, but also questions the strength of Putin’s model of an authoritarian regime in the long term.

Metody výzkumu politické komunikace v nových médiích: Přehledová studie

Author(s): Olga Brunnerová,Jakub Charvát / Language(s): Czech Issue: 3/2017

Recent advances and innovations in media and information and communication technologies have raised extremely important issue of the necessity of rethinking what we study and how do research on political communication in the context of new media landscape. Thus, the challenge for the paper was to explore the research methods of the manufold studies on political communication in the new media environment and to systematize the results into a comprehensive methodological “state-of-the art” report. The theoretical-methodological study strives to comprehensively outline the utmost important methodological aspects of the research of a new, yet crucial facet of political communication – one that takes place online, through the new media, as communicating politics online has become an essential part of modern political campaigning and of the everyday lives of both politicians and citizens. The aim of the study is to delineate the methods and techniques of data collection and analysis used in this line of research and to point out and discuss new trends and tools equipped by political scientists. To that end, the study examines 180 articles published in nine selected scientific journals over an 8-year period stretching from the beginning of 2009 to March 2017. Moreover, examined is the application of these methods in relation to specific topics and research designs, and the limitations of such research of the new media are scrutinized as well.

K teorii schopnosti ozbrojených sil

Author(s): Milan Kubeša,Radek Dubec / Language(s): Czech Issue: 3/2013

The paper presents reflections over the issue of armed forces capabilities. It is a phenomenon much discussed and written earlier, namely from the point of its building, estimation and development. Nevertheless the question is whether practical experiences are backed by theory fundamentals. Now we have a chance to introduce the live theory of quality management [1] into this specific and frequented military problem. The article is a polemic consideration over possibilities of introducing capabilities management into command and control capabilities system in armed forces.

Metodologický rámec hodnocení operačních rizik

Author(s): Josef Procházka,Josef Melichar / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2017

The article brings a “Condition-If-Then” construct as a proven protocol for writing risk statement and its application into assessing risks related to capability gaps identified during the defense planning processAuthors discuss utility of “Common approach” and “Impact averse approach” to risk rank ordering as a tool for ordering risks according to their importance. Using the discussed tools enables the planners to run risk assessment that sets preconditions for prioritizing the Force Development Options (FDOs) and for minimizing the impact of capability gaps on conduct of future operations. The ORAMF and the application of the given protocol for writing risks are some of the building blocks of the defense planning process, offering a toolset for reinforcement of the defense planning of the Czech Republic.

Programy polskich partii politycznych jako materiał empiryczny w badaniach dyskursu politycznego

Author(s): Wojciech Woźniak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2017

Party manifestos are the only political documents which can be perceived as holistic visions of the social order formulated by political parties – the only political bodies eligible to implement them after winning elections. These are documents which place a given party in a concrete, historical and ideological context, therefore they should be seriously considered in academic discourse as descriptions of an envisioned and desired future of the nation, state and society. The paper aims to approach party manifestos as a specific kind of source data, present the most typical method of comparative analysis, and share the author’s own experiences from several research attempts which embraced a qualitative analysis of party manifestos from 2001–2011 (altogether 57 documents). The paper points at the peculiarities of Polish parties’ manifestos and attempts to explain their specific characteristics in comparison to other political documents, and discuss their advantages and weaknesses as a source data for the analysis of Polish political discourse and ideological stances of Polish parties.