SYSTEM REZERWY FEDERALNEJ

Author(s): Wojciech Kwiatkowski / Language(s): Polish

Jest to pierwsza w literaturze polskiej książka, w której omówiono w sposób systematyczny kluczowe zagadnienia związane z funkcjonowaniem banku centralnego Stanów Zjednoczonych tj. Systemu Rezerwy Federalnej. Autor przedstawia historię tworzenia banku, jego strukturę organizacyjną, cele i zadania oraz sposoby ich realizacji, a także mechanizmy podejmowania decyzji przez jego organy i zakres ich autonomii w strukturze władzy USA. Książka przynosi wiedzę pozwalającą odrzucić istniejące w sferze publicznej i często bezkrytycznie przyjmowane (także w Polsce) teorie spiskowe dotyczące powstania i funkcjonowania Systemu Rezerwy Federalnej. Ich żywotność wynika zarówno z nieznajomości tego z jakimi kwestiami bank centralny USA musi zmagać się na co dzień w realiach amerykańskich, ale też z niezwykle złożonego systemu polityczno-prawnego Stanów Zjednoczonych.

Serbian Law in Transition – Changes and Challenges

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

Народностно потекло и национално самосъзнание

Author(s): Plamen Tzvetkov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Sense of nationality continues to be extremely powerful, and in today's globalized world, is getting even stronger. At first glance, the most obvious sign of the nation's community are language and origin, but too many nations seem to have no common ancestry, or even using only one language. Moreover, the most violent clashes burst out between people, professing the same religion and belonging more or less to the same culture. What makes most people to anticipate their national affiliations as an integral element of his/her own "I", and to invent their own past to find "worthy" place for their community? What can cause an ethno-national community or at least its elite to deny their relationship with another nation and to claim themselves as belonging to a completely different community, deliberately ignoring the "uncomfortable" facts? The purpose of this book is to make a critical review of some deep-rooted cliches and generally accepted axioms. The Bulgarian, Balkan and Slavic national passions are considered in the context of ethnogenesis and the formation of European nations and the world.

TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MALICIOUS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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

The malicious use of social media is a widespread phenomenon, targeting individuals, public opinion, and in some cases even the functioning of the state. In recent years, social media platforms have been abused by foreign governments, private companies, and individuals to influence the outcomes of democratic elections and to undermine public trust in the societies in which we live. Today, social media platforms are manipulated by malign actors in order to pursue their political and military goals. In other words, social media platforms have developed into an effective tool for waging information warfare. Although information warfare is nothing new, social media platforms offer a cheaper, more efficient, and less demanding stage for influencing larger numbers of people than ever before. While the social media platforms are conduits facilitating the free passage of information, the companies that own them are active participants wielding significant influence over what takes place in the social media space and, increasingly, over how we communicate, interact, and socialise in the 21st century.

Voice of the Locality: Local Media and Local Audience

Author(s): Lenka Waschková Císařová / Language(s): English

The publication is focused on the topic of local media that is often neglected in the field of media studies. The main points of view are the analysis of local audiences and the characteristics of the relationship between local media and local audiences. The international group of nineteen authors maps the specifics of the functioning of local media and, more generally, local communication in different (mainly European) states.

Strong local press versus weak local press in local relations. A comparative case study of two weeklies in Poland

Author(s): Sylwia Męcfal / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The local media market in Poland developed in very particular social conditions, conditions which Nowak (1979, 1981) described as a social void. As a result, it might be presumed that it was more likely that the new forms of society (including local media) were formed on the basis of the bonding type of social capital rather than the bridging type. This might be one of the reasons why tight and complex relationships between the local media and other social actors still exist. This chapter is focused upon the local press, more precisely on the relations between the local press and other local institutions and local actors. The main aim of my research was to recreate a specific local setting (Lofland, Snow, Anderson, & Lofland, 2009) and to interpret the observed links between subjects.

Information Laundering in Germany

Author(s): Belén Carrasco Rodríguez / Language(s): English

Information laundering (IL) is a stratagem used by hostile actors within an information influence campaign. In this process, false or deceitful information is legitimised through a network of intermediaries that gradually apply a set of techniques to distort it and obscure the original source. In the context of this research, IL is leveraged by Kremlin-official or pro-Kremlin actors in a hostile information influence campaign (HIIC) to further their interests in Germany. Information Laundering represents a relatively new approach to information influence activities targeting a particular media environment. In the context of this report, IL research allows governments, national institutions and civil society to reach a deeper understanding of the activity of domestic and transnational networks that enable the spread of the Kremlin’s influence in a particular country, since it uncovers how actors gradually distort, disseminate, and legitimise a piece of information through the application of IL techniques.

Informationswäsche in Deutschland

Author(s): Belén Carrasco Rodríguez / Language(s): German

Informationswäsche (IL, engl. Information Laundering) ist ein Strategem, das von Akteuren mit feindlichen Absichten bei Kampagnen zur Informationsbeeinflussung eingesetzt wird. Die Bezeichnung leitet sich vom Begriff der Geldwäsche ab und weitet die Metapher auf Nachrichten aus. Das bedeutet, ein Netzwerk von Vermittlern legitimiert falsche oder trügerische Informationen. Dafür wird schrittweise eine Reihe an Methoden eingesetzt, um die Informationen zu verdrehen und die ursprüngliche Quelle zu verschleiern. Der Schwerpunkt dieser Arbeit liegt auf Informationswäsche, die von kremlfreundlichen oder offiziellen Akteuren des Kreml ausgeht. Im Zuge aggressiver Kampagnen zur Informationsbeeinflussung sollen die eigenen Interessen in Deutschland vorangebracht werden. Informationswäsche ist ein relativ neuer Ansatz bei Maßnahmen zur Informationsbeeinflussung, die auf eine bestimmte Medienlandschaft abzielen. Diese Arbeit deckt auf, wie Akteure mithilfe von Methoden der Informationswäsche nach und nach Informationen verdrehen, verbreiten und legitimieren. Dadurch können Regierungen, staatliche Institutionen und die Zivilgesellschaft besser verstehen, welche Aktionen heimischer und transnationaler Netzwerke zur Ausweitung des Einflusses des Kreml in einem bestimmten Land beitragen.

Information Laundering in the Nordic-Baltic Region

Author(s): Belén Carrasco Rodríguez,Nika Aleksejeva,Sebastien Cubbon,Tihomira Doncheva,Benjamin Heap,Rueban Manokara,Thomas Elkjer Nissen,Merete Voetmann / Language(s): English

The penetration of external information influence in a domestic media ecosystem is largely enabled by the interactions between foreign and domestic actors. The term ‘Information Laundering’ describes how these actors manipulate and amplify manipulated information in a particular media environment and the techniques utilised for such purposes. This report evaluates to what extent Kremlin-official and pro-Kremlin actors leverage Information Laundering techniques to conduct influence campaigns in the Nordic-Baltic countries and examines the role that domestic and foreign actors play in enabling these campaigns to reach target audiences. For this purpose, the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence developed a theoretical model of Information Laundering presented in this study. The model was applied to a comparative analysis of 32 Information Laundering cases, linked to the activity of 570 single actors in the eight Nordic-Baltic countries. Through researching Information Laundering in the region, this report aims to support national institutions in their goal to build resilience against hostile information influence operations.

Russia’s Footprint in the Nordic-Baltic Information Environment. Report 2019/2020

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

This is the second volume issued in the framework of the project ‘Russia’s (Dis-)Information Campaigns in Nordic-Baltic Countries’. This project was initiated in 2016 as an ongoing effort to monitor and analyse Russia’s (dis-)information influence in the Nordic-Baltic region, which includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden (the NB8). The first volume was published in January 2018.

Texas’ Teens Face a Social Media Ban: A New Start or a Recipe for Destructive Isolation?

Author(s): Daniel Kurz,Spencer Jahng / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The Texas State Legislature has been dominated by the Republican Party for over a decade, with solid majorities in both houses. This has enabled it to rapidly take ideas from the so-called ‘Conservative Public Sphere’ and enact them into genuine policy in very short periods of time. In other words, when prominent Texas Republicans think out loud, it is not very long until many of those thoughts become law. Just this June, the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation called for a ‘Social Media Ban’ based on its own research. According to the Foundation, teens should be totally barred from using all platforms in this sphere until they are adults due to the immense harm they pose to young people. Within a few weeks, major Texas Republicans echoed this sentiment on social platforms like Twitter, with one, Representative James Patterson, going the furthest. He has pledged in the next session to introduce a bill aimed at shutting off social media access to all Texas teens in 2023. (Whiting 2022). In this short paper, we will try to consider what accounts for the enormous speed of radical policymaking. Do these aims go beyond mere protection and exceed the First Amendment rights of teens? How will such a ban be enforced? What are the potential complexities and impact of such a change on the lives of Texas teens?

THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH VOL. 2

Author(s): Dženan Rizvanović,Ivan Durgutov,Dina Abazović,Ilija Franeta,Mina Međedović,Amina Imamović,Maja Mijović,Mersiha Čomor / Language(s): English

It is a huge privilege to write this introduction for the publication of the Civic Platform for Young Liberal Activists modules and activities. This publication is not only an outcome of one project, but it is also an amazing intellectual product of the number of young activists who diligently worked together to promote their ideas and hard work. Firstly, I would like to thank them on behalf of the BDF and CPLA for being part of this project and for producing this remarkable intellectual work. This publication offers readers a chance to see the real capacity of youth in political and social activism and their strength in creating new social values. They mobilise the process of establishing new, progressive and liberal values as a social reality in their countries and region. Young activists who have participated in this project have demonstrated stimulating and motivating ethics of work. Investing their free time in studying few important social phenomena which are influencing our everydayness and in rethinking mechanisms of confrontation within them for the purpose of rerouting them with the help of liberal values and ideas must be highly appreciated. The liberal idea in the Western Balkan area is in the periphery of political palette, and values and outcomes of this ideology in the history of democracy are not publicly valued enough. These opinion pieces show not only a fine intellectual product, but the capacity for the recognition of liberal values and ideas, and acknowledgment of youth’s ability to produce a better future for everyone in WB region. The topics that these young liberals decided to work on and present reflect their intellectual hunger, a generational capacity and capital that they have. The importance of the selected topics for our collective present and future is outstanding! Their decision to work on topics of biodiversity and importance of the state intervention in the sphere of nature balance; to discuss on position of young workers in the service industry in WB, their social position and mental health; to analyse empathy and its influence on building the society of tolerance and understanding the liberal society; and to think of modern bureaucracy and its digital revolution is truly refreshing and aspiring. These topics are not often discussed in our region, and it is important that the young people raise such issues, in this case young and smart liberals. The modern society faces various challenges and, as a result, it is constantly changing. To ensure the successful fight with the changes, we need to analyse and work on them and to have constant debates on the importance of finding the best mechanisms and tools for overcoming the challenges. The youth is best in initiating those discussions, and they must express their perceptions on society and fast life evolution. With their help, the debates can produce amazing results. We need to think and talk about resolving various issues in the society, but firstly, we must read what youth is thinking about. Our debate starts with this amazing reading material. Enjoy as much as I did!

Fake News

Author(s): Dan-Ion CĂLIN,Alexandru BARCAN,Ciprian Eugeniu CONSTANTIN / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The terms "fake news" and "falsehood" have become ubiquitous in contemporary society. They influence or alter the way in which people perceive reality. The challenge of combating fake news lies in its ability to evade detection and capture the attention of a growing number of individuals. It has the potential to alter the way reality is perceived, impact the reputation of institutions and organisations, and even pose a threat to national security by influencing perceptions of values and risks. In today's context, fake news has emerged as a significant vulnerability, with the potential to be exploited as part of hybrid warfare strategies. One proposed method for combating the spread of fake news is the development of critical thinking skills that are specifically designed to identify such information and mitigate its influence on personal beliefs and values.

The Importance of Combating Fake News and its Impact in the Digital Age

Author(s): Gabriel-Virgil TAUBER,Sergiu-Adrian VASILE / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

In an era of massive digitization and technologization, information represents the quintessence of success on all levels and in all fields. With a major power and influence in achieving success, disinformation, however, gains in the last period of time more followers who, through different methods and means, manage to manipulate and control different social categories in order to achieve the intended goal. There is currently a risk that a piece of information (fake news) will cause harm and damage not only at the individual level but also at the macro level, destabilizing order and national security. As we will show in this article, with the help of artificial intelligence, with the help of each individual, among cooperation at the international level and among an education appropriate to the century in which we live, we can hope to counteract and diminish this phenomenon that it can also have geopolitical consequences and more.

АД «ХВОРАГА» ДА «ЗДАРОВАГА». НАЦЫЯНАЛІЗМУ

Author(s): Peter Rudkovsky / Language(s): Belarusian

By "Belarusianization" we will understand here the process of strengthening the Belarusian national identity in public consciousness by affirming the importance of the Belarusian language, as well as promoting the narrative and symbols that emphasize the historical and cultural identity of Belarusians. The main focus of the study is the role and position of the state in this process, however, grassroots initiatives of various kinds cannot be left out of consideration – not only to pay tribute to civil society, but also because state policy cannot be considered in isolation from social processes.

CSD Policy Brief No. 105: Disinformation Narratives in the November 2021 Bulgarian Elections Campaign: Key Actors and Amplifiers.

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

On November 14, 2021 Bulgaria is voting for president, and, for a third time this year, for parliament. Elections are happening in the midst of a perfect storm of crises: COVID-19 pandemic is at the height of its fourth wave with deaths at record high in global comparison, political instability and polarization have reached pitch high levels, and skyrocketing energy prices threaten social peace. This renders the country uniquely vulnerable to propaganda and disinformation . The deterioration of media freedom and the lack of any credible public policy responses to disinformation and social media polarization, have exposed voters to toxic cocktails of local and foreign propaganda ahead of the elections . This rapid reaction assessment, seeks to improve the understanding of the link between the use of disinformation messaging techniques and popular attitudes on key contemporary issues during the November 2021 election campaigns. It conducts a brief overview of the main social media communication patterns of political parties and candidates and tries to reveal possible influence over voting patterns.

From Republics to Reichs: The Origins of Nazi Paramilitarism in Interwar Germany

Author(s): Matthew Wu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The Weimar Republic, through its victories against the early insurrections aimed at taking down the imposed republican state, showed that the Republic was able to survive on its own. However, opposition to republicanism remained very much alive underground through certain radical political parties and paramilitary organizations. This paper will analyze both left and right-wing opposition to the Republic, which were both not strong enough to overthrow it, but did force its supporters into underground paramilitary organizations that contributed to the Nazi takeover. First, this paper will show how the Kapp Putsch was a manifestation of monarchist discontent against the fledgling republic. Second, it will elaborate on socialist opposition against the Weimar government, as seen through the Bavarian Soviet Republic. Third, it will explain the phenomenon of paramilitarism as an outgrowth of anti-republicanism and cyclical brutalization. Finally, it will explain how the Nazis’ Sturmabteilung (SA) utilized paramilitary members from both the left and right-wings to fill its ranks and overthrow the Weimar Republic.

Vzestup radikálně Pravicového Populismu v Evropě

Author(s): Petr Kratochvíl / Language(s): Czech

There has been a rise in radical right populist parties (Populist Radical Right Parties, PRRP) in Europe, which achieved success in the 2024 European Parliament elections. These parties are Eurosceptic and often distrust liberal democracy, which may threaten its stability. Research by the ActEU project showed that migration is a key issue for the PRRP, followed by gender and climate. The PRRP strive for transnational cooperation, but they encounter differences in attitudes. Strengthening the PRRP may increase the polarization of European politics, but also strengthen the political character of the EU as a multi-level system. Strengthening the PRRP is not beneficial for the Czech Republic.

Bezbednost za različitost: najvažniji bezbednosni rizici sa kojima se suočavaju mladi u multietničkim sredinama : SUBOTICA

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

Research on the most important security challenges faced by young people was conducted in three multi-ethnic municipalities - Bujanovac, Subotica and Novi Pazar, as part of the Safety for Diversity project, which CeSID is implementing from June to November 2022. The overall goal of the project is to evaluate the implementation of local security public policies in these three local self-government units, to identify key security challenges and to determine the youth's perception of security at the local level.

Bezbednost za različitost: najvažniji bezbednosni rizici sa kojima se suočavaju mladi u multietničkim sredinama: SUBOTICA / NOVI PAZAR / BUJANOVAC

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

Research on the most important security challenges faced by young people was conducted in three multi-ethnic municipalities - Bujanovac, Subotica and Novi Pazar, as part of the Safety for Diversity project, which CeSID is implementing from June to November 2022. The overall goal of the project is to evaluate the implementation of local security public policies in these three local self-government units, to identify key security challenges and to determine the youth's perception of security at the local level.