Етика и екология – проблеми на интердисциплинността

Author(s): Nikolay Mihaylov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

The article explores the different approaches to defining environmental ethics. The author examines the emergence and historical development of ecological ideas in ethics and their impact on ethics. The article focuses on anthropocentrism as a basic ethical principle and attempts to address it in the construction of a new type of moral philosophy. Important works by Bulgarian and foreign authors on the subject are reviewed and compared. The author examines the place of environmental ethics in the structure of ethical philosophy.

Личностната идентичност и любовта

Author(s): Vinitsiy Petrov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 5/2016

The article explores the connection between the concept of personal identity and the concept of love, focusing on the possibility of personal identity. The investigation starts from the premise that personal identity has a transcendental status with respect to philosophical inquiry, especially in the domain of ethics. Then the author outlines some major problems involved in the clear explication of the concept of personal identity. The proposed solution is that personal identity is constituted by the relation to a loved one. The conclusion is that love has a transcendental status with regard to personal identity, which means it also has transcendental status with respect to all activities contingent on personal identity.

Връзки и взаимозависимости между процесите на външна миграция и престъпност

Author(s): Lyuba D. Spasova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

The article explores the mutual connection between the processes of crime and external migration and analyses the interconnectivity and relation between these two phenomena. A theoretical model is constructed and tested based on the available data; outlining the illogical gaps in knowledge, the author sets a path for further research.Keywords: emigration/immigration; crime; deviance; trends

Биовластта днес

Author(s): Paul Rabinow,Nikolas Rose / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3-4/2016

Integrarea serviciilor ecosistemice în planificarea spaţială prin soluţii bazate pe natură

Author(s): Mădălina Sbarcea,Filip Raicu,Alexandru-Ionuţ Petrişor / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1/2019

Global changes, driven by land use changes, human population growth and consumption or pollution, manifest themselves through extensive urbanization and amplified extreme climate phenomena, that are threatening environmental systems and human well-being. Consequences of these changes results in habitats and ecosystems fragmentation and quality degradation, that lead to lower capacity of delivering ecosystem services as well as to negative impacts for human health. At the global and European level, nature-based solutions (NBS) have gained traction as an alternative to traditional measures to tackle these environmental and socioeconomic challenges. In this context, the EU oriented its Research and Innovation agenda towards NBS, aiming at green economic growth and new jobs creation, sustainable urbanization, regenerating degraded areas and improving citizen quality of life. Nature-based-solutions projects usually tackle complex problems and provide a series of benefits, most of which can be assessed from an ecosystem services perspective. The planning and implementation process usually involve multiple stakeholders, from governments to NGOs or lay citizens. Besides further need for monitoring, especially of quantitative effects, the complexity of interactions between humans and their environment require a systems approach to adequately represent feedbacks between variables like public health, wellbeing or environmental quality and ecosystem services. Given these complex relationships and context-dependency, the development of frameworks that support spatial planning professionals and decision makers and that involve regional stakeholders in a participatory process would maximize the benefits obtained by NBS implementation.

Transitions Online_Society-Sex Workers in Turkey Stand Up for Their Rights

Author(s): Aylin Kaplan / Language(s): English Issue: 01/13/2020

The industry in Turkey is legal, but both laws and social mores effectively criminalize many working in the field.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc - 7 January

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 01/13/2020

Today’s regional roundup: arrests in Tajikistan; VTB sues Mozambique; the legacy of the Chechen war; Hungarian human trafficking victims; and Latvian gamblers.

Основні етапи формування та розвитку екологічної правової культури в сучасному суспільстві

Author(s): Svetlana Petrivna Palamarchuk,Viktor Ivanovich Byrkovych,Oleksandr Petrovich Svitlychnyy / Language(s): Ukrainian Issue: 2/2019

Purpose of the Article. It consists in covering the main stages of the formation of ecological culture in the context of the modern culture of society. The methodology is based on the principle of objectivity and an integrated approach and in the application of the method of analysis and synthesis, which made it possible to follow the formation and development of ecological culture in the context of the culture of society. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the expansion of ideas about the ecological culture of man in modern society. The analysis of the gradual formation of ecological culture in the structure and functions of the culture itself. Conclusions. As a result of the research, it was established that culture in all its manifestations is an object and subject of study of many specific sciences, ecology is not an exception. Culture was formed on the activities of society and man, along with its results. Culture is the result of the development of the relationship between man and nature, therefore the perception of culture depends on the person. The formation of the ecological culture of society is formed on the basis of education, upbringing and culture, which allows a person to make constructive decisions to solve environmental problems.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-13 February

Author(s): Ky Krauthamer / Language(s): English Issue: 02/17/2020

Today’s regional roundup: MH17 trial; a solitary voice in Baku; Romania warned over trees; Facebook purges fake pages; and a pay cut in Pristina.

Geleneksel Ekolojik Bilgi ve Folklor

Author(s): Mehmet Ali Yolcu,Mehmet Aça / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 100/2019

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is a collection of knowledge and beliefs that have been acquired after many years of experience with human contact with the environment. In the West, the idea that TEK can guide the modern society in terms of terming and sustainable resource use and ecological development has been debated since the early 1980s. This concept is important to see the basis of the problems of human-nature relations. TEK research aims to reveal the ecological knowledge that has shown a unique development as a result of environmental adaptation of each of the local communities living in many regions of the world. Although TEK research has continued in the West for nearly 40 years the term has entered the literature in Turkey nowadays. The place and importance of TEK research in the field of folklore which is of interest to different disciplines requires us to form a research model about TEK. It can be clarified through pioneering studies on how TEK accumulation specific to a community will be collected, how to approach this information and how it will be analyzed. In our study, TEK research model in folklore was proposed by considering the definition, content and scope of the concept and brief history of the researches.

Konkurs Piosenki Eurowizji jako przedmiot badania socjologicznego

Author(s): Daniel Pałuba / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2020

This paper makes an attempt to prove that analyzing the results of the Eurovision Song Contest can be useful for sociologists. For this purpose, the author uses the division of tastes into legitimate, middle-brow and popular and examines whether this division is reflected among those voting in the Eurovision Song Contest. The author also presents the history of the Eurovision Song Contest and distinguishes Jurors Eurovision, Public Eurovision, Transitional Eurovision and Mixed Eurovision. Each of them confirms the correctness of the above-mentioned division of tastes.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Author(s): Jeremy Druker / Language(s): English Issue: 10/26/2020

Regional headlines: Estonia faces fallout over homophobic remarks; Belgrade to welcome Russian military; EU vs. Poland, TBD; Holocaust play opens in Bucharest; and Chernobyl goes virtual reality.

Transitions Online_Poland-Bus Stop Shakespeare

Author(s): Dorota Salus / Language(s): English Issue: 11/02/2020

In Gdansk, people with Down syndrome are finding jobs thanks to an innovative collaboration between NGOs and the private sector.

Potencijali i perspektive razvitka Velebitskog podgorja

Author(s): Čedomir Dundović,Damian Dundović,Kristina Dundović / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 1/2017

Velebit is not only the largest Croatian mountain but is the only littoral mountain that divides two geographically essentially diverse areas: the Mediterranean and continental – mountain regions, in other words, the Croatian Littoral from Mountain Croatia. The littoral slope of Velebit includes Podgorje which begins near Sveti Juraj where it gradually spreads and rises to Jablanac, whilst in the southern part Velebit gradually passes into the northern – Dalmatian karst plateau. The natural conditions and setting along the sea have contributed in the past to the development of forestry, agricultural and livestock production, shipping, fishing, trade, hunting and tourism. The transport connectivity of the settlements of the Velebit littoral slope with the outside world always took place via the sea, because there were no land routes or they were in such a state that they did not allow a better connection between the settled places. The population coverage of their region is dominated by numerous hamlets, 1-6 km apart and set in the interior from the sea mostly in the central vegetational belt because bare rock dominates along the coastline. Nature has influenced this separation because any settlements had to be placed where the ‘bura’ does not blow. Due to this in the Velebet littoral area, with the exception of Senj, three more important coastal settlements developed: Sveti Juraj, Jablanac and Karlobag. The lack of traffic and communal infrastructure and other necessary amenities (educational, health, economic and so on) are the reason for the large depopulation of this area which in modern conditions is one of the least populated regions of the Republic of Croatia. However, the potential values of this region point to the possibilities of its speedier development. The aims and guidelines of development point primarily to the protection of the natural and cultural resources with an emphasised need in making developmental economic programmes. Besides the development of a road network which in this area would prompt new developmental potentials with the planned measures of development, the development of economic activities (development of tourism, mariculture, nautical tourism ports, health-recreational tourism, hunting tourism, fruit growing and horticulture, livestock breeding, forestry and timber – manufacturing activities, the use of the energy potentials of the wind and sun, the development of manufacturing, trade and free customs zones and so on) and social activities in the decentralisation of the system of centralised settlements (educational, health and cultural infrastructure) should be stimulated. In this paper a special emphasis is made on the appraisal of the natural potentials, of sustainable development and the evaluation of the possibility of the revitalisation of Podgorje. To this end a SWOT analysis was produced as a basic prerequisite for future development.

Zagrożenia naturalne dla bezpieczeństwa ekologicznego w powiecie gryfińskim

Author(s): Mateusz Szymczak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 51/2021

Ecological security, which refers to the preservation of an adequate ecosystem and a biological balance in a close area, was a term which oscillated around the daily sense of security of the inhabitants of a region. Natural hazards was a counterpart aimed at the dangers lurking, for example, in areas of natural value and strict protection, which was very often financed and controlled by EU bodies. The aim of the research paper was to confirm the impact of natural hazards on the state of ecological safety in the district of Gryfino. The research methodology was based mainly on institutional and legal sources. It was initial to analyse existing documents. A key aspect became the use of one of the research techniques which is an interview with a retired Border Guard officer. Gryfino County is a region of local self-government and thus of second-level administrative division in Poland. Its great advantage was not only its geographical location in the midst of the so-called Polish Amazonia, i.e. areas of a network of canals and old riverbeds connected to each other, but also its proximity to the Federal Republic of Germany. Cross-border cooperation has been developing promisingly since the period of political transformation at the security level. The public security services, through mutual assistance and common exchange of information, have been able to implement projects and programmes to improve the environment of the territories. In conclusion, it could be said that the inhabitants of both the eastern and cross-border parts of the county were exposed to natural disasters. However, it is worth noting that due to the presence of water areas they were more diverse and unpredictable in nature. Environmental awareness among the inhabitants was extremely important, but at the same time it had to be supported by the creation of a civil society in the capital’s charming areas. Appropriate coordination of public safety services, innovative local government policies and the involvement of residents were able to counteract the form and strength of natural hazards and their direct impact on ecological safety in the Griffin district.

Wartości wewnętrzne i użytkowe wydm nadmorskich w Polsce na tle światowych trendów zarządzania

Author(s): Tomasz Arkadiusz Łabuz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2018

The coastal area for the centuries has been performed economic, settlement and defense functions. The disappearance of natural habitats and natural resources as a result of land development caused the need to designate protection zones. However, their area in Poland is insufficient due to the unlimited development of tourist services on the coast. The contemporary approach to the needs of environmental protection distributes human utility values (meaning as instrumental) from intrinsic values of nature. Both human and nature have the right to function and develop. Natural environment is giving many non economic benefits. If, in modern management methods, the human-nature conflict will be not resolved in the future, there will be no natural coastal areas in Poland. This paper presents the methods of valuing the natural environment in the context of the need to preserve the natural values of coastal dunes.

GREEN GROWTH, JUST TRANSITION AND DECENT WORKS IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE

Author(s): Çiğdem TUĞAÇ / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2020

Traditional economic growth models damage natural resources to which humanity depends, causing important environmental, social and economic problems, especially climate change. Today, it is understood by countries that a new growth approach should be applied in order to ensure the sustainable use of scarce natural resources, combatting negative effects of climate change and reduce poverty while realizing economic development. The view that environmentally friendly investments aren’t cost effective is changing and countries want to take advantage of the opportunities offered by green growth. However, this process also requires a just transition. The aim of this study is to evaluate green growth, just transition and decent work concepts in the context of sustainable development and combatting climate change. In the study, it is concluded that if green growth and just transition processes are well managed, they provide significant opportunities for realizing UN-SDGs, combatting climate change and the creation of decent works.

Das städtische Grundstück im Opava (Troppau) des 13. und 14. Jahrhunderts aus archäologischer Sicht

Author(s): František Kolář,Michal Zezula / Language(s): German Issue: 2/2013

The separation of the original core of the town of Opava, founded between 1213 and 1220, into plots was adapted to the communication scheme of the earlier settlement. Within the development of the town in the second half of the 13th century, regularly measured-out blocks of houses were built in the southern part of the town. Archeologically, the development of the land subdivision and buildings may be observed by means of the finds of fences and sunken basements of wood-and-clay buildings, which dominated among the buildings of the early town. Around the turn of the 14th century, we encounter the earliest known evidence of stone chambers (‘Steinwerk’), built at the place or earlier basements of wood-and-clay buildings, which were in the course of the 15th and 16th centuries integrated into the new stone buildings covering the entire width of the plots all to way to the street line. It is also characteristic for the period of the 13th and 14th centuries that the terrain in the area of the plots as well as in public spaces was significantly raised, which was mainly caused by the deposition of soil from the construction pits for house basements and waste disposal in their immediate vicinity. From the second half of the 13th century, the sanitary situation of the town was improved by the gradual spread of wooden-constructed waste pits, whereas medieval wells have been recorded only sporadically.

Modelling Natural Capital: A Proposal for a Mixed Multi-criteria Approach to Assign Management Priorities to Ecosystem Services

Author(s): Mónica de Castro Pardo,Pascual Fernández Martínez,José Manuel Guaita Martínez,José María Martín Martín / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

Investment in natural capital is increasingly necessary and urgent considering the increasing loss of global biodiversity and the associated social and economic losses. Ecosystem services are tools for quantifying the stock of natural capital and there is great concern about their assessment and valuation. However, there remains a substantial gap between the large amount of information available about ecosystem services and the information required to support decisions and this undermines the efficiency of their management. Multi-criteria analysis techniques can be very useful to efficiently develop decision-making processes to properly channel investment and optimize the costs associated with conservation. This paper proposes an innovative mixed methodology for multi-criteria analysis to assign priorities to ecosystem services in protected areas in terms of importance and vulnerability. The model was applied by a group of experts to prioritize 20 ecosystem services in the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. In order to collect and analyze the individual valuations, a mixed method of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Goal Programming (GP) was used, and to aggregate the valuation criteria, a Joint Relevance Index (JRI) was used, which presents the relative importance of each service in an aggregated way. The results show that conservation policies should be primarily directed towards lifecycle maintenance and water conditions. Depending on the vulnerability of the services, conservation policies should be channeled towards provisioning services related to wild animals and wild plants. Considering the relative importance of services in the park, priority should be oriented to lifecycle maintenance, water conditions and intellectual interaction with the environment.

The Perception of Time in the Virtual Space: A Cultural-Philosophical Analysis

Author(s): Bina Nir / Language(s): English Issue: 10(39)/2017

In this article, we will present the key conceptions of time in Western culture, while observing changes in the perception of time in the context of virtual space. Among other things, we will examine the change in the Newtonian space-time concept. The Newtonian conception views a permanent system of space and time. Being in virtual space transforms us, it would seem, to the cultural conception of time presented by Einstein, which does not view time as an absolute measure, but rather as changing according to the speed of our movement. The faster we move, time speed reduces. It is not the objective of this article to probe the depths of physics, but to try and understand the cultural shifts in the perception of time in terms of existing physics models. Moreover, we will explore the cultural return to “mystical time” in terms of the “divine gaze” – today, in virtual space, a new point of view enables us to observe existence from an external point of view. Changes also include the obstruction of the linear sequence of time due to the simultaneity of past, present and future in the Augmented Virtual Reality. In this article, we will attempt to understand experiencing virtual reality in terms of hallucination time, and will conclude with the virtual promise of eternal life – being in eternal time, which exists in the virtual space.