Права на природата – насред екологичната есхатология и правната теория

Author(s): Stoyan Stavru / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1-2/2016

With the increase of the ecological problems and most of all with the increase of the adverse to human beings climate changes, the question of nature protection from human impact is (more) often raised. This brings a number of ethical and legal questions, including those with the potential to change the subjective structure of the currently existing law. The article attempts to systematize the holders of legal personhood and to locate potential areas for the rights of nature in the law structure. We could outline a “full range of legal entities”, which includes two major categories: physical persons and legal entities. Physical persons can be divided into two groups: people (human persons) and other individuals (nonhuman persons). Legal entities can also be divided into two groups: social entities, the most common of which are corporations, and natural entities, the most common of which are ecosystems. So the outlined categories and groups are symmetric: on one side there are animals as “nonhuman” physical persons and natural formations as legal entities, and on the other side – people as “human” physical persons and their social formations as legal entities. This symmetry in the delineation of possible legal personhoods creates conditions for balance on a structural level – at the level of structure of law there are already comparable mechanisms for balancing the interests of people with those of animals, and the interests of corporations with those of ecosystems.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-22 May

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 05/25/2020

In the news today: does Kadyrov have COVID-19?; U.S. ventilators to Russia; protests in Tajikistan; Romanian workers in Germany; and migrants in Hungary.

Kонцептуални модели за разработване на познавателни онлайн игри в областта на културното наследство

Author(s): Detelin Luchev,Desislava Paneva-Marinova,Radoslav Pavlov,Gita Senka,Lilia Pavlova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2020

The new strategies for teaching and learning point to the investigation and the deployment of workable learning methods and scenarios for better understanding of the learning content and engage learners in more active participation during the perceiving of knowledge. Good educational results are achieved by storytelling, understanding-by-design, serious educational games, game components, learning-by-authoring, and/or any combinations of them, when the specific learner’s needs and wishes are kept in mind and different digital resources (viz. cultural, historical, encyclopedic, etc.) are contextually used for the target learning purposes. This paper presents some conceptual models for the development of online learning games in the cultural heritage field.

O analiză intersectorială privind răspunsul global, internațional și național la pandemia COVID-19

Author(s): Ionuț Aichimoaie / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 14/2020

While governments and international organizations had more or less prepared plans for a global pandemic, the planning of the accompanying economic shock was much less studied. This paper summarizes research-based policy analyzes and comments on COVID-19 economic measures from international institutions and leading economists. Topics will cover international mechanisms for preventing and combating the effects of the pandemic (trade, capital flows, financial institutions, expectations, etc.), as well as internal impact, such as the size, persistence and sectoral composition of economic instruments. Topics covered also include the impact on political economy, income and inequality, environmental impact, job insecurity, education and research.

Срещани трудности при четвъртокласниците при четенето с разбиране на непознат текст (сравнителен анализ)

Author(s): Iva Stamenova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2020

The article is devoted to the difficulty of testing students in IV grade when reading strange text on which they complete a test consisting of open and closed questions. The study includes four-graders of two classes in order to make a comparative analysis of the results obtained during the study. The experiment showed that the students in the experimental group, due to the systematic work with different test variants, had significantly higher scores than their control classmates. Such a fact proves once again that the appropriate selection of exercises, tests and texts accessible to the age of the students in the relevant class greatly contributes to both the refinement of the reading technique and the perception, comprehension and application of the read information on a practical basis by completing mixed-type test questionnaires. Therefore, it is no accident that questions are also included in the test through which to express a personal opinion while adhering to the content of the text

Economic “malaise” and the state of the present society

Author(s): Alexandru Trifu / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2015

The present paper is dealing with a term which is intrinsic to our day-to-day life: malaise. And, exactly as in the case of stress, is a state determined by the people, employees and, in the double sense, the impact and the challenges of the business and natural environments on the activities and living standard of the people. Starting from the basic ideas of J. M. Keynes and P. A. Samuelson in this respect, we intend to underline the fact that malaise (and its main form “economic malaise”) is closely linked to less favorable or negative aspects from the people life and activities within entities and communities. We are referring to Depression periods or uncertain future evolutions.This term was spread in specialty literature, so we find assessments about almost all major national economies and even world economy. Different negative aspects of the society (economy) such as crisis, unemployment, debts, support the existence of malaise. In a word, malaise is a state of fact, intrinsic to the people and communities activities, but not in a manner as globalization (which also determines malaise), seen as a mantra, or repeatedly regarding everything is happen now at the local and international levels.

Отзив рецензия на обучителен пакет от помагала в системата на предучилищното и училищното образование

Author(s): Irina Koleva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2020

Around the Bloc-Thursday, 17 September

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 09/21/2020

Regional headlines: Jewish pilgrims stuck in Belarus; Bosnian war crimes suspects; attack on Bulgarian journalist; education and COVID-19 in the Caucasus; and ancient bear found in Russia.

THE SOUNDS OF MODERNITY: EXPLORING THE BALKAN CAPITALS’ SOUNDSCAPE (LATE 19th – EARLY 20th C.)

Author(s): Andreas Lyberatos / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

Despite the fact that urban modernity and modernization in the Balkans has been a celebrated topic among social and cultural historians and historians of architecture and urban planning, the dimension of sound has been almost entirely absent from these discussions. The present paper is based on fresh research aiming to fill this gap. It initiates a comparative inquiry about the sonic environment of three Balkan capital cities (Belgrade, Sofia and Athens) during their transition to the industrial era. It offers a panorama of testimonies on the various dimensions, factors and actors creating and transforming the fin-de-siècle Balkan capitals’ soundscape (the role of climate and built environment, the natural and biological keynote sounds, the sounds of street vendors and musicians and the mechanical sounds of trams and motorcars). It finally demonstrates, through the example of the noisiest of the three cities, i.e. Athens, the importance of the “soundscape” as a field of signification and socio-cultural conflict in a transitional period for the Balkan city.

Procesul regenerării siturilor de tip brownfield – un obiectiv cheie în dezvoltarea urbană durabilă (1)

Author(s): Michael Alexander H. E. Birgmayr / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

Brownfield regeneration, involving the reintegration of derelict and abandoned sites into their economic environments, is a key element of sustainable urban development and tackles environmental, social, economic and cultural issues, which are the main aspects of sustainability. Most Eastern and Central European cities, mainly because of their history and the features of transition to a market-led economy, carry an exceptionally large burden of under-used and brownfield land. This land represents a hole in the urban fabric, with significant losses in economic efficiency, social cohesion and quality of life. At the same time, new development on agricultural land that could have been located on recycled brownfield land is contributing to urban sprawl. This further reduces the city and community economic performance and competitiveness. Given this context, I have decided to come up with an article that deals with the brownfield issue, explaining the necessity of implementing successful strategies for the brownfield regeneration process at European level, the factors that contribute to such successful stories, as well as the steps and the barriers towards a sustainable urban development from the perspective of its 4 dimensions: economic, social and cultural, environmental and institutional.

Procesul regenerării siturilor de tip brownfield – un obiectiv cheie în dezvoltarea urbană durabilă (2)

Author(s): Michael Alexander H. E. Birgmayr / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

For many EU communities’ brownfields emergence was, or still is, a new issue, the complexity of which has not been fully perceived, and the economic, social and environmental effects of which have not been fully understood. In some European countries brownfield reuse policies and redevelopment techniques have been successfully practiced for more than 40 years. In other countries, this is still an emerging subject. This is the reason why sharing knowledge and experience on brownfield reuse is so important in the European context. A needed industrial development on a brownfield site, despite its unavoidable negative environmental impacts, can be more sustainable than a public park on the same site, as it helps preserve alternative greenfield sites. In addition, the proposed development could generate jobs resulting in positive effects in the social and economic dimensions. Increases in local municipality income could be allocated to environmental improvements in the surrounding area. There are many examples (so called “best practices”) reporting how human factor as an initiator of brownfield regeneration – e.g. making a good project proposal, gaining a local community support, acquirement of grant titles, etc. – have overcome location handicaps or modified the characteristics of suitability of area or concrete brownfield site according to specific project purposes. In this respect, it is very important to study specific local political, cultural and social structures and contexts of regeneration processes, roles of specific actors.

Поколенията „Z“ и „Aлфа“ и мултитаскингът (многозадачността) в сферата на образованието

Author(s): Natalia I. Vitanova,Gergana Gerova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 9/2020

This article attempts to describe the features of the 'Z' and 'Alpha' generations, whose natural habitat is currently the school institution. One of the common characteristics of the two generations is multitasking. The peculiarities of multitasking as a phenomenon and its projections in the field of education are reviewed. Researchers’ different viewpoints are presented about this phenomenon as their opinions are diverse and even polarized. They vary widely from heavy multitasking to its total rejection. The issue of ultitasking is topical and in the future it will spark particular research interest in the context of online instruction which is becoming increasingly intensive (especially after the COVID-19 pandemic), and the widespread introduction of edtech in the sphere of education.

Rola religii w życiu współczesnych społeczeństw w ujęciu przedstawicieli Ośrodka Myśli Politycznej

Author(s): Marek Pabich / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 20/2020

Artykuł jest poświęcony zagadnieniu roli religii w życiu współczesnych społeczeństw w ujęciu wybranych autorów publikujących w Ośrodku Myśli Politycznej. Religia stanowi dla nich niezbędny dla państwa fundament aksjologiczny, wokół którego możliwe jest zbudowanie wspólnoty obywatelskiej. Zapewnia ona państwu wartości potrzebne do prawidłowego funkcjonowania, których jego instytucje same nie są w stanie wytworzyć. Odniesienie do transcendencji pozwala ponadto na pogłębioną interpretację losów danego społeczeństwa na przestrzeni dziejów. Współcześnie chrześcijaństwo stanowi jedyną liczącą się alternatywę dla dominujących w świecie zachodnim prądów liberalnych. Zapewnia ponadto ciągłość między europejskim dziedzictwem kulturowym a współczesnością. Poglądy omawianych autorów sytuują się w ramach nurtu konserwatywnego.

Działania Portu Lotniczego Wrocław S.A. w zakresie minimalizacji wpływu hałasu na otoczenie

Author(s): Karina Sikora / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2014

The following text presents issues related to the protection of the environment against the aircraft noise. The subjects of the survey are the Copernicus Airport Wroclaw- Starachowice and the local population. The main aim is to determine the effect of activities undertaken by the Wroclaw Airport towards noise reduction, and to examine their real-life practicality. The objective was to investigate the noise nuisance by the means of a survey conducted among the airport locals. The main topics of the research are included in three questions, namely: What is the level of noise caused by the Copernicus Airport? What are the airport actions in order to minimalize the noise level? How is the noise evaluated by residents of the airport area? Research methodology is based on the assumption that the actions undertaken by the Wroclaw Airport aim to reduce the level of aircraft noise..

Liryka pokwitania i uroki filmoznawczej pasji

Author(s): Marta Stańczyk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2020

The review article discusses Karolina Kostyra’s book Wiosenna bujność traw. Obrazy przyrody w filmach o dorastaniu [Splendor in the Grass: Nature Images in Coming-of-Age Films] (2019). The author of the paper emphasises the place of the monograph in the contexts of the film genre theory, new humanities’ tendencies, and the academic discourse. The alternative for the last issue is the so-called haptic criticism, term coined by Laura U. Marks and used by the article’s author to describe Kostyra’s style.

Digitalization and smartening sustainable city development:

Author(s): Tiago de Melo Cartaxo,Johana M. CASTILLA,Marcin Dymet,Kamrul Hossain / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2021

The European High North (EHN) region faces distinct challenges in terms of socio-economic, cultural and environmental infrastructure. As a peripheral region, it is usually characterised as being geographically distant, with a sparse population, relatively poor physical and economic infrastructure, and far from major administrative hubs located mostly in its southern areas. Integrating new technology as a well-established phenomenon, particularly digital innovation, in regional development strategies has been found enormously relevant and beneficial for the citizens inhabiting this region. In effect, the EHN’s sustainability depends on the efficient management of land use and natural resources, economic and human activities, and services and facilities. The expansion of digital technology and its appearance in many areas of the everyday lives of people and communities provide better efficiencies in the context of service design and infrastructural development. Given that the EHN is relatively better progressed than similar peripheral regions and has therefore set an example of modern development in the area of digitalisation, this paper analyses the realities of the cities of Tromsø in Norway and Rovaniemi in Finland as case studies of providing potentially ‘smarter’, efficient, and modern services that combine development, sustainability, and human wellbeing.

The Process of Demographic Transition in Lands of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Other Areas with Polish-Speaking Populations, 1865–1912

Author(s): Józef Pociecha / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The aim of the research is to trace the process of demographic transition in the area of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, enlarged by areas with a predominantly Polish-speaking population, Upper Silesia and Cieszyn Silesia, as well as Southern Masuria. The time frame of the work covers the years 1865–1912. Changes in the basic indicators of the vital statistics of the population were analyzed: the crude death rate (death rate per 1,000 population), the crude birth rate and the crude marriage rate. The source of the data is the work of Adam Krzyżanowski and Kazimierz Kumaniecki, Statystyka Polski [Statistics of Poland], which was in fact the first statistical yearbook of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and other predominantly Polish-speaking areas. The analysis was carried out strictly according to the requirements of the demographic transition theory. A comparative analysis of the demographic situation in these lands on the eve of the outbreak of World War I was carried out using Ward’s taxonomic method and the k-means method. The results of the analysis indicate that the process of demographic transition in these lands was varied and was conditioned by their economic development and geographical location.

INFORMACIJA APIE PROJEKTUS

Author(s): Giedrė MOTUZAITĖ MATUZEVIČIŪTĖ,Skirmantė GRANICKIENĖ,Agnė Čivilytė,Vytenis Podėnas,Povilas Blaževičius / Language(s): English,Lithuanian Issue: 46/2020

Ši skiltis skirta supažindinti skaitytojus su Lietuvos ir užsienio fondų finansuojamais mokslo projektais. Informacija pateikta apie projektus, kurių viešinimo pageidavo juos vykdantys mokslininkai.

JULIA OBERTREIS. IMPERIAL DESERT DREAMS: COTTON GROWING AND IRRIGATION IN CENTRAL ASIA, 1860–1991

Author(s): Anna Sokolova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 3/2020

Review of: Анна Соколова - Julia Obertreis. Imperial Desert Dreams: Cotton Growing and Irrigation in Central Asia, 1860–1991. Göttingen, Germany: V&R Unipress, 2017. 536 pp. ISBN 978-3-8471-0786-6.

Геоархеологически теренни издирвания за древен рудодобив и металообработка в Западната част на Златишко-Пирдопската котловина

Author(s): Boyan Dumanov,Zhivko Uzunov,Irena Dimitrova,Bilyana Kostova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2020

Geo-archaeological field surveys have been carried out in the Western part of the Zlatitsa-Pirdop valley. Archaeological sites and surface collections, traces of metalworking of iron were registered to restore the economic models in ancient times.