Transition in Central and Eastern European Countries

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

Papers collected in this book were presented at an international scientific conference "Transition in CEE Countries: Experiences and Future Perspectives" which was held on November 3rd and 4th 2006 in Dubrovnik. The Conference was organized by the Political Science Research Centre Forum, in cooperation with the University of Dubrovnik. It gathered eminent scientists from Croatia and Europe that are positioned in different scientific orientations and points of view. Papers presented in this book discuss different transition phenomena, from general theoretica issues to very specific transformation processes in particular countries. Papers in this collection could be roughly divided into two main parts. The first one includes papers that analyse and discuss general theoretical and conceptual insights and consequences regarding transition processes. This is mainly the case with papers of the following authors: Philippe C. Schmitter, Anđelko Milardović, Pero Maldini and Mislav Kukoč. Their papers provide theoretical overviews of theories of consolidated democracy, Europeanization, socio-cultural values, multiculturalism and the issue of sovereignty. The second group consists of papers with more specific analysis; they are either focused on particular aspects of the transition process in CEE countries or they are aiming to offer a broader understanding of transition patterns in specific countries. This group of papers includes the works of Mate Szabo, Jacek Klich, Vladimira Dvorakova, Davorka Vidović, Davor Pauković, Tomaž Deželan and Damjan Lajh. Their papers examine subjects such as: dealing with the past and lustration, protests in countries pre- and post-1991, ideologies and their role in the transition process, citizenship and the nature of the franchise, as well as social policy change in terms of welfare in transition. Different theoretical approaches and thematic diversity of presented papers form a multidisciplinary character of this book. The studies mainly used the comparative approach, which is in theoretical and pratical sense actually inherent to the subject of democratic transition. In the scope of social sciences this book has managed to offer a relatively wide image of specific features and different experiences of democratic transition, as well as of ways of thinking and interpreting contemporary social reality in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Концепция за по-ефективно гражданско участие в подпомагането на уязвими групи

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

The concept for more effective civic participation in support of four vulnerable groups aims to identify legislative changes, improvement of practices and policy development by decision makers and the civil society to facilitate vulnerable communities in their interaction with state institutions and establish effective support mechanisms. The publication proposes concrete solutions and a roadmap for their implementation for each of these groups - prisoners, victims of human trafficking, victims of domestic violence, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups of foreigners.

Osobna Sjećanja - Na ratove i druge oblike političkog nasilja

Author(s): / Language(s): Croatian

U ovoj knjizi donosimo transkript nekoliko izlaganja sa konferencije koju je Documenta organizirala u Zagrebu u rujnu 2013. godine s ciljem predstavljanja višegodišnjeg snimanja i objave intervjua na web stranici www.osobnasjecanja.hr. Uz komentare i pitanja nekih od sudionika konferencije, u knjizi možete pročitati uvodni tekst koji je na konferenciji izložila urednica kolekcije Maja Dubljević, te transkript izlaganja Vesne Jakumetović iz Vukovara, Ane Raffai iz Zagreba, te Đorđa Gunjevića iz Pakraca. Predstavljamo vam i dvije studije slučaja u kojima su korišteni snimljeni intervjui - studiju slučaja publicistkinje i istraživačice, Vesne Kesić „Španovica / Novo selo / Španovica: Znalo se? Nije se znalo?“ te studiju slučaja povjesničara Marka Smokvine “Stara Gradiška kao paradigma hrvatske povijesti 20. stoljeća”.

ATTITUDES AND VALUES OF INTERCULTURALITY IN THE ROMANIAN YOUTH

Author(s): Ana Bălaşa / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING IN ETHNICALLY MIXED SCHOOL

Author(s): Anca Tomescu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

THE FORCE OF PREJUDICE IN BALKAN HISTORIOGRAPHY A hypothesis on the Greek-Turkish mental entanglement

Author(s): Stephanos Pesmazoglou / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

DISCRIMINATORY ATTITUDES

Author(s): Petar-Emil Mitev / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

YOUTH, CRISIS AND XENOPHOBIC ATTITUDES

Author(s): Lydia Yordanova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

KUĆA BEZ NAMĆORA Makedonska iskustva i paradoksi

Author(s): Risto Lazarov / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

МЕГУНАЦИОНАЛНИТЕ И МЕГУЕТНИЧКИТЕ ОДНОСИ ВО КРУШЕВО

Author(s): Ivan Andreski / Language(s): Macedonian Publication Year: 0

RASIZAM I KSENOFOBIJA U FUNKCIJI RATA NA PROSTORU BIVŠE JUGOSLAVIJE

Author(s): Pero Jurišin / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

CAN XENOPHOBIA AND RACISM BE OVERCOME BY CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES PROJECTS?

Author(s): Helga Tiffinger / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

„THE GREAT SCHISM“: THE YUGOSLAV CASE

Author(s): Milan Podunavac / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

MEDIA AND XENOPHOBIA: NATIONAL MINORITIES IN THE FR YUGOSLAV PRESS

Author(s): Jovan Teokarević / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

INTERKULTURALNOST VERSUS GETOIZACIJA I DISKRIMINACIJA: SLUČAJ ROMA

Author(s): Dragoljub B. Đorđević / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

ZOV ISTRAGE

Author(s): Safet Bandžović / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

KAKO PREPOZNATI „ĐAVOLJE POMOĆNIKE"? - vojvođanska interkulturalna iskustva i dileme

Author(s): Jovan Komšić / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

ANTIDEMOKRATSKI SETOVI ADVOKATI

Author(s): Tonči Majić / Language(s): Croatian Publication Year: 0

The initiated processes of democratization in Croatia have been stopped quite early. The aggressive behavior against minorities in Croatia, particularly Serbs, has become more and more prominent. In the conditions of nationalist rule in Croatia, members of the Serbian minority have turned to NGOs for protection of their rights, while Croats have addressed state organs. NGOs have performed the function of providing information rather than the function of protection. They have been acting in a hostile environment. Both the majority of the population and the state bodies have been hostile to their activities. Grave infringements of human rights in Croatia have happened on a massive scale. They have been systematically applied by the op authorities as a weapon in their policies. The highest levels of government have hushed up crimes against human rights and protected the perpetrators.

GRAĐANSKI PROTESTI U SRBIJI I KSENOFOBIJA

Author(s): Zagorka Golubović / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

During civil end ethnic war in the former multinational Yugoslavia one of the main feelings amongst the population was xenophobia, because all the nations became contaminated by the conviction that „they could no longer live together". What brought into existence such a xenophobia was the nationalistic euphoria in Serbia in the 1990's, but in the other republics of former Yugoslavia as well. The proof can be found in the comparison of the latest results with those ten years earlier, when ethnic distance was rather small, as well as the expression of xenophobia towards the other people living together in the same state. However, a significant turn happened in the autumn 1996, when massive civil protests took place in Belgrade and the other large cities in Serbia: people began to liberate themselves from fear and mutual distrust forming new groupings based on mutual interests and goals (fighting for their civil rights concerning the fair treatment of the results of the local elections), behaving as free persons as well, opposite to the well-known meetings of the amorphous depersonalized masses. All of a sudden a critical public opinion was constituted enabling the population in protest to withstand sharp winter cold and police repression being in the streets for three months and demanding the confirmation of the opposition’s victory on local election. But what was mostly effective was a joy people expressed; so far somber and aggressive they became enthusiastic and gay, more communicative and ready to become a part of new communities. They expressed such feelings in a peaceful protest performing clever activities, turning thus attention of the world to themselves and their enduring energy. One may say that a citizen as a free personality was born during these protests, although by no means all the problems of nationalism, xenophobia and authoritarianism have been yet completely solved.

KSENOFOBIJA I IRONIJA

Author(s): Vojin Dimitrijević / Language(s): Serbian Publication Year: 0

Since 1987 xenophobia has been predominant in Serbia and Yugoslavia. It has been encouraged and promoted from above, through official media and with the energetic support of nationalist intelligentsia. This has not been surprising in an atmosphere of conflict and war among the nations in Yugoslavia. The author maintains that the predominant xenophobia has little resemblance with traditional suspicions and aversions in regard to other nations and states. Xenophobia, expressed in negative national stereotypes, is irrational but it has some links with historical experience. This experience would point toward the traditional enemies of Serbia in wars and memories of their armies as occupiers. In fact, among the negative stereotypes has figured prominently the United States, a state with which the Serbs had no conflicts or major misunderstandings. The explanation can be found that the management of propaganda and xenophobic indoctrination has been in the hands of communist professionals, who have continued their previous line of „anticapitalistic" propaganda, expressed in xenophobia towards the West in general and the United States as the principal „capitalist" nation. When the demonstrations in Serbian cities started after the electoral fraud of November 1996 the regime was in an awkward position. It had just started to adapt, after the signing of the Dayton Agreements on Bosnia and Herzegovina, to its new peace-making collaborative image. The demonstrators were initially labelled by state propaganda as chauvinists, conservatives, even fascists. Their reaction was swift and resulted in the removal of all Serb symbols and insignia and their replacement by Hags of foreign states. Official propagandists now found themselves in familiar waters and directed their efforts against „foreign hirelings and traitors". The reaction of the crowd was again very inventive: symbols of foreign countries gave now place to well designed and attractive banners with logos of successful international and foreign companies. The demonstrators thus indicated that they had opted for transition and capitalism and proved that the best weapon against xenophobia and stubborn official dumbness was irony. Irony and humor are also the best prevention against fear, fear being the major bastion of totalitarianism.