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Między pamięcią a historią. Pisarze żydowscy pochodzenia maghrebskiego we Francji. Perspektywa socjologiczna

Author(s): Ewa Tartakowsky / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

Literary production by Jewish writers from North Africa in France reaches back to the 1950s and has been gaining momentum since the 1980s. These works function as vectors of memory, ‘historiography’ and adaptation. In a new environment, exile leads to recollection and memorialization processes, enabling the subject to fight against trauma and providing the migrant group with a framework of reference. Literature, which does not require a scientific framework, is able immediately to take over the narration of the past. These processes mediate between the exiled group and the host community, in which the exile literary work transcends the social realities that help construct the individual.

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The Massive Exchange of Elites as a Mean of Formation of the Authoritarian Regime

Author(s): Janusz Reykowski / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

After parliamentary election of 2015 in Poland the winning party (Law and Justice, PiS) initiated the major socio-political transformation labeled by its authors the “good change”. Its main characteristic is the process of the massive exchange of elites. The process of exchange of the elites has elaborated ideological justifications – broadly popularized legitimizing myth. Its main claim is the thesis about illegitimate origins of the Third Republic of Poland that was established after the fall of communism and about policies of the previous governments that were allegedly contrary to the basic interests of Poland. The practical realization of the idea of the massive exchange of elites might require certain conditions such as the existence of social groups that feel that the current system limits their chances for personal advancement, broad disappointment with the ruling elites, growing tolerance for authoritarian politics, social support for the change. It should be noted that some of these conditions exist, to the certain degree, in various countries of Europe and facilitate the development of the radical right wing movements. This paper describes some of the mechanisms of the change that on the abstract level are similar to processes of exchange of elites in other geo-political contexts.

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Transitional Justice Models and Analytic Philosophy

Author(s): Michał Krotoszyński / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

As an interdisciplinary field of scholarship, transitional justice is still in its pre-theoretical stage, focusing mainly on the case and comparative studies, supported by general considerations concerning justice in the times of transition. To entrench the field as a distinct area of studies, a theory of transitional justice needs to be formulated. The article explores the possibility of making a step towards such a theoretical basis with the use of the tools of analytical philosophy, methodology and legal theory. First, drawing on Leszek Nowak’s procedure of idealisation, three basic models of responses to a painful past are formulated. Then, distinct transitional justice values are attributed to each of the models. Finally, with the use of Jerzy Kmita’s concept of humanistic interpretation, the article seeks to conceptualize the way in which these values – among other factors, such as the need to uphold the rule of law or to preserve the stability of a democratic system – influence the choice of a model of transitional justice response. Thus, the aim of the presented models – which I described in more detail elsewhere (Krotoszyński 2017) – is to provide a sound theoretical basis for some of the fundamental claims formulated in the field of transitional justice.

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Transitional Justice in Ongoing Conflicts and Post-War Reconstruction

Author(s): Tomasz Lachowski / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

The main aim of the paper is to analyse the potential transitional justice mechanisms, directed at reintegration of Donbas, a territory temporarily occupied by pro-Russian separatists, being under the combination of a direct and indirect control of Kremlin, with Ukraine. In the aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity and a remove of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych as a consequence of Euromaidan protests held in Kyiv, in the Winter 2013/14, Ukraine became a state involved in the international armed conflict covering its Eastern provinces as a result of an external aggression of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, since early-2014, Moscow is continuously using pro-Russian militants to form and uphold unrecognised, de facto regimes of the so-called ‘Donetsk’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic(s)’ affecting the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. It is argued that Kyiv shall take into consideration some of the peace and restoration models applied in similar conflict or post-conflict environments, such as the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) or the experience of numerous disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programs, filled with the transitional justice component. Moreover, by emphasising the context of a military (semifrozen) conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the paper is going to shed more light on the possible application of transitional justice tool-kit in the ongoing conflicts scenarios and its potential contribution to the shift from a conflict to the postwar environment.

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Българската етнология в началото на ХХI век – теория и практика. Съст. Валентина Васева. София: Издателство на БАН „Проф. Марин Дринов“, 2017

Author(s): Anelia Kasabova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2019

Book review

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THE UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS CHINA: INVALIDITY OF CONVERGENCE AND INTEGRATION IN FACING AN XXI CENTURY CHINA

Author(s): Bama Andika Putra / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

The US faces many dilemmas in facing an XXI century China. The recent crisis that has occurred in the South China Sea and issues related to the trade war between the two global powers have significantly divided the positions of both states in world affairs. The US policy of engagement and coercion, forcing China into the US liberal order has shown slow progress. Therefore, it is critical to re-evaluate the US foreign policy strategy in facing an XXI century China, which shows discontent towards the values that are promoted by the US. This paper critically analyzes the US foreign policy approach to China, provides key elements of its success, and concludes the major issues faced throughout the process of interacting with the modern global superpower known as China.

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FACTORS THAT CAUSED THE DETERIORATION IN AMERICAN – TURKISH RELATIONS

Author(s): Valeri Modebadze / Language(s): English Issue: 03/2020

During the Cold War Turkey had excellent relations with the United States of America. Both countries needed each other and saw the Soviet Union as their main rival. Strategic Partnership was established between the two nations and USA provided military assistance to Turkey in order to contain the Soviet Union. With the assistance of the USA, Turkey managed to neutralize Soviet threat and integrate into NATO. Turkey became a close ally of the West. After the Cold War, American - Turkish relations have gradually cooled and deteriorated significantly over the last years. The aim of this article is to analyze those factors that have caused the deterioration of American – Turkish relations.

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Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-13 May

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 05/18/2020

Highlights from our coverage region: asylum seeker abuse in Croatia; opening up in Uzbekistan; Telegram abandons blockchain; stunning fossils in Bulgaria; and a friendly reminder for Georgia.

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THE JAPANESE DIPLOMACY IN ASIA: EVOLUTION AND CHALLENGES

Author(s): Georgios Zacharias / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

The diplomacy of Japan towards its Asian neighbours has always been a complex issue. Throughout the years, the foreign policy of Japan has witnessed severe alterations specifically after the Second World War. Since then, new challenges and opportunities have risen which have formed a new, adapted Japanese diplomacy, albeit not disconnected from its traditional aspects and its past. The current purpose of the paper is to highlight these evolutions and challenges of the post WWII Japanese diplomacy. The focus will be on the two main neighbours and traditional partners of Japan, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. There will be an effort to highlight the challenges that Japan experiences with the aforementioned countries, its diplomatic approaches and how these could be evolved in the near future.

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US-CHINA RIVALRY FOR GLOBAL HEGEMONY

Author(s): Valeri Modebadze / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

This article describes the competition between China and the USA for global hegemony. Both states have hegemonic ambitions and compete with each other over the domination of Asia. The rise of China has transformed global politics, as well as the balance of the global economy. As China’s economic and military power increases steadily, its geopolitical ambitions are also constantly growing. Some experts do not exclude the possibility of conflict between China and the USA in the future. There are many potential hot spots in East Asia where conflict could erupt at any time in the future between the USA and China. Many experts doubt whether the USA and China can escape Thucydides’ Trap in the future.

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Memoria vie a Holocaustului din România și reprezentările sale (1944-1947)

Author(s): Dumitru Tucan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1/2024

The Holocaust in Romania (i.e. the involvement of Romanian authorities in the crimes against the Jewish population during World War II) was a marginalized and distorted historical event in the Romanian public discourse. Immediately after the end of the war and in the years that followed, some survivors wrote about the sufferings endured, texts of a vivid traumatic memory. Some were published, others remained in manuscript. There were also timid attempts to recover the memory of the Holocaust tragedy through artistic representations (graphic albums, fiction, film), which remained marginal. These texts and representations did not penetrate the public consciousness and Romanian cultural memory, the reasons being mostly ideological. Subsequently, especially after 1990, a good part of these texts were (re)published in an effort of memorial recovery whose project continues today. Also, other artistic representations have been produced which have begun to have an increasingly visible impact on Romanian cultural memory. This work starts from an analysis of the relationship between living memory, ideology and cultural memory (Assmann 2008, 2013) in order to sketch a typological and historical outline of the “literature” and cultural representations of the Holocaust in Romania, during the first years after World War II. I will be interested in the textual and artistic 'typology' of the phenomenon, as it manifests itself between the years 1944 and 1947, the years of the living (communicative) memory of the survivors.

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BUILDING TRANSNISTRIAN IDENTITY: ACADEMIC INSIGHTS ON HISTORICAL NARRATIVES, SYMBOLIC GOVERNANCE, AND GEOPOLITICAL DYNAMICS

Author(s): Ruslana GROSU / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

This article explores the identity-building processes of Transnistria, an unrecognized entity in Eastern Europe. Through an examination of symbolic nation-building, diversity policies, and the region's socio-political strategies, the paper identifies the distinct characteristics that underpin Transnistria’s identity. The study also highlights challenges such as non-recognition, geopolitical dependencies, and ethnic tensions, offering implications for policy and research in multi-ethnic and unrecognized states. The paper includes references to articles and research that explore and justify the existence of a Transnistrian identity, ranging from perspectives that regard it as a fabricated construct to those that frame it as a bastion of multiculturalism, however, the author doesn’t endorse the last viewpoints. Instead, these references are presented to illustrate the diversity and breadth of interpretations surrounding Transnistrian identity. By showcasing the contrasting perspectives, the study demonstrates the contested nature of the concept and highlights the complex debates it has generated in academic and political discourse. Moreover, the study critically addresses the symbolic policies implemented in Transnistria, which create an illusion of a functional model of diversity. In reality, these policies primarily serve an authoritarian regime that uses them as tools to consolidate its power rather than to genuinely foster social cohesion. The dominance of symbolic over substantive actions underscores the performative nature of these measures, which are designed to project inclusivity without delivering concrete outcomes for minority groups. Ultimately, the promoted Transnistrian identity is portrayed as a political instrument rather than an authentic reflection of social unity. It is a mechanism employed by the ruling elite to legitimize their governance and differentiate Transnistria from the Republic of Moldova, rather than a genuine expression of shared cultural or ethnic solidarity among its diverse population. This analysis underscores the dissonance between the rhetoric of multiculturalism and the underlying political realities of the region.

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РОССИЙСКО-УКРАИНСКИЙ ВООРУЖЕННЫЙ КОНФЛИКТ И ПРИДНЕСТРОВЬЕ: ВОЗМОЖНО ЛИ ИЗМЕНЕНИЕ ПОЗИЦИИ РОССИИ?

Author(s): Zurab Todua / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2024

Transnistria is a pro-Russian region situated in the East of the Republic of Moldova, sandwiched between Chisinau and Ukraine. It is attracted by Moscow, Kyiv, Chisinau, and other capitals. In peacetime, the unhurried negotiation process was quite satisfactory for all interested parties. In the context of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Transnistria becomes a factor that causes concern and sometimes irritation among many politicians and military personnel.In Kyiv, there are some fears that military sabotage in the direction of Odesa is possible from Transnistria. On the other hand, proposals are being made to take control of the region, thereby inflicting a significant military, political, and image defeat on Russia. In Chisinau, plans for the country's reintegration under the new conditions are discussed. But at the same time, they would like to avoid unjustified risks. In Tiraspol, they watch everything that is happening with alarm and apprehension. And they do not lose hope that in the event of an escalation of the situation, Moscow will provide Transnistria with assistance and support.All these circumstances force Russia to keep the situation under constant control to react at the right moment to any changes in the situation around Transnistria.The situation is extremely complicated and at any moment can move from a calm phase to a fast development of events.

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NICHITA SMOCHINĂ – BRIEF BIO-BIBLIOGRAPHY

Author(s): Eugen Străuţiu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Nichita Smochină, originally from the outskirts of the city of Dubăsari on the bank of the Dniester, is the main personality of Transnistrian Romanians starting with the installation of the Bolshevik regime and until the maturity of the communist regime in Romania.He established and managed associations of Transnistrian Romanians and periodical publications intended for them; wrote books and articles about the ethno-political reality in Transnistria; he has held administrative positions in which he has leveraged his research expertise. He was a member of the Romanian Academy.Isolated and persecuted by the communist regime in Romania, he was allowed to return to the field of research in the last years of his life (under the conditions of the ban on the Transnistrian subject).His memory is in a consistent recovery process, both in the Republic of Moldova and in Romania.

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THE ARMED CONFLICT OF THE DNIESTER. THREE DECADES LATER (PETER LANG, 2023)

Author(s): Iuliana Neagoş / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The volume “The Armed Conflict of the Dniester. Three Decades Later” published by the prestigious Peter Lang Publishing Group, represents the 3rd in the "South-East European History" series.It presents a valuable scientific source of information and analysis, particularly considering present events in Ukraine. The authors provide an original approach to the Dniester conflict, from 1992. They collect and analyze information and offervaluable interpretations within the frame of the regional security and geopolitical context.

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Enhancing Disaster Resilience in Cultural Tourism: A Comparative Analysis of Relief and Recovery Policies for Arts, Heritage, and Intangible Culture in the United States and Italy

Author(s): Leah Hamilton,Simone Splendiani / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

Disaster management policy in the US and Italy has historically focused on the relief and recovery of tangible cultural assets vital to cultural tourism, including cultural heritage sites and museums. However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how disaster policies can protect intangible cultural assets, including the performing arts and creative workers. This study conducts a comparative analysis of cultural disaster relief and recovery policies in the USA and Italy, specifically focusing on the 2017 earthquake in Central Italy, the 2021/2022 tornado and flooding events in Kentucky, USA, and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The research aims to identify the complexities and opportunities in governmental disaster policy related to intangible culture and how this particular area of cultural tourism can be integrated into broader disaster management frameworks toward greater resiliency. Through a review of governmental policy documents and primary as well as open-source data, the analysis reveals that pre-determined national governmental units dedicated to emergency response and recovery are critical for effective disaster management in cultural heritage, yet often lack the specialized knowledge and, to some extent, the resources, to fulfill long-term recovery, particularly with intangible cultural assets. Insights gained from this study contribute to developing recommendations for enhancing more inclusive disaster policy language that recognizes intangible cultural heritage and its role in sustainable cultural tourism in disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies.

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When No One Is Watching: Ideology, Influence, and Networks of Ultras and Hooligans in Romania – Notes of Investigation

Author(s): Max-Anton LÖSCHE / Language(s): English Issue: 17/2024

Football subcultures like those of ultras and hooligans are infamous for their proximity and welcoming attitudes towards far-right and right-wing extremist actors and ideologies in Eastern Europe. Romania makes no exception. While not all ultras or hooligans can be categorized as far-right or right-wing extremists, this article takes a close and in-depth look into the political expression, mentalities, and networks of the Romanian football subculture. Through research from the inside of the social-media channels, stadiums, and events set up by the groups analyzed in this paper, the author focuses on three main elements: political expression and opinions of Romanian ultras and hooligans, their networks in Europe, and the threat they pose to the democratic society through violence. The article concludes that taking the developments in the football subculture seriously means to understand the three mentioned elements as a dangerous synthesis that can become a threat, one that is overlooked or generally downplayed by the State authorities.

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Memoria traumatică în cazul deportărilor din RSS Moldovenească sau cum am ajuns să validăm memorii

Author(s): Zinaida Bolea / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 23/2024

This article explores the deportations from the Moldavian SSR (1940-1941 and 1944-1953) during Joseph Stalin’s rule. These policies were part of a program to eliminate social groups considered dangerous, which was implemented between 1920 and 1959. A specific feature of the deportations from the Moldavian SSR was the inability of deportees to publicly share their experiences of repression. Because of this taboo, scientific studies on deportations were possible only after the 1990s. Currently there are complex representations of these events: scientific, civic, and cultural accounts marked by individual and collective remembrance that reveal both resistance and ambivalence. The article addresses, from psychoanalytic and psychosocial perspectives, the impact of this official silence upon the deportees from the Moldavian SSR. It analyzes the patterns of communication at family and community level on the subject of deportations as well as the forms and meanings of silence. At the same time, theoretical and empirical arguments are used to clarify individual and community resistance to the validation of the memory of deportees from the Moldavian SSR.

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Dinamica identitară în Găgăuzia: relaţia dintre memorie, politică şi simboluri culturale

Author(s): Nicolae Tibrigan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 23/2024

This article examines the complex process of identity construction and reconstruction among the Găgăuz, an ethnic Turkic community living in the autonomous region of Găgăuzia, in southern Moldova. Based on field research conducted in Comrat, the capital of Găgăuzia, the study explores how memory, political context, and cultural symbols shape the collective identity of this community. The concept of “symbol managers” is introduced to describe the local actors who strategically manage and promote cultural symbols, such as monuments, flags, and architecture, to reinforce a distinct Găgăuz identity. The selective nature of collective memory plays a crucial role in this process, especially concerning the community's ambivalent relationship with its Soviet past and the interwar Romanian experience. The study highlights how political tensions between Găgăuzia and the central authorities in Chişinău, coupled with external influences from Russia and Turkey, contribute to a fluid identity. As Găgăuzia navigates the challenges of globalization and modernization, its cultural landscape becomes a battleground where identity is continuously negotiated. This article contributes to the broader discourse on how marginalized ethnic communities use memory and cultural symbols to sustain and redefine their identity in a changing political environment.

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Theorization of Violence (Israeli-Palestine Conflict)

Author(s): Georgiana Monica Iorga / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2023

This paper is a text-applied comparative approach to some thematic aspects of the violence throughout theoretical texts belonging to philosophers like, for instance, Frantz Fanon (1925-1961, psychiatrist, philosopher, author from Martinique). Through violence decolonization is achieved, thus a new man is created. Violence is the native’s mean to an end: the formation of a just society. Colonizer’s violence (the violence of the colonial regime) versus Native’s violence (counter-violence). The appearance ot the settler represents the death of the aboriginal society, cultural lethargy and petrification of individuals. Rather than aiming at an exhaustive survey of this topic in English (almost an impossible task, given the amount of such writing that is being produced in the contemporary global age), I shall aim at focusing on a number of recurrent topics approached throughout the chosen theoretical work. My main intention will be to point out various ways in which the textuality of written texts reflect on issues related to ethnic conflict, self-identification, national movement, colonialist conflict, ideologies, religious dimension from a variety of theoretical perspectives, but situated mainly in a transnational and global light. Place and time are connected to memories and homeland as they represent important values for those who live in their homeland or in diaspora (place: where they were born and they spent their childhood or a part of their lives; time: events, customs and traditions associated to a certain moment in their lives).

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