Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-Thursday, 22 October 2020
Regional headlines: cluster bombs in Karabakh; Pole gets asylum in Norway; Ukrainian elections; EU and Kosovo at cross purposes; and a gold strike in Siberia.
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Regional headlines: cluster bombs in Karabakh; Pole gets asylum in Norway; Ukrainian elections; EU and Kosovo at cross purposes; and a gold strike in Siberia.
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Regional headlines: Shocking result for Zelenskiy’s party; Azerbaijan captures Karabakh town; Moldova gears for presidential election; a strike in Belarus; and ex-Riga mayor might be running out of luck.
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The article focuses on the obstacles to legal immigration imposed by the Trump administration against those who are already in the US pursuant to their valid non-immigrant classification and those who are abroad and trying to reunite with family members in the US or seeking entry having a legitimate job offer from a US employer. Recent changes in US immigration policy have been achieved through restrictive interpretation and enforcement of existing law by the USCIS which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and by the State Department (DOS) rather than by substantive legislative changes done in Congress. The article provides an overview of the most recent governmental restrictions affecting so called “business immigration” and family-based immigrant processing, and also restrictions on suspension of entry to the US due to Covid-19, introduced through presidential proclamations. Although the federal courts blocked several of these administrative initiatives, the anti-immigrant atmosphere is having a big negative impact on many groups of foreign nationals. Nationalistic notions of “making America great again” that should be accomplished through “buy American and hire American” principle, and legal uncertainty causing ongoing federal lawsuits will undoubtedly lead to America’s further isolationism if President Trump wins the November 2020 election.
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Inflow and settlement of people originating from the Near and the Middle East in Europe is anything but a new phenomenon. It has its long-standing tradition and well documented history. Since the Early Middle Ages these processes were an inseparable element shaping ‘European identity’. Therefore the recent intensification of the migration process from the Middle East to Europe should not be perceived as an unique event. Within such a context, cyclical character of migration processes may be worth consideration. A new contextualization of the recent migration processes needs to take into account new criteria, especially dynamics of the demographic growth. This article argues that aforementioned circumstances in the regions surroundings Europe are of primary importance for its future, and strives for proper understanding of their impact. For Europe, North Africa and Near East are especially important.
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Muslim fundamentalism is one of the movements of the Islamic social-political thought while Islamic terrorism is a method of acting chosen by radical supporters of warring extremism. Those two notions concerning different social phenomena are often confused. The author’s aim is to set the knowledge about fundamentalism and jihadism in order as well as to convince the reader that one should not perceive internally diversified Islam merely through those two notions. A new ethnic policy based on a well-thought-out integration strategy is a challenge for Poland. Two kinds of threat should be taken into account in the immigration policy planning: those related to Islamic terrorism developing in parallel societies, and otherscaused by the increase of social tension resulting from ignorance and xenophobia giving rise to islamophobia.
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The aim of the article is to present conclusions from the reviews of the European Internal Security Strategy made in 2011 and 2013. First of all, the research applied the method of the critical analysis of the source documents created by European institutions. What was presented in the study were the European methods and funds, by the means of which the cooperation within the areas of freedom, security and justice is deepened, as well as the areas where it is planned. The knowledge acquired from this analysis allows to state that in the field of internal matters for several years there has been going on an intensive process of communitisation, where the key role has been played by the EU institutions. Despite the fact that the process of implementing the Strategy is a little delayed on the side of the member states, the new financial perspective for years 2014-2020 allows to have hope for the continuation of the development dynamics of the EU internal policy.
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As far as the social transformation and new construction are concerned, from 2009 to 2015, the primary issue is the actions and preferences of immigrants themselves concerning the pressures of unemployment and the financial crisis of foreign households, as well as the emerging trends in repatriation and return or relocation within the country. The ongoing escalation of the refugee crisis is inextricably linked to and compounded by the phenomenon of excess economic migration, rendering them indistinguishable in terms of categorization and management in most circumstances. The EU refugee crisis has been transformed into a series of inextricably linked crises. In particular, those related to the security of its external borders, its task serving as the main pillar of its life the unity, as frictions within Europe have developed to break up and exacerbate nationalism, humanitarianism, both in the host countries (mainly Greece) and in the interim, where the handling of refugees and those who have been temporarily in their territories is intended to prevent their entry. Therefore, it is clear that the management effectiveness of each crisis is and should be the core of policies to optimize procedures.
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This article focuses on three contemporary Portuguese literary works that feature Roma characters and culture-specific elements within a wider selection of authors who mention or delve into past and present Romanian realities. This selection was aimed at determining which are the themes, historical events, lived or narrated memories, symbols, images, and ethnotypes that interest contemporary Portuguese authors in relation with the Romanian immigrant segment, a population fairly representative in Portugal (ninth largest minority group, with some 31,000 residents and an annual immigration rate of 2,000 new arrivals). My exploration (through several channels: library catalogues, oral sources, databases) revealed ten literary works which tackle elements related to: the Roma ethnic group and the negative ethnotype of prostitution, crime and begging; the former elite (aristocracy, intelligentsia), above all, temporally anchored in the early years of the 20th century; and the Communist regime, its apparatus (party and secret police) and its fall at the end of the eighth decade of the 20th century. In this article I shall focus on the analysis of the first group, basing this on the concept of “ethnotype”, observing how the image of a given immigrant population is constructed, and how this image affects its members in the public and private spheres.This article focuses on three contemporary Portuguese literary works that feature Roma characters and culture-specific elements within a wider selection of authors who mention or delve into past and present Romanian realities. This selection was aimed at determining which are the themes, historical events, lived or narrated memories, symbols, images, and ethnotypes that interest contemporary Portuguese authors in relation with the Romanian immigrant segment, a population fairly representative in Portugal (ninth largest minority group, with some 31,000 residents and an annual immigration rate of 2,000 new arrivals). My exploration (through several channels: library catalogues, oral sources, databases) revealed ten literary works which tackle elements related to: the Roma ethnic group and the negative ethnotype of prostitution, crime and begging; the former elite (aristocracy, intelligentsia), above all, temporally anchored in the early years of the 20th century; and the Communist regime, its apparatus (party and secret police) and its fall at the end of the eighth decade of the 20th century. In this article I shall focus on the analysis of the first group, basing this on the concept of “ethnotype”, observing how the image of a given immigrant population is constructed, and how this image affects its members in the public and private spheres.
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The paper analyzes the migration processes that have taken place and are still taking place in Poland as a factor that can positively influence the perception of Poland in the world. Poland is an example of a country that very quickly changed its status from an emigration state to an immigration one. This is evidenced by the positive migration balance and the issuance of the largest number of temporary residence permits in the European Union. The status of an immigration state was confirmed by the influx of war refugees from Ukraine and numerous decisions to stay in Poland for a long time and permanently, as well as an attempt to open a new migration pathway running through the Polish-Belarusian border. It should be assumed that with appropriate conduct of foreign policy, this new situation in Poland can strengthen its international position and perception. At the same time, there are also risks associated with it. If there is a failure to respond properly and in accordance with the law and the rules of democratic states to the migration challenges, it could result in the entrenchment of negative opinions about Poland from the migration perspective that emerged during the migration crisis of 2015–2016.
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The main aim of this paper was an attempt to characterize the social security of national and ethnic minorities in Poland in the light of the ethnic policy of the state. It assumes not only the sanctioning of the existence of a multiethnic and multicultural society but also supporting communities of citizens of different national origins. The paper reviews the most important theoretical concepts such as social security, ethnic policy, and social security of national and ethnic minorities. Moreover, groups of citizens of the Republic of Poland with different national origins were listed and characterized, the system of sources of law on the protection of national minorities in Poland was identified, as well as the entities predestined to provide the aforementioned security to minorities were presented. The following research methods were used: comparative, statistical, and historical, with the use of literary criticism and the analysis of sources as exemplary research techniques. They allowed noticing the regularity of the Polish state’s attempts to ensure social security for minorities (understood as the fulfillment of their material and spiritual needs) which are elementary features of the contemporary ethnic policy of the Republic of Poland.
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Integrating migrants into the host society is one of the most problematic issues that European societies are concerned with. In terms of national and, on a larger scale, European security, successful integration policies and procedures lead to increased levels of protection perceived by both the “newcomers” and the host societies. In all the mechanisms and programs, employment stands out to be a vital part of the integration process. Several studies reveal the existence of a direct connection between the integration of migrants – in all its dimensions – and the level of potential threat to national security their arrival implies. The aim of this paper is to assess the current European policy development in terms of third-country nationals` employment, and, furthermore, to evaluate the ongoing efforts of the Eastern EU members to provide proper labor-market integration for both refugees and regular migrants, as means to increase the level of national security.
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Human trafficking, one of the worst violations of human rights, dignity, and integrity, usually takes place over a large territory, where traffickers take advantage of the naivety and vulnerability of victims. Traffickers also exploit a lack of synchronization between state institutions with the responsibility of preventing and combatting this phenomenon. Considering the pandemic and digitalization have directly contributed to the evolution of human trafficking, the paper aims to present the risk factors, threats to public order, and public safety caused by human trafficking. The fundamental nature of human trafficking is dehumanization for profit, which is the distinguishing factor from other criminal activities. The paper also presents the European and Romanian legal frameworks which organize the fight against, prevention, and prosecution of this transnational crime.
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Public order and security of any state become the field that transposes the obligations of the status, or, namely in the process of their maintaining, ensuring, and restoring, the entire spectrum of competencies and activities that interfere with human rights is reflected. At the same time, the protection of human rights and freedoms in the context of public order and safety has always been and continues to be a permanent concern of the international community, an aspect that should not be neglected by positioning the interest of the state as a priority over the interests of the individual or of the community.
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In the last decades the issue of refugees and immigrants has become more transparent and a subject of interest for the common citizen. Many authors discuss and analyze how people perceive immigration and the issues related to them. However, we know very little about what young citizens, members of generation Z, think about refugees and immigrants. The paper addresses this gap in the literature and analyzes how young citizens perceive immigrants and refugees that arrive in Romania. It uses Romania as a single-case study and semi-structured interviews conducted in September 2022-October 2022 with young citizens coming from different socio-demographic profiles, to explain the variation in how they perceive the recent Ukrainian refugees and other immigrants. The main purpose is to explain the perceptions variation related to the current crisis generated by Russian Federation. The findings indicate that young citizens’ perceptions are influenced by a combination of general attitudes toward the political system and society, education, and specific attitudes about potential external threats.
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Romania, as a neighboring country, has also been affected by the refugee crisis since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. Whether as a destination or a transit route to other countries, in the last five months Romania has been a short, mid-, or long-term haven for many Ukrainian refugees. The government's measures to support refugees – ranging from money for food and shelter to ensuring access to the Romanian labor market and education system - have often been ambiguous and incomprehensible. But these were completed by the massive mobilization of non-profit organizations, churches, and the population. Starting from the month of March 2022 until today, several hundred refugees have found shelter in the homes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church A.C. in Romania. The aim of the present paper is 1) to analyze the measures implemented by Evangelical Lutheran Church A.C. in Romania to provide a medium or long-term rapid response to the needs of Ukrainian refugees: accommodation, food, transport, assistance with funds, collection of food and goods, medical, psychological, or spiritual care; 2) to identify the limits, challenges, and the risks of working with refugees 3) to outline on the analyzed data the main lines of development of a church strategy regarding refugees, to what extent they can be integrated, given that we are talking about migrants who live mostly in transit, traumatized by the losses and destructions caused by the war, in the hope of a return as soon as possible. From a methodological point of view, the study is a qualitative one, the research methods used are participatory observation in the locations where the refugees are accommodated, biographical interview with the refugees, and interview with a group of experts.
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The article challenges the common view of the Yugoslav space as an area producing rather than receiving refugees by providing an overview of the main historiographic works dealing with refugees within and into the territories of the former Yugoslavia. It identifies two main conceptual foci that revolve around the understanding of refugees as either “national” or “international.” In the case of “national refugees,” scholars have frequently stressed the existence of supposedly pre-existing ethnic ties between the refugees and the territories where they found refuge, but the scholarship also explores the entanglement of diverse population movements—both compulsory and voluntary—in the multinational areas that experienced a process of unmixing of peoples since the second half of the nineteenth century. On the contrary, historiography on “international refugees” displays a more prominent interest in the management of refugees by both state and non-state actors, including their spatial distribution. Furthermore, these scholars have addressed the relationship between the refugee flows from abroad and the country’s geopolitical constellation, demonstrating how foreign policy shapes the reception of refugees, but also how refugee influx reframes international allegiances. While the so-called “Balkan route” has put the region in the international spotlight as an important avenue of transit, an overview of historical thinking related to refugees into and within the former Yugoslavia provides tools to reflect upon the way people on the move have been and are conceptualized.
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The paper analyses the Polish government’s actions to support Polish studies units abroad and examines the relationships between these units and institutions in Poland. It aims to understand the forms and scope of support offered to Polish studies units and to explain why public diplomacy actions also target the Polish diaspora. The analysis is based on official documents related to public diplomacy and Polish diaspora policy, as well as the results of an empirical study conducted among representatives of Polish institutions responsible for promoting the Polish image abroad and representatives of Polish studies units. The conclusions indicate the heterogeneity of these units and differences in support for units in the East and the West. In the case of units operating in former Soviet Union countries, Polish diaspora policy dominates, aiming to maintain connections between local Polish communities and Poland. In the West, support for Polish studies units stems from both Polish diaspora policy and public diplomacy.
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The changing character of diasporas and states’ politics intersect with new challenges in the policymaking process. This study aims to investigate the priorities and hardships of the diaspora education policies in Poland and Lithuania. The study applies the three-dimensional approach (Lesińska, Popyk 2021) to study diaspora policy and draws on qualitative research with the diaspora state institution representatives in the two countries. This paper compares the role of diaspora education policy in a broader policy context, alongside presenting the challenges, namely “socio-demographic”, “methodological”, “political” and “financial”, that state institutions face while ensuring education for the young members of diasporas. It contributes to the scholarship on diaspora policies studies by presenting how state institutions approach and govern the relationships with young diasporas through ensuring education and support social and cultural life of diaspora schools.
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The Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (PIASA) in its eight decades of history frequently collaborated with organizations of other ethnic groups in the U.S., particularly with academic and cultural organizations of East and Central Europe diasporas. Among them strong ties have been established with Ukrainian organizations, especially the Shevchenko Scientific Society and the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences. The paper describes levels and forms of institutional cooperation. It tries to answer the following questions: was this collaboration accidental or rather resulting from PIASA’s long-term vision and goals? In what fields partners managed to build joint representation?
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