The Myths of Prometheus and the Black Sea Region. Conflicting Versions, Shifting Paradigms

Author(s): Cleo Protokhristova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 1/2020

The topic of the paper is the interrelation between two ideological constructs: the figure of Prometheus and the so-called Black Sea region. Both of them represent, in specifically transformed versions, primary ideas and realities that lack the additionally attributed coherence of the later concepts currently in use. It aims to explore the key ancient myth of Prometheus in comparative perspective juxtaposing the stable presence it retains in the Western cultural imagination with its life in the Black Sea region, where this myth initially emerged. It focuses specifically on the underestimated political mobilization of the Prometheus myth in the construction of national identities and in the manufacturing of various ideologies. The different, often conflicting versions are analysed in diachronic perspective that provides observability of the potential paradigm shifts in the conceptualizations of the Prometheus figure.

Топосът „Монастиря” – изгубен в миналото или с шанс в настоящето (По материали от Сливенско)

Author(s): Vladimir Demirev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2019

The word “monastirya” is not just a dialect variant, meaning a place (an old place), relative to the knowledge of a monastery that existed or still exists. It has a generalizing emotionally-assessing aspect, regarding the place and the function of the religious Christian monastery in the local memory. The stress in it is the statement that these are monasteries from the age of the Bulgarian kingdom.The topos “monastirya” dynamically produces the process of the ethnic and religious identification and self-identification on the grounds of a particular cult. In this same sense, there is also a variant of designation not only of Christianity. Even places, related to the Islam and most often – tekkes – are also referred to as monasteries. The cult has specific dynamics in time and grows with numerous legends and traditions. They motivate its vitality in the past by the particular character of its realization in sites that have really existed and which, in many cases, have been obliterated in the real space. Nevertheless, even today they still have their place and vitality namely as knowledge.The information that has been preserved and the local knowledge about the Little Sliven Holy Mountain confirm the place and function of the topos “monastirya” in the cultural space. Today, it is the vitality of this knowledge that lies at the root of re-creation of sites which have once existed.

Smart leadership for smart cities

Author(s): Takele Bekele Bayu / Language(s): English Issue: 02/2020

This paper examines the issue of smart leadership for smart cities and the challenges they are facing. Particular emphasis is given to Africa (Rwanda and Ethiopia) which undergoing impressive urban growth at the rate of 3.5% annually that makes Africa the fastest urbanizing place in the world. However, the development of infrastructure and industries has not kept pace with the growth in urban population. Then how should Africa leaders be prepared and deal with the booming urbanization process? Smart Leadership for Smart Cities: a solution to the booming urbanization process in the continent. Indeed, as indicated in African Smart Cities Strategies for Agenda 2063, smart leaders- smarter citizens-smarter cities can alleviate African urban challenges. Indeed, only a little research discusses political leadership and commitment/political rationalities while the literature of technology innovation/technical rationalities is abundant. Recognizing the fact that Smart cities will not succeed without developing smart leadership, Rwanda under Paul Kagame and Ethiopia under Abiy Ahmed- have launched Smart Kigali initiative and “Beautifying Sheger” project respectively with the aims to develop the entire urban eco-system and realize smarter and sustainable neighborhoods and cities in their respective capital cities. The study employed a secondary method of data collection and analysis in combination with observation. Thus, the study concludes that political leadership is indispensable and leaders in both countries are undertaking impressive measures in transforming their country while building alliances and partnerships with various stakeholders. However, such initiatives are challenged by factors like trust and transparency, debt burden, public participation, and poor existing infrastructure. African leaders and their policymakers can learn a lot from the experiences of the two countries and their leadership style and moreover it provides a valuable contribution to the much-untouched areas of smart leadership for smart cities.

Managing information security in healthcare

Author(s): BOŽIĆ Velibor / Language(s): English Issue: 02/2020

Smart city consists of: waste management, smart energy, education, smart communications, smart transportation, traffic management, smart parking, smart streetlights and smart healthcare. All of these areas require management of information safety. Here, the topic is management of information safety in healthcare. The objective is to show the new approach to management of information safety, which involves all employees in this process. Whether manufacturing or service, public or private, organizations increasingly depend on information and communication technology (ICT). ICT presents in such extent that its users are not even aware of its influence. It is a usual part of any organization. However, the dependence on ICT holds a potential hazard for organization’s performance. Some issues about the ICT safety should be addressed in every organization. First, does the management of an organization is aware of the potential risks and problems in the ICT area, such as potential ICT unavailability (risk culture) or accidental damage? Is there a systematic approach to threat identification, vulnerability exploration, and evaluation of the impact of realized threats on the business? Is an organization aware of the value of ICT, which should be treated in the organization as any other asset influencing business efficiency and effectiveness? Preventive and corrective actions (system of controls) are warranted for mitigating the risk of destruction or abuse of ICT. In this paper, we discuss these questions and suggest possible solutions. There are many works about the topic but these are stressed only one segment in management of information safety. We used case study, observation and structure analysis in our exploration. The results will be presented here. The results will be useful for everybody who is worried about information security in organizations. Value of this paper is showing the need of multidisciplinary approach in management of information safety.

Regionalne zróżnicowanie występowania chorób zawodowych

Author(s): Aneta Staszek,Anna Weszczak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 07/2013

This paper presents the status, structure, and dynamics of occupational diseases, as well as the occurrence of spatial inequalities and concentration of the surveyed phenomenon in Poland. The analysis was conducted by voivodships and groups of diseases, using measures of spatial concentration. The study drew attention to the organizational innovation and technical development of new products and technologies that have an impact on reducing the number of employees in hazardous conditions.

Ocena potencjału kulturalnego największych miast Polski

Author(s): Beata Namyślak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 06/2013

The article includes an attempt to analyze the cultural potential of Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw and Poznan. Selected characteristics for the analyze were grouped by categories: cultural resources, activities associated with the cultural sector and effects of development. The study used three different methods in the field of numerical taxonomy: Perkal’s natural Index Method natural, Hellwig’s pattern development method and agglomeration methods. This article aims to examine whether the results are consistent with each other, and if they are, to what extent?

Procesy konwergencji wydajności pracy w regionach Unii Europejskiej

Author(s): Beata Bal-Domańska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 02/2013

The article presents the results of research on the EU regions (NUTS 2) convergence. The subject of discussion was both sigma and beta convergence (absolute and conditional). The study was conducted among the regions together, and in the isolated regions such as classes according to the level of economic development and innovation. The analysis was performed using the standard deviation of the logarithm of the product (due to the assessment of the absolute convergence) and models for panel data (due to the convergence of both types of evaluation). This allowed not only the comprehensive analysis, but also to control the accuracy of the results.

Wewnątrzregionalne zróżnicowanie rynku pracy w Polsce

Author(s): Tomasz Misiak,Tomasz Tokarski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 12/2012

The authors present a statistical analysis of the feature convergence and divergence processes describing the situation on the labor markets in voivodships. The analysis was conducted based on CSO data on the poviat registered unemployment rates and real gross wages. The paper discusses the theoretical aspects of the processes of σ- and β-convergence and real divergence and presents an analysis of intra-regional differences in registered unemployment rates and real gross wages as well as σ-process of convergence and divergence, and then estimates the parameters of β-convergence and divergence equations of the analyzed features.

Kierunki dojazdów do pracy

Author(s): Przemysław Śleszyński / Language(s): Polish Issue: 11/2012

The author recognizes basic patterns of directions and intensity of commuting to employment in Poland. In this regard, the matrix of gminas’ inter-flow data on employees for 2006, provided by the Center for Urban Statistics of the Statistical Office in Poznan. To determine the characteristics and regularity of these differences, categorization of cities and municipalities were used, distinguished on the basis of administrative and functional settlement, including the largest cities in suburban areas. Studies have established the numerical values of displacements between the different categories of municipalities. Furthermore, the analysis of commuting distance, identified i.a. regions of the country with a high number of trips to distant work places. Proposals are formulated for regional policy and further research on commuting.

Чий е бронзът с типовете „кръгъл щит//кипселе“ от разкопките на тракийското селище, наричано „емпорион Пистирос“

Author(s): Boryana Russeva / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 25/2020

The paper presents the extremely interesting bronze coin of the types of round shield // two-handled cup (kypsele, kotyle, diota) (Fig. 1a–1b) discovered in 1996 during the archaeological excavations of the Thracian settlement located in the area of Adzhiyska Vodenitsa near the village (now a town) of Vetren, Septemvri Municipality, better known as “Emporion Pistiros”. Grounded on both informative types known as parasema, the author tries to interpret (issuer and time of minting) this unique bronze issue – an allusion of the Odrysian Royal court from the first half of the 4th c. BC under Seuthes II, Kotys I and their successors via the unambiguous presence of the cult cup – the kypsele or kotyle decorating the reverses of their coins.

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.

Най-добри практики в градоустройството и в реставрацията на архитектурна украса – две нови книги за сецесионовите сгради в Дунавския регион

Author(s): Ekaterina Dikova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2020

Militarny aspekt rosyjskiej obecności w Arktyce w kontekście regionalnego bezpieczeństwa do 2018 r.

Author(s): Daniel Kasprzycki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2019

The Arctic has not been the focus of the international community's attention for many years. The situation has started to change gradually, especially over the last two decades, as a result of both the development of technologies enabling cheaper, more efficient and effective exploration and exploitation of the seabed and the climate changes on Earth. As a result, the potential benefits from the use of the region's resources are now starting to exceed the potential expenditure. This leads to an increase in interest in this area among many countries, including the USA, Russia, Canada, Norway, Great Britain and Denmark, which in turn leads to a growing conflict of interest in the region. Of these countries, Russia was the first to decide on a large scale to support the policy soft power; by means of armed forces - hard power - by developing the Arctic component of its armed forces in order to enable it to gain a decisive position in the region.

Strategia użycia norweskiej marynarki wojennej a wyzwania Dalekiej Północy

Author(s): Grzegorz Rdzanek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2014

The purpose of this article is to show the evolution of the Norwegian Navy and the Norwegian maritime doctrine in the context of the protection of state’s interests in the Arctic region. The growing political and economical competition in this region of the world has forced Norway to expand naval power projection capabilities in the far North. What is important, Norwegian security policy is set in the context of highly realistic thinking.

Odkrycia surowcowe w Kenii. Szanse i zagrożenia

Author(s): Anna Cichecka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2014

This article presents opportunities of general development and risks associated with discoveries of raw materials in Kenya made in recent years. It has been pointed out that the steady increase in the interest of foreign investors accompanying information about discoveries suggests that there is a significant potential and business opportunities. At the same time it was noted that if Kenya is serious about using the opportunities this will require a joint effort by the government and the private sector to create a stable business environment. The basic conclusion is that the discoveries of energy resources in Kenya are related to both the chances of development of the country and the need to deal with the new risks correlated with the phenomenon of the resource curse.

Smart City - A new concept of green and technological city

Author(s): Stefano CARBONI / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2021

Objectives The search for the meaning of the term of the new cities called "Smart City". Approach the search for articles that explain the meaning of smart cities and offer an explanation of this term. A survey is useful for understanding if the population of a nation knows these new cities, and what they think of them. Results Several authors speak of smart cities and therefore different definitions of these cities can be found. to overcome this, six characteristics have been identified, which have been accepted by all. From the answers of the survey it can be observed that smart cities are known by almost all the population of Italy and Norway.

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.

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.

Алгоритъм за определяне на концентрацията на кислорода в Черно море чрез Арго сонди

Author(s): Nikolay Nikolov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2020

This paper presents the algorithm for determining the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the Black Sea according to data from Argo probes. A comparison was made between data from two Argo probes released in the Black Sea in 2011 and 2014.

Legendy warszawskie czytane na dystans. Mapowanie podań lokalnych w perspektywie geopoetyki i geografii literackiej

Author(s): Łukasz Bukowiecki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2021

Words and images, literature and space, texts and a map, a museum and a city – these are the most important pairs of concepts that summarise the assump-tions and results of the research and publishing project of the Museum of Warsaw,Words and images, literature and space, texts and a map, a museum and a city – these are the most important pairs of concepts that summarise the assumptions and results of the research and publishing project of the Museum of Warsaw,the output of which is the anthology Legendy warszawskie [Legends of Warsaw], selected by Anna Marta Zdanowska, edited by Julia Odnous, and with graphic design and illustrations by Wojciech Pawliński, that was published in 2016 (English edition – 2020). The author of the article looks at Mapa legend warszawskich [Map of Warsaw Legends] included in the book and analyses what it shows in the context of research on the relations of territories, their graphic representations, and the accompanying text.