Abstract The energy issue is a long-term one of the most discussed, controversial topics in relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation. The intention of the present article is an attempt to overcome the largely non-discursive and in the security conditions anchored way of looking at the energy interaction of the EU and the RF and through an integration discourse to analyze EU energy relations with Russia in the years 2004 - 2014. In the theoretical level, the article is based on a critical constructivism, which in relation to the discourse as the main concept reflects a number of fundamental knowledge. At the methodological level, the article is based on the discourse analysis as a basic methodological tool through which the author examines the EU text documents.
{"title":"The EU Integration Discourse in the Energy Relations with Russia","authors":"L. Tichý","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2016-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2016-0004","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The energy issue is a long-term one of the most discussed, controversial topics in relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation. The intention of the present article is an attempt to overcome the largely non-discursive and in the security conditions anchored way of looking at the energy interaction of the EU and the RF and through an integration discourse to analyze EU energy relations with Russia in the years 2004 - 2014. In the theoretical level, the article is based on a critical constructivism, which in relation to the discourse as the main concept reflects a number of fundamental knowledge. At the methodological level, the article is based on the discourse analysis as a basic methodological tool through which the author examines the EU text documents.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"50 1","pages":"60 - 85"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/sjps-2016-0004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract In the article the author presents data to identify the most important obstacles hindering efficient communication between political parties and Polish youth. The main assumptions accepted by the author are related to the belief that the Central and Eastern European countries are still trying to figure out ways of dealing with the key challenges related to transformation – the (re)creation of the civil society and a new, democratic culture of political discourse. Understanding that all social change is evolutionary and is a part of some social movement, the author assumes that the post-communist societies now face a chance to meaningfully accelerate this process. The chance is related to the young generation of citizens – often of the same age as the democracies themselves.
{"title":"The ‘drifting Generation’ without a Helmsman. Main obstacles in shaping the Relations between the Political Parties and the Youth in Poland","authors":"Radosław Marzęcki","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In the article the author presents data to identify the most important obstacles hindering efficient communication between political parties and Polish youth. The main assumptions accepted by the author are related to the belief that the Central and Eastern European countries are still trying to figure out ways of dealing with the key challenges related to transformation – the (re)creation of the civil society and a new, democratic culture of political discourse. Understanding that all social change is evolutionary and is a part of some social movement, the author assumes that the post-communist societies now face a chance to meaningfully accelerate this process. The chance is related to the young generation of citizens – often of the same age as the democracies themselves.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"319 - 351"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The increased interest in the Arctic by global players is generated by new economic opportunities related to commercial maritime transport, development of oil and gas deposits, mining, fisheries, and tourism. The natural results are closer economic and geopolitical relations between the Arctic and the rest of the world. Many observers perceive this development as a source of growing conflict because of competition related to control over the natural resources of the region. It seems also quite clear that the Arctic cannot follow its own original way of development which would be independent from the global power system.
{"title":"Geopolitics of the High North and its consequences1","authors":"Ryszard M. Czarny","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0013","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The increased interest in the Arctic by global players is generated by new economic opportunities related to commercial maritime transport, development of oil and gas deposits, mining, fisheries, and tourism. The natural results are closer economic and geopolitical relations between the Arctic and the rest of the world. Many observers perceive this development as a source of growing conflict because of competition related to control over the natural resources of the region. It seems also quite clear that the Arctic cannot follow its own original way of development which would be independent from the global power system.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"272 - 293"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This qualitative comparative study examines all sorts of the factors which have influence on the political representation of ethnic minorities at a local level. Two dependent variables are analyzed on the four empirical cases: the level of proportionality of political representation and nature of political representation of ethnic minorities. Influence of three different independent variables is discussed further on. These variables are an electoral system, special measures for minority representation and electoral rights as all these variables could possibly have an effect on the level of political representation of ethnic minorities. The selected cases are the cities of Leicester, United Kingdom, the Finnish city of Espoo, Cluj-Napoca in Romania and Frankfurt am Main in Germany. All these cases have a substantial amount of citizens of different ethnic groups.
{"title":"Political Representation of Ethnic Minorities at Local Level: Factors, Context and Empirical Examples","authors":"Martin Kryšpín Vimmr","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0016","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This qualitative comparative study examines all sorts of the factors which have influence on the political representation of ethnic minorities at a local level. Two dependent variables are analyzed on the four empirical cases: the level of proportionality of political representation and nature of political representation of ethnic minorities. Influence of three different independent variables is discussed further on. These variables are an electoral system, special measures for minority representation and electoral rights as all these variables could possibly have an effect on the level of political representation of ethnic minorities. The selected cases are the cities of Leicester, United Kingdom, the Finnish city of Espoo, Cluj-Napoca in Romania and Frankfurt am Main in Germany. All these cases have a substantial amount of citizens of different ethnic groups.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"352 - 373"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/sjps-2015-0016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Territorial fragmentation is considered as one of the most problematic characteristics of the Czech municipal system, however, there are no effective ways how to encourage small units to amalgamate. This paper focuses on cases of voluntary mergers that occured in 2002 and 2003, as the number of amalgamated units had no comparison in last 20 years. Through the analysis of documents, data from statistical office, press and interviews with actors we examine the aspect of those mergers such as main causes, process of the merger itself and actors involved. The analysis reveals the amalgamation was not a result of long-term process but more likely an ad hoc solution of problematic situation caused by administrative, economic and socio-demographic factors. This paper was supported by PRVOUK Project No. 17 – Vědy o společnosti, politice a médiích ve výzvách doby [Sciences of Society, Politics, and Media under the Challenge of the Times], Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies.
地域分割被认为是捷克市政制度最具问题的特点之一,然而,没有有效的方法来鼓励小单位合并。由于合并单位的数量在过去20年中没有可比性,因此本文主要关注2002年和2003年发生的自愿合并案例。本文通过对文献资料、统计资料、报刊资料和企业经营者访谈等方面的分析,从并购的主要原因、并购过程、并购行为主体等方面进行了研究。分析表明,合并不是长期过程的结果,而更可能是对行政、经济和社会人口因素造成的问题局势的临时解决办法。本文由PRVOUK项目No. 17 - v dy o spole nosti, politia médiích ve výzvách doby[时代挑战下的社会、政治和媒体科学],布拉格查尔斯大学,社会科学学院,政治研究所支持。
{"title":"Factors of Voluntary Mergers of Municipalities: a case study of the Czech Republic","authors":"K. Musilová, Jan Heřmánek","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0014","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Territorial fragmentation is considered as one of the most problematic characteristics of the Czech municipal system, however, there are no effective ways how to encourage small units to amalgamate. This paper focuses on cases of voluntary mergers that occured in 2002 and 2003, as the number of amalgamated units had no comparison in last 20 years. Through the analysis of documents, data from statistical office, press and interviews with actors we examine the aspect of those mergers such as main causes, process of the merger itself and actors involved. The analysis reveals the amalgamation was not a result of long-term process but more likely an ad hoc solution of problematic situation caused by administrative, economic and socio-demographic factors. This paper was supported by PRVOUK Project No. 17 – Vědy o společnosti, politice a médiích ve výzvách doby [Sciences of Society, Politics, and Media under the Challenge of the Times], Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"68 1","pages":"294 - 318"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The use of unmanned aerial vehicles or “drones,” as part of the United States’ (US) targeted killing (TK) program dramatically increased after the War on Terror (WoT) was declared. With the ambiguous nature and parameters of the WoT, and stemming from the postulation of numerous low-level, niche-, and other securitizations producing a monolithic threat, US drone operations now constitute a vital stitch in the extensive fabric of US counterterrorism policy. This article employs the theories of securitization and macrosecuritization as discussed by Buzan (1991, 2006), and Buzan and Wæver (2009) to understand targeted killing, by means of weaponized drones, as an extraordinary measure according to the Copenhagen School’s interpretation. An overarching securitization and the use of the “security” label warrants the emergency action of targeted killing through the use of drones as an extraordinary measure. We argue that the WoT serves as a means of securitizing global terrorism as a threat significant enough to warrant the use of drone warfare as an extraordinary use of force. By accepting the WoT as a securitization process we can reasonably accept that the US’ response(s) against that threat are also securitized and therefore become extraordinary measures.
摘要:在反恐战争(WoT)宣布后,作为美国定点清除(TK)计划的一部分,无人机的使用急剧增加。由于WoT的模糊性质和参数,以及许多低级,利基和其他证券化产生单一威胁的假设,美国无人机行动现在构成了美国反恐政策广泛结构中的重要一针。本文采用了Buzan(1991, 2006)和Buzan and Wæver(2009)讨论的证券化和宏观证券化理论,来理解基于武器化无人机的定点杀伤是哥本哈根学派解释的一种非常措施。全面的证券化和“安全”标签的使用保证了通过使用无人机作为一种特殊措施采取有针对性的紧急行动。我们认为,WoT作为一种手段,将全球恐怖主义作为一种重大威胁,足以保证使用无人机战争作为一种特殊的武力使用。通过接受WoT作为一个证券化过程,我们可以合理地接受美国对这种威胁的反应也是证券化的,因此成为非常措施。
{"title":"Extraordinary Measures: Drone Warfare, Securitization, and the “War on Terror”","authors":"S. Romaniuk, Stewart Webb","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The use of unmanned aerial vehicles or “drones,” as part of the United States’ (US) targeted killing (TK) program dramatically increased after the War on Terror (WoT) was declared. With the ambiguous nature and parameters of the WoT, and stemming from the postulation of numerous low-level, niche-, and other securitizations producing a monolithic threat, US drone operations now constitute a vital stitch in the extensive fabric of US counterterrorism policy. This article employs the theories of securitization and macrosecuritization as discussed by Buzan (1991, 2006), and Buzan and Wæver (2009) to understand targeted killing, by means of weaponized drones, as an extraordinary measure according to the Copenhagen School’s interpretation. An overarching securitization and the use of the “security” label warrants the emergency action of targeted killing through the use of drones as an extraordinary measure. We argue that the WoT serves as a means of securitizing global terrorism as a threat significant enough to warrant the use of drone warfare as an extraordinary use of force. By accepting the WoT as a securitization process we can reasonably accept that the US’ response(s) against that threat are also securitized and therefore become extraordinary measures.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"221 - 245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/sjps-2015-0012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The National Bank of Poland is an institution which, in conjunction with the government is responsible for the implementation of country’s economic policy reinforces its democratic character. Provisions of its operation are governed by the Constitution of The Republic of Poland and by the Act on the National Bank of Poland. To this end, the objective of the present research is to analyse the proposed amendments in the Act on the NBP. The latter concerns the amendment procedures, term of office and the rotations and numbers of Monetary Policy Council. The remaining part of the analyses is dedicated to the issue of dismissal of a MPC’s member in conjunction with the prohibition of occupying other positions, the adoption of the NBP’s financial statements and the separation of instruments of monetary policy’s instruments for stability of domestic financial system. Introduced changes in the proposed draft reduce the independence of the NBP while making it more subject to the Cabinet. Following the result of further consultations on the draft of Act on the NBP, provisions which reduce the independence of the NBP shall be partially removed.
{"title":"Monetary policy change of the Central bank of Poland","authors":"I.M.C. Kras","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0010","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The National Bank of Poland is an institution which, in conjunction with the government is responsible for the implementation of country’s economic policy reinforces its democratic character. Provisions of its operation are governed by the Constitution of The Republic of Poland and by the Act on the National Bank of Poland. To this end, the objective of the present research is to analyse the proposed amendments in the Act on the NBP. The latter concerns the amendment procedures, term of office and the rotations and numbers of Monetary Policy Council. The remaining part of the analyses is dedicated to the issue of dismissal of a MPC’s member in conjunction with the prohibition of occupying other positions, the adoption of the NBP’s financial statements and the separation of instruments of monetary policy’s instruments for stability of domestic financial system. Introduced changes in the proposed draft reduce the independence of the NBP while making it more subject to the Cabinet. Following the result of further consultations on the draft of Act on the NBP, provisions which reduce the independence of the NBP shall be partially removed.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"246 - 259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the modern trends of political leadership in relation to young generation in Slovakia as interpreted by the results from international collaborative research project. The author tries to address the issues of trust, attitudes and challenges within democratic governance and political leadership in contemporary political and social agenda in the specific case study of Slovakia. First, we use the theoretical approaches to understand political leadership in context and then we apply the qualitative analysis of individual interviews with respondents in two field sites in Slovakia to link the issues of democratic governance and political leadership. Finally, using the survey data and quantitative statistical analysis we measure the political trust and attitudes of young people toward politicians and social organizations. This paper confirms the relatively large negative positions of young people to their political interest, trust, attitudes to political elites and practical democratic performance.
{"title":"Political Leadership and Democratic Governance from the Perspective of Slovak Youth","authors":"Jaroslav Mihálik","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0011","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the modern trends of political leadership in relation to young generation in Slovakia as interpreted by the results from international collaborative research project. The author tries to address the issues of trust, attitudes and challenges within democratic governance and political leadership in contemporary political and social agenda in the specific case study of Slovakia. First, we use the theoretical approaches to understand political leadership in context and then we apply the qualitative analysis of individual interviews with respondents in two field sites in Slovakia to link the issues of democratic governance and political leadership. Finally, using the survey data and quantitative statistical analysis we measure the political trust and attitudes of young people toward politicians and social organizations. This paper confirms the relatively large negative positions of young people to their political interest, trust, attitudes to political elites and practical democratic performance.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"182 - 201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract To the degree that public opinion, as domestic variable, influences a leaders decision-making in the area of foreign affairs is significant. Political leaders use public opinion polling to support government position or in attempts to mold policy position(s) in the affirmative. The following article investigates how public opinion affects U.S. presidential foreign policy decisions and to the degree those decisions are the base for political legacy. The theoretical argument is that domestic variables and leaders decisions often act in mutual support of each others in complementary interests and when not the case, it is the leader whose agenda setting or creating a frame impacts public opinion.
{"title":"Foreign Policy: Public Opinion and Political Legacy","authors":"A. Walter","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0009","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract To the degree that public opinion, as domestic variable, influences a leaders decision-making in the area of foreign affairs is significant. Political leaders use public opinion polling to support government position or in attempts to mold policy position(s) in the affirmative. The following article investigates how public opinion affects U.S. presidential foreign policy decisions and to the degree those decisions are the base for political legacy. The theoretical argument is that domestic variables and leaders decisions often act in mutual support of each others in complementary interests and when not the case, it is the leader whose agenda setting or creating a frame impacts public opinion.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"202 - 220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/sjps-2015-0009","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This paper attempts to clarify the patterns of voting behavior among citizens and determinants that could explain voting behavior. In its theoretical part, it deals with the role of party affiliation across several theories of voting behavior - sociological, economic and social-psychological approaches. In section dedicated to interpretation of municipal elections 2014 in regional cities, we evaluate the party identification as the most important factor in voter decision process. We argue, that regional cities are affected by party politics more than smaller cities. Face-to-face contacts with candidates are less frequented and party support plays more and more significant role.
{"title":"Voting behavior and municipal elections 2014 in Slovakia","authors":"P. Horváth, Karol Šebík","doi":"10.1515/sjps-2015-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/sjps-2015-0005","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper attempts to clarify the patterns of voting behavior among citizens and determinants that could explain voting behavior. In its theoretical part, it deals with the role of party affiliation across several theories of voting behavior - sociological, economic and social-psychological approaches. In section dedicated to interpretation of municipal elections 2014 in regional cities, we evaluate the party identification as the most important factor in voter decision process. We argue, that regional cities are affected by party politics more than smaller cities. Face-to-face contacts with candidates are less frequented and party support plays more and more significant role.","PeriodicalId":36889,"journal":{"name":"Slovak Journal of Political Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"113 - 93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67066372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}