bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tidal forcing, energetics, and mixing near the Yermak Plateau
Authors: Fer I. , Müller M. , Peterson A. K.
Published: March 2015

Abstract. The Yermak Plateau (YP), located northwest of Svalbard in Fram Strait, is the final passage for the inflow of warm Atlantic Water into the Arctic Ocean. The region is characterized by the largest barotropic tidal velocities in the Arctic Ocean. Internal response to the tidal flow over this topographic feature locally contributes to mixing that removes heat from the Atlantic Water. Here, we investigate the tidal forcing, barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion rates, and dissipation rates in the region using observations of oceanic currents, hydrography, and microstructure collected on the southern flanks of the plateau in summer 2007, together with results from a global high-resolution ocean circulation and tide model simulation. The energetics (depth-integrated conversion rates, baroclinic energy fluxes and dissipation rates) show large spatial variability over the plateau and are dominated by the luni-solar diurnal (K1) and the principal lunar semidiurnal (M2) constituents. The volume-integrated conversion rate over the region enclosing the topographic feature is approximately 1 GW and accounts for about 50% of the M2 and approximately all of the K1 conversion in a larger domain covering the entire Fram Strait extended to the North Pole. Despite the substantial energy conversion, internal tides are trapped along the topography, implying large local dissipation rates. An approximate local conversion–dissipation balance is found over shallows and also in the deep part of the sloping flanks. The baroclinic energy radiated away from the upper slope is dissipated over the deeper isobaths. From the microstructure observations, we inferred lower and upper bounds on the total dissipation rate of about 0.5 and 1.1 GW, respectively, where about 0.4–0.6 GW can be attributed to the contribution of hot spots of energetic turbulence. The domain-integrated dissipation from the model is close to the upper bound of the observed dissipation, and implies that almost the entire dissipation in the region can be attributed to the dissipation of baroclinic tidal energy.
Hassan v. The United Kingdom (Eur. Ct. H.R.)
Authors: Bates Elizabeth Stubbins
Published: March 2015

On September 16, 2014, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court) gave its judgment in the case of Hassan v. United Kingdom.This is the Court’s first explicit engagement with the co-applicability of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in relation to detention in international armed conflicts. The judgment is significant for its rejection of the government’s argument that international humanitarian law operates as lex specialis to displace international human rights law entirely during the “active hostilities phase of an international armed conflict.” It is also noteworthy for the majority’s ruling that provisions on detention of prisoners of war and the internment of protected persons in the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949 could be read into Article 5 (right to liberty and security) of the European Convention on Human Rights (the European Convention), creating a new ground for detention under Article 5(1) in international armed conflicts and modifying the procedural guarantees in Article 5(4).
An analysis of the issues and prospects facing SriLankan Airlines and its embedded partnership with Sri Lankan tourism
Authors: Nagahawatte Lasitha , O’Connell John F.
Published: March 2015

The long civil war, which ended in May 2009, poor economic performance and weak travel demand for Sri Lanka all coalesced in hindering the tourism industry. Consequently its aviation industry, which is dominated by the national carrier SriLankan Airlines, faced growing and difficult challenges. However, since 2009 the country has witnessed a boom in tourism, while an unprofitable SriLankan Airlines changed its financial and strategic circumstances by becoming a member of the Oneworld alliance in mid-2014, driven by its regional geography and proximity to India which had strict bilateral traffic rights for international incumbents from the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. This study analyses tourism, economic and passenger data combined with results from a passenger survey and expert interviews in order to identify the critical issues and future prospects of aviation and tourism in Sri Lanka. The authors conclude that its ageing long-haul fleet, together with an inferior economy-class product along with high fuel prices, capacity constraints and poor management practices are the major issues faced by SriLankan Airlines. On the tourism side, uncompetitive hotel rates, unnecessarily high government taxes, visa charges and the lack of international promotion were seen as the principle drawbacks. A survey at Colombo airport revealed that fare is the principle rhetoric for passengers taking SriLankan Airlines, but when they want a wider range of additional and superior attributes they choose foreign carriers.
Israel and the Occupied Territories
Authors: Macioti Maria Immacolata
Published: March 2015

It was always so affecting this building, dedicated to the children of Yad Vashem. Every things goes in the dark and being traversed by a handrail, while we can see many lighted points around us in this space: the stars that remember so many missing children. There is a different set up and different things but I also found another beautiful and touching museum dedicated to the children, including those in the museum Yad Lailed opened in Kibbutz Lohamei He Ghettaot, founded by survivors of Warsaw Ghetto. The section devoted to children, in 1994, intends to make them understand the Holocaust without too much trauma. The shape is a spiral. The children and their families had been sucked into a spiral of violence. But here we want to bring a message of life. The final room is devoted to the children that have been survived. During the path they can be worked to reconstruct through didactic materials, you can set in a circle, the other groups present stories with their characters. Let’ us start with the round room with colorful windows, copies of drawings of the children that speak about in the time of the camp, what it should be the room at the end of the route. Above, there is a figure of a butterfly that remembers you a well noun poem about a butterfly in the ghetto. And together with the Sun means the hole of life. The blue sky always is present in the drawings. The real Sun threw the first to the last room can enter into darkness recesses of the Warsaw ghetto. We can read sentences or phrases of the children of that time: “ I want to take with me my clown, but my mother says- the case was already closed”. We can pass threw the dun sacks made with the gray old clothes that keep inside them all their memories when they were ready quickly, a reason to talk about how many people lived every day life In their homes in the past. Then we are walking into the tracks that break: and there are images of Jews pushing each others by the trains. There is a crowed of people that we can’t see their faces; people without identity. Other people with the recovered memory you enter in the darkness. There is a round dark room. Even in a spiral shape. In the center, there is a lighted candle. You can start from the dark even though there is so little light of the Sun that it is drawn by the children. Our guide explain that it isn’t necessary to emphasize to tell about the tortures. This, we can learn later. The message here should be positive. At the end of all there is the Sun, the Light. The life begins again. You can release from drama. For this reason it is necessary to insist for theatre and sculpture, and drawing on research. The children have the possibility with the help of this instruments, with the help of the narrative to be free from drama.
The revolution of communication and its effect on our life
Authors: Vasmatics Gabor
Published: March 2015

The twentieth century brought about a lot of changes, especially in the fields of industry, information technology and communication. As a result of these phenomena also our everyday life has changed radically. In this article I would like to introduce that how did these new technological advancements affect the social life of humanity. In the beginning of history communication was totally limited by the distance. If someone was further than the other’s noise or sight could reach, then they could not exchange any information without coming closer to each other. This way the people were more separated and the different nations were developing in very different ways. Through the appearance of the various communicational devices the distances were shorter and shorter, until that grade that nowadays we can hold and international conference with the participants being on distant locations of the world. Disabled people can work from their homes through internet. We don’t need to go out even for shopping, because we can order the product and it comes to our home. Universities offer tele-courses where people can receive not only the education but even a diploma, without ever setting foot in the building of the institution. The world truly became a global village, where we can reach anyone, anywhere, from the comfort of our sofa. All these changes in our lifestyle happened so rapidly that even my parents cannot really grasp it, not to mention about the grandparents. The last 20 years brought about so many new things that most of the people don’t even know about their existence. The Homo Sapiens Sapiens evolved to Homo Sapiens Communicationis, with his inseparable tool: the mobile phone.
Euro-Mediterranean Public Relations. Developing a new public relations approach for cooperation among local systems in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Authors: Succi Amanda Jane
Published: March 2015

The Euro-Med area is characterized by a lively and particular context which, thanks to its cultural characteristics and identitarial diversities, makes it an area rich of growth and development opportunities. Every day many companies, universities, institutions tie new relations with other organizations and people within this area, but nonetheless the Mediterranean area has severe difficulties in creating true and compact economic development. It is still a fragmented area, vulnerable to any kind of further exploitation.
Strategic Communication and Decision-Making Processes: Toward the Communication Oriented Organisation
Authors: Invernizzi Emanuele , Romenti Stefania
Published: March 2015

Communication continues to be an increasingly strategic and pervasive component in the processes of governance and management at all levels of a company. This evolution has been made evident by the importance that the communication function has acquired, or is acquiring, inside the organisational structure of companies. Furthermore, this evolution has been made evident by the growth of the role that communication, especially that of communication professionals, plays within the strategic decisional processes of the executive committee and administrative management of a company. Lastly, this evolution has been made evident by the omnipresence of communication within specific company functions especially with its most advanced and innovative forms and instruments. The aim of this article is to bring attention to the evolution of the role of communication at the levels of company administration and management, using the results of the most recent international and national empirical research as well as the considerations emerging from a lively on-going debate in international publications, most markedly within the disciplines of public relations, organisation and management. Finally, using the main results of case studies of four Italian successful companies.
Armenians and 20th century genocide - Debates
Authors: Macioti Maria Immacolata
Published: March 2015

During the 1800’s – before the well-known genocide, planned in the twentieth century – there were massacres and persecution on Armenian villages. It is important to underline that many Christian Armenians lived in Ottoman Empire. At the beginning of 1800’s they paid many taxes and felt themselves an important part of the Empire. Thus they would have liked to achieve more significant public roles, without losing their religion and cultural background. Howewer, the Turkish leaders and population were against their aspirations. Moreover, Armenian communities were hard-working and relatively wealthy, thus both Catholics and Protestants (the Protestant Millet, an Evangelic Armenian Movement) hoped to steal their goods. There were International problems: the revolt of Bosnia Erzegovina and Serbia, the Russian ambition. At the same time, the Young Turks took power in Turkey and to be Muslim became a fundamental requisite: obviously this requirement turned into a problem for Armenians.European countries guaranteed a protection, but at the end there were only some petitions and motions. The Berlin Agreements were worthless. In 1864 the town of Sasun was destroyed, after three weeks of massacres. In 1895 there were some bloody repression in Constantinople, Trebizond, Akhisar. Followed the martyrdom of Zeythun, a mountain town of Cilicia: the Armenian revolutionary movement was in the infancy, unable to stop massacres. The few survivors were forced to convert. And the worst was is yet to come.
The Mediterranean model of immigration
Authors: Pugliese Enrico
Published: March 2015

The countries of Southern Europe – Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain – have become in the last decades countries of immigration, while they are still areas of emigration even thug with a substant reduction of the emigration flows. The patterns of immigration in these countries have several common features. First af all immigration started in all countries in the same period (the 1970ties). Secondly they receive immigratns from many, also very distant, places. Thirdly there is a high presence of female immigrants, that is often above 59% of the total immigrant flow. Fourtly in all these countries – contray to the intraeuropean migrations of the ‘fifties and of the ‘sixties - immigrants have found occupation in the service sector, in agricolture and not so often in industry. Female employment in the services is the most important feature of this immigration: female immigrants work mostly as cleaners and in general in domestic work and now, more and more frequently, in the area of care for the elderly. Also the immigration policies in these countries are similar with closed borders and consequent illegal immigration and the practice of amnesty laws. Because of all these common characterics the article puts forward the hipothesis of the existence of a mediterranean model of immigration.
Energy, transport network and financial issues: PR perspectives for economic development in time of Euro-Med area change
Authors: Succi Amanda Jane
Published: March 2015

In the last year the Mediterranean region has seen a long series of major events taking place in many of its countries, enabling us to consider this area as the leading actor in the global scenario, directly and indirectly influencing and influenced by, policies and decision making strategies of governments, industrial sectors and social entities. Observing from outside of the frame it seems to look at a chain reaction, an explosion of many specific mines which, one next to the other, have been triggered for apparently different reasons but, at the same time, incredibly and profoundly linked to one another. In fact, one of the key aspects in this scenario and common to all its people, was and still is the strong desire to reach a fearer way of living in order to have the same opportunities of growth and development as the rest of the world, where the right of each person is safeguarded to live in a free and democratic life. We are witnessing a unique process of change that probably was expected to happen and that many of us knew would occur. Not with the intention of desiring conflicts and social - political tensions, but hoping in the structural reaction of people to a wearying and critical social and economical context. The present situation, still going under constant change, is therefore not yet stable in many ways, but it certainly triggers profound thinking and the need of awareness building on what is taking place, on its points of strength and weakness as well as the opportunities to grab within this complex and delicate process of change. In this new and dynamic scenario, I find important to underline and understand how “relations , relations building and strategies” influence and are used in managing institutional relations, negotiations, decision making revisions. All inevitably connected to obtain a better socio- economic equilibrium in the area, involving both private and public sectors and common fields of interest. As a consequence, public relations’ profession should analyze a possible new approach in the Med area regarding its specific applications and methodical adaptation.
Italy and Albania: The political and economic alliance and the Italian invasion of 1939
Authors: Tase Peter
Published: March 2015

As the successful coup d’etat of Rome in October 27 – 29, 1922, successfully unfolded and Benito Mussolini emerged into power, the threat of invasion and spread of fascism was looming over southeastern Europe and North African countries of Ethiopia, Libya and Somalia. Mussolini’s intentions would not be perceptible until October, 1935, the invasion of Ethiopia and consequently almost four years later with the invasion of Albania in April 7th, 1939, which is considered by many as the prelude to World War II. Italy’s role and support towards the implementation of infrastructure projects and economic development initiatives in Albania proved to be essential. The fascist regime of Benito Mussolini was also a strategic ally for King Zog I who was in a desperate need to establish a stable government and secure his monarchy. Although King Zog I came to power with the immense help of Yugoslavia, months later he established strong ties with Italy and worked tirelessly to foster strategic bilateral relations with Mussolini’s administration. Italo-Yugoslav Relations improved greatly after the signing of a bilateral agreement in March 25, 1937, therefore Benito Mussolini had the green light from the Yugoslav government – which brought King Zog I into power in December, 1924 – to storm with loans, equipment and human assets the newly created Albanian government which later would become a Kingdom under the rule of Zog I. The focus of this Essay will be the impact of Italian – Albanian Strategic Alliance, a detailed analysis on the pact of Tirana (1926), the Italian Strategic Interests on western Balkans and its subsequent invasion in April, 1939.
Rio de Janeiro, Winter 2011 - The cidade maravilhosa’s expectations and contradictions
Authors: Clemente Mara
Published: March 2015

A Rio de Janeiro crossing during the Winter of 2011. Urban, social and economic contrasts and contradictions of a city that is preparing to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016. The ‘street cleaning’ of cidade maravilhosa: the next sporting competitions and respective ‘showcasing’ will show neither people living on the streets nor rampant drug trafficking. The city seems to look forward to the events while at the same time the common people have different opinions: from hopes of ​​a new opportunity for Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, to fears of new contradictions, speculations and iniquities.
Intercultural and Interreligious Communication in the Balkan
Authors: Musaraj Arta
Published: March 2015

The desire to belong in a individual culture means to possess a clear vision for the world, a road map that guides its followers towards the proper understanding of the planet’s past present and future. An established mythology of apparent national identities in the Balkans is somewhat unnaturally reinforced to justify conflicts between religious and ethnic groups, caused as a result of the national identities intertwined among themselves, an element essentially more influential than existence of national identities. For centuries Christians and Muslims in the Balkans have been living in peace, however a few Balkan Societies continue to use violence, national extremism, xenophobia as well as a contemporary practice to solve their problems. A legitimate question can be raised in relation to how common is religious influence used to cause violent and armed conflicts as compared to violence originating from ethnic cleansing, control over territory, political ideology and regional hegemony?
Mediation: A concept that has to do not just with the justice system
Authors: Bushati Endira , Spaho Edi
Published: March 2015

Conflicts and disputes among people are an integral part of everyday life, of our private and professional life. They can be of any kind, from social, commercial, family related disputes up to those between the states themselves. Just as the types and natures of disputes increase with the economic and cultural development of any society, the mechanisms of dealing with them take a special importance as well. Besides dispute resolution by state bodies that are established by law, alternative ways for resolving disputes are developing increasingly and are receiving a special importance as well. The alternative solution of a dispute is nothing more than an alternative for resolving the dispute outside the judicial system, where the main ways are mediation and arbitration. Alternative solutions to disputes are widespread in countries of common law systems, considering that most disputes are solved in this way. In this article we will examine mediation and its development especially in Albania. Mediation is a way to resolve disputes between two or more parties, where a third person, the mediator, negotiates with the parties so that they arrive at a solution acceptable to all.
Attractiveness of foreign investments in Albania: a focused analysis of factors, constrains and policy assessment
Authors: Dragusha Spahija Blerta , Osmani Elez
Published: March 2015

Foreign direct investments are very important for the implementation of strategic reforms, transfer of advanced technologies and managerial methods, thereby stimulating economic growth in developing countries and in particular, transition economies such as Albania is. During the last years, Albania experienced an increase in foreign investors’ interest in a wide range of sectors, with energy generation, telecommunication, cement production, mining, oil and industrial parks heading the list. However, the major obstacle factors for FDI inflows seem to remain the same: pervasive corruption, weak law enforcement, poor rule of law, lack of developed infrastructure, lack of a reliable energy supply and insufficiently defined property rights. Determining the factors that attract FDI, and furthermore identify the main characteristics of the host country’s economy, are essential to understand the reason of FDI inflows to a country or region. In the empirical perspective, various studies give different results. More specifically, this paper has focused on determining the factors for and against FDI in Albania.
Antonio Gramsci’s role in Marxian thought and the contribution made to international relations by those using his ideas
Authors: Malo Egni
Published: March 2015

Some of the most promising post-Cold War developments in Marxian thought have been stimulated by problems facing Marxists in Western Europe, to that extent they all seem to lay bare, intentionally or otherwise, the lacking of qualities, of Marx’s prediction. The most significant example of the failure of Marxist theory to be realised in practice is the persistent survival of the capitalist mode of production. The inevitable crisis foreseen by Marx, which would lead to revolution, failed to materialise and that claim is now itself historical, since capitalism has become the norm for social organisation in most of the world’s nations. By asking the question how capitalism can persist amid crisis, Gramsci, provided the most promising way of revision to the stunted Marxian orthodoxy. Today for us is important to ask whether Marxist analysis of neoliberal global strategy or globalisation and fragmentation invite reconsideration of the tendency on the part of many international relations scholarships to ignore and simply dismiss Marxism. It is also important to consider whether the significance of Marxist project of developing a critical approach to international politics, is but one way in which Marxism progressed beyond the traditional Anglo-American scholarship to IR.
Looking at public spaces in contemporary Rome: an anthropological perspective on the study of cities
Authors: Postiglione Monica
Published: March 2015

Through the presentation of two case studies this paper aims to engage the theoretical debate on the persistence of public space in the contemporary city, and focuses the attention on the way people practice these spaces and on the policies which are regulating their uses. Starting from the description of different ways in which some urban spaces in Rome (Italy) are used by two different communities of people, one mainly composed by immigrants and the other by young city users, and the diverse ways in which their different practices are seen and tolerated, the aim of this paper is to reflect on public spaces. Observing how city users practice public spaces, and analysing the way in which these practices are considered, are particularly exciting perspectives that can offer an interesting vision of the spatial and social reality of the city and of hegemonic relations which govern it.
The Bankruptcy according the Albanian law - Effects of practice and legal framework in setting up a structured system of Bankruptcy administration
Authors: Xhoxhaj Altina
Published: March 2015

The aim of this article is to present the concept of bankruptcy as a legal judicial procedure to be followed in case that the legal or natural person becomes insolvent. The paper is focused on the meaning of bankruptcy, the subjects of bankruptcy proceedings, causes for the opening of this proceeding, the competent court and its decision according to the law no.8901, dated 23.05.2002 “On bankruptcy” published in official Journal nr.31/2002. These article deals also with the organs of bankruptcy proceedings, administrator, meeting of creditors and methods of the conclusion of bankruptcy proceedings. A brief description of debtor’s possibilities during bankruptcy proceedings is given also in article. It deals with debtor’s closeout, rehabilitation/reorganization of the company and debtor’s liquidation. However, it should be noted that the bankruptcy procedure is a procedure not very widespread in our country, that due to the small number of cases before our courts. It also has to do with the fact that subjects rarely addressed the court.
Italy in the Balance. Electrons and Bourbons. Thinking of the recent past in order to understand the present and to plan the future
Authors: Ferrarotti Franco
Published: March 2015

The aim of the paper is try to make a dynamic picture of the modern (or post-modern) Italian identity, from a political, social and cultural point of view. The status of this country is in the balance, between a fast industrialization without an analogous industrial culture and a lumbering memory where the traditional rules are still strong. The analysis will be carried out through an historical and sociological excursus both in Italian ascent memories and in political processes and events after the Second World War.
A Constitutional Coup! The Take-Down of the First President of the Republic of Kosovo
Authors: Sejdiu Korab R.
Published: March 2015

A coup d’etat is defined as “a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force.” As one looks through all the coup d’etats that have occurred throughout the history in various parts of the world, one can observe that often the protagonists of such events are political enemies, military leaders, or distressed insiders. Indeed, one is hard pressed to find where a coup d’etat has been executed by way of a poor legal reasoning of a Constitutional Court. Well, that is until now! In the newest country in Europe, the Republic of Kosovo, major international and domestic investments are being made on institution building. One of the beneficiaries of such investments has been the newly formed Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo. Soon after its establishment, this young court faced its first tough decision, namely a challenge to the President of the country regarding his alleged serious violation of the Constitution by holding posts as President of the country and Chairman of his party. In a highly controversial case, marred with procedural irregularities, judicial misconduct, lack of due process, human rights violations, regular media leaks, and behind-the-scenes international and domestic political influences on the Court, a split Court decided that the President had seriously violated the Constitution. This decision led to the President’s resignation, which caused a political imbalance that still lingers, further harming Kosovo’s long term interests and prospects. But more importantly, some argue that this marks the first case where a coup d’etat that took down a President was executed by a Constitutional Court. This paper argues that the Court should have dismissed the claim of the MPs as inadmissible on procedural grounds, specifically that it was filed by the MPs after the time permitted by law and that the MPs never maintained the number of 30 members that were needed for the group to be an authorized party. Additionally, even on the merits, the Court failed to distinguish between the constitutional requirement to not exercise a party function, which the President in this case did not do, but rather simply held the position in a suspended mode. Moreover, even had the President’s holding of the position amounted to a violation of the Constitution, in no way did that equate to a serious constitutional violation. Still, the Court held contrary to the Constitution, applicable laws, and the available evidence before it and found that the President had seriously violated the Constitution.
Pragmatism and Science
Authors: Marsonet Michele
Published: March 2015

Logical empiricism gave rise to a powerful paradigm and it took some decades to overthrow it, even though it should be judged respectfully since, after all, philosophy of science and logic as we know them stemmed from that ground. The basic assumptions on which the paradigm of the “received view” rested are essentially the following. In the first place, verificationism seemed almost a truth of faith. Secondly, logical empiricists never offered good arguments in support of their thesis that assertive discourse must be preferred to more pragmatic forms of language. Thirdly, they too easily assumed that something like “objective truth” really exists. Last but certainly not least, the logical empiricists did not fully recognize the historical dimension of the scientific enterprise, which subsequently turned to be something different from the “universal science” they were talking about. In the paper it is argued that scientific realism (and the nature of scientific knowledge at large) is a theme where the originality of pragmatist positions clearly emerge. Nicholas Rescher, for example, claims - against any form of instrumentalism and many postmodern authors as well - that natural science can indeed validate a plausible commitment to the actual existence of its theoretical entities. Scientific conceptions aim at what really exists in the world, but only hit it imperfectly and “well off the mark”. What we can get is, at most, a rough consonance between our scientific ideas and reality itself. This means that the scientific knowledge at our disposal in any particular moment of the history of mankind must be held to be “putative”, while its relations to the truth (i.e. how things really stand in the world) should be conceived in terms of tentative and provisional estimation. Even the optimistic visions that see science as growingly approaching the “real” truth have, at this point, to be rejected on pragmatic grounds.
School Climate as an Important Component in School Effectiveness
Authors: Rapti Dorina
Published: March 2015

Expectations, values, faith, relationships with staff, the school leader, teachers and students behavior create school climate. The leader can promote or hinder a positive climate through his leadership model. The purpose of this study is to explore what are the climate types that appear in the school as well as to contribute to the expectations of different stakeholders on the school climate. The starting point for improving the performance of students and teachers is to improve school climate. Thus, this study will help leaders who for one reason or another have not been effective in keeping their responsibilities, and, as a result, did not work efficiently in improving school climate. It is assumed that a positive school climate enhances effective teaching, and as a result a better performance of student learning. This study will serve to further studies related to the expansion of the leaders’ roles on school climate. In conclusion, the research will assist policy makers in Albania to assess the content of the modules needed for training future managers and teachers to ensure they are equipped with the skills required to create a positive, open and collaborative climate in school. The school leader should be released from some managerial tasks, for paying more time to teachers and students.
A Comparative View of Terrorist Acts and Legislative Measures Countering this Phenomenon in Albania and the United States of America
Authors: Çukaj Lirime
Published: March 2015

Terrorist acts have been a worrisome phenomenon for all nations. Paradoxically, although states have been conscious about the danger of this phenomenon, there is no definition of terrorist acts so far. States have been skeptical and they have not agreed that the judgment of these criminal offences be performed by international jurisdictions, thus opting for the domestic jurisdiction. Nevertheless, states have lacked the willingness to establish joint criminal policies and find efficacious means to combat these terrorist acts. One of these efficacious means has been the seizure and confiscation of licit and illicit assets possessed by terrorist groups. This is the focus of this short study, which will be inclusive by viewing this topic under the general framework of international acts, our domestic legislation, as well as the American one. This paper aims at presenting the legislative measures taken by the Albanian state to meet international requirements. It endeavors to provide arguments why all licit and illicit assets associated with terrorist acts are seized and confiscated. Special attention is paid to the way these assets are administered. Moreover, this study tries to analyze the achievements and problems in Albania, as well as provide conclusions and recommendations.
Economic growth in Kosovo and in other countries in terms of globalization of world economy
Authors: Gërgjaliu Thaçi Lumnije
Published: March 2015

The global financial crisis causes, as among the greatest crises and consequences, reflected the world in continuously increase of unemployment, poverty and inequality. This crisis was reflected in both developed and developing countries including countries in transition. The fact cannot be denied that the effects of financial crisis are even felt in the Republic of Kosovo where during this period of time following consequences could be clearly noted: decrease of the real economy, poverty, reduction in remittances, decrease of external investments, contracting criteria for bank loans and other direct and indirect effects. However, the global economy did continue to recover during 2010 and 2011. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding to the volatility of global economic recovery in this period is greater than in the previous period. This setting is mainly extracted from instability of financial market due to problems with public finances in several EU member States and entry of protective measures by some rapidly growing economies and developing countries, in response to large capital inflows. It is important to consider the fact that, despite the recent crisis, economic growth model, based on the deepening of EU integration process, in terms of finance, trade, labour markets and institutions, remains as best model for developing countries and Kosovo itself. Special treatment is given to achieved achievements and projections for the following years under policies compiled by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to enable generic analysis for concrete situation of our national economy. Also, this paper shall explain the underlying factors which will influence on a more accelerated economic development.
Pragmatic Objectivity
Authors: Marsonet Michele
Published: March 2015

Nicholas Rescher writes that “objectivity is not something we infer from the data; it is something we must presuppose. It is something that we postulate or presume from the very outset of our dealings with people’s claims about the world’s facts”. Such definition is just the opposite of objectivity conceived of in classical terms, but it cannot be equated with an idealistic viewpoint according to which objectivity is something that our mind simply creates in the process of reflection. It is, rather, a sort of cross-product of the encounter between our mind-shaped capacities, and a surrounding reality made up of things that are real in the usual meaning of the term. Science itself gives us some crucial insights in this direction, since it shows that we see, say, tables and trees in a certain way which, however, does not match the image that scientific instruments are able to attain. Does this mean that our commonsense view of the world is totally wrong and that nature deceives us? This is not the case. The difference between the commonsense and the scientific image of the world is explainable by the fact that we are evolutionary creatures. Nature has simply endowed human beings with tools and capacities that enable them to survive in an environment which - at least in remote eras - was largely hostile. Our way of seeing tables and trees is what is requested for carrying on a successful fight for the survival of the species: nothing more - and nothing less - is needed for achieving this fundamental goal. Turning once again to the problem of ontological objectivity, the picture has now gained both strength and clarity. If we recall that human endeavors, although occurring in a largely autonomous social and linguistic world, are nevertheless limited by the constraints that natural reality forces upon us, we begin to understand that the social-linguistic world itself is not a boat freely floating without directions. If the boat is there, it means that an explanation of its presence is likely to be obtained if only we are patient enough to look for it. Some kind of hand must be on the wheel, giving the boat indications on Contrary to other pragmatist-flavored positions popular nowadays, this approach maintains that universality has a fundamental and unavoidable function in our rational endeavors. This is due to the fact that “presupposition” and “hypothetical reasoning” are key ingredients of our very capacity to rationalize the world in which we live. Indeed, there can be no rationality without universality.
Social praxis, party, and class relations today
Authors: Malo Egni
Published: March 2015

Today’s political sociologists are once again interested in the study of the crisis of mass-based parties, anti-politics and anti-parliamentarism, crisis in the authority of the political class, prevailing corporate interests within republican institutions, and populism. Political sociology however, takes the party, as a construct of political sociology alone, without consideration upon its militancy and action, as the party, which objectifies the foundation of a State, and as a result the party becomes, simply an historical category. We approach the problem of the modern state from many angles; analysing the nature of a political party as such; the ideological dangers of determinism and spontaneism which a party necessarily must struggle with; the type of non-administrative internal regime which is necessary for a party to be effective and so on. The problem we seek to elaborate is the specific character of the collective action that makes possible the passage from a sectored, corporate and subordinate role of purely negative opposition, to a leading role of conscious action towards not merely a partial adjustment within the system, but posing the issue of the State in its entirety. In developing this theme – as a study of the real relations between the political party, the classes and the State – a two-fold consideration is devoted to the study of Machiavelli and Marx: first from the angle of the real relations between the two, as thinkers of revolutionary politics, of action; and secondly from a perspective which would derive from the Marxist doctrines an articulated system of contemporary politics, as found in The Prince.
The Political Parties as Organisations of Representation of the Political Rights of Individuals in Albania
Authors: Mone Klajdi
Published: March 2015

According to the Constitution or laws, individuals today have extensive political rights closely associated with the right to vote. Here is meant the active and passive right of voting. Membership in a party is not only because of the desire, but also for the fact that the party gives individuals the possibility of career progress, further realization of their political rights. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of political parties and individual rights, not only in Albania, but also combined with the European experience. In this paper we will focus on how political parties have evolved as well as the political rights of individuals after the independence in 1912. The development of political parties in Albania has passed in two stages in the communist system where only one party was known and in the democratic system where was recognized political pluralism. Highlighting the role of political parties, as an important promoter of the functioning of state and of the coverage of the political rights of individuals, makes this study important.
On the strained relationship between philosophy and sociology
Authors: Ferrarotti Franco
Published: March 2015

The main contention of this article is the following: sociology, like all the modern sciences, was born out of philosophy. But, ungratefully enough and perhaps because of a deepseated inferiority complex vis-à-vis the older well established sciences, sociology tends to forget or at least to blurr its philosophical foundation. Thus it turns out to be “social engineering”. The sociologist becomes a technical expert, rather indifferent to a synoptic or global view of society, and ready to offer his or her services to the best offer in the open market. Social theory is reduced to “model building” according to the changing needs of the economic agencies, from government bodies to private entrepreneurs. Contrary to social theory, a model is a purely intellectual arbitrary construct and, although conditioned by a basic congruity among its different parts, it is not historically rooted but essentially a “fictio mentis”. In this way sociology loses inevitably its problem awareness and it runs the risk of “quantifying the qualitative”, that is to say to accumulate bits of knowledge without knowing for what purpose.
Economic overview of the international state-building of Kosovo in the light of liberal peace thesis: Development trends of the economic system of Kosovo, through UNMIK administration, actuality and the future.
Authors: Bashota Bardhok , Sela Ylber , Ismaili Fisnik
Published: March 2015

In the aftermath of Cold War, the system of United Nations (UN) Peace Missions assumed new proportions, by adjusting the nature of political developments, which characterized the international relations stage in this period. In the peace-keeping agenda of these missions, special focus was given to issues related to “international state-building” in the post-conflict situations, as well as attempts to prevent and manage consequences of the state’s failure. In pursuit of these goals and as part of this agenda, it is believed that liberal western values, especially as part of the “liberal peace thesis”, have become ever more widespread and commonplace. The models of state-building, according to this thesis, include combination of values of liberal democracy and principles of the market economy, as precondition to overall social development, which would contribute to long-term peace. According to this conception According to this conception, it is clear that the transitional process from war to peace and that of state-building, in addition to the political dimensions, also has significant economic dimensions. Therefore, the authors of this study are focused on and aim to analyze and explain the role the economic sector plays in the construction and functioning of the state system in a post-conflict society, as is the case of Kosovo. At the contextual level, the study consists of understanding the role played by UNMIK, as international administration, in the direction of this sector. One part of the study is dedicated to analysing immediate and long-term strategies and approaches of the peacekeeping mission, aimed at reconstruction, i.e. the development of the economic sector from scratch, which would impact directly and indirectly on the creation of an enabling socio-political environment for a lasting peace. But the rest of the study focuses on macroeconomic indicators such as GDP level, monetary policy, as well as import and export situation (trade balance, which realistically reflects the current status of economic development in Kosovo, as well as for measuring the gap between the expected targets and achieved concrete results. This means that these indicators reflect the degree of success or failure of the mission in relation to the fulfillment of this objective. Finally, by analysing the previous and current results, we will try to explain development trends of Kosovo’s economy in the short-term.
The integrity of elections in Albania as a duality between the law and their administration. Electoral management body in the circle of cause – effect for elections performance
Authors: Kryemadhi Monika , Luzi Lleshi Lefteri
Published: March 2015

It is important to note that at the end of the election process there is a question laying before to all stakeholders: Did these elections meet the international standards of electoral integrity? Countries around the world have a challenge in common. They are challenged to meet international standards of electoral integrity. There are no standards met in elections if the main stakeholders fail to be successful in their commitments or fail to commit themselves in meeting their responsibilities. Especially if the body which is in charge of administering the election process, such as the Central Election Commission, faces challenges to act in full “engine”, the probability to fail is higher. Albania held in June 2013, general political elections under the new proportional – closed list system, being implemented for the second time following June 2009 elections. The Central Election Commission was reformulated following extensive amendments to the Electoral Code. Was this Body capable to keep in consideration the constitutional right/universal right of people to vote periodically in order to elect their representatives freely, without interference? What is important to note, is that despite challenges, the body in charge of the administration of the voting process showed integrity and willingness to respect the law and universal suffrage rights, answering to the key question: Did these elections met the international standards of electoral integrity?