bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards a Pro-active Approach Concerning the Intersections between the Jordan Patents of Invention Law, United States Patent Law and European Patent Convention
Authors: Razem Zein J. , Mahafzah Qais Ali 
Published: March 2011

AbstractAttempts to harmonize patent laws worldwide have increased, leaving bits of argumentative issues untouched in the patent systems under scrutiny. However, diversity can sometimes prove desirable since majority rule is not always right and the minority wrong. Sometimes a part is more righteous than the whole. This research focuses on areas where the Jordan Patents of Invention Law, United States Patent Law, and the European Patent Convention intersect. It concludes that although most countries, including Jordan, follow a different path than that taken by the United States, it may be unnecessary for the United States to change its system in order to be in sync with the rest of the world. Thus, it may prove advantageous to have two separate systems that can provide different patent protections where humanity achieves progression and development.
Reservations on the “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)” Based on Islam and its Practical Application in Jordan: Legal Perspectives
Authors: Bydoon Maysa 
Published: March 2011

AbstractA significant number of Muslim countries, rather like other States, initially acceded with reservations to the “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women” (CEDAW). Many Muslim States, however, have noted their reservations on this convention, given the possible contradictions with Islam. Other States have questioned such religious-based reservations as they contradict the object and purpose of the CEDAW. This article examines whether these types of reservations to the CEDAW in Muslim countries are incompatible with Article 28(2) of CEDAW and Article 19(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and, if this is the case, who might be able to assess the validity of such reservations. In focusing on the practical application of CEDAW in Jordan, this article argues that there are many challenges on lifting the reservation on Article 15(4) of CEDAW that impact the effectiveness of the implantation of CEDAW.
L’ordre public transnational devant l’arbitre international
Authors: Trari-Tani Mostefa 
Published: March 2011

AbstractLa notion de l’ordre public transnational est évoquée à tous les stades de l’arbitrage : devant les institutions d’arbitrage, devant le juge d’appui, devant le juge de la reconnaissance et de l’exequatur, ou même celui de l’annulation, pour lesquels, la vérification de la conformité de la sentence à l’ordre public international pourrait s’appuyer sur un ou plusieurs éléments de l’ordre public transnational. Certaines de ces règles et principes sont issus du jus cogens, ce corps de règles appartenant au droit international public et applicables à chaque fois que l’État est partie à une relation juridique, comme dans ses rapports avec un investisseur étranger, ou même face à des particuliers dans ses contrats commerciaux internationaux. D’autres procèdent de la lex mercatoria, règles issues de la pratique en vigueur dans la société internationale des marchands et dont le caractère de droit privé n’est pas incompatible avec celui de l’intérêt général, qui sous-tend le concept de l’ordre public en général.
Transformations of the Ketubbah; or, the Gallery of Broken Marriages
Authors: Shandler Jeffrey 
Published: March 2011

AbstractKetubbot (Jewish marriage contracts) exemplify the dynamics of ritual objects in Jewish life from ancient times to the present. Though often characterized in modern publications and museum exhibitions as demonstrating the continuity of traditional practice, their history is characterized less by endurance than by transformation, as a shifting series of purposes are assigned to the ketubbah: legal document, ritual object, collectible, artifact, domestic artwork. Each of these purposes entails its own contestations of the ketubbah’s significance, thereby challenging claims that these objects betoken cultural (and, by implication, demographic) continuity. The contemporary design of ketubbot offer an unprecedented array of aesthetic possibilities, and the practices surrounding their creation and disposition following the wedding (including their fate in cases of divorce) sometimes challenge rabbinic authority, familiar customs, and the conventions of Jewish public culture. These most recent developments in the long trajectory of ketubbot reveal how disjuncture and contestation figure as animating forces in Jewish life.
Israeli Art Discourse and the Jewish Voice
Authors: Sperber David 
Published: March 2011

AbstractIsraeli critical art discourse reflects both opposition to Jewish tradition and its enduring influence. Even when artists employ Jewish sources, scholars and critics often detach their art from the traditionalist world. In this essay, the sociological concepts of “hybridization” and “purification” are therefore presented as fundamental processes underpinning the mainstream discourse of Israeli art.This essay demonstrates how while processes of rift and reconstitution with respect to Jewish tradition inform the Israeli art scene, Israeli art discourse, like modern art discourse in general, seeks to set itself apart from the worlds of religion and faith. This essay explains that a byproduct of this phenomenon is that those artists most squarely identifiable as “religious” are largely invisible to, and ignored by, the discourse.
Jewish Inter-Communication in the Mediterranean Basin in the Eleventh Century as Documented in the Correspondence of 'Eli Ben 'Amram
Authors: Bareket Elinoar 
Published: March 2011

AbstractOver the years a variety of topics related to the Jewish experience in the Middle Ages have been studied. One topic that has still not been researched thoroughly, on its own, is the means of internal communication. The primary channel for conveying messages between individuals and between communities all over the Jewish world was the Jewish letter, which constitutes a literary genre of its own.Within the realm of this correspondence, poems, which mainly accompanied the letters, but were often sent by themselves, constitute a special and interesting sub-genre of their own. It appears that the writing of poems for purposes of communication was one of the necessary qualifications, which a community leader had to have in order to withstand the constant pressure of heading a demanding community that closely scrutinized his actions. Another fact worthy of mention is that in the Middle Ages the Jews living in the lands of Islam were multi-cultured, or put another way, multi-lingual, or at least bi-lingual. The poems were all written in Hebrew, whereas some of the letters were written in Hebrew, others in Judeo- Arabic, and still others only in Arabic.Since the Genizah documents prove beyond a doubt that letters were written not only by leaders and high-ranking figures, but also by members of the middle and lower classes, it would not be incorrect to say that most of the Jews of the Middle Ages were literate, at least in two languages. Another noteworthy fact is that the authors, no matter what their social status, frequently quoted passages from the Bible, Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash. Many of these quotes were written from memory (since they deviate slightly from the original), which attests to a basic education acquired in all levels of society. The higher the person's rank, the more time they had to devote to broadening their education, but even ordinary people did not deny themselves basic education.The fundamental assumptions are examined on the basis of the correspondence of 'Eli ben 'Amram, who headed the Jerusalem Congregation (kahal) in Fustat, Egypt, in the second half of the eleventh century (1055–1075). Evidently he did not overlook any leader in the Jewish world, inside or outside Egypt, who he could utilize for his political, social, and economic purposes. 'Eli ben 'Amram was an untiring correspondent. Dozens of examples of his writing were discovered, and are still being discovered in the Genizah, identified mainly by means of his handwriting; in his poems, he often signed the beginning of the lines, which helps the identification process.
King Seneferka in the King-lists and His Position in the Early Dynastic Period
Authors: Ryholt Kim 
Published: March 2011

AbstractSeneferka remains one of the most obscure rulers of the Early Dynastic Period. Through an analysis of the hypercorrection of royal names in the king-list tradition, it becomes possible to identify him with the first and otherwise unattested king recorded under the name Neferkare. This, in turn, indicates that Seneferka ruled about one century later than hitherto assumed, in the late Second Dynasty rather than at the end of the First Dynasty.
The Chronicle of Prince Osorkon and its Historical Context
Authors: Broekman Gerard 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe Chronicle of Prince Osorkon, inscribed at the Bubastite Portal at Karnak, is an important historical document, containing the narrative of Osorkon's vicissitudes and actions during the period from Takeloth II's 11th regnal year until Shoshenq III's 29th regnal year. From the combination of the narrative of the Chronicle with other sources it may be deduced that year 6 of Shoshenq III must coincide with or precede the “rebellion” of year 11 of Takeloth II. The political relations during the period at issue reflect the inherently tribal nature of Libyan rule, and several events referred to in the Chronicle reveal features that are characteristic of the Libyan social hierarchy based on a patrilineal segmentary lineage system, such as rapid changes in group composition and fluctuating bonds among collateral lines.
To Forge a Book in the Medieval Ages: Nezām al-Molk's Siyar al-Moluk (Siyāsat-Nāma)
Authors: Khismatulin Alexey 
Published: March 2011

AbstractStatements by medieval authors notwithstanding, the issue of counterfeiting the texts during the Islamic Medieval Ages has not been seriously discussed by modern researchers. The latter prefer to pass in silence over the possibility that an unauthentic text could be intentionally forged by someone with selfish, ideological, and other purposes. This problem especially concerns the texts written in the genre of medieval advice literature and attributed to the prominent state figures or outstanding Muslim scholars. The article presents conclusive evidence that such is the case of the Siyar al-moluk (Siyāsat-nāma) forged by a Saljuq court poet, Mohammad Mo'ezzi, and ascribed by him to the famous Saljuq vizier Nezām al-Molk.
Grenzen im Licht. Über Licht und Schatten in den Zeichnungen von Rembrandt
Authors: Müller-Schirmer Andrea 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThis article presents a stylistic study on light and shadow as used in Rembrandt's drawings in which his various techniques are categorised and individually discussed. The analysis of almost 200 drawings helps to gain insight in the drawing method of Rembrandt and can therefore possibly be of assistance in questions regarding the attribution of his drawings.In Dutch art theory of the time one finds much practical advice on how a draughtsman could render light and shadow and how the desired tonal proportions could be achieved to attain a convincing pictorial illusion. A comparison with these sources demonstrates that though Rembrandt scarcely deviated from the customary studio practices, he often managed to achieve a large range of tones with only a single colour. He created the necessary degrees of tone by means of an utmost effective use of light and dark lines and areas. Notable is his consistency in rendering the direction of the fall of light within each composition and his precise observation of the various manifestations of light, such as incident and reflected light or the diversity of shadow tones. Both, the choice of medium and the use hereof is quite varied and Rembrandt often limited himself to a few precise accents with which he could suggest plasticity, texture and space.All of the characteristics of Rembrandt's techniques as mentioned in this study were employed to create spatial boundaries and thereby to aid in the legibility of the composition. By the Dutch sources of the time this means of construction was termed houding [in the sense of 'relative placement']. The goal was to achieve a convincing suggestion of spatial relationships through the use of various tones. The individual compositional elements in Rembrandt's drawings are always distinguishable, despite their execution being rather calligraphic at times. A quick comparison with the work of his students and followers demonstrates their less skilled use of houding and therefore that the refined creation of boundaries between forms is a characteristic stylistic element of Rembrandt's drawing method.
The OSCE 2007 Spanish Chairmanship
Authors: Jorrin José Ángel López 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe article provides a general overview of the 2007 Spanish OSCE Chairmanship. Starting with a general reflection on the CSCE/OSCE evolution, it characterizes the Spanish perception of the situation in the OSCE and explains the main Spanish aims and priorities. The Madrid Ministerial Council is dealt with in detail, highlighting its most relevant and important achievements, while also reflecting those issues that could not be agreed upon. The author concludes that, placed at the crossroads in the further adaptive evolution of the OSCE, the Madrid Ministerial Council's main legacy has been to restore the truly political nature of this organisation.
The Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religion and Beliefs in Public Schools
Authors: Ferrari Silvio , Santoro Simona , Durham Jr. Cole 
Published: March 2011

AbstractIn line with the OSCE's conflict prevention role and its commitments to fostering a culture of mutual respect and understanding, the ODIHR published the Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools. The Toledo Guiding Principles have been prepared in order to contribute to an improved understanding of the world's religious diversity. Their rationale is based on two core principles: first, that there is positive value in teaching that emphasizes respect for everyone's right to freedom of religion or belief, and second, that teaching about religions and beliefs can reduce harmful misunderstandings and stereotypes. The primary purpose of the Toledo Guiding Principles is to assist OSCE participating States whenever they choose to promote the study and knowledge about religions and beliefs in schools, particularly as a tool to enhance religious freedom. The Principles focus solely on the educational approach that seeks to provide teaching about different religions and beliefs.
Observations on an OSCE Chairmanship: Intentions, challenges and outcomes
Authors: Suomalainen Nina 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe OSCE rotating Chairmanship in 2008 was held by Finland. The golden years of the OSCE in the 1990s were in early 2000s replaced by strain and difficulties when the Organization could barely agree on each year's budget let alone on major substantive political declarations. The aim of the Finnish Chairmanship was to get back to basics by drawing from the joint value base that brought about ambitious commitments on all three dimensions in 1990s. The three objectives of the Finnish Chairmanship — continuity, coherence and co-operation — besides focusing on dialogue and keeping the Organization operational, also included a hint to those that possibly sought to undermine the commitments. This article will look at the challenges known to the 2008 Chairmanship at the start of the year, and how the Organization responded to them and to the events of the year as they evolved. It also glances on what are the possible issues raising from the concrete cooperation and coordination within the Organization and between its Institutions.
Kazakhstan's Chairmanship of the OSCE: Challenges and opportunities in the human dimension
Authors: Goldstein Jeff 
Published: March 2011

AbstractKazakhstan's 2010 chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has potentially far reaching consequences for Europe's premier international human rights organization and for democratization and human rights in Kazakhstan and other OSCE participating States. Some have argued that Kazakhstan's chairmanship will help tamp down dissatisfaction among some participating states that the organization devotes too much attention to human rights and democracy in the countries of the CIS and the Balkans. Others worry how a Kazakhstani Chairman would react in case of events such as the violence in Andijon in 2005 or the Russian attack on Georgia in 2008. Another significant question is whether the upcoming chairmanship will spur reform in Kazakhstan. To date, unfortunately, the Government of Kazakhstan has failed to deliver the real reforms in promised at the 2007 OSCE Ministerial.
Human Rights: An international context and internal developments. A view from Kazakhstan – the future OSCE Chairmanship country (2010)
Authors: Zhovtis Yevgeniy 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThis article looks into the situation of human rights activists in Kazakhstan, the challenges they face and the role of international organisations, in particular the OSCE. The article maintains that in the mid-nineties significant change of policy took place and the 'war on terror' put further challenges on human rights defenders and civil societies. In view of the author the advancement of democracy and human rights in the modern world has had four main adversaries: oil, gas, war on terror and geopolitics. These issues increasingly determine decisions taken at all levels, including those related to the ability of the international community to influence the countries where human rights violations happen frequently. Concerning Central Asia, the governments have ratified a number of international treaties on human rights and have joined the United Nations and the OSCE. However, they have failed to meet the majority of their obligations under the ratified international treaties and faced no major consequences for this failure. Internally there is a host of challenges that civil societies face and the author points to a number of frustrations on their part.
Respecting Human Rights in Central Asia: Will this stabilize or destabilize the region?
Authors: Lehner Oskar 
Published: March 2011

AbstractAll five Central Asian states have signed most of the major UN Human Rights Conventions. However, due to poor implementation the level of fulfillment of Human Rights — although varying from country to country — is unsatisfying. Poverty, violations of basic economic and social rights, torture, violence against women, lack of freedom of media and freedom of assembly, arbitrary arrests, wide-spread corruption, restrictions regarding freedom of religion, child labor and lack of protection of refugees are the key problems. Poor quality of election, restriction of political and religious freedom, and non-realization of economic and social rights on the long run will contribute to destabilize societies and fuel extremism. Kazakhstan, the first post-Soviet country to take over the OSCE chairmanship in 2010, fails to meet many agreed standards for democratic elections and respect of human rights. It therefore would be over-optimistic to expect that Kazakhstan will become a driving force in promotion and protection of Human Rights. However, the very fact that Central Asia for a certain period will be in the spot light and that Kazakhstan's domestic human rights policy will be closely monitored and scrutinized provides a window of opportunity to advocate for improved respect of Human Rights in Central Asia.
Kazakhstan's Chairmanship: Challenges and opportunities from the Moscow perspective
Authors: Zagorski Andrei 
Published: March 2011

AbstractRussia would hardly expect much value to be added by the Kazakhstan Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2010. It would not expect much harm either. This made the overall balance of supporting Nazarbayev's bid positive to Moscow which found it better to honour rather than to deny (or to allow others to deny) it. The Kremlin must have been struck, however, by the manifested readiness of Astana to seek a successful Chairmanship by engaging not only (and not predominantly) with Russia but particularly with the US and the European nations. As a result Astana's approach towards the OSCE sharply contrasted the toughening rhetoric of Russia. However, while having little leverage to either persuade or punish Kazakhstan's policies, the Kremlin has also little choice next year but to avoid spoiling relations with Astana by denying it a successful Chairmanship.
The High Commissioner on National Minorities after 15 Years: Achievements, Challenges and Promises
Authors: Ghebali Victor-Yves 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe paper was written upon the request of the Office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities for an in-house seminar on the past achievements and future challenges of the HCNM in October last year. The seminar was organized on the occasion of the 15-year anniversary of the HCNM.
Is this any way to run an organization? Reflection on OSCE's employment policies
Authors: Shkolnikov Vladimir 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThis article examines a number of consequences of OSCE's employment policies. The article seeks to describe the challenges posed by the non-career nature of service in the OSCE and how these employment policies contribute to the overall decline of the organization's reputation and capacity. It takes a managerial rather than political perspective in analyzing some negative consequences of the non-career employment rules. In particular, it looks at detrimental effects of the current policy on the OSCE's reputation, staff motivation, institutional memory, and dealing with problem staff. The article notes technical measures that could be taken to address the shortcomings of the existing policy, while at the same time recognizing the political realities of limited prospects for a consensus emerging on this issue. The result is the decline in the OSCE's reputation and capacity.
The OSCE and transnational security challenges
Authors: Ackermann Alice 
Published: March 2011

AbstractAlthough the engagement of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) with Afghanistan, as an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation, is not a new effort, a more structured and focused approach was initiated by the participating States at the Madrid OSCE Ministerial Council in November 2007 and its Decision No. 4/07 (MC Decision No. 4/07). The Ministerial Council Decision identifies the need for OSCE support in three major areas: border security and management, and policing and combating trafficking, with such activities complementing already other national and international efforts. Since then, the implementation of MC Decision No. 4/07 has put OSCE efforts towards Afghanistan on a more systematic basis. With a programme of activities that includes 16 projects, and that aims at the strengthening of border security and management, the facilitation of cross-border co-operation and the enhancement of national law enforcement capacities, the OSCE is well-positioned to strengthen its engagement with Afghanistan. In particular, it can draw on substantial expertise within its existing channels, including its field operations in Central Asia. Although OSCE engagement with Afghanistan remains a challenging task, in particular given the financial constraints of the Organization, the OSCE can continue to build on the solid interaction already established within the Partnership for Co-operation framework.