Abstract This policy paper, prepared for the government of the Republic of Croatia, is intended to strengthen policy advice on key issues around poverty reduction. Poverty is an emerging concern in Croatia and is a consequence of a number of political, social, and economic factors.
Abstract The paper discusses the establishment of the European Union and explains that the enlargement of the organization has always been a controversial issue. The paper examines the accession of Croatia into the EU and explores how the EU is presently divided by conflicting opinions regarding the benefit of further enlargement. The paper concludes that despite the efforts made by Croatia, its accession in the Union is not certain to happen by 2010 considering the opposition wave of the EU officials.
From the Paper "The enlargement of the European Union is viewed as a way of promoting the values that stand at the basis of the creation of the European Union throughout Europe. The enlargement of the organization has always been a controversial issue, as there are pro and con opinions about the necessity of the enlargement and about the future members of the Union. As EU starts analyzing the accession applications from different European countries, controversies arose. This has been the case with every wave of accession that took place so far, the most recent being in 2007 with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria."
This paper analyzes the Lika and Krbava (areas in Croatia) 1712 Census. It looks at family structures, ethnicity and religion interpreted from this census.
Abstract The paper focuses on the family structures, ethnicity and religion in the regions of Lika and Krbava based on the census from 1712. This area, which today belongs to Croatia, was of extreme importance as it was on the triple border (triplex confinium) of the three mighty powers:Ottomans, Austrians and Venetians.Therefore the paper aims to reconstruct and explain by statistic and quantitative methods of the epoch.
From the Paper "A historical reality of Lika and Krbava regions, which belonged to the Triplex Confinium area, where the three very strong powers (the Republic of Venice, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire) met was an exceptionally complex one. The area was conquered by the Ottomans in 1527 and during the following one and a half centuries most of the inhabitants were Muslims and Vlachs, who were concentrated in strong fortresses constructed for defense in the case of attacks of the Habsburg Empire and the Republic of Venice. However, soon after the disastrous Ottoman attempted siege of Vienna in 1683, the Habsburg troops conquered several Ottoman fortresses. Consequently, in 1689, the last Ottoman fortresses in the Lika region gave up and their inhabitants left for Bosnia. During these battles, most of the population left the Lika region. Most of the Muslim population fled to the remaining Ottoman territories. The same happened with the Vlach population. They left their homes and inhabited partly the Habsburg territories and partly Venetian territories. In a meantime, during the battles, the Habsburg regular troops were being supported by the irregular ones, which also contributed to the formation of a very various ethnic/religious picture of the region. One of the irregular troops was Bunjevci of the Habsburg border regions who entered the Lika region and helped in its reconquest. Therefore, after 1683 the region was re-conquered and resettled in a somewhat irregular and unplanned manner. Having in mind that some Muslims chose to stay in the region but converted to Christianity after the withdrawal of the Ottoman troops (New Christians or Neochristians), the ethnic/religious map of the area became even more complex."
This well-researched paper explores the birth of the Marxist movement and its effect on eastern European countries both before and after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Abstract This in-depth paper examines the introduction of the Marxist movement which began in the 19th century with the historic publication of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels' "Communist Manifesto." This paper details the negative aspects of a capitalist society and the advantages of socialism, including the positive effects on education, literacy and national healthcare. This paper focuses on the eastern European countries, including Lithuania, Croatia and Russia, that adopted both Communist and Marxist approaches to society and government.
Table Of Contents:
Introduction
Marxism
National Minority System
Government
Education
Health and Welfare
Constitutional Government
Education
Bibliography
From the Paper "The ideas of both class struggle and classless community were already familiar in Marx's time. The notion that economic interests in society necessarily are in conflict has been traced as far back as Thucydides, while the first decades of the 19th century were rife with sundry socialist critiques of the existing economic order and attempts to found utopian, classless communities. Marx coupled these two ideas in a novel way. The problem of every utopian writer is not to describe what his utopia looks like but to suggest how one achieves it. In his theory of history, Marx adopted the idea of the class struggle as the driving mechanism in the sequence of events that would culminate in the classless society."
Abstract A paper detailing the war that ravaged the Balkans in the early 1990?s, which uncovers the humanity of an extraordinarily patriotic population of that land and the incredible suffering endured by them.
From the paper:
"Often our lives are difficult and too busy for us to be able to digest all the information that comes our way every day. Consequently, more often than not, we tend to overlook information that, we feel, does not directly impact us. Even when we do pay attention, the information is presented so matter-of-factly that it frequently leaves us emotionless, unaffected, and therefore unmoved to act.
While Bosnian Muslims and Croats cried out for help, the world stood quietly by and did practically nothing to deal with the main cause of their suffering - the ravaging warfare."
Tags: balkans, bosnia, cleansing, croatia, ethnic, mostar, muslims, race, religion, sarajevo, violence, war, yugoslavia
Abstract This paper argues that the United States of America should practice internationalism and not isolationism nor a combination of the two as its dominant political value system. To demonstrate this and to provide evidence for this thesis, the paper analyzes the essay published in 1941 entitled "The American Century" by Henry Luce. In addition, the paper looks at American international relations since World War II, and American influence throughout the world.
From the Paper "Luce wrote his essay on February 17, 1941 for the popular periodical Life Magazine. He wrote in the face of the massive destruction wrought upon the United Kingdom during Battle of Britain. In years before, America had held fast to the words of Founding Father George Washington, who warned against entangling foreign alliances, as practiced by most of the European nations. For much of America's history, this council had seemed wise. Yet after World War I, this advice began to seem less effective. The United State Senate's refusal to allow the U.S. to enter the League of Nations, even though its own President, Woodrow Wilson had been critical in the construction of the League, had resulted in the League's inefficacy. Prime Minister of Britain Neville Chamberlain had pursued an isolationist policy as part of Britain's ideology, only to see that nation collapse under its dead weight, under the wake of Hitler's attempt to dominate Europe and bomb England to destruction."
A look at the definitions, history and development, the rise and fall of communism, economics, leadership, patriotism, racism and the role of the state.
5,625 words (approx. 22.5 pages), 34 sources, 1994, $ 135.95
From the Paper "Fascism and Ultranationalism in Contemporary Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia
Introduction
This research examines the development of fascism and ultranationalism in contemporary Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia. Fascism and ultranationalism are not one and the same thing. While a fascist likely will be an ultranationalist (and will certainly be nationalistic), an ultranationalist need not necessarily be a fascist. As these two terms are critical to this examination, they must be defined.
Ultranationalism
Ultranationalism implies not only an intensely patriotic attitude toward and a highly chauvinistic perception of one's own nation, but also implies a desire to exclude others from..."
Abstract This paper discusses the cultural, political, and social divisiveness that have resulted from a paucity of central governmental services in some of the new nations in Eastern Europe and provides an analysis of the causes for the violent confrontations that have taken place in the recent past.
From the Paper "The breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulted in a number of newly independent nations, whose borders were frequently based on old geopolitical lines without regard for the ethnically based demographics involved. Without a central government in place in many of these regions of Eastern Europe, basic public services have failed, economies have faltered or collapsed and wars have broken out between ethnic factions within these countries."
Abstract This paper uses some of Drakulic's examples of cleavages between Eastern and Western Europe to define the obstacles that stand before a united Europe. It points out that language barriers, currency, nationalism, and distrust are but a few of the aspects that keep Eastern and Western Europe divided, yet many political scientists see a future for Europe in which these cleavages dissolve.
From the Paper "Through encounters with border police, stories of traveling, hygiene, and personal accounts across Europe, Slavenka Draculic, author of Cafe Europa captures many aspects of the strong social and economic cleavages that continue to divide Eastern and Western Europe. The question provoked by the book, that is, the future for Eastern Europe and its acceptance by the West, is a complex one."
Abstract This paper explains that the monopoly of the top five tourism destinations of France, Spain, the United States, Italy and China is being challenged by over thirty other countries located in Asia such as Malaysia, Africa such as Mauritius, the Middle East such as the United Arab Emirates, South America such as Cuba and the newly independent countries in Europe such as Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Uzbekistan. The author points out that the most significant macro-economic trend, which began in the 1990s, is globalization. The paper stresses that rapid and unplanned tourism development is resulting in destroying the beauty and ecological balance of many a natural habitat, which means that the tourism industry is rather irresponsibly destroying one of its own key capital assets.
Table of Contents
Competitive Trends
Macroeconomic Trends
Environmental Issues
Leveraging Strengths to Overcome Key Threats to Global Tourism
From the Paper "The World Tourism Organization estimates that there were 694 million international tourist arrivals in 2003, and that international tourism receipts totaled $514 billion in 2003. These figures indicate the importance of tourism to the global economy and more important, the efforts that are being made to encourage its growth. In fact, the investment of money, time, and effort in tourism is not surprising considering that tourism represents approximately 7 percent of worldwide exports of goods and services, occupying the fourth position after exports of chemicals, automotive products and fuels."
This paper discusses the history of the destruction of the physical environmental caused by war especially the problems of oil well fires in the Kuwait war and the pollution of groundwater in the Croatia War.
Abstract This paper explains that wars have always harmed the environment and killed or wounded non-combatants; however, modern technology has greatly increased the scope of violence by targeting industrial facilities such as oil fields, refineries and nuclear reactors thus creating unprecedented environmental and health impacts. The author points out that the threat to the environment has increased throughout history from the battle of Delium, 424 B.C., when the Athenians destroyed local vineyards and agricultural fields for a short-term military advantage, to the use of Agent Orange, a chemical with long-term danger, in the Vietnam War. The paper concludes that, because of long-lived contaminates such as dioxins and unexploded ordnance, society has reached a point in its war fighting capability where it must consider the consequences of developing and using these sophisticated weapons.
From the Paper "During WW II, the Soviets used scorched earth tactics on their own territory to deny Germany the resources it needed to continue its offensive. Rebuilding the industrial base would take longer and cleaning up contamination in those areas of Russia is, in many cases, just the beginning. In the Vietnam War, modern herbicides were used to destroy vegetation to deny the enemy concealment. The long-term effects of these herbicides are still unclear. Further, mass bombings of vegetated areas with napalm, forest fires, and bomb craters also threatened the habitat over large areas of the country. In the 1980s, Soviets destroyed crops and fields in Afghanistan to deny food to the Mujahadeen rebels."
Examines the impact that democracy and respect for human rights are having upon the principle of sovereignty on which international relations is based.
Abstract The influence of democracy and respect for human rights on sovereignty is analyzed by their status as international norms, their roles in the recognition of new states and their impact in regards to interventionary practices. Specific and extensive examples are used in each of these dimensions of the analysis. Case studies referred to include Somalia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Nagorno-Karabakh, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Haiti and East Timor.
Paper Outline:
Democracy
Democracy as an International Norm
Democracy and the Recognition of New States
Democracy and Intervention
Democracy Conclusion
Human Rights
Respect for Human Rights as an International Norm
Respect for Human Rights in the Recognition of New States
Humanitarian Intervention
Human Rights Conclusion
From the Paper "The Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, signed in December of 1933, established the criteria that a state must meet as a person of international law: a permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. These criteria entail two aspects of sovereignty: an internal one referring to a government's authority over a defined territory and the population within, and an external dimension referring to a state's recognition by other states. Since 1933, however, the international system has undergone many changes: WWII, the rise of the United States, the creation of the United Nations, decolonization, the Cold War, the fall of the Soviet Union, the growth of democracy, the birth of the European Union, and the emergence of an active international community."
This paper discusses the bio-invasion of a noxious seaweed caulerpa taxifolia, "killer algae", continuing to spread along the coasts of Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Croatia and Tunisia.
Abstract This paper explains that caulerpa taxifolia, which had been grown as an aquarium strain of caulerpa taxifolia bred for its pleasant appearance, rapid growth and tolerance for cold conditions, now is an accidentally introduced, invasive specie of algae, which has taken over the Mediterranean Sea. The author reports that the dense mono-cultures of the weed are smothering native plant and animal species, drastically reducing biodiversity, and, because of the toxic effects of the weed's caulerpenyne compounds, are making surviving fish, unsuitable for human consumption. The paper relates that some effective methods of eradication of caulerpa taxifolia are (1) covering and sealing by PVC tarpaulins, which were injected with chlorine, (2) applying coarse sea, (3) removing manually or using a sump-pump and (4) bio-control, which is the introduction of yet another non-native species that can combat caulerpa taxifolia.
From the Paper "Efforts have been made in attempt to eradicate Caulerpa taxifolia at high costs. Six million United States dollars have been spent in Southern California (another location of C. taxifolia invasion) as of 2004 to kill the weed. And in South Australia, yet another place the invasive algae have been introduced, six to eight million Australian dollars have been spent on killer algae extermination. The elimination of Caulerpa taxifolia, while very costly, is necessary."
Abstract This paper takes a historical look at the nations of Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina and compares and contrasts their societies and economic systems. The paper discusses both their similarities and their differences, examining their social and economic structure in both the post-communist era as well as the medieval era.
From the Paper "The culture area or geographic region within which the human population shares similar culture traits, patterns of cultural ecology and a similar ways of life for Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina have perhaps only one common political thread, post communism. Each society's cultural traits include many of the same desires felt in western countries that have material form, a recognized function, or an acknowledged value to their culturally related group. None of the foregoing functions independently; rather, each influences others in such universal cultural institutions as religion, political and economic systems, and those means by which a society attempts to maintain internal stability, defends itself against real or perceived threats, and sustains itself through the use of material environmental resources. Bosnia-Herzegovina is a society of two: Muslims and Croats. Their economy struggling out of the quagmire of civil war. Poland on the other hand, began its parliamentary democracy in 1989 pulling its economy, not from civil unrest, but near bankruptcy."
Tags: pluralism, political, force, balkan, yugoslavia, civil, war, serbia, montenegro, croatia, sarajevo
Abstract This paper critiques the intervention policies adopted by the United States of America. The author discusses the necessary criteria for engaging in a humanitarian intervention and provides a short history on the events after the 1995 peace accord signed by leaders of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia, Kosovo. The paper then examines how the deaths of over 500 civilians due to NATO bombings could have been averted. The author critiques the US' ham-fisted approach in intervention and how a more peaceful route of attempting further negotiations without threatening war would have been more beneficial. The paper uses MLA style footnotes but does not include a works cited page.
From the Paper "First of all, not a month had passed between the UN requesting diplomatic negotiations and NATO threatening airstrikes. Such a bellicose policy makes no friends internationally, and creates the appearance of a bullying county (as most of NATO was composed of US troops). This ham-fisted approach had a negative impact on the perception of the war in the eye of the public. In addition, the fact that a peaceable solution was barely considered becomes a liability and increases the bloodshed. What was needed was a prolonged discussion, without the Damocles Sword of NATO hanging over the Serbs' heads. Intervention shouldn't have been an option until talks failed, not the first idea that came to mind."
