Russian Disinformation Threat : Comparative Case Study of Czech and Slovak Approaches

This comparative case analysis focuses on the approaches of the Czech and Slovak governments to Russian disinformation activities, with particular attention to the securitization of the threat. The paper argues that the extent of energy relations with Russia plays an important role in the securitization of the threat posed by the said state. It employs a rational model of policy-making to better understand the rationale for the decisions of the actors leading to the different approaches taken by the governments of the examined states. The analysis shows that while the Czech approach seems to be driven mostly by security interests, in Slovakia, the economic goals are of primary importance, with the primary factor being the importance of energy relations with Russia. The Czech approach is considered as an appropriate one in this paper, as it allows for more objective threat assessment and consequently better preparedness and resilience, whereas a rather pragmatic approach of Slovakia leads to increasing vulnerability of disinformation activities

The second revival? : the Visegrád Group and the European migrant crisis in 2015-2017

The aim of this article is to present the Visegrád Group’s position towards the contemporary European migrant crisis. The author seeks to answer two main questions: what is the degree of coherence of the Group’s position and what are the internal factors of the V4’s stance towards the crisis? The article analyses the political situation in the Group’s member states, the V4’s stance towards the earliest propositions concerning the migrant crisis, its fight against the implementation of the mandatory quotas, its stance towards the implementation of the EU’s decisions and internal factors of the V4’s policies. The author argues that although the members of the Group differ in their approach to many international issues, their attitude towards the crisis is very similar

Early Arrival of New World Species Enriching the Biological Assemblage of the Santi Quattro Coronati Complex (Rome, Italy)

This paper reports the archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data from a disposal pit, whose use started after the partial closure of a staircase, and from a mortar surface within a former porch in the Santi Quattro Coronati complex in Rome, Italy. The two contexts were in use in the Early Modern Age, when the complex served as a cardinal seat. The element that distinguishes the Santi Quattro Coronati from other contemporaneous contexts is the presence of New World species, until now only hypothesized based on a letter sent by the first resident bishop in Santo Domingo to Lorenzo Pucci, then cardinal with the titulus of the Santi Quattro Coronati. Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo and C. maxima/moschata) were found in the pit, while a pelvis of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was found in a former porch. Numerous archaeobotanical remains preserved by mummification, identified mostly as food, and many archaeozoological specimens were found in the pit. Based on the data, it is hypothesized that the pit was used mainly as a deposit for table waste. The results as a whole help towards the investigation of the eating customs and daily habits of a Renaissance high-status clerical community

Business process management tools as a measure of customer-centric maturity

In application of business process management (BPM) tools in European commercial sectors, this paper examines current maturity of customer centricity construct (CC) as an emerging dimension of competition and as a potential strategic management direction for the future of business. Processes are one of the key components of transformation in the CC roadmap. Particular departments are more customer orientated than others, and processes, customer-centric expertise, and approach can be built and utilized starting from them. Positive items within a current business process that only involve minor modification could be the basis for that. The evidence of movement on the customer-centric roadmap is found. BPM in European telecommunications, banking, utility and retail sector supports roadmap towards customer-centricity in process view, process alignment and process optimization. However, the movement is partial and not flawless, as BPM hasn’t been inquired for supporting many of customer-centric dimensions

Brexit, Post-Brexit Europe and the V4:Potential Impacts, Interests, and Perceptions

The purpose of this report is to map the interests of the Visegrad 4 countries (V4; the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) towards Brexit and post-Brexit Europe, and indentify similarities in the views of the four countries where they can work together. Specifically, the report examines V4 interests towards three aspects of Brexit and post-Brexit Europe: interests towards the EU-UK deal itself; interests related to Brexit-induced changes in the UK; and interests on EU level changes caused by Brexit. All three aspects are analysed with a focus on economic, security and institutional issues

Upper Silesia: a changing cross-border region. A field report from a Brazilian geographer

This field report deals with a peripheral, or non-central cross-border region between Poland and Czech Republic. It presents some results of bibliographical research and field observations in the cultural-historical region of Silesia (PL: Śląsk; CZ: Slezsko), mainly in its part of Upper Silesia (PL: Górny Śląsk; CZ: Horní Slezsko). After the Introduction, the question of the location and position of cultural-historical Silesia and Upper Silesia is examined between the two countries. In the second place, the spatio-temporal development of the territorial formation of Silesia is presented. In the third place, the most important territorial features of the intensive urbanization process and the Silesian-Moravian agglomeration are treated. In the fourth part, which deals with “peripheral regionalism” in Central Europe, the report tries to show that Upper Silesia is a classic cross-border central region in the sense of a strategic “Heartland” between Poland and Czech Republic. In fifth place, the report addresses the current productive reconversions in Upper Silesia, the closure of coal mines and steel mills considered unproductive, the integration of the periphery into the central macro-regional production networks of the automotive industry, the gradual adaptation to the Paris Agreement, and the search for a service-based economy, mainly through historical and ecological tourism. In sixth and final place, the report addresses cross-border management, focusing on Euroregions, the EGTC Tritia, and functional urban areas (FUAS) in both sides of the countries. A concluding Discussion highlights that the concept of periphery may not be appropriate for Upper Silesia and, to some extent, for the entire cultural-historical Silesia, even though its geo-economic role in production networks is changing today. A brief Post Scriptum highlights the current state of cross-border integration processes, which respond to the uncertainties of nationalisms, the difficulties of integrating processes and productive reconversions, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine

America, An Aloof Friend: The Limits of U.S.-Czechoslovak Relations from Munich to War

Between 1918 and 1938, the United States and Czechoslovakia maintained unique, friendly, and special diplomatic relations. This was mainly due to the two countries’ shared commitment to liberal, democratic values. In 1938, however, Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy came to a head in the form of the Munich Agreement, which not only set Czechoslovakia on a course of destruction but also fundamentally transformed the nature of U.S.-Czechoslovak relations. This study seeks to unpack the development of U.S.-Czechoslovak relations in the eleven months between Munich (October 1938) and the start of World War II (September 1939). During this time, the friendly ties between Washington D.C. and Prague ultimately proved impotent as the United States could do nothing to prevent Czechoslovakia’s dismemberment and erasure from the map. Thus, American ambassadors serving in Prague, as well as State Department officials in Washington D.C., remained only passive observers to Czechoslovakia’s gradual disintegration. Looking primarily through the lenses of American diplomats Wilbur J. Carr and George F. Kennan, this study exposes the limitations of diplomacy and the difficulties inherent to balancing sympathy with the cold, hard realities of geopolitics

EU member states and major external powers: is China's engagement in Central and Eastern Europe politically dividing the EU?

China is increasing its engagement with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. There are growing concerns in Europe that China’s economic engagement in this region may translate into political influence, which may politically divide the European Union and hamper the Union’s ability to speak to China with one voice. Against this backdrop, this thesis seeks answers to the question of what factors account for variation in adherence to the EU’s common policy on China across EU member states. The potential explanatory factors that the thesis focuses on include the degree of member states’ economic involvement with China and the degree of their normative compliance with EU rules and norms. The thesis employs a small-N research design with Estonia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic as cases. By analyzing variation across the observed countries, the thesis concludes that both factors affect member states’ adherence to the EU’s common policy on China: there is an inverse correlation between a member state’ economic involvement with China and its adherence to the EU’s common policy on China, while a positive correlation exists between a member state’s normative compliance with the EU and its adherence to the EU’s common policy on China. Driven by different motives – economic gains or normative values, the member states respond to China’s engagement differently, which results in internal vertical incoherence in the EU and growing difficulties for the EU to formulate a unified policy approach to China and to adhere to it. Based on these empirical findings, this thesis gives suggestions to the EU in response to China’s increasing engagement that the EU should primarily focus on fixing the problem of internal non-compliance with EU norms and rules, so that the EU can deal with China as a truly unified Community in both economic and political realms.https://www.ester.ee/record=b5243306*es