Central European geography and the post-socialist transformation: a western point of view

Central European geography before 1989; Central European geography after the 1989 turnaround; a progressive renewal of topics

Divergence or Convergence in Research and Development and Innovation Between ‘East’ and ‘West’?

Book description: Research suggests that innovation and technological change are crucial for the economic recovery of the former centrally planned countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This book analyses the development of innovation systems and technology policy in this region from various perspectives, demonstrating not only its importance but also its complexity

Ego and the international. The modernist circle of George Sarton

The early years of Isis are examined in the light of George Sarton’s connection with Paul Otlet (1868 –1944) and Henri Lafontaine (1854 –1943), founders in 1895 of the International Office of Bibliography and in 1907 of the Union of International Associations, both in Brussels. Otlet, known as one of the fathers of the Information Age, invented the science of information, which he called, in French, documentation. Lafontaine, a socialist senator in Belgium, won the 1913 Nobel Prize for Peace. Sarton shared Otlet and Lafontaine’s views about pacifism, internationalism, and rational bibliography; he designed Isis to fit with the modernist goal, expressed by Otlet and Lafontaine, of using information to generate new knowledge

Science advice to governments: diverse systems, common challenges

This briefing paper formed the basis of discussions at the 'Science Advice to Governments' summit, which took place in Auckland, New Zealand from 28-29 August 2014, and was attended by science advisors and policymakers from 48 countries

Transnational intellectual cooperation, the League of Nations, and the problem of order

This article examines the political and cultural contexts of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation and the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation. These two League of Nations bodies were charged with fostering international understanding through the promotion of educational, scientific, and cultural exchange. Whereas previous studies have revealed the institutional and diplomatic processes that shaped these bodies, the present article considers their intellectual genealogies and trajectories. Adopting a transnational perspective, it argues that the multi-layered quest for order is central to understanding intellectual cooperation in the interwar years. This concern was reflected in the role of cultural relations within the post-war order, and in the aim of strengthening intellectuals’ position in the social order (both through legal instruments and through new tools for ‘intellectual labour’)

Sobre la Historia de la Universidad en Hungría: un repaso a los últimos 25 años

In the following paper we display the development of writings about universities history in the last 25 years. It is important to underline that we use the name of Hungary as a historical definition. In this case it means the whole territory of the Carpathian Basin, because the current boarders were created in 1920. Since the Hungarian universities were founded late the possibility of attendance at foreign universities represented great importance. Nowadays, we possess a database with more than 100.000 records about Hungarian students who attended foreign universities before 1918. Many Source editions, analyses and monographs were published in this topic. The purpose of the following article is to summarize the most notable volumes.En el presente artículo analizamos el desarrollo de los trabajos sobre la historia las universidades en los últimos 25 años. Es importante subrayar que usamos el nombre de Hungría como una definición histórica. En este caso nos referimos a todo el territorio de la Cuenca de los Cárpatos, debido a que las fronteras actuales fueron creadas en 1920. Dado que las universidades húngaras se fundaron tarde, la posibilidad de asistir a universidades extranjeras adquirió gran importancia. Hoy en día contamos con una base de datos con más de 100.000 registros sobre los estudiantes húngaros que asistieron a universidades extranjeras antes de 1918. Muchos compendios de fuentes, análisis y monografías se publicaron sobre este tema. El propósito del artículo que sigue es reseñar los trabajos más notables

Иноязычные коммуникации в межвоенный период и в период Второй мировой войны

The issues of theory and practice of qualitative foreign language training of the Armed Forces' officers refer to the active military policy of Russia. The purpose of the study is to identify the trends in the development of special language education for strategic intelligence through the development of specialization and professionalization of foreign language communication, on the one hand, and the actualization of attention to the operational and instrumental equipment of foreign language communications, on the other. Methods. Authors compare the Soviet Army experience accumulated between the First and Second World Wars with the current theories of linguistics, general and professional pedagogy. The analysis of existing approaches permits to identify correct, justified and erroneous solutions. Research material include historical documents (acts, laws and regulations, orders, instructions, and reviews), the works of historians, articles, memoirs and recollections. Results. Two different models of language training within professional military education of the Land Forces' officers in the post-war years remain in present day methodic. Conclusions and application. Under similar historical and organizational conditions, the military leadership of the countries engaged in active military construction can use the described positive experience and avoid the mistakes in solving problems of foreign language communication of officers.La cuestión de la gestión de la formación lingüística de los oficiales de las Fuerzas Armadas se ve actualizada en relación con la política militar activa de Rusia. El propósito del estudio es identificar tendencias en el desarrollo de la educación especial en idiomas en interés de la inteligencia estratégica a través del desarrollo de la especialización y profesionalización de la comunicación en idiomas extranjeros; y la actualización de la atención al equipo operativo e instrumental, de comunicaciones en lenguas extranjeras. Los métodos. Al mismo tiempo, la tarea de educación de calidad de los ciudadanos para los idiomas extranjeros en la escuela aún no está resuelta. En estas condiciones, es aconsejable referirse a la experiencia del Ejército Soviético acumulada entre la Primera y la Segunda Guerras Mundiales y compararla con la teoría y práctica actual de las comunicaciones extranjeras. El análisis de los enfoques de la capacitación lingüística de los oficiales permite identificar soluciones correctas, justificadas y erróneas. El material de investigación incluye documentos históricos (actos, leyes y reglamentos, órdenes, instrucciones y reseñas), trabajos de historiadores, artículos, memorias y recuerdos. Los resultados. Dos modelos diferentes de capacitación en idiomas dentro de la educación militar profesional de los oficiales de las Fuerzas Terrestres en los años de la posguerra siguen siendo metódicos en la actualidad. Conclusiones. Al estar en condiciones históricas y organizativas-pedagógicas similares, los líderes militares de los países que participan en la construcción militar activa pueden usar la experiencia positiva descrita y evitar cometer errores al resolver los problemas de comunicación en lenguas extranjeras de los oficiales.Вопрос управления языковой подготовкой офицеров Вооруженных Сил связан с активной военной политикой России. Цель исследования – выявить тенденции развития специального языкового образования в интересах стратегической разведки посредством развития специализации и профессионализации иноязычной коммуникации, с одной стороны, и актуализации внимания к операциональному и инструментальному оснащению иноязычных коммуникаций, с другой. Методология. Авторы сопоставляют опыт Советской Армии, накопленный между Первой и Второй Мировыми войнами с актуальной теорией и практикой иноязычных коммуникаций. Анализ подходов к языковой подготовке офицеров позволяет выявить правильные, оправдавшие себя, а также ошибочные решения. Материалы исследования включают исторические документы (акты, законы и постановления, приказы, инструкции и рецензии), работы историков, статьи, мемуары и воспоминания. Результаты. Две разные модели языковой подготовки в рамках профессионального военного образования офицеров в послевоенные годы остаются используемыми в современной методике, подвергаясь незначительным модификациям. Выводы и практическая значимость. Находясь в сходных исторических и организационно-педагогических условиях, военное руководство стран, осуществляющих активное военное строительство, могут использовать описанный положительный опыт и избежать ошибок в решении вопросов иноязычной коммуникации офицеров

Status and developments of social science research in Central and Eastern Europe: a report to the European Science Foundation

This report was commissioned by the European Science Foundation (ESF) in the framework of the Member Organisation Fora instrument (Member Organisations in Central and Eastern Europe) from the Aleksanteri Institute, the Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies. The aim of the study was to identify and analyse the situation and challenges in research in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEs), particularly concerning research conducted in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and in the field of social sciences. The main emphasis of the report is on state-run universities. The countries under examination are Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All these countries are members of the ESF with the exception of Latvia, which was included in the study because it was seen as an integral part of the area under investigation. The respective countries are new members of the European Union (EU). The information on each country is presented in one of the main sections in this report

Political science - Hungary

Analysis of the pre-1989 situation; The development of political science since 1989; Core theoretical and methodological orientations; Thematic orientation and funding; Public space and academic debates; Views on further development and major challenges