The doctrine of essence in the philosophy of George Santayana.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityThe purpose of this thesis is to present and evaluate George Santayana's doctrine of essence from two perspectives, one epistemological and the other ontological. The interrelation of these two areas of thought renders isolated treatment possible. For this reason essence is demonstrated to be at once (1) a primordial form of being, (2) a necessary condition for thought to occur, and (3) the content of thought. Stayana's theory of knowledge rests on a distinction between transitive knowledge and intransitive intuition, the latter not being knowledge at all. His position is that when judgement and belief are suspended in intuition, so also is knowledge, Santayana demonstrates this by exercising a radical skepticism which he does no rest until an indubitable is reached. For the skeptic the experience of this indubitable is the intuition of a datum or essence. This intuition of a datum is not knowledge because it is immediate, direct and intransitive whereas knowledge is mediate transitive and referential. [TRUNCATED

Diasporas and secessionist conflicts : the mobilization of the Armenian, Albanian and Chechen diasporas

This article examines the impact of diasporas on secessionist conflicts, focusing on the Albanian, Armenian and Chechen diasporas and the conflicts in Kosovo, Karabakh and Chechnya during the 1990s. How do diasporas radicalize these conflicts? I argue that despite differences in diaspora communal characteristics and the types of the secessionist conflicts, a common pattern of mobilization develops. Large-scale diasporic support for secessionism emerges only after independence is proclaimed by the local elites. From that point onwards diasporas become engaged in a conflict spiral, and transnational coalitions are formed between local secessionist and diaspora groups. Depending on the organizational strength of the local strategic centre and the diasporic institutions, these coalitions endure or dissipate. Diasporas exert radicalization influences on the conflict spiral on two specific junctures – when grave violations of human rights occur in the homeland and when local moderate elites start losing credibility that they can achieve the secessionist goal

Diasporic Security and Jewish Identity

This paper explores the relationship between identity and security through an investigation into Jewish diasporic identity. The paper argues that the convention of treating identity as an objective referent of security is problematic, as the Jewish diaspora experience demonstrates. The paper presents a new way of conceptualizing identity and security by introducing the concept of diasporic security. Diasporic security reflects the geographical experience of being a member of a trans-state community, of having a fluid identity that is shaped by sometimes contradictory discourses emanating from a community that resides both at home and abroad. In introducing the concept of diasporic security, the paper makes use of literature in Diaspora Studies, Security Studies, recent works in contemporary political theory and sociology, and Woody Allen's film, Deconstructing Harry (1997)

‘Get out of Traian Square!’ : Roma Stigmatisation as a Mobilising Tool for the Far Right in Timişoara, Romania

Post-communist Central and Eastern Europe has seen far right movements and parties gain considerable ground by drawing on nativist and ethnic claims to call for a return to an imagined past. In Romania, far right groups have been able to capitalise on a sense of injustice while also playing on historically negative feelings towards the Roma community. These patterns have been seen in Timişoara where the group Noua Dreaptă (New Right) has established a foothold over the past decade by emphasising claims that blame Roma for loss of built heritage and corruption in the administration of property restitution. The aims of this paper are to 1) examine the emergence of Noua Dreaptă and its use of Roma stigmatisation, and 2) consider the ways extreme views are normalised by appealing to beliefs and perceptions. The findings of the paper show that pre-existing prejudices can be a powerful force to not just target marginalised communities, but also challenge administrative practices and build organisational support. Focusing at the level of the city, it is possible to identify the way these claims can be more precisely calibrated to draw on concerns that circulate within the community

The New Berlin

Berlin’s gritty, inventive, do-it-yourself underside attracted droves of young, educated people. But now the tides of gentrification threaten the city’s quirky demeanor. World Policy Institute fellow Paul Hockenos explains how Berlin’s artists and residents are fighting back.</jats:p