International Cooperation in the Arctic Region : The Search and Rescue and the Barents Cooperation

Visiting Scholar at the Aleksanteri Institute 2017-2018Peer reviewe

The Complexity of Nationalism in Azerbaijan

This article examines recent manifestations and trends of Azerbaijani nationalism, highlighting their complexity as they have evolved within regional and international contexts as expressions of Azerbaijani identity. It argues that although the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the l990s was instrumental in invoking and strengthening Azerbaijani nationalism, more recent manifestations of nationalism have been varied and responsive to domestic as well as international influences. These influences include the de-russification of Azerbaijani names, which began toward the end of the Soviet era, and the development of national movements aimed at promoting the country’s image internationally. One means by which to achieve this latter goal has been record-setting, which has included the creation of the world’s largest national flag, prioritization of sporting excellence and attempts to host major international sporting and other events, and grandiose construction of buildings, pipelines, and communication and transportation networks. The Azerbaijani diaspora has also been active in promoting an Azerbaijani identity in opposition to Armenia. At the regional level, expressions of Azerbaijani nationalism have caused apprehension within Iran that Iranian Azerbaijanis might participate in these movements. Diplomatic efforts have been aimed at achieving balance, especially in Azerbaijani relations with Russia, Turkey, Iran, China, and the West. The article concludes that Azerbaijani nationalism is currently based on a weak economic foundation of extravagance enabled by oil and gas wealth. It recommends economic diversification, as well as a rethinking of Azerbaijani nationalism policy aimed toward fostering national identity in a less costly manner

Japan-Russia Relations : Can the Northern Territories Issue be Overcome?

Visiting Scholar at the Aleksanteri Institute 2017-201

The Phases of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict : Focusing on the Impacts of the End of the Cold War and Searching for the Peace Settlement

旧ソ連のコーカサス地方に位置するアゼルバイジャンのナゴルノ・カラバフ自治州は,ペレストロイカ期にアルメニアヘの移管運動を開始し,やがてそれは平和的運動から,民族虐殺,民族浄化へと発展し,ソ連の内戦となった.ソ連およびアゼルバイジャン,アルメニアの各共産党は求心力を喪失し,権力が乱立したことから,紛争の収拾がなされないままにソ連は崩壊し,紛争は国際化し,戦争の規模が拡大した.以後,OSCEなど国際的主体が和平に乗り出し,結局,ロシアの主導により停戦に至ったものの,ナゴルノ・カラバフ軍がアゼルバイジャンの国土の20%を占領し続けており,「凍結した紛争」もしくは「戦争でも平和でもない状態」のままで和平プロセスは停滞している.バルト三国以外の旧ソ連ではロシアの影響力が依然として強く,また非民主的な政治体制が継続していることから,国際組織などによる予防外交なども機能しにくい.ロシアの位置は冷戦前後であまり変わっておらず,今後の当地の和平の鍵もロシアが握っているといえる.Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, a territory within Azerbaijan in the former Soviet Union, started the change of jurisdiction movement to Armenia during the perestroika era. Apparently, this peaceful movement soon took form of genocide and ethnic cleansing, and finally developed into the civil war of the Soviet Union. Communist parties of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, and Armenia lost centripetal force and the proliferation of power was unsuccessful at settling the disputes. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union collapsed and the conflict became internationalized as the scale of war expanded. Henceforth, international actors such as OSCE set about peace process and the conflict resulted in the cease-fire by the initiative of Russia. However, Nagorno-Karabakh army still continues to occupy 20% of land of Azerbaijan leaving the region stagnated with ""frozen conflict"", or ""no war, no peace situation"". In the former USSR countries except in Baltic countries, the strength of the Russian hegemony and the undemocratic political systems makes it difficult for international organizations and foreign countries to implement preventive diplomacy. Russia keeps its position before and after the cold war, possibly grasping the key for future peace of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

OUJ\u27s New Challenge : The Supporting Systems for the Students with Disabilities in the Open University of Japan

　この論文の目的は、放送大学の障害者支援の現状を紹介することにある。そのために、第一にこの領域の国際的な動きを概観し、第二に、近年の日本の高等教育における障害者支援の進展について議論する。米国、英国、EU諸国、豪州では強力な障害者差別禁止法によって、教育分野での差別が解消されてきた歴史がある。日本においても2013年に障害者差別解消法が成立し、2016年４月から施行されることになった。しかし、その実現のためには、乗り越える課題が山積している。第三に、放送大学の障害者支援、とくにICTを活用した支援について議論する。障害のある学生にとって学びやすい教材や教授法を開発することは、多くの学生にとって有益で、豊かな学びの環境を作り出すことにも繋がっている

英国における障害者教育の展開 : 文化現象としての公開大学の障害者への門戸開放

When analyzing the educational and welfare systems in a given society, it is dangerous to focus on present institutions and compare them to others without careful study of related areas such as social and historical aspects. The purpose of writing this paper is, by grasping the supporting systems for the handicapped in OU as a cultural phenomenon, to describe how this phenomenon has been created and established in the British social context. A social anthropological approach is appropriate to study this both synchronically and chronologically. Results of the study are presented in the following manner: 1) The supporting systems for the handicapped in OU 1-Accepting the handicapped learner in OU 2-The statistical figure relating to handicapped students 3-The organization and function of OU\u27s supporting systems 2) The development of welfare and educational systems for the handicapped in the U K in the 20th century 1-"handicapped": its definition and problems of categorization 2-Emergence of the concept of "handicap" 3-The actual condition of the handicapped in UK 4-The social trends and policy towards the handicapped in the 20th century 5-The structure of the British welfare systems 6-Education for handicapped children 7-Education for handicapped after the secondary school level 3) The social history of the handicapped in UK 1-Society and the handicapped 2-"Mentalite" towards the handicapped in the Judeo-christian society 3-"The handicapped" in the Bible 4-Charity and Almsgiving-""-the approach from the concept of reciprocity 5-The history of welfare for the handicapped in UK 6-The development of public educational system

遠隔高等教育と障害を持つ学習者 : 視覚障害者を中心に<1>

The purpose in writing this paper is to describe the service system for handicapped students of the University of the Air. There are two concepts involved in this system : distance education, and life long education. Distance education of the visually handicapped is addressed not only in terms of space and time, but, also, it is discussed in those which encompass the socio-structural alienation of the handicapped in the traditional education systems. The paper suggests ways in which the handicapped may be accommodated. Further, due to the rapid growth of the elderly in Japan, a service system for the handicapped also means service to the elderly. Therefore, the basic plan for the entire service program should be restructured. The paper describes the situation of handicapped students in the University of the Air with focus particularly on the visually handicapped. Through a system of lectures via television and radio programs, help is being provided to those students. Results of the study are presented in the following manner: 1) Historical background of higher education for the visually handicapped and the present situation. 2) The service system of other universities. 3) The service system for handicapped students at the University of ohe Air. 4) Individual interviews with visually handicapped students at the University of the Air discussing how to improve service