There are two distant conceptual cousins that analyse the external mobilisation of subnational entities, one being European Studies – Multi-Level Governance and the other International Relations – Paradiplomacy. The article first aims to analyse each concept against the dimensions of the politik to determine the conceptual focus and find more pronounced differences in the policy and politics dimensions. The second aim is to identify the theoretical bedrock underpinning both concepts. This article proposes the analogous theory of Neo-Medievalism, establishing that it has some application here; in this sense, the two concepts may be better at explaining wider territorial reconfiguration underway in Europe. Keywords: Paradiplomacy, Multi-Level Governance, Neo-Medievalism, European Union
Finančna kriza, ki se je začela v ZDA leta 2007, je vplivala na vse panoge svetovnega gospodarstva. Največ pozornosti je bilo v tem obdobju namenjene krizi bančnega sistema, ki ga je kriza prizadela najbolj intenzivno. A tudi zavarovalniškemu sektorju kriza ni prizanesla. V prvem delu magistrske naloge smo ugotavljali značilnosti evropskega in slovenskega zavarovalniškega sektorja, njuno stopnjo razvitosti, strukturo in zgodovinski razvoj. Ugotovili smo, da so krize sestavni del svetovne ekonomije in ugotovili vlogo zavarovalniškega sektorja kot blažilca krize. Vpliv finančne krize na poslovanje zavarovalnic smo v magistrski nalogi raziskali na geografskem področju Evrope in z vzorcem štirideset največjih zavarovalnic po bilančni vsoti. Poslovanje zavarovalnic v obdobju pred in v krizi smo analizirali na podlagi najpomembnejših finančnih kazalnikov, kot so cena delnice, čisti dobiček, celotna sredstva in kapital, tržna kapitalizacija, dobiček na delnico, ROA, ROE, beta, število delnic in multiplikator čistega dobička. Finančne kazalnike smo sprva razložili s teoretičnega vidika, nato pa v sklopu analize izpostavili njihove prednosti in slabosti pri uporabi za nakupne odločitve delnic. Statistično analizo smo opravili s pomočjo enostavne regresijske in korelacijske analize. Rezultati regresijske analize so nam dali odgovor na vprašanja o dejanskem vplivu krize na posamezno zavarovalnico in finančni kazalnik. Prav tako o moči in obsegu krize, ki smo jih nato posplošili na celotni zavarovalniški trg Evrope. Uporabljene statistične analize so nam potrdile vpliv krize na evropski zavarovalniški trg, vendar je bil ta znotraj zavarovalnic in finančnih kazalnikov zelo raznolik. S korelacijsko analizo smo ugotavljali, kakšna je medsebojna koreliranost zavarovalnic pri posameznem finančnem kazalniku. Glede na vse večjo stopnjo globalizacije in integracije evropskega in svetovnega gospodarstva smo ugotovili, da ima to vpliv tudi na zavarovalnice, ki so med seboj v veliko primerih korelirane. V analizo smo vključili tudi slovenski zavarovalniški sektor, in sicer zavarovalnico, ki od leta 2008 kotira na Ljubljanski borzi vrednostnih papirjev, Zavarovalnico Triglav, d. d. Slovenski zavarovalniški sektor smo primerjali z evropskim in tako ugotavljali razlike in podobnosti, ki so se dogajale v analiziranem obdobju. Že v prvem delu smo ugotovili, da slovenski zavarovalniški sektor po razvitosti zaostaja za evropskim povprečjem. Razvojni zaostanek pa se zaradi hitrega razvoja slovenskih zavarovalnic počasi zmanjšuje. Prav razlika v razvitosti slovenskega in evropskega zavarovalniškega trga je močno vplivala na končne rezultate analize, ki so potrdili neznaten vpliv krize na slovenski zavarovalniški sektor. ; Die Finanzkrise, die in Vereinigten Staaten im Jahr 2007 begann, hatte Auswirkungen auf alle Sektoren der Weltwirtschaft. In diesem Zeitraum hatte die größte Aufmerksamkeit die Krise des Bankwesens, die von der Krise am intensivsten betroffen war, aber auch der Versicherungssektor war von der Krise nicht verschont. Im ersten Teil der Masterarbeit schreiben wir über die Eigenschaften der europäischen und slowenischen Versicherungssektoren und über deren Entwicklungsstand, Struktur und der historischen Entwicklung. Wir stellten fest, dass Krisen ein Bestandteil der Weltwirtschaft sind, und dass die Versicherungssektoren die Rolle als Stoßdämpfer einnehmen. In unserer Magisterarbeit erforschten wir die Auswirkungen, die die Finanzkrise in dem geografischen Gebiet Europa, auf die Versicherungsanstalt hatte. Die Forschungsarbeit wurde an einer Stichprobe, die aus vierzig größten Versicherungsanstalten bestand und die mithilfe der Bilanzsumme durchgeführt wurde. Geschäftstätigkeit der Versicherungsanstalten in der Zeit vor und während der Krise wurde auf der Grundlage der wichtigsten Finanzkennzahlen wie Preis pro Aktie, Reingewinn, Bilanzsumme und Kapitalsumme, Marktkapitalisierung, Gewinn pro Aktie, ROA, ROE, Beta und andere. Finanzkennzahlen wurden zunächst von theoretischer Sicht erklärt. Danach untersuchten wir in Rahmen der Analyse ihre Vor- und Nachteile bei der Entscheidung von Aktieneinkauf. Statistische Analyse wurde mithilfe der einfachen Regressions- und Korrelationsanalyse durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der Regressionsanalyse gaben uns Antwort auf die Fragen, ob die Krise tatsächlich Einfluss auf die einzelnen Versicherungsanstalten und Finanzkennzahlen hatten und auch über dem Ausmaß und Stärke der Krise, das wir danach auf den gesamten europäischen Versicherungsmarkt verallgemeinert haben. ¬Die genutzte statistische Analyse hat uns den Einfluss der Krise auf dem europäischen Versicherungsmarkt bestätigt, aber er war sehr heterogen innerhalb Versicherungsunternehmen und Finanzkennzahlen. Die Korrelationsanalyse wurde verwendet, um festzustellen, ob die Versicherungsanstalten miteinander bei einzelnen Finanzkennzahlen in Korrelation sind. Mit dem steigenden Niveau der Globalisierung und Integration der europäischen und globalen Wirtschaft, sind wir der Meinung, dass dies eine Auswirkung auf Versicherungsanstalten hat, die sind nämlich in vielen Fällen in Korrelation. Die Analyse umfasste auch den slowenischen Versicherungssektor, und zwar Versicherungsanstalt Zavarovalnica Triglav d.d., die seit 2008 an der Börse codiert ist. Den slowenischen Versicherungssektor verglichen wir mit dem Europäischen, um so Unterschiede und Ähnlichkeiten zwischen den beiden festzustellen. Im ersten Teil stellten wir fest, dass der slowenische Versicherungssektor in der Entwicklung, im Vergleich zu dem europäischen Durchschnitt, im Rückstand ist. Der Entwicklungsrückstand hat sich durch die rasante Entwicklung der Versicherung in Slowenien vermindert. Der Unterschied zwischen der Entwicklung des slowenischen und europäischen Versicherungsmarktes hat einen großen Einfluss auf die endgültigen Ergebnisse der Analyse. Wir fanden heraus, dass die Krise unwesentliche Auswirkungen auf dem slowenischen Versicherungssektor hat.
The research behind this paper is set in the context of the 2016 US presidential election that has come to symbolize the post-truth era. We conducted a literature review on the 2016 election, with the aim to better understand the impact of computational propaganda on the election outcome and on the behaviour of voters. The paper opens with a definition of post-truth society and related concepts such as fake news and computational propaganda. It explores the changes of political communication in a digital environment and analyses the role of social media in the 2016 election. It probes into phenomena such as the trivialization of politics and the loss of credibility of political actors, which are both common in post-truth societies. The reviewed literature seems to indicate that social media have become strong actors on the political stage, but so far not the predominant source of political information and influence on the behaviour of voters. The paper makes two important contributions. Firstly, drawing on the concept of post-truth society, it analyses the role of computational propaganda in the 2016 presidential election, and secondly, it attempts to explain the paradox of general political apathy on one hand, and increased political activism on the other. These are some of the challenges we are now facing, and in order to be able to cope with them it is important to acknowledge and understand them. ; The research behind this paper is set in the context of the 2016 US presidential election that has come to symbolize the post-truth era. We conducted a literature review on the 2016 election, with the aim to better understand the impact of computational propaganda on the election outcome and on the behaviour of voters. The paper opens with a definition of post-truth society and related concepts such as fake news and computational propaganda. It explores the changes of political communication in a digital environment and analyses the role of social media in the 2016 election. It probes into phenomena such as the trivialization of politics and the loss of credibility of political actors, which are both common in post-truth societies. The reviewed literature seems to indicate that social media have become strong actors on the political stage, but so far not the predominant source of political information and influence on the behaviour of voters. The paper makes two important contributions. Firstly, drawing on the concept of post-truth society, it analyses the role of computational propaganda in the 2016 presidential election, and secondly, it attempts to explain the paradox of general political apathy on one hand, and increased political activism on the other. These are some of the challenges we are now facing, and in order to be able to cope with them it is important to acknowledge and understand them. ; The research behind this paper is set in the context of the 2016 US presidential election that has come to symbolize the post-truth era. We conducted a literature review on the 2016 election, with the aim to better understand the impact of computational propaganda on the election outcome and on the behaviour of voters. The paper opens with a definition of post-truth society and related concepts such as fake news and computational propaganda. It explores the changes of political communication in a digital environment and analyses the role of social media in the 2016 election. It probes into phenomena such as the trivialization of politics and the loss of credibility of political actors, which are both common in post-truth societies. The reviewed literature seems to indicate that social media have become strong actors on the political stage, but so far not the predominant source of political information and influence on the behaviour of voters. The paper makes two important contributions. Firstly, drawing on the concept of post-truth society, it analyses the role of computational propaganda in the 2016 presidential election, and secondly, it attempts to explain the paradox of general political apathy on one hand, and increased political activism on the other. These are some of the challenges we are now facing, and in order to be able to cope with them it is important to acknowledge and understand them. ; The research behind this paper is set in the context of the 2016 US presidential election that has come to symbolize the post-truth era. We conducted a literature review on the 2016 election, with the aim to better understand the impact of computational propaganda on the election outcome and on the behaviour of voters. The paper opens with a definition of post-truth society and related concepts such as fake news and computational propaganda. It explores the changes of political communication in a digital environment and analyses the role of social media in the 2016 election. It probes into phenomena such as the trivialization of politics and the loss of credibility of political actors, which are both common in post-truth societies. The reviewed literature seems to indicate that social media have become strong actors on the political stage, but so far not the predominant source of political information and influence on the behaviour of voters. The paper makes two important contributions. Firstly, drawing on the concept of post-truth society, it analyses the role of computational propaganda in the 2016 presidential election, and secondly, it attempts to explain the paradox of general political apathy on one hand, and increased political activism on the other. These are some of the challenges we are now facing, and in order to be able to cope with them it is important to acknowledge and understand them. ; The research behind this paper is set in the context of the 2016 US presidential election that has come to symbolize the post-truth era. We conducted a literature review on the 2016 election, with the aim to better understand the impact of computational propaganda on the election outcome and on the behaviour of voters. The paper opens with a definition of post-truth society and related concepts such as fake news and computational propaganda. It explores the changes of political communication in a digital environment and analyses the role of social media in the 2016 election. It probes into phenomena such as the trivialization of politics and the loss of credibility of political actors, which are both common in post-truth societies. The reviewed literature seems to indicate that social media have become strong actors on the political stage, but so far not the predominant source of political information and influence on the behaviour of voters. The paper makes two important contributions. Firstly, drawing on the concept of post-truth society, it analyses the role of computational propaganda in the 2016 presidential election, and secondly, it attempts to explain the paradox of general political apathy on one hand, and increased political activism on the other. These are some of the challenges we are now facing, and in order to be able to cope with them it is important to acknowledge and understand them. ; Članek je utemeljen na raziskavah ameriških predsedniških volitev leta 2016, ki so postale simbol postresničnostnega obdobja. Predstavlja pregled literature na temo volitev in pomaga razumeti vpliv, ki ga je računalniška propaganda imela na izid volitev in obnašanje volivcev. Članek se začne z definicijo postresničnostne družbe in z njo povezanih konceptov, kot so lažne novice in računalniška propaganda. Poglobi se v spremembe, ki jih je politična komunikacija doživela v digitalnem okolju, in analizira vlogo socialnih medijev v volitvah leta 2016. Prouči tudi spremljajoče pojave postresničnostne družbe, kot sta banalnost politike in izguba kredibilnosti političnih akterjev. Po pregledu literature se zdi, da so socialni mediji sicer postali pomemben dejavnik na političnem odru, vendar zaenkrat še niso prevladujoč vir političnih informacij ali vpliva na obnašanje volivcev. Članek prinaša dva pomembna prispevka: s pomočjo koncepta postresničnostne družbe analizira vlogo računalniške propagande v predsedniških volitvah 2016, obenem pa skuša razložiti paradoks splošne politične apatije na eni strani in povečanega političnega aktivizma na drugi. Da bi bili pri soočanju z omenjenimi izzivi uspešni, jih moramo najprej prepoznati in razumeti.
The article analyses the frequency of interview addresses, as typologically defined by Korošec (1998), in four radio interviews and four interview podcasts featuring the same guests. In addition, some other textual strategies, such as supporting signals and role reversals, are analysed. The journalistic interview is a highly institutionalised form of one-way dialogue, which has indeed been proven in radio interviews to a considerable extent. In podcasts, however, due to the different production and listening practices, speech usually displays more characteristics of everyday discourse, as was displayed in the choices of interview addresses and other textual strategies in the analysed podcasts. Keywords: interview, interview address, radio, podcast, everyday speech
Through the public procurement rules, protection of competition, equality of choice & transparency of the procedure in relationships between the public & private sectors are provided, to the greatest extent possible, in the EU rules. All the contractual relationships between the public & private sectors cannot be subject to strict & formal rules on public procurement primarily due to the special nature of business operations, complexity & duration of the relationships. Concessions or public-private partnerships of a concessionary nature are excluded from the legal regime that applies to public procurement. This paper analyses the contractual relationships of the concessionary nature & the EU efforts for ensuring a certain degree of equal treatment of private partners entering into public-private partnerships. Adapted from the source document.
Through the perspective of the concept of generations and generationally specific digital sociality, the paper analyses the transformation of reading as a practice and as an experience. Based on analysis of interviews with teenagers, it is argued that in today's polymedia environment users are constantly shifting between platforms and live in constant anticipation of something new, being permanently occupied, and constant affective engagement represent a condition for an algorithmically produced regime of visibility that normalises the distracted multitasking they engage in. In the context of constant digital work, there remains little space for practices beyond social platforms. The authors argue that in the young interviewees' perception book reading does not hold the status of a cultural authority and that the role played by reading in distributing cultural capital has been reshaped.
Abstract. Since 2015, the residential neighbourhood of Rožna dolina has experienced intense building activity that has been supported by the city of Ljubljana, but has been met with resistance from the local inhabitants, thus becoming the most visible local expression of the universal capitalist conflict between the use and exchange value of space. The article main aim is to analyse the concrete manifestation of this conflict by looking at the operations of the local state, investors and inhabitants in the production of space in Rožna dolina. The analysis shows that the conflict is influenced by the specific local state's dependency on economic actors, by specifics of local real estate market and workings of developers and by the composition of inhabitants of Rožna dolina. Keywords: Ljubljana, spatial conflicts, appropriation of rent, local state, real estate development
Palestinski predsednik Mahmoud Abbas je v začetku leta 2011 zaprosil za polno članstvo Palestine v Organizaciji združenih narodov (OZN). Varnostni svet članstva Palestini ni odobril, zato je sledila prošnja za odobritev statusa države opazovalke. Z resolucijo Generalne Skupščine OZN 67/19 so dne 29. novembra 2012 Palestini odobrili status države opazovalke. Ta status je Palestini prinesel pravico do sodelovanja na sejah Generalne skupščine OZN, do vzpostavitve predstavništva v New Yorku, Ženevi in na Dunaju ter pravico postati članica specializiranih agencij OZN ter pogodbenica vseh mednarodnih pogodb, kjer je Generalni sekretar OZN depozitar. Magistrska naloga analizira pravne posledice spremembe statusa Palestine v OZN. Za lažje razumevanje najprej predstavim pot Palestine do statusa države opazovalke v OZN. Nato kratko analiziram ali je palestinska zakonodajna ureditev v skladu z nekaterimi najpomembnejšimi mednarodnimi pogodbami, ki jih je Palestina ratificirala. V zaključku pa raziščem kako sodeluje v Generalni skupščini ter nekaterih specializiranih agencijah OZN, kjer ima položaj članice ali opazovalke. ; The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbasa had in the beginning of the year 2011 requested for full membership of Palestine in the United Nations (UN). The Security Council did not approve membership of Palestine, therefore a request for granting a status of an observer state followed. With the Resolution 67/19 from the 29th of November 2012 the General Assembly approved Palestine the status of observer state. This status brought Palestine the right to participate in the meetings of the General Assembly, to establish a Permanent Mission in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and the right to become a member of specialized agencies of UN and party to all international treaties, where the Secretary-General is depositary. My Master thesis analyses the legal consequences of the change in status of Palestine in the UN. For better understanding of the topic, I first introduce Palestine's road to the status of observer state in the UN. Then I briefly analyse, if the Palestinian Law is in consistency with some of the most important international treaties to which Palestine ratified. In conclusion, I research the participation of Palestine in the General Assembly and in some specialized agencies, where Palestine holds status of member or observer.
Abstract. The article analyses the innovative Marxist conceptualisation of politics proposed by the Slovenian political scientist Adolf Bibič. The latter built on the contributions of Heglo-Marxists and Gramsci to political theory. At the core of his theory, he placed the question of the political power–class exploitation relationship. He distinguished political politics from self-managing politics, and problematised the dominant Western understandings of politics as well as the theories of elitism and pluralism. Moving away from such theories and dogmatic Marxist notions about the withering away of politics, he formulated his project of humanising politics beyond class exploitation and capitalist relations of production. This project assumed a necessary transformation of political practice in terms of the dialectical process of the socialisation of politics and the politicisation of society. Keywords: Adolf Bibič, politics, political science, class relations, economic exploitation.
Abstract. Crisis response planning can never fully prevent a certain amount of improvisation given that, in some cases, it is necessary, if not even desirable. This article analyses the research question on the relationship between crisis planning and improvisation in theory and with respect to the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia. Despite existing systemic recommendations, normative and to some extent operational crisis preparedness, our analysis of the country's response reveals improvisation in several key elements: planning, decision-making, coordination and crisis communication. The quite considerable improvisation seen with the epidemic is the outcome of its unexpected dimensions, the absence of a comprehensive crisis management plan, and individual actors' insufficient crisis management competences. It has been reflected in the establishing of specialised ad hoc structures, overnight decisions and their sudden reversals, and often in inconsistent and inappropriate communication with the public. Keywords: preparedness, improvisation, planning, decision-making, coordination, crisis communication, Covid-19 epidemic
Abstract. The article presents an attempt to make sense of Adolf Bibič's oeuvre as a whole. It reveals his broader intellectual (and also political) project along with his coherent and systematic analysis of what may also be understood as the 'possibilities' of political science. We claim that Bibič's various analyses and interventions actually pivot on the question of the future or, even better, the role and position of political science in it. We name this aspect of Bibič's oeuvre the 'political science of the future', which necessarily returns to the history of political ideas and political history to even be able to understand the current political relations and their contradictions. The ambition and capacity of the 'political science of the future' is not merely an explanation of what exists since, as Bibič states, political science is the key science for facing the challenges of the future and, accordingly, vital for our existence – political and physical. Keywords: Adolf Bibič, political science, future, state, democracy, citizenship.
The article presents legal solutions of the European Union (EU) and Member States (MS) with respect to the digitalisation of company law. We analyse and evaluate the EU's efforts to overcome the backlog of legislation concerning technological development, with legal solutions in the field of the electronic formation and registration of companies and in shareholders' communication with company board members. The analysis shows that company law in the EU is lagging behind technological development. Despite ongoing dynamic efforts to modernise it on the EU level, the MS reveal differences in their speed of implementing the EU's directives. The case of Slovenia shows that while digital tools are in wide use for ensuring transparent data disclosure and publication, along with the realisation of basic corporate governance functions, big differences remain between the minority of companies traded on the regulated market and the majority of companies for which such regulation is deficient. Keywords: digitalisation, electronic means, block chain technology, company registration, shareholders' general meeting (SGM), COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract. The Covid-19 crisis that hit the USA especially hard was accompanied by intensified anti-Chinese racism fuelled by the anti-Chinese rhetoric used by the Trump Administration. Although Trump's political opponents blamed him for having mismanaged the pandemic response, the anti-Chinese stance was a bipartisan issue. The article aims to analyse anti-Chinese racism in its systemic and historical dimensions. It examines the nature and strategic utility of antiChinese racism for past, the Trump, and future administrations as well as for America's elites generally. It is shown that anti-Chinese racism was substantially transformed during the pandemic and above all utilised to address the general destabilisation of the US-dominated socio-political and socio-economic order both at home and globally. China's growing importance around the world and the potential domestic destabilisation of the US mean that the strategic utility of anti-Chinese racism may well remain important for some time to come. Keywords: Covid-19 crisis, Trump's presidency, antiChinese racism, systemic racism, foreign policy
Abstract. The purpose of the article is to open up epistemological space for revitalising the idea of democratic economic planning as a viable alternative vision. It argues that a proper development of the idea must be preceded by a comprehensive critical interrogation of a hegemonic multidimensional ideological mystification of capitalism and its markets. By utilizing Marxist and eco-socialist insights the article identifies and analyses several central ideological mystifications that enact an epistemic closure. These range from the obfuscation of capitalism's role in creating the climate crisis as an inherently unsustainable system, to the mystification of its non-evolutionary origins, to the obfuscation of the role economic planning plays in contemporary capitalism, to the mystification of markets as ideal spaces of freedom and innovation obfuscating the ever present market-related oppression, exploitation and environmental devastation, and to silencing concrete historical examples of democratic economic planning such as project Cybersyn that should serve as an inspiration for imagining an alternative order. Keywords: climate change, ideological mystification, democratic economic planning, capitalism, neoliberalism