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"Throughout the 1990s, the EU has rather played the role of a technically-oriented 'payer' in Russia's Caucasian periphery than that of a political player credibly engaging in democracy promotion. This may be explained by the EU's interests, its multi-level system, and aspects of cooperation with other external players. Until recent developments that strengthened the security paradigm, interests have been dominated by energy-related issues. Without the triggering event of Georgia's 'Rose Revolution' and the 2004 enlargement, the region would not have been included in the ENP. The ENP holds the chance for the EU to become a democracy promoter in the South Caucasus." (author's abstract)

Chinese & Taiwanese nationalist sentiment since 1949 is studied to ascertain the prospect of realizing Chinese-Taiwanese reunification. After noting that the international community has failed to reach a consensual position concerning Taiwan's sovereignty, the emergence of conservative & radical nationalism in post-WWII People's Republic of China is discussed, & the immediate spread of these competing nationalist perspectives to Taiwan is stressed. The effects of internecine conflict in the People's Republic of China during the 1950s, the Cold War, & the Chinese Cultural Revolution among Chinese attitudes toward Taiwan are analyzed. Although improved Chinese-Taiwanese economic relations & the surfacing of dominant conservative nationalisms in the People's Republic of China & Taiwan pushed reunification negotiations forward during the 1980s, it is shown that resistance to reunification within Taiwanese society gradually rose throughout the early & mid-1990s. In addition, the appearance of popular, non-state nationalist sentiment in contemporary Chinese society & its impact upon the Chinese state's reunification approach are also contemplated. Despite these divergent nationalist perspectives in Chinese & Taiwanese society, it is concluded that the status of Taiwan's future sovereignty remains undetermined. References. J. W. Parker

This discussion of the slow food-fast food revolution in Mexico focuses on the tortilla, a staple of the country's peasant cuisine, an occasional part of the diet of most Mexicans, & today a global food, fried as the shell for tacos, sold worldwide by Taco Bell & other fast food franchises. For centuries, rural women rose before dawn to grind the corn into flour, combine it with water, knead the dough, shape it into round flat patties, & bake the tortillas -- all before the men left for the fields. Making good tortillas was a talent required of women. The first change came with a mechanical grinder, which was denigrated at first by the peasant women, but then accepted because it gave them time to engage in other work. Then small factories developed that made tortillas but also sold ground corn to those who wanted to make their own. With industrialization came the rise of Grupo Maseca, a multinational producer of masa harina, or corn flour. Still there were those who insisted that there was no substitute for fresh hand-ground corn flour. Eventually the fast food tortillas & tacos made their way back to Mexico. At present, slow food, moderate-speed food, & fast food coexist. References. J. Stanton