Suchergebnisse

The article deals with the mechanism of European citizens' initiative which was determinedby the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty and implemented in practice by a regulationof the European Parliament and the Council in April 2012. An author considers indetail the basic principles and main stages of the procedure of European citizens' initiativemechanism, including their features, key players and timeframe. Much attention is paidto consideration of already existing experience of European citizens' initiative mechanismpractical implementation and outcomes of the first three initiatives that have successfullypassed all stages of the procedure and examined by the Commission. The subject-mattersand objectives of European citizens' initiatives are also analyzed, including open and closedinitiatives as well as obsolete ones (withdrawn by organizers, gained insufficient supportby citizens) and initiatives which did not registered by the Commission. It is concluded thatthe future of a strong European democracy and the public's acceptance of the EU dependvery much on whether the European Citizens' Initiative is politically taken seriously andundergoes meaningful reform. ; . ; Стаття присвячена розгляду механізму європейської громадянської ініціативи, пе-редбаченого положеннями Лісабонського договору та запровадженого у практику по-становою Європейського Парламенту та Ради ЄС у квітні 2012 р. Детально розгляда-ються базові засади та основні етапи процедури механізму громадянської ініціативи,зокрема їх особливості, ключові гравці та часові терміни. Значна увага приділяєтьсявивченню наявного вже досвіду практичної реалізації механізму громадянської ініці-ативи, аналізу результатів розгляду Європейською Комісією перших трьох ініціатив,які успішно пройшли всі етапи процедури. Аналізуються також предмети і цілі грома-дянських ініціатив, у тому числі відкритих, закритих, відкликаних організаторами,не підтриманих громадянами і не зареєстрованих Комісією. Робиться висновок про те,що майбутнє сильної європейської демократії та ...

Political science is the product of modernity and the nation-state. A dominant tradition within it has striven for a positivistic and universal form of understanding, based on the individual actor. Developments in recent years have questioned our understanding of modernity, universalism, science, and the nation-state. Political science has responded in two ways: by reinforcing the positivist approach, or by adopting various forms of intepretivism. This has created an artificial division within the discipline. Political scientists can overcome this artificial divide by looking outside the discipline. There are promising developments in this direction but these are inhibited by trying to confine them within the dominant positivist mode. They have also responded by borrowing from neighbouring disciplines, but in doing so, they have too often appropriated concepts in simplified form or coined empty concepts. They need to take neighbouring disciplines more seriously and work across disciplinary boundaries. A pluralistic approach is possible, which neither seeks a grand synthesis of all the social sciences, nor sees them as independent and self-standing, but which encourages cross-fertilization and combinations of approaches. The existence of distinct European national and disciplinary traditions, far from being an obstacle to the development of the discipline, gives European political scientists an advantage.

The volume collects eminent works on the relationship between politics and religion by leading figures in Cultural Studies. The contributors share in the basic belief that the roots of contemporary conflicts have to be uncovered from the historical descent of religion