Suchergebnisse

U ovome broju časopisa Etnološka tribina objavljujemo temat koji problematizira turizam – njegove aktere, politike i procese – kako one koji oblikuju i usmjeravaju turizam tako i one koje turizam stvara i pokreće. Radovi u tematu bave se različitim vizijama i strategijama turističkog razvoja (Antonio Miguel Nogués-Pedregal, Raúl Travé-Molero i Daniel Carmona-Zubiri); primjenom načela stvaranja doživljaja u suvremenim muzejskim postavima (Daniela Angelina Jelinčić i Matea Senkić); vezom tradicijske prehrane, okusa i nostalgije u istarskim agroturizmima (Tanja Kocković Zaborski); oblikovanjem memorijalnih mjesta bitki na Soči u Prvom svjetskom ratu i posjetima tim lokalitetima u međuratnom razdoblju (Petra Kavrečič); okolišnim, društvenim i političko-ekonomskim procesima koji utječu na baštinu i turizam na Zlarinu i u Trenti (Peter Simonič); životom Danice Brössler u Dubrovniku kao primjerom turističkih aktivnosti pojedinaca (Tihana Petrović Leš). ; The thematic section of this year's issue of Etnološka tribina problematises tourism and its actors, politics and processes – both those which shape and direct tourism, and those which are created and sparked by tourism. The articles deal with different visions and strategies of tourist development (Antonio Miguel Nogués-Pedregal, Raúl Travé-Molero and Daniel Carmona-Zubiri); the application of the principles of experience creation in contemporary museum displays (Daniela Angelina Jelinčić and Matea Senkić); the relationships between traditional food, tastes and nostalgia in Istrian agrotourism (Tanja Kocković Zaborski); the construction of the memorial sites of the Soča front in WWI and visits to those sites in the interwar period (Petra Kavrečič); environmental, social and political-economic processes which influence heritage and tourism on Zlarin Island and in the Trenta Valley (Peter Simonič); and the life of Danica Brössler in Dubrovnik as an example of an individual's tourist activities (Tihana Petrović Leš).

The article focuses on the interconnectedness of foreign policy environments to explain Slovenia's opportunities and constraints for foreign policy action. During the period of pre-independence para-diplomacy, the building of an internal and external domestic environment successfully turned constraints (no international recognition) into opportunities (applying for membership of European and global intergovernmental organizations). In the second period — post-recognition — considering the absence of a strategic foreign policy document, the Slovenian internal foreign policy environment became a major constraint to seize foreign environment opportunities. This affected Slovenia's accomplishments, notably after NATO and EU memberships were achieved in 2004. Although the Slovenian internal environment matured during the following period to adopt, in 2015, a comprehensive foreign policy strategy the recent turn in world politics (especially the European financial and economic crisis and the migration crisis) created for the first time a foreign environment for Slovenia that offered many fewer opportunities and far more constraints. ; The article focuses on the interconnectedness of foreign policy environments to explain Slovenia's opportunities and constraints for foreign policy action. During the period of pre-independence para-diplomacy, the building of an internal and external domestic environment successfully turned constraints (no international recognition) into opportunities (applying for membership of European and global intergovernmental organizations). In the second period — post-recognition — considering the absence of a strategic foreign policy document, the Slovenian internal foreign policy environment became a major constraint to seize foreign environment opportunities. This affected Slovenia's accomplishments, notably after NATO and EU memberships were achieved in 2004. Although the Slovenian internal environment matured during the following period to adopt, in 2015, a comprehensive foreign policy strategy the recent turn in world politics (especially the European financial and economic crisis and the migration crisis) created for the first time a foreign environment for Slovenia that offered many fewer opportunities and far more constraints.

In this article, the author analyzes the International Relations (IR) liberal theory and its "interdependence" paradigm. The first part presents the liberal "interdependence" paradigm by defining the state and power as the key elements of every political science analysis, including the IR theory. The second part overviews the academic critique of the IR liberalism, as a methodologically outdated and historically disputed theory. Finally, the third part focuses on the contemporary "interdependence" paradigm as crucial for understanding the current international processes in the global society. The goal of this article is to present the reevaluation of the contemporary IR liberal theory in the "real world politics", and indicate the possible directions of its ongoing theoretic development. Adapted from the source document.

Stupanje na snagu Ugovora iz Lisabona 2009. godine označilo je veliki iskorak u procesu dublje integracije u okviru Europske unije. Potpuno ukidanje kontrole na granicama između država članica, koje su ovu domenu dugo ljubomorno čuvale za sebe, predstavljalo je najveće iskušenje u kompliciranom procesu prenošenja nadležnosti u području politike migracije i azila na nadnacionalnu razinu. Činjenica da je sve veći broj državljana tzv. trećih država, u potrazi za boljim životom ili bježeći od rata, pristizao na teritorij Unije, zavrijedila je pozornost donositelja odluka da počnu pripremati teren za uspostavljanje jedinstvenog sustava reguliranja pitanja migracije i azila. U ovom radu bit će prikazan razvoj politike azila kao jedne od važnih sektorskih politika Europske unije. Cilj je prikazati kako je Europska unija kao sui generis politički sustav, uspijevala znatan dio ovlasti u ovom području prebaciti u domenu rada svojih institucija i s kojom je uspješnošću to postizala. Rad je podijeljen na četiri cjeline. U prvom dijelu analizira se politika azila kao sektorska politika u institucionalnom i zakonodavnom sustavu EU, dok se u drugom dijelu opisuje povijesni razvoj ove politike. Treći dio predstavlja kratki osvrt na europsku migracijsku krizu, dok četvrti dio sadrži zaključna razmatranja autora. ; Coming into force in 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon was a great step in the process of deeper integration within the European Union itself. The complete abolition of control at the borders between the member states, which had up to then been keeping a jealous watch over this domain, represented the biggest temptation during the complicated process of the transfer of authority in the field of migration politics and asylum to supranational level. The fact is that the constantly increasing number of the so-called "third country nationals," arriving to the EU territory in search of a better life or running away from war, proved to be worth of the attention of decision-makers, and gave them impetus to start preparing the ground for establishing a unique regulation system for migration and asylum matters. In this paper, the development of the asylum policy will be described as one of the important sectoral policies of the EU. The aim is to show how the EU as a sui generis political system was able to transfer significant amount of authority in this field into the domain of its institutions' work and how successful it was. The paper is divided into four major units. The first unit is related to asylum policy as a sectoral policy inside the institutional and legislative system of the EU. In the second unit we describe specific historical development of this policy. The third unit is reserved for a brief review of the European migration crisis, and the fourth part contains concluding considerations of the authors.

Since its declaration of independence Kosovo has clearly postured itself towards Euro-Atlantic integration with NATO, keeping its door open towards Western Balkan states. This integration process faces major challenges stemming from different dimensions: NATO's internal unity and its stance towards Kosovo's political status having direct impact in consensual decision making processes; current geopolitical tensions from a global perspective, particularly between the West and Russia; and Kosovo's ability to fulfil NATO's standards and criteria. These challenges might prove very difficult to overcome at least in the current global political and security environment. The objective of this paper is to discuss from legal and geopolitical perspectives the relations between Kosovo and NATO and the challenges, dynamics and perspective of NATO opening a formal integration process for Kosovo. ; Since its declaration of independence Kosovo has clearly postured itself towards Euro-Atlantic integration with NATO, keeping its door open towards Western Balkan states. This integration process faces major challenges stemming from different dimensions: NATO's internal unity and its stance towards Kosovo's political status having direct impact in consensual decision making processes; current geopolitical tensions from a global perspective, particularly between the West and Russia; and Kosovo's ability to fulfil NATO's standards and criteria. These challenges might prove very difficult to overcome at least in the current global political and security environment. The objective of this paper is to discuss from legal and geopolitical perspectives the relations between Kosovo and NATO and the challenges, dynamics and perspective of NATO opening a formal integration process for Kosovo.

The actual recession/depression is a radicalized continuation of a cyclical forty years long transformational slowdown of growth through basically stagnant fluctuations. With this slowdown is connected a serial of controversial, crisis-generating & finally unsuccessful general politics- & policy-change unprecedented in the contemporary world. An analysis of the societal history through sequences of developmental counterpoints & through the logic of great societal, political-economic & political cycles demonstrates that causes of cyclical economic & societal movements in general, & of actual stagnation & crisis especially, are mostly noneconomical. They are mainly political. In short, their political foundation is in a radical actual & previous change in the equilibrium of a dynamic tendency of the modern political space. This equilibrium is here called "modern normal." The modern normal (MN) is for us a tendentional space/structure of equilibria in the middle of (1) the political, (2) the personal/individual, (3) the whole world space, & (4) the space of the state/society. The actual kind of that disequilibrium or denormalization of modern normal indicates a process which is usually called totalitarian. In our actual case, the focal point is moved toward financial corporations as pseudo-statal regulators of economy, politics & society. Here, this is the Matrix-capitalism as a feedback of an urban legend & an analytical pattern. Generally, in the long run it is also a process of denormalized or bad & unsuccessful public- & business-policy, especially as development-, growth- & transformation-policy. This Matrix-capitalism, which is dominated by global financial corporations, is developing itself in a cyclically denormalised tendentional space/structure between: (1) the unpolitically "economical," (2) the unindividually "personal," (3) the unwholly "global," & (4) the unstately, unsocially, & anti-economically "denational." The Matrix-capitalism is functional only in a virtual world of ideologized economics & casino-business operations with derivatives etc. Cyclically interfaced with economic, social, cultural, political, personal, & national/world's reality, Matrix-capitalism will every time be more unsustainable even for its mega-corporative core. Adapted from the source document.

Predmet istraživanja u ovom radu su prirodno i mehaničko kretanje stanovništva kao demografsko-migracijske odrednice osnovnoga školstva u Vukovaru. Svrha je istraživanja primjenom deskriptivne i komparativne analize prikazati suvremene trendove, trenutno stanje i perspektive u bioreprodukciji i migracijama, te ih dovesti u vezu s brojčanim stanjem djece u vukovarskim osnovnim školama. Analiza provedena na temelju službenih podataka popisne, vitalne i migracijske statistike, pokazala je da su trendovi u bioreprodukciji i migracijama promatrane gravitacijske zone vukovarskih osnovnih škola (Grad Vukovar i Općina Bogdanovci) u proteklom dvadesetogodišnjem razdoblju (1997.-2018.), vrlo nepovoljni, te da procesi ukupne depopulacije, prirodnoga smanjenja i mehaničkoga gubitka, zbog negativnoga salda migracije, čine sve lošijim demografski okvir učeničkoga potencijala vukovarskih osnovnih škola, uz još nepovoljnije izglede u budućnosti. Potrebna stabilizacija i poboljšanje demografskih prilika mogući su samo uz dugoročnu i cjelovitu provedbu poticajnih pronatalitetnih, imigracijskih i redistributivnih mjera populacijske, obiteljske i gospodarske politike, riječju, sveobuhvatne demografske revitalizacije Hrvatske i svakoga njezinoga dijela. ; This study on the natural and mechanical population movements and demographic-migration determinants of elementary education in Vukovar identifies contemporary trends, current situation and perspectives in bioreproduction and migration, using descriptive and comparative analysis, in relation to the numerical situation of the children in the Vukovar elementary schools. This analysis, based on official census data, together with vital and migration statistics, has demonstrated that the trends in the bioreproduction and migration in the gravitational zone of the Vukovar primary schools, City of Vukovar and Municipality of Bogdanovci, during the past twenty years, 1997‒2018, are highly unfavorable, and that the processes of overall depopulation, natural decline and mechanical loss, owing to the negative migration balance, have created an increasingly poor demographic framework for the student potential of Vukovar primary schools, with an even more unfavorable outlook in the future. The needed stabilization and improvement of the demographic situation are only possible with the long-term and comprehensive implementation of pro-natal, immigration and redistribution incentives in population, family and economic policies, which would entail the comprehensive demographic revitalization of Croatia and each of its parts.

Migracije su fenomen koji se proteže kroz cijelu ljudsku povijest; one predstavljaju potrebu i nužnost. Brojni su push and pull uzročni faktori. Suvremene masovne migracije pretežno su obilježene premještanjem ljudi koji, u kombinaciji bijega od ratnih sukoba, disfunkcionalnih sustava upravljanja, klimatskih promjena i neimaštine, nastoje stići do sigurnijih i ekonomski razvijenih zemalja. Premda se većina trenutačne svjetske populacije migranata nalazi u državama Azije i Afrike, najveća pozornost posvećena je situacijama u kojima manje skupine pokušavaju dospjeti do država Europske unije, Australije ili primjerice SAD-a. Premda su ulazne migracije nužnost spomenutih zemalja, one nisu spremne za velike priljeve migranata, već navedeno žele projektirano odraditi kroz duže razdoblje. U tu svrhu razvijaju brojne politike, mjere i mehanizme, koji su predmet analize ovoga rada. Rad se posebno bavi kontekstom stvaranja i usporedbom migracijskih politika i postupaka Europske unije i Australije, njihovim sličnostima i razlikama. ; Migration is a phenomenon present throughout human history, as a need and a necessity. There are numerous push and pull factors which cause it. Modern mass migration is mostly marked as "relocating people who in combination with escape from war, dysfunctional management systems, climate change and poverty try to reach safer and economically developed countries". Although most of the current world population of migrants is located in countries of Asia and Africa, the greatest attention was paid to cases where small groups are trying to reach the European Union countries, Australia or the USA. Though in-migration is a necessity in these countries, they are not ready for large inflows of migrants and they want this process to unwind during a longer period of time. For this purpose, they develop a number of policies, measures and mechanisms, which are also the subject of analysis in this paper. This research is especially focused on the context of creation and comparison of the migration policy and procedures of the European Union and Australia, their similarities and differences.

The problems of democratic legitimation & the ineffectiveness of the democratic system characterize the postsocialist societies despite their normative-institutional democratic constitution. The socioeconomic conditions affect democratization, but it seems that the sociocultural factors (especially the patterns of dominant political cultures) are the key determinants for the survival & development of the democratic political system. Transitional societies are marked by developmental discontinuity. Normative-institutional & culturological changes possess different dynamics & do not occur concurrently. This discrepancy brings into question the legitimacy & success of democratic consolidation. Such an interactive relationship between the political culture & the political system (structure) makes up the framework for the study of major political-cultural preconditions for democratization. The paper deals with the sociocultural features of transition, the nature of cultural changes (value changes & institutional learning), political trust, legitimacy, the features of civic political culture, the attitude towards power & authority, political participation, the role of political elites, the sociocultural aspect of economic development, & the interest in politics. It is possible to overcome the distinctive discrepancy between culture & structure primarily by means of the transformation of sociocultural preconditions i.e. as democratic resocialization (through the processes of value change & institutional learning). It turns out that democratic consolidation is essentially defined by this sociocultural transformation. Sociocultural conditions i.e. political-cultural preconditions, are the key predictors of the success of the democratizational process. Apart from the implemented values of democracy & the citizens' acceptance of these values, democracy also requires active citizenry, hence the expansion of citizens' participation is seen as the main goal of that transformation. References. Adapted from the source document.

Migracijska kretanja su konstanta ljudske povijesti, bilo da se radi o dobrovoljnim ili prisilnim migracijama. No,s prijelaza s 2015. na 2016. godinu, Europa se suočila s izbjegličkom krizom koja je uzrokovana dugogodišnjim tranzicijskim procesima na Bliskom istoku i sjevernoj Africi. Ti su tranzicijski procesi uzrokovali građanski rat u Siriji i Libiji, ali i stvorili ogromnu nestabilnost u susjednim državama. Veliki broj migranata s područja Bliskog istoka, Afrike i Azije je krenuo prema Europi, a cilj im je bio stići u najrazvijenije zemlje Europe, Njemačku, Švedsku, Norvešku i druge. Na putu koji se proteže preko Turske i Grčke pa sve do Švedske, našle su se i države koje su svoju samostalnost stekle dezintegracijom Jugoslavije. Neke od država nastalih raspadom Jugoslavije su članice Europske unije i NATO pakta, no to im nije olakšalo suočavanje s izbjegličkom krizom, iako su one, u većini slučajeva, samo tranzitne zemlje. Nedostatak sredstava, slaba koordinacija, manjak institucionalnih kapaciteta i problemi s drugim državama samo su neki od izazova s kojima su se ove države suočile. Upravo zbog svih navedenih problema ovaj rad se bavi komparacijom migracijskih politika država nastalih raspadom Jugoslavije, i to ne samo onih koje se nalaze na Balkanskoj ruti, već i Crne Gore i Bosne i Hercegovine. ; Migration movements have been a constant feature of human history, wheather voluntary or forced. However, in the late 2015 Europe was faced with refugee crisis caused by long – term transition process in Middle East and North Africa. That transition process caused Civil war in Syria and Libya and instability in neighboring countries. A huge number of migrants from Middle East, Africa and Asia headed to Europe with the aim to reach most developed countries: Germany, Sweden, Norway etc. Countries which gained their independence with desintergration of Yugoslavia can be found on the path from Turkey and Greece towards countries as far as Sweden. Althought some of the states that have been createdafter the ...

As Croatia prepares for membership in the EU (most likely in 2013), its foreign policy is in a need of re-conceptualisation. In the first 20 years of its independence (declared in 1991), Croatian foreign policy has been through three different phases. Each of them was focused on one single objective. The three objectives that have marked three distinguished phases of Croatian foreign policy were: 1) international recognition of its statehood; 2) territorial re-integration and 3) membership in NATO and the EU. When (and if) it joins the EU, the country will have to change its single-objective based foreign policy for a multiple-objectives foreign policy approach. It will have to take into consideration a whole set of new issues, some of which will be global in character. In addition, it will need to harmonise its own priorities with those of other EU member-states. The article focuses on options that are available to foreign-policy decision-makers when they wish to re-orientate the foreign policy of a country. In particular, the author looks at the options available to small states and small powers. The outcome of the process will be influenced by the size and ambitions of the country, as well as by internal political and ideological dynamics in Croatian politics, which would need to become better harmonised with political trends in the EU. The author approaches foreign policy decision-making as a dynamic process in which ideas and values matter. For that reason, he focuses not only on interaction between states but also interaction between three main party families within the European context: 1) Liberals, 2) Conservatives and 3) Socialists. In particular, he looks at the differences they have on two main issues for the future of the EU: 1) further enlargement of the EU and 2) global ambitions of the EU. The article is drawing on contemporary literature on foreign policy of small states and small powers. It argues that Croatia needs more strategic thinking in order to make best use of new opportunities. Adapted from the source document.

As Croatia prepares for membership in the EU (most likely in 2013), its foreign policy is in a need of re-conceptualisation. In the first 20 years of its independence (declared in 1991), Croatian foreign policy has been through three different phases. Each of them was focused on one single objective. The three objectives that have marked three distinguished phases of Croatian foreign policy were: 1) international recognition of its statehood; 2) territorial re-integration and 3) membership in NATO and the EU. When (and if) it joins the EU, the country will have to change its single-objective based foreign policy for a multiple-objectives foreign policy approach. It will have to take into consideration a whole set of new issues, some of which will be global in character. In addition, it will need to harmonise its own priorities with those of other EU member-states. The article focuses on options that are available to foreign-policy decision-makers when they wish to re-orientate the foreign policy of a country. In particular, the author looks at the options available to small states and small powers. The outcome of the process will be influenced by the size and ambitions of the country, as well as by internal political and ideological dynamics in Croatian politics, which would need to become better harmonised with political trends in the EU. The author approaches foreign policy decision-making as a dynamic process in which ideas and values matter. For that reason, he focuses not only on interaction between states but also interaction between three main party families within the European context: 1) Liberals, 2) Conservatives and 3) Socialists. In particular, he looks at the differences they have on two main issues for the future of the EU: 1) further enlargement of the EU and 2) global ambitions of the EU. The article is drawing on contemporary literature on foreign policy of small states and small powers. It argues that Croatia needs more strategic thinking in order to make best use of new opportunities. Adapted from the source document.

Razvoj društveno odgovornih politika i praksi promatra se ne samo preko prizme konkurentske prednosti, nego kao ključan čimbenik za održivu budućnost tvrtke, ali i društva u cjelini. Promocijom društveno odgovornoga poslovanja tvrtke šalju poruke različitim skupinama kao što su ulagači, potrošači, zaposlenici te tako ulažu u svoju budućnost. Niz dokumenata i deklaracija kao što su UN Global Compact i Strategija održivog razvoja naglašavaju važnost društveno odgovornoga ponašanja. Potrošači su sve svjesniji značenja takva ponašanja tvrtki te, u skladu s tim, imaju i očekivanja odgovornoga ponašanja. Činjenica je da globalno zatopljenje te sve veće iskorištavanje prirodnih resursa potiču primjenu društveno odgovornoga poslovanja (DOP-a), kako na državnim razinama i institucijama pisanjem raznih naputaka, globalnih ciljeva, tako i na korporativnim razinama uključivanjem u strategije kompanija. Održivi razvoj smatra se ključem opstanka društva. U Bosni i Hercegovini društveno odgovorno ponašanje nejasno je i složeno definirano, zarobljeno u raljama složeno ustavno-pravnoga poretka države, fragmentiranosti BiH tržišta, nedovoljne razvijenosti zemlje, složenosti donošenja bilo kakvih odluka te filantropijskoga razmišljanja unutar kompanija. Proces približavanja Bosne i Hercegovine Europskoj uniji odvija se sporo. Godišnji izvještaji, smjernice i politike stalno ukazuju na potrebe bržega razvoja socioekonomskoga okruženja. Cilj je ovoga rada prikazati ekonomske i pravne pretpostavke za razvoj društveno odgovornoga poslovanja u Bosni i Hercegovini. Za cjelovitiju sliku primjene DOP-a u praksi, bit će obrađeni primjeri tvrtki. ; The development of socially responsible politics and praxis is viewed not only through the prism of competitive advantage, but as a key factor for sustainable future of a company, as well as for the society as a whole. By promoting corporate social responsibility, the companies send messages to different groups, such as investors, consumers, employees and in that way they invest in their future. A series of documents and declarations such as UN Global Impact and Strategy of Sustainable Development emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibility. Consumers are becoming more aware of such behaviour of a company, and following that they have the expectations of responsible behaviour. It is evident that global heating and increased exploit of natural resources initiate a change of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) on both the state and institutional levels through adoption of different instructions and global goals, and on corporate levels through inclusion in the companies' strategies. Sustainable development is considered the key to the survival of society. Corporate social behaviour in Bosnia and Herzegovina is unclear and defined in a complex way, trapped in the composite constitutional-legal system of the country, influenced by fragmentation of B&H market, insufficient development of the country, the complexity of adoption of any kind of decisions and philanthropic thinking within companies. The process of accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU runs slowly. Annual reports, instructions and politics are constantly indicating the need for quicker development of socio-economic environment. The goal of this work is to present economic and legal assumptions for the development of corporate social responsibility in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the complete picture of the application of CSR in practice, the examples of companies will be elaborated.

This article analyses the representation and main characteristics of comparative politics articles published in the journal Politicka misao. Starting from the assumption that the political and academic fields are engaged in a process of 'reciprocal legitimation', we divided the period of analysis into two phases and research subsamples. The first encompasses articles published in the period 1964-1989, while the second covers articles published in the period 1990-2013. Content analysis reveals that during the first phase comparative politics articles were weakly represented in the journal. The few articles that belong to the field were mostly written from a Marxist perspective, and occasionally from the perspective of old normative institutionalism. Overall they were methodologically unreflective, descriptive and configurative. The most frequent topics were self-managing democracy, communist and revolutionary parties, anti-imperial movements and conflicts in Third World countries. The time period after 1990 is characterised by a strengthening of the field of comparative politics. First of all, there is a notable increase in the number of articles dedicated to elections, electoral systems, political parties and party systems, legislatures and governments, constitutionalism and the judiciary, political culture, nationalism, as well as European institutions and processes. Secondly, theoretical approaches are more diversified, ranging from new institutionalism, behavioralism and pluralism to rational choice theory and cultural theory. Though case studies and focused studies with a small-N are the most frequent empirical strategies, overall methodology remains the weakest element of domestic academic production in comparative politics, while explicitly methodological discussions remain extremely rare. Adapted from the source document.

Using critical theory of media and technology as a theoretical framework, we describe the dialectical interrelation between (media) technology and democratic changes, where new media technology only paved the way to organization and exchange of information during 'Arab Spring', but was not its cause. 'Arab Spring' as the case in point proved a negative correlation between the level of communication technology (new media) and the intensity of protests, according to which a higher level of accessibility to new media led to a lower level of protests. Also, we observe an uneven impact of new media on democratic changes, i.e. internet social networks had a secondary role in creating media news, compared to satellite TV which at an early stage of 'Arab Spring' enabled the actors of online civil society to have an impact on state politics to a large extent. Arab new media cannot yet lead to democratic changes nor explain their causes, but merely alter patterns of mobilization and organization of social and political events. Adapted from the source document.