Suchergebnisse

International norms are, by definition, a factor of stability in the international system. Nevertheless empirical evidence shows that norms are constantly changing, which raises questions on the ability of norms to regulate inter-states relations & prevent conflicts. This article analyses the cycle of norm diffusion, tracing the origin of norms, their diffusion, contestation & change. It investigates the relationship between interests & identity & between structure & agency in the process of norm diffusion, & discusses the implications of this process on international cooperation. Adapted from the source document.

The enforcement of obligations in international relations is not governed by a supranational authority; sanctions (economic, diplomatic, communication) represent one of the possible ways in which a state may put through its rights and interests. The group of economic sanctions is very wide, and it covers measures affecting trade or financial flows (e. g. boycotts, embargoes, prohibitions on investment, payments and capital movements, withdrawal of tariff preference). The text concerns multilateral sanctions regimes applied by the United Nations and the European Union. The paper describes procedures leading to the authorization of sanctions and the circumstances under which the restrictive measures are usually applied. In both cases, the main development and widest use of sanctions occurred in the 1990s. Current economic measures are set with regard to the basic needs of common people, and they should only target the responsible elites (smart sanctions). Adapted from the source document.

After a brief account of the origin of the Kosovo crisis & of the attempts made by the international community to bring it to a solution, in the present work, the Author starts analyzing the stands taken by States in relation to the declaration of independence issued on the 17 February 2008 by the Assembly of Kosovo. By weighing the validity of the arguments advanced in favour or against the independence of Kosovo, the Author first highlights the violation of the terms of the UN Security Council resolution 1244/99 by the unilateral declaration of independence & the contradictions & omissions inherent in the claim of uniqueness about Kosovo advanced by most of the States which have decided to recognize the new entity. The Author then claims that the independence of Kosovo cannot be characterized neither as an exercise of a (dubious) right to a remedial secession nor as a fait accompli. He therefore concludes that Kosovo does not qualify yet as a subject of international law, that the acts of recognition of the new entity adopted by several States are premature and, as such, illegitimate & that, notwithstanding it is resolutely denied in any official statement, the conduct of abovementioned States seems to be permeated by the philosophy of the remedial secession. Adapted from the source document.

The article aims to enrich our understanding of the double-concept of "peace/war" in international relations, & of its place in international theory, starting from an examination of its relations with issues of power & freedom. The authors look at history to comprehend the essential features of peace & war in different systems of states as they have historically developed; but they also turn to contemporary international politics to highlight the ways in which both peace & war have changed since the end of the Cold War. Finally, the article investigates the politics of "peace/war" in the international order of today, with particular reference to globalization & the role of American hegemony. Adapted from the source document.

Despite a consensus on the benefits of liberal international economic regimes, there are important differences in the perspectives of different actors. This article deals with two ideal types of perspectives on international trade liberalization. The first of them is the liberal perspective, & the second is the perspective of economic nationalism. Differences can be found in a number of aspects. We discuss the perception of comparative advantage, economic growth & its determinants, the logic of absolute or relative gains from the global economy, I the causal i relationship between the level of economic development & free trade, the issue of competitiveness in the global economy & the problem of existence, & the role of strategic sectors of the economy. If there exist important differences in presumptions, interests & policy preferences between actors, what are the conditions & limits for the perceived compatibility of the defined perspectives? Under which conditions will an individual actor support the progress in the liberalization of world trade & what are the most important risks? How can the past successes in building the liberal economic regimes be interpreted & what are the prospects for the future? This article also attempts to contribute to the discussion of paradigmatic perspectives in the international political economy. Therefore the text confronts the liberal perspective & economic nationalism & discusses some important aspects of these theories. Adapted from the source document.

The article argues for a new strategy for Czech IR research which would stimulate local scholars to produce innovative contributions to the international IR discipline. The strategy is supposed to go beyond the emulation of the Anglo-American IR, which currently prevails & which, despite occasional successes, failed in its goals. It aims at innovative contributions with a maximum utilization of the Czech domestic conditions which embed the research. The strategy argues that the relations between Czech IR & the international discipline need to be sustained & even strengthened. At the same time, the Czech research should focus on the Czech political experience by examining the political phenomena by which this experience has been constituted & drawing on the traditions of Czech political thought. Adapted from the source document.

This article presents a review of the currently debated options for regulations of activities of private military companies (PMCs). This topic is a matter of pondering in the foreign literature. It primarily reflects on the massive use of PMCs in Iraq and Afghanistan, which, however, merely illustrates the broader shortcomings resulting from the prolonged absence of clearly defined and enforceable mechanisms for the monitoring and control of the accountability, transparency and effectiveness of PMCs' activities. The goal of this article is therefore not only to present the practical, legal, economic, and political pros and cons of the possible regulation frameworks, but also to illustrate why it is still so difficult to reach a consensus on a regulation framework that would be acceptable to all the relevant actors. Adapted from the source document.

The presented paper describes the first membership of Czechoslovakia in the International Monetary Fund in the post-war period & the circumstances of its expulsion from this institution in 1954. Although Czechoslovakia was one of the founding members of the Bretton-Woods institutions & its relationship with the IMF looked promising at the beginning, the communist political take-over in February 1948 implied substantial change in this development. It was followed by the introduction of a centrally planned economic system & by a shift in the country's foreign-political orientation toward the East. The reason for Czechoslovakia's exclusion from the Bretton-Woods institutions was its repeated non-performance of the member state duties according to the Articles of Agreements of the IMR The main problem was that Czechoslovakia systematically refused to inform the IMF about developments in its economy & consult relevant monetary & economic arrangements with the IMF. Adapted from the source document.

This essay addresses the issue of how to transcend the long-lasting stalemate between positivism and various forms of post-positivism. The main assumption rests in the belief that one of the possible solutions to this stalemate can be offered by replacing the positivism versus postpositivism debate by a discussion between scientific realism and pragmatism. The article thus starts with a brief characterization of logical positivism, which is followed by a more thorough deliberation on the issue of pragmatism and scientific realism. The text raises questions of the mutual incompatibilities of both positions, as well as their respective influence on the discipline of International Relations. It is also argued that by adopting one or another of these philosophies of science, we can bring about specific consequences for actual research practices. Adapted from the source document.