The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan poses a great danger to the Afghanistan state itself as well as for the neighboring countries. A decreasing interest from the United States of America, NATO and other key players due to a long war and other geopolitical challenges will leave Afghanistan with the minimum outer support for the future. The science of conflict resolution is offering a variety of theories that could lead endless wars and conflicts to an end. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan is challenging those theories, while the resolution is crucial for the Afghanistan people right now. But are those theories reflected in the current actions of the US, NATO and Afghanistan governments? And do those theoretical actions lead to a better future regarding conflict resolution?
The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan poses a great danger to the Afghanistan state itself as well as for the neighboring countries. A decreasing interest from the United States of America, NATO and other key players due to a long war and other geopolitical challenges will leave Afghanistan with the minimum outer support for the future. The science of conflict resolution is offering a variety of theories that could lead endless wars and conflicts to an end. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan is challenging those theories, while the resolution is crucial for the Afghanistan people right now. But are those theories reflected in the current actions of the US, NATO and Afghanistan governments? And do those theoretical actions lead to a better future regarding conflict resolution?
The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan poses a great danger to the Afghanistan state itself as well as for the neighboring countries. A decreasing interest from the United States of America, NATO and other key players due to a long war and other geopolitical challenges will leave Afghanistan with the minimum outer support for the future. The science of conflict resolution is offering a variety of theories that could lead endless wars and conflicts to an end. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan is challenging those theories, while the resolution is crucial for the Afghanistan people right now. But are those theories reflected in the current actions of the US, NATO and Afghanistan governments? And do those theoretical actions lead to a better future regarding conflict resolution?
The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan poses a great danger to the Afghanistan state itself as well as for the neighboring countries. A decreasing interest from the United States of America, NATO and other key players due to a long war and other geopolitical challenges will leave Afghanistan with the minimum outer support for the future. The science of conflict resolution is offering a variety of theories that could lead endless wars and conflicts to an end. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan is challenging those theories, while the resolution is crucial for the Afghanistan people right now. But are those theories reflected in the current actions of the US, NATO and Afghanistan governments? And do those theoretical actions lead to a better future regarding conflict resolution?
Many conflicts in the 21st century are perceived as intractable: long-lasting, brutal, irreconcilable, of a zero-sum nature. One of these conflicts – over a century long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict is a struggle between two nations claiming their rights to the same territory which they both consider to be their homeland. This struggle is usually perceived as a zero-sum conflict over the territory but one of the main propositions of this research is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for many years was perceived as a zero-sum struggle over national identity as well. For over four decades many Jews and Palestinians believed that one nation can implement its national aspirations only at the expense of the other nation. This belief was the principal impediment for the conflict to break-through. This mutual belief also resulted in neglecting any possibility to recognize the other nation's legitimacy and therefore – permanent confrontation and conflict escalation. This paper seeks to take a different approach to the analysis of conflict. One fundamental statement of this research is that many academics limit their analysis of Israeli-Palestinian struggle to mechanistic and deterministic explanations this way failing to explain some crucial factors having tremendous impact on the course of the conflict. This research paper emphasizes the role of national identity in conflict resolution and claims that the condition for peace between these two nations was never only about Israel's retreat from the occupied territories. The premise of this paper is that there is a direct connection between national identity and state's foreign policy decisions. The paper is based on the constructivist approach of international relations which emphasizes constitutive nature of social reality: the lived life and knowledge about it are socially constructed. But the research was also very much influenced by Michael Barnett's theoretical "hybrid" – conditional combination of constructivism and institutionalism. This theoretical approach emphasizes that constructivist theories fail to incorporate a core insight of institutionalism – actors strategize in an institutional setting – and therefore is not able to address foreign policy change. On the other hand institutionalism fails to incorporate a core insight of constructivism – actors are embedded in a normative structure – and therefore is unable to explain what creates and constitutes legitimate action. The aim of this paper is after determining how and when national identity influences state's foreign policy decisions to analyze Israel's national identity's influence on the course of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict is analyzed from its beginning at the end of the 19th century seeking to reveal what caused changes in Israel's foreign policy decisions. But the focus of analysis is Israel's national identity in the years 2000–2007. The goal of this analysis is to determine what influence this identity had on the renewed peace talks with Palestinians in 2007.
Many conflicts in the 21st century are perceived as intractable: long-lasting, brutal, irreconcilable, of a zero-sum nature. One of these conflicts – over a century long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict is a struggle between two nations claiming their rights to the same territory which they both consider to be their homeland. This struggle is usually perceived as a zero-sum conflict over the territory but one of the main propositions of this research is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for many years was perceived as a zero-sum struggle over national identity as well. For over four decades many Jews and Palestinians believed that one nation can implement its national aspirations only at the expense of the other nation. This belief was the principal impediment for the conflict to break-through. This mutual belief also resulted in neglecting any possibility to recognize the other nation's legitimacy and therefore – permanent confrontation and conflict escalation. This paper seeks to take a different approach to the analysis of conflict. One fundamental statement of this research is that many academics limit their analysis of Israeli-Palestinian struggle to mechanistic and deterministic explanations this way failing to explain some crucial factors having tremendous impact on the course of the conflict. This research paper emphasizes the role of national identity in conflict resolution and claims that the condition for peace between these two nations was never only about Israel's retreat from the occupied territories. The premise of this paper is that there is a direct connection between national identity and state's foreign policy decisions. The paper is based on the constructivist approach of international relations which emphasizes constitutive nature of social reality: the lived life and knowledge about it are socially constructed. But the research was also very much influenced by Michael Barnett's theoretical "hybrid" – conditional combination of constructivism and institutionalism. This theoretical approach emphasizes that constructivist theories fail to incorporate a core insight of institutionalism – actors strategize in an institutional setting – and therefore is not able to address foreign policy change. On the other hand institutionalism fails to incorporate a core insight of constructivism – actors are embedded in a normative structure – and therefore is unable to explain what creates and constitutes legitimate action. The aim of this paper is after determining how and when national identity influences state's foreign policy decisions to analyze Israel's national identity's influence on the course of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict is analyzed from its beginning at the end of the 19th century seeking to reveal what caused changes in Israel's foreign policy decisions. But the focus of analysis is Israel's national identity in the years 2000–2007. The goal of this analysis is to determine what influence this identity had on the renewed peace talks with Palestinians in 2007.
The institutional protection of equal rights and opportunities is one of the most important features of the contemporary democratic society. In this context, there is some paradox in Lithuania. The modern mechanism for the protection of equal rights and opportunities is being developed, however, the population does not fully utilize its competences in the case of actual discrimination. The article enquires into the choice of potential and actual actions for a conflict resolution based on discrimination in the context of existing institutional possibilities in Lithuania. The concept of the conflict resolution pyramid is used. Both pyramids of potential and actual conflict resolution represent the trend towards a quantitative decline in the choices to be made for the conflict resolution. Some foreseen gaps between the potential and actual action in the case of discrimination are unexpectedly salient.Almost all Lithuanians express the determination to defend the violated rights that is not a case of represented actual actions by the victims of discrimination. Moreover, it can be assumed that at least half of all Lithuanian respondents are not eager for the conflict resolution even on the basic level of a close social environment. Also, the research data suggest that the public discourse on equal opportunities and discrimination is at the stage of formation.
The institutional protection of equal rights and opportunities is one of the most important features of the contemporary democratic society. In this context, there is some paradox in Lithuania. The modern mechanism for the protection of equal rights and opportunities is being developed, however, the population does not fully utilize its competences in the case of actual discrimination. The article enquires into the choice of potential and actual actions for a conflict resolution based on discrimination in the context of existing institutional possibilities in Lithuania. The concept of the conflict resolution pyramid is used. Both pyramids of potential and actual conflict resolution represent the trend towards a quantitative decline in the choices to be made for the conflict resolution. Some foreseen gaps between the potential and actual action in the case of discrimination are unexpectedly salient.Almost all Lithuanians express the determination to defend the violated rights that is not a case of represented actual actions by the victims of discrimination. Moreover, it can be assumed that at least half of all Lithuanian respondents are not eager for the conflict resolution even on the basic level of a close social environment. Also, the research data suggest that the public discourse on equal opportunities and discrimination is at the stage of formation.
The institutional protection of equal rights and opportunities is one of the most important features of the contemporary democratic society. In this context, there is some paradox in Lithuania. The modern mechanism for the protection of equal rights and opportunities is being developed, however, the population does not fully utilize its competences in the case of actual discrimination. The article enquires into the choice of potential and actual actions for a conflict resolution based on discrimination in the context of existing institutional possibilities in Lithuania. The concept of the conflict resolution pyramid is used. Both pyramids of potential and actual conflict resolution represent the trend towards a quantitative decline in the choices to be made for the conflict resolution. Some foreseen gaps between the potential and actual action in the case of discrimination are unexpectedly salient.Almost all Lithuanians express the determination to defend the violated rights that is not a case of represented actual actions by the victims of discrimination. Moreover, it can be assumed that at least half of all Lithuanian respondents are not eager for the conflict resolution even on the basic level of a close social environment. Also, the research data suggest that the public discourse on equal opportunities and discrimination is at the stage of formation.
The institutional protection of equal rights and opportunities is one of the most important features of the contemporary democratic society. In this context, there is some paradox in Lithuania. The modern mechanism for the protection of equal rights and opportunities is being developed, however, the population does not fully utilize its competences in the case of actual discrimination. The article enquires into the choice of potential and actual actions for a conflict resolution based on discrimination in the context of existing institutional possibilities in Lithuania. The concept of the conflict resolution pyramid is used. Both pyramids of potential and actual conflict resolution represent the trend towards a quantitative decline in the choices to be made for the conflict resolution. Some foreseen gaps between the potential and actual action in the case of discrimination are unexpectedly salient.Almost all Lithuanians express the determination to defend the violated rights that is not a case of represented actual actions by the victims of discrimination. Moreover, it can be assumed that at least half of all Lithuanian respondents are not eager for the conflict resolution even on the basic level of a close social environment. Also, the research data suggest that the public discourse on equal opportunities and discrimination is at the stage of formation.
Technology development impact on libraries and copyright: conflict resolution and search for balance. The aim of this master's thesis is to reveal the copyright issues for libraries in the digital age and to evaluate ways of solving them both in a national and international context. The first part of the thesis highlights the main features of technology development in libraries, especially aspects of digitization and distribution of copies to users, examines conflicts of interest between readers and publishers, and assesses the relationship between new library services and current legal regulations. The second part of the thesis analyses copyright exceptions on the use of works in libraries - the use of works for research or personal study and the reproduction of works for the purpose of preservation and reproduction. In order to evaluate the regulatory flexibility of these exceptions, their application in the international context is discussed, and national regulations are compared with those of selected foreign countries - France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The third part of the thesis reveals the peculiarities of copyright exceptions on visually impaired persons and orphan works. It analyses the main aspects of the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation in EU and national law, as well as the implementation of the Orphan Works Directive and its implications for libraries. Based on the conducted analysis, the work arrives to the conclusion that current copyright regulation is too inert, preventing libraries from effectively performing their functions in the digital environment. It is noted that the existing exceptions to copyright applicable to libraries are not sufficient to reach a balance between right holders, libraries and the public; it is necessary to consolidate the legislative provisions on digitization of works and the related copyright aspects in the light of advances in information technology.
Technology development impact on libraries and copyright: conflict resolution and search for balance. The aim of this master's thesis is to reveal the copyright issues for libraries in the digital age and to evaluate ways of solving them both in a national and international context. The first part of the thesis highlights the main features of technology development in libraries, especially aspects of digitization and distribution of copies to users, examines conflicts of interest between readers and publishers, and assesses the relationship between new library services and current legal regulations. The second part of the thesis analyses copyright exceptions on the use of works in libraries - the use of works for research or personal study and the reproduction of works for the purpose of preservation and reproduction. In order to evaluate the regulatory flexibility of these exceptions, their application in the international context is discussed, and national regulations are compared with those of selected foreign countries - France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The third part of the thesis reveals the peculiarities of copyright exceptions on visually impaired persons and orphan works. It analyses the main aspects of the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation in EU and national law, as well as the implementation of the Orphan Works Directive and its implications for libraries. Based on the conducted analysis, the work arrives to the conclusion that current copyright regulation is too inert, preventing libraries from effectively performing their functions in the digital environment. It is noted that the existing exceptions to copyright applicable to libraries are not sufficient to reach a balance between right holders, libraries and the public; it is necessary to consolidate the legislative provisions on digitization of works and the related copyright aspects in the light of advances in information technology.
Technology development impact on libraries and copyright: conflict resolution and search for balance. The aim of this master's thesis is to reveal the copyright issues for libraries in the digital age and to evaluate ways of solving them both in a national and international context. The first part of the thesis highlights the main features of technology development in libraries, especially aspects of digitization and distribution of copies to users, examines conflicts of interest between readers and publishers, and assesses the relationship between new library services and current legal regulations. The second part of the thesis analyses copyright exceptions on the use of works in libraries - the use of works for research or personal study and the reproduction of works for the purpose of preservation and reproduction. In order to evaluate the regulatory flexibility of these exceptions, their application in the international context is discussed, and national regulations are compared with those of selected foreign countries - France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The third part of the thesis reveals the peculiarities of copyright exceptions on visually impaired persons and orphan works. It analyses the main aspects of the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation in EU and national law, as well as the implementation of the Orphan Works Directive and its implications for libraries. Based on the conducted analysis, the work arrives to the conclusion that current copyright regulation is too inert, preventing libraries from effectively performing their functions in the digital environment. It is noted that the existing exceptions to copyright applicable to libraries are not sufficient to reach a balance between right holders, libraries and the public; it is necessary to consolidate the legislative provisions on digitization of works and the related copyright aspects in the light of advances in information technology.
Technology development impact on libraries and copyright: conflict resolution and search for balance. The aim of this master's thesis is to reveal the copyright issues for libraries in the digital age and to evaluate ways of solving them both in a national and international context. The first part of the thesis highlights the main features of technology development in libraries, especially aspects of digitization and distribution of copies to users, examines conflicts of interest between readers and publishers, and assesses the relationship between new library services and current legal regulations. The second part of the thesis analyses copyright exceptions on the use of works in libraries - the use of works for research or personal study and the reproduction of works for the purpose of preservation and reproduction. In order to evaluate the regulatory flexibility of these exceptions, their application in the international context is discussed, and national regulations are compared with those of selected foreign countries - France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The third part of the thesis reveals the peculiarities of copyright exceptions on visually impaired persons and orphan works. It analyses the main aspects of the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation in EU and national law, as well as the implementation of the Orphan Works Directive and its implications for libraries. Based on the conducted analysis, the work arrives to the conclusion that current copyright regulation is too inert, preventing libraries from effectively performing their functions in the digital environment. It is noted that the existing exceptions to copyright applicable to libraries are not sufficient to reach a balance between right holders, libraries and the public; it is necessary to consolidate the legislative provisions on digitization of works and the related copyright aspects in the light of advances in information technology.
The transition processes in post-soviet area show the lack of knowledge and experiences in conflict resolution, when the authorities, the organisations and individuals have to solve the controversial problems as well as conflicts of interests and values. The first part of the article represents the scope of ideas and practices of conflict resolution and conciliation in international relations. The actions of the Security Council of the UNO and some agreements of the European Conference for Security and Co-operation have been surveyed as having sense of peace-keeping, peace-making and peace-building. In the process of European integration some political and legal mechanisms were approved with the mean to conciliate controversities between the members and candidates of the EU. Using them the European Community functions as a whole, and the process of joining new members is sequent and progressive. The philosophy and experience of conflict resolution and conciliation is applicable in many cases of the states internal affairs. In the next part of the article the author examines applications and development of conciliation procedures in social life of Lithuania. One of such examples is three parts roundtable between representatives of governmental bodies, employers and trade unions on issues of social politics, unemployment, payment etc. developing the rules and incentives for strengthening the culture of conflict resolution in social life serves the new democracy. The next direction in which conciliation and conflict resolution has been used is third party participation in community and family conflicts. Several projects on mediation have been accomplished in Lithuania. They were aimed to train mediators and to educate individuals in what circumstances they may be served by mediators. The author examines in which way peace-making procedures can be used in public administration. The Lithuanian laws regulate some principles of administrating to avoid or prevent disputes between the governmental bodies and the citizen and interest groups as well as (for example one-window rule in servicing the applicator). Lithuania as other post-communist countries has to develop the culture of conflict resolution and conciliation to ensure social and communal stability. ; Transformaciniuose procesuose, kuriuos mes išgyvename, išryškėjo žmonių ir organizacijų, verslo įmonių, valdžios institucijų bendravimo ir bendradarbiavimo, gebėjimo spręsti sudėtingus ir prieštaringus klausimus problemiškumas, vertybių ir interesų konfliktų prevencijos ir valdymo aktualumas. Straipsnyje pristatoma konfliktų sprendimo ir taikinamosios veiklos idėjų ir praktinio patyrimo raida pasaulyje. Apžvelgiamos tos mūsų gyvenimo sritys, kur pradeda rastis kryptinga taikinamoji veikla, svarstomos tolesnės plėtotės galimybės, ypač kreipiant dėmesį į žmogaus santykius su kitais ir į viešąjį administravimą.
