Presidential politics of constitutional amendment in Francophone Africa: The case of Senegal

The paper is devoted to the role of the head of state in initiating and implementing constitutional reforms in Senegal. This country can legitimately be regarded as one of the few examples of a relatively successful democratization process in Africa, as evidenced, among other things, by the lack of military coups leading to the loss of power by civilian governments, as well as by two democratic transfers of power (in 2000–2001 and 2012), after which the main opposition parties gained the presidency and the majority of parliamentary seats. Both these fundamental political transformations generated important constitutional changes (for example, the adoption of the current Constitution of 2001, or the constitutional modifications of 2016 and 2019) that have influenced, to a greater or lesser extent, the position of the presidency in Senegalese systems of government. The author analyses their significance for the functioning of contemporary political institutions in the broader context set by the politics of constitutional amendment which was conducted by previous presidents of this country. The main goal of the paper is to examine to what extent the constitutional modifications introduced before and after the adoption of the 2001 Constitution were designed to contribute to the beginning or consolidation of pro-democratic trends, and to what extent they were created to strengthen the position of an incumbent president himself, leading to a political imbalance and regress in the democratization process. The author argues that the constitutional modifications adopted over the years have often gone in two opposite directions, influencing the efficiency and durability of Senegalese institutional structures.

“Let Them Make It Rain and Bling”: Unveiling Community Expectations towards Returned Migrants in Cameroon

In Africa, international migration to the Global North is often interpreted as a means to achieve upward social mobility. This article highlights the importance of considering the socio-economic and political transformations that form migration aspirations, especially among African youths. Simultaneously, increasing restrictive migration regimes impacts the extent to which migrants can meet the clauses in the moral economy of migration in their origin communities. We focus on (Anglophone) Cameroon, where international migration is referred to as “bushfalling”. A person who migrates to a Western society desires or is expected to return home to share the wealth he/she has accumulated. This interpretation of migration forms different perspectives regarding migrants and guides expectations towards returned migrants. However, little is known on how these expectations are defined and redefined in the society of return. Based on focus group discussions conducted among local community members, we show that the expectations were guided by the visa regimes of destination countries. Moreover, successful returnees were defined by their ability to be visible and create an impact after return. Thus, this article contributes more broadly to an African perspective on the meaning and impact of return migration.

Political Representation of Gender in Nepal

This paper is based on qualitative methods and discusses women's struggle for equal political participation, currently successful in the political representation of gender in Nepal. The aim of this paper is to examine the establishing equal representation in all sectors of elected government and to find out the inclusive participation of male and female in Nepalese, politics and parliament in together. It is based on completely secondary sources of data through the published in different governmental (election commission, 2074) and non-governmental organization. Nepal has been undergoing tremendous socio-political transformations over the past three decades, unitary to federal and monarchical government to the current republican political system; Nepali women have established themselves as key actors of socio-political changes. Nepali women began their struggle during the Rana Regime and advanced since the 1950s, by engaging both in popular peaceful political movements to armed insurgency and parliamentary competition with their male political counterparts. As a result, latest constitution of Nepal ensured 33% of seats are guaranteed to the parliaments and all other government positions as well as provision of male-female alternates eat provisions. As a result, from the national and local elections of 2017-18, women have come to occupy 41.8 percent political positions across the country. One of the key factors to ensure higher and meaningful participation of women in politics was these favorable electoral provisions. Women have demonstrated success in achieving higher participation in political positions. However, what has been achieved so far is not enough and continued rigorous action among all actors is essential.

Liquidated Sulphur Mine “Piaseczno” – Vol. 2. Application of Integrated Measurement Technologies in the Inventory of the “Piaseczno” Water Body – State of 2020

Among many inland water bodies, a large group includes water bodies formed as an effect of mining activities. Open-cast mining of common minerals, i.e., sand, gravel, loam, basic minerals such as lignite, sulphur and fossil resins of coniferous trees (amber) leaves many excavations, which spontaneously get filled with precipitation waters, black waters (the ones near the surface) and ground waters (deeper underground), often making new and wonderful elements of local landscape. Till the time of political transformations in Poland, due to low awareness of proper reclamation of post-mining areas, few post-mining excavations that spontaneously filled with water were subdued to comprehensive inventory, surveying and geological documentation, which is a necessary condition for their safe use. Examples of such objects are Bagry and Staw Płaszowski in Kraków (mining of loam (clay), sand and gravel), which have undergone full surveying inventory, including bathymetric surveying, only several decades after the end of mining (Gawałkiewicz R., Maciaszek J., 1999; Gawałkiewicz R., 2017; Gawałkiewicz R., 2018a and Gawałkiewicz R., 2018b), despite being the property of the city of Cracow for many years and functioning as sports and recreational, natural (ecological) and economical (fishing facilities) spots. A worth mentioning body of water is the reservoir “Piaseczno” (the commune of Łoniów, the Sandomierz District), now classified as a part of a group of reservoirs with medium retention and has been created after the opencast exploitation of sulphur ended. Despite many years of reclamation measures (shallowing by washing glass sands to the reservoir) and due to the great risk of danger (local landslides, unstable ground in the costal zones, artificially maintained level of the water table) the Łoniów commune did not approve this reservoir to use; and nowadays, the reservoir is not suitable for any form of use. The only function that can be fulfilled is ecological function. In the article the results of the complex geodetic (littoral zone) and hydrographic (body of water) inventory are presented. It was possible owing to the use of the remote-controlled HyDrone produced by Seeflor Systems and equipped with a SonarMite BTX/SPX OHMEX ultrasonic sonar by Lymtech and a GNSS set by Trimble (R8s antenna + TSC3 controller) and biological inventory in the littoral zone. Detailed morphometric parameters of the reservoir were also noted based on the integrated geodetic and bathymetric measurements, which in the future may provide valuable data used in the process of adapting the analyzed area for various socio-economical purposes, while maintaining a high degree of safety of its use. ZLIKWIDOWANA KOPALNIA SIARKI „PIASECZNO” – cz. 2. ZASTOSOWANIE ZINTEGROWANYCH TECHNOLOGII POMIAROWYCH W INWENTARYZACJI AKWENU „PIASECZNO” – STAN 2020 r. Spośród licznej grupy śródlądowych zbiorników wodnych dużą grupę stanowią obecnie akweny będące wynikiem działalności górniczej. Eksploatacja odkrywkowa kopalin pospolitych, tj.: piasków, żwirów, gliny, kopalin podstawowych, takich jak węgiel brunatny, surowców chemicznych, jak siarka, oraz kopalnych żywic drzew iglastych (bursztynu) pozostawia po sobie liczną wyrobiska, które z czasem wypełniają się samoistnie wodami opadowymi, zaskórnymi (przypowierzchniowymi) oraz gruntowymi (podziemnymi), tworząc często nowe i niezwykłe elementy lokalnego krajobrazu. Do czasu przemian ustrojowych w Polsce znikoma świadomość właściwej rekultywacji terenów pogórniczych decydowała o tym, iż niewiele wyrobisk poeksploatacyjnych samoistnie wypełnionych wodą doczekało się kompleksowej inwentaryzacji i udokumentowania mierniczo- geologicznego, co jest niezbędnym warunkiem bezpiecznego niegórniczego ich użytkowania. Przykładem takich obiektów wodnych są krakowskie Bagry i Staw Płaszowski (eksploatacja: gliny, piasku, żwiru), które doczekały się pełnej inwentaryzacji geodezyjnej, w tym batymetrycznej, dopiero kilkadziesiąt lat po zakończeniu eksploatacji surowców (Gawałkiewicz R., Maciaszek J., 1999; Gawałkiewicz R., 2017; Gawałkiewicz R., 2018a oraz Gawałkiewicz R., 2018b), mimo iż od wielu lat stanowią własność miasta Krakowa, pełniąc funkcje rekreacyjno-sportowe, przyrodnicze (użytki ekologiczne) oraz gospodarcze (obiekty wędkarskie). Wartym uwagi akwenem wodnym kwalifikowanym obecnie do grupy zbiorników średniej retencji, powstałym po eksploatacji odkrywkowej złóż siarki, jest zbiornik Piaseczno (gm. Łoniów, pow. sandomierski). Pomimo wielu lat rekultywacji (zabezpieczeń zboczy i ich wielokrotnego przemodelowywania, wypłycania poprzez namywanie piasków szklarskich do zbiornika), z uwagi na szereg niebezpieczeństw (lokalnych osuwisk, niestabilnego podłoża w strefach nadbrzeżnych, sztucznie utrzymywanego poziomu zwierciadła wody) nie został przekazany w użytkowanie gminie Łoniów i dziś poza funkcją użytku ekologicznego nie nadaje się do jakiejkolwiek innej formy zagospodarowania. W artykule przedstawiono wyniki kompleksowej inwentaryzacji geodezyjnej (strefa przybrzeżna) i hydrograficznej (akwen) przy wykorzystaniu zdalnie sterowanego hydrodrona HyDrone firmy Seefloor Systems wyposażonego w sondę ultradźwiękową SonarMite BTX/SPX OHMEX firmy Lymtech oraz zestaw GNSS firmy Trimble (antena R8s + kontroler TSC3) oraz inwentaryzacji przyrodniczej w strefie litoralu. Określono także szczegółowe parametry morfometryczne zbiornika na podstawie zintegrowanych pomiarów geodezyjnych oraz batymetrycznych, co w przyszłości może stanowić wartościowy materiał w procesie adaptacji analizowanego terenu do różnych społeczno- gospodarczych celów przy zachowaniu warunku wysokiego stopnia bezpieczeństwa jego użytkowania.

Archaeology of Central Asia during the 1st millennium BC, from the Beginning of the Iron age to the Hellenistic period

The present volume edited by Johanna Lhuillier gathers contributions presented during the workshop “Archaeology of Central Asia during the 1st millennium BC” at the 10th ICAANE in Vienna in 2016. Designed to treat both the Iron Age and the Hellenistic period, it aims to embrace the diversity of current archaeological work led on the 1st millennium BC in Central Asia. The contributions are based on previously unpublished data and ongoing fieldwork, treating key aspects of the covered period, like chronology, the development of settlements and architecture, and the distribution and evolution of material culture. The volume casts new light on this challenging period by characterizing its cultural, socio-economical, and political transformations and focusing on broader interactions with neighbouring cultures.

Vladikavkaz Loris-Melikov Vocational School

Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov is a person who has gone down in the history of Vladikavkaz by many good deeds that have left a rich cultural and historical mark forever. He took the most active part, including financially, in the organization and functioning of a number of charitable and social and cultural institutions, donating significant sums from his own capital and income. The craft school of pre-revolutionary Vladikavkaz survived all epochs of political transformations and military events. Thanks to the vocational school, production on the territory of Ossetia developed successfully since there were high-quality trained cadres in a new direction, but functions to this day, preserving the memory of Mikhail Tarielovich as its founder. The financial investment and the capital left by Loris-Melikov in his will served as the basis for the functioning of the school during the first few decades since its opening. The difficult periods in which the educational authorities were forced to change the rules of admission in connection with those and other reasons causing financial difficulties are also briefly touched upon. The article provides information on income in the form of interest deducted by the bank and the expenses of these amounts for the needs of the school, including scholarships for students. The content of the publication will make it possible to trace the expansion of directions in the training of specialists due to the opening in different years of new departments, with a narrow specificity. The publication will allow you to have an idea of the urban life of this period, since it partly reflects the life of the inhabitants who turned to the workshops of the vocational school for household services, which the school was quite capable of providing conclusion, we are talking about the post-revolutionary activities of the school based already on the Soviet education system.

Symbolic and Ritual Practices in the Post-Soviet Urban World: Symbolic Space and Festivity in the Cities of Eastern and Southern Ukraine, 1990s–2010s

Symbolic and Ritual Practices in the Post-Soviet Urban World: Symbolic Space and Festivity in the Cities of Eastern and Southern Ukraine, 1990s–2010sThe article examines symbolic and ritual practices in five cities of southern and eastern Ukraine – Dnipro, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Kharkiv – during the 1990s to 2010s. The author considers the ways in which urban symbolic and ritual practices (primarily expressed in such symbolic forms as municipal ceremonies and festivals) are connected with the cultural and symbolic space of cities. First and foremost, these practices represent a kind of “symbolic mediators” of urban cultural memory and participate in the preservation, broadcasting, and actualization of the cultural semantics of the city. During the 1990s to 2010s, urban symbolic and ritual practices in Ukraine were characterized by efforts to leave behind the most objectionable manifestations of the Soviet culture of festivity and create a fundamentally new festive canon. To an extent, these developments were part of the so-called “decolonization of historical memory,” initiated by the central government and urban communities. Undoubtedly, they were facilitated by the ongoing socio-political transformations, particularly those connected with the Orange Revolution (2004) and Euromaidan Revolution (2013–2014), the Russian aggression against Ukraine, etc. At the same time, the transformation of the Soviet complex of symbolic and ritual practices progressed only slowly; the change of political regime did not lead to a large-scale “ceremonial revolution.” Modern Ukrainian festive culture involves a combination, often quite eclectic, of at least several elements: a “new” style of festivity, generally based on borrowed “Western” cultural patterns; “traditional” forms, stressing national aspects and attempting to revive pre-Soviet cultural models; and “Soviet” forms, which preserve the Soviet festive canon, often adapted and rethought within the framework of the new urban tradition. Overall, the process of constructing a new model of urban festivity in Ukraine is far from complete; this emerging cultural complex remains fluid and capable of “turning” towards the festive traditions of different historical periods. Символічні та ритуальні практики в пострадянському міському середовищі: символічний простір і святкування в містах Східної та Південної України протягом 1990–2010-х рр.Стаття присвячена дослідженню символічних і ритуальних практик п’яти міст Південної та Східної України – Дніпра, Донецька, Запоріжжя, Одеси та Харкова – протягом 1990–2010-х рр. Відзначається, що міські символічні та ритуальні практики (передовсім, виражені у таких символічних формах, як міські урочисті церемонії та свята) особливим чином пов’язані з культурно-символічним простором міста. Насамперед, вони являють собою своєрідні «символічні медіатори» культурної пам’яті міста та беруть участь у зберіганні, трансляції та актуалізації культурних смислів міста. Протягом 1990–2010-х рр. для міських символічних і ритуальних практик в Україні були характерними спроби позбутися найбільш одіозних проявів радянської святкової культури та створити принципово новий святковий канон. Частково ці процеси відбувалися в межах так званої «деколонізації історичної пам’яті», ініціаторами якої була центральна влада та міські спільноти. Безперечно, сприяли цьому суспільно-політичні трансформації, зокрема, пов’язані з Помаранчевою революцією (2004 р.) та Єврореволюцією (2013–2014 рр.), російською збройною агресією проти України тощо. Водночас, процеси трансформації радянських символічних і ритуальних практик були помірними: зміна політичного режиму не призвела до масштабної «церемоніальної революції». Сучасна українська святкова культура передбачає поєднання, часто доволі еклектичне, щонайменше кількох складових: «нової» святкової традиції, що загалом базується на запозичених «західних» культурних зразках; «традиційної», що містить національні акценти та являє собою спробу відродження дорадянських культурних зразків; «радянської», що зберігає радянський святковий канон, часто він адаптований та переосмислений у нових міських традиціях. Загалом, маємо підстави казати про незавершеність процесу конструювання нової міської святкової культури в Україні, що характеризується невизначеністю та можливостями «повороту» до святкових традицій різних історичних епох.Praktyki symboliczne i rytualne w postsowieckim środowisku miejskim: przestrzeń symboliczna i obchody świąt w miastach wschodniej i południowej Ukrainy w latach 90. i na początku XXI w.Artykuł jest poświęcony badaniu praktyk symbolicznych i rytualnych w pięciu miastach południowej i wschodniej Ukrainy: Dnieprze, Doniecku, Zaporożu, Odessie i Charkowie, w latach 1990-2010. Symboliczne oraz rytualne praktyki miejskie (wyrażone przede wszystkim przy użyciu takich form symbolicznych jak miejskie święta, uroczystości) są szczególnie związane z kulturową i symboliczną przestrzenią miasta. Są one przede wszystkim swego rodzaju „symbolicznymi mediatorami” kulturowej pamięci miasta i uczestniczą w utrwalaniu, transmitowaniu i aktualizowaniu jego kulturowych znaczeń. W latach 90. i dwóch pierwszych dekadach XXI w. miejskie praktyki symboliczne i rytualne w Ukrainiecharakteryzowały się próbami pozbycia się najbardziej odrażających przejawów sowieckiej kultury świętowania oraz stworzenia zupełnie nowego kanonu świąt. Po części procesy te odbywały się w ramach tzw. dekolonizacji pamięci historycznej, inicjowanej przez władze centralne i społeczności miejskie. Niewątpliwie ułatwiły to przemiany społeczno-polityczne, w szczególności związane z pomarańczową rewolucją (2004) oraz Euromajdanem (2013-2014), rosyjską agresją zbrojną na Ukrainę itp. Jednocześnie procesy transformacji sowieckich praktyk symbolicznych i rytualnych były umiarkowane: zmiana ustroju politycznego nie doprowadziła do „rewolucji ceremonialnej” na dużą skalę. Współczesna ukraińska kultura świąteczna łączy, często dość eklektycznie, przynajmniej kilka elementów: „nową” tradycję świąteczną, która na ogół opiera się na zapożyczonych „zachodnich” wzorcach kulturowych; element „tradycyjny”, zawierający akcenty narodowe i będący próbą ożywienia przedsowieckich wzorców kulturowych; „sowiecki”, który zachowuje sowiecki kanon świąteczny, jest często adaptowany do nowych tradycji miejskich. Ogólnie rzecz biorąc, można zauważyć, że proces budowy nowej miejskiej kultury świętowania w Ukrainie nie jest ukończony i charakteryzuje się niepewnością i możliwością „zwrócenia się” do tradycji świątecznych różnych epok historycznych.

UNDERSTANDING THE RISK IN THE YOUTH ENVIRONMENT

The formation of modern youth is taking place in the period of socio-political transformations, which directly impact the life orientations of young people, their behaviour, social-economic situation. The factors mtioned above contribute to the spread of risks associated with threats to health and life, uncertainty of life start and self-realization, value and regulatory uncertainty. The purpose of the article: is to study approaches to identifying risk factors that impact the youth environment. Research methods applied: analysis and synthesis of scientific literature (to clarify the key concepts of the study), systematization (in order to identify existing scientific approaches to solving the problem), theoretical generalization (to formulate the final provisions and conclusions). If earlier scientific researches were mainly concentrated within the limits of natural-scientific and economic courses, now the allocation of a separate interdisciplinary direction − riskology is actual. The majority of young people experience the problem of life-start, which has a negative impact on the working career of young people, their family life and lifestyle and makes young people financially dependent on their parents. Globalization has had a significant impact on the development of the risk society. In the context of globalization, traditional social ties are being destroyed; young people avoid traditional restrictions, but at the same time lose a sense of reliability, stability, confidence in the future and feel anxious and afraid of the need to choose. Therefore, public policy should take into account all the factors that have a negative impact on the youth environment and help minimize the risks and form «socially healthy» youth.

A History of Polish Theatre

Poland is celebrated internationally for its rich and varied performance traditions and theatre histories. This groundbreaking volume is the first in English to engage with these topics across an ambitious scope, incorporating Staropolska, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Enlightenment and Romanticism within its broad ambit. The book also discusses theatre cultures under socialism, the emergence of canonical practitioners and training methods, the development of dramaturgical forms and stage aesthetics and the political transformations attending the ends of the First and Second World Wars. Subjects of far-reaching transnational attention such as Jerzy Grotowski and Tadeusz Kantor are contextualised alongside theatre makers and practices that have gone largely unrecognized by international readers, while the participation of ethnic minorities in the production of national culture is given fresh attention. The essays in this collection theorise broad historical trends, movements, and case studies that extend the discursive limits of Polish national and cultural identity.