Social aspects of the intra-EU mobility

The paper presents a topical picture of the intra-EU mobility on the basis of officially published quantitative data. Several social aspects of this type of internal migration are discussed and analyzed, such as: risks for the health, education and socialization of the migrant children; risks for the stability of the migrant families; demographic and social consequences for the EU countries which are reported as the biggest sources of intra-EU mobility. The official statistical data are compared with the results of the authors’ study on socialization deficits for the children from so called “transnational families”, where one or both parent are labor migrants and have left their children to the care of relatives in the country of origin. The comparative results serve as a basis of conclusions about the negative social impact of the intra-EU mobility on the migrant families and especially on their children.

The relation of “positive psychotherapy” and art in the process of therapy

Psychotherapy is considered to be the most difficult and at the same time the most attractive manifestation of psychological competence, the pinnacle of psychological realization, the master profession. For the therapist, who aims to support the client’s autonomy, art is key in the work process. This article discusses some of the art forms that used in the psychotherapeutic setting turn psychotherapy itself into art. The aesthetic experiences that the psychotherapist and the client go through on the way to achieving the desired goal are considered.

Evolution of “memory studies”: Between psychology and sociology

The article examines the problem of the “memory studies” development and the role that psychology and sociology play in the development of this interdisciplinary field of humanities. The authors divide the history of memory studies into two periods. The analysis of the first stage of the conceptual formation of memory research, starting from the end of the XIX century and till the first part of the century, first of all, on the basis of psychological, sociological is revealed. The authors demonstrate the trajectory of the evolution of the scientific understanding of “memory” from a purely psychological interpretation of the phenomenon to a socio-psychological concept (group memory), to a broad sociological theory (socio-cultural and historical memory). It is shown how at the second stage of the memory studies development, starting from the second half of the XX century till the present time, sociological research unfolds in the paradigm of memory studies and at the same time there is a new growth of interest in the psychological point of these studies. This is reflected in the development of psychoanalytic concepts, biographical research methods, and the increased role of oral history. It is concluded that the dialectical interaction of sociology and psychology in the interdisciplinary field of memory studies forms the basis of the heuristic potential of this modern humanities research.

A case analysis of political discourse ambivalence: Between the truth and falsity

Many false statements in connection with COVID-19 have fueled a number of rumors and conspiracy theories in the world. Politicians tend to use complicated technical systems and information technologies in order to influence people’s consciousness, feelings and social behavior. Under the guise of taking care of people’s wellbeing they pursue their own objectives. The political leaders have challenged the world with their claims and political statements which hypocritically announced their striving to serve for the sake of the nations, but in fact demonstrating their strong will to benefit from the situation. However, their actions are not treated by people as aggression and don’t lead to open confrontation and aggravation of military and political relations. They paradoxically manage to balance between the truth and falsity, demonstrating ambivalence of what they state in their speeches and appeals to the nations. The basic methods of political discourse ambivalence analysis, used in the article, are: (a) fact-checking method, (b) scientific analysis of the evidence, (c) peer-reviewed studies and the others. There has been also used a method of logical comparison of three options of political discourse: Political Statement → Fact → Consequence. The analysis of mass media articles, devoted to Covid-19, has helped the author to systematize the elements of political discourse processing (the politicians’ statements for the good of the people) and political cognition (the actual meaning of those actions, which can potentially lead to confrontation between nations). The author is trying to find out the actual reasons of the growing gap between the governments and ordinary people, between nations in the world.

Multidisciplinary Indigenous research: Preliminary findings of a scoping review of Canadian scholarship (1997 to 2020)

Research in Indigenous contexts has historically been associated with colonialism. To counter this, recent Indigenous research re-centers knowledge production on Indigenous worldviews and voices. As a settler ally, I have conducted a scoping review of Canadian Indigenous research using a mixed method approach (Western and Indigenous), adopting Arksey and O’Malley (2005) scoping methodology (for initial five steps) and Kovach’s (2010) Indigenous conversational method for consultations. The aim of this scoping review is to map out the praxis of Indigenous research by examining current epistemological trends, the diversity of Indigenous methods used and the role of researcher positionality in Indigenous research. Preliminary findings (before consultations) based on 46 papers across disciplines, point out to an increase in the number of Indigenous research projects conducted in Canada in the last five years. There is also evidence of substantial efforts by scholars to engage in respectful and reciprocal research partnerships with Indigenous partners.

Social-behavioral development

The early child period is considered to be the crucial in the human life-span development. Healthy and normal early development of a child, including his/her physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development, strongly influences the subsequent personal and social functioning, well-being and life success. Behavioral development, and in particular social/behavioral development, is a crucial tool for survival and adaptation. In this article, three mechanisms that work in an interrelated and cooperative way in determining behavioral development will be discussed in more detail. Given the purpose and design of this paper, we will focus on some of the latest studies of the environmental factors considered to have the power to influence ontogenetic behavioral development and in particular, social/behavioral development.

United Europe – Yes, or no?

In recent years, the European Union has been facing a number of challenges that it is finding it increasingly difficult to overcome. Most EU member states are facing a crisis of confidence in Europe and its institutions, and at the same time nationalist political parties and ideas are developing more and more, leading to a weakening of European solidarity. Eastern European countries weakened awareness of the collective interest. The common values that existed until then have become “diluted”, because different understandings of the nature of the state have emerged, as well as different views on international politics. At the same time, support for European integration among citizens has been declining, and fewer and fewer have seen membership as good and can bring significant benefits. Today, the idea of a united EU is in crisis and that is precisely the cause of the crisis the Union is facing.

Municipal companies and city associations – Political economics in the local government in Israel

This study aims to present the municipal companies and city associations – political economics in the local government in Israel. The perception of the local governments has already changed, and they do not see their mission only as of the supply of municipal services according to law. The competitive environment in which they operate brings about an orientation of the improvement of the quality of life in the community, the extension and variety of the sources of employment, the development of infrastructures, and the improvement of the image. The main points in the article are: The Urban Development; Reciprocal Relations with the Private Sector; Project Finance; Taxation; Management Techniques; Diversification of Areas of Action of the Local Governments; and Association of Cities.

Implementation of circular economy business models by SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Discussion regarding circular economy has gained traction in recent years due to increase in environmental awareness, as well as companies’ quest for ways to reduce their costs. In order to gain understanding of circular economy, it is necessary to understand enablers and barriers for the implementation. Therefore, this research focuses on identifying enablers and barriers for implementation of circular economy in SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as points out to relevant findings regarding the importance and frequency of those factors. These findings are relevant because they will provide reference for SMEs who would like to introduce the concept of circular economy, as well as for legislators in charge of managing such initiatives. By identifying enablers and obstacles, these findings will also help stakeholders devise best strategies and policies for successful implementation, as well as foresee and plan for potential obstacles. The research included 33 SMEs located in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was conducted through e-mail delivered surveys. Research findings suggest that the CE practices are not very widely implemented among the SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the survey results, “Energy saving programs” was the most implemented CE practice, while “Captation/reuse of wastewater and/or rainwater” was the least implemented one. In addition, “Uncertainty about response times from public” was perceived as the highest barrier, while “Dialogue between institutions, bodies and associations of the territory for the implementation of projects on the circular economy” was perceived as the strongest enabler.

Socio-economic and spiritual-religious specifics of the Syrian Kurds

This study aims to present the socio-economic and spiritual-religious specifics of the Syrian Kurds. The dominant agrarian livelihood of the “foreign Kurds” stimulates the preservation of the tribal-clan profile of their social structure. This directly reflects on the stability and strong resistance of the specific conservative political culture in which the political center is differentiated, due to non-social parameters. If religion (in a nuanced degree, ethnicity) plays a major role in the formation of the nation-building and state-building process among neighbors, Arabs and Turks, then in the Kurds, especially the Syrians, a similar function is played by the family cell. The main points in the article are: The Syrian Kurds; Armenians and Christians – Assyrians; The specific religious institutions of the Kurds. In conclusion: The main conclusion that can be drawn is that the Kurds in Syria are failing to create a large urban agglomeration, which pushes them to be constantly associated with the agricultural way of life. Even the small towns that were formed did not get a real urban appearance, as their inhabitants had numerous relatives who remained to live in the countryside.