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Abstracts - Year XI, no.1 / 2009
ANALYSIS OF PRIMATIAL VOTE FOR POLITICAL PARTIES AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS HELD IN ROMANIA IN 2007
Corneliu IAŢU, Raluca HOREA-SERBAN
Abstract: The elections for the European Parliament held on the 25th of November, 2007 represented an absolute novelty for Romania . Although there were 13 political parties and an independent candidate (László Tıkés) who took part in the elections (a significantly great number of participants for the political stage of such a country as Romania), the analysis of the primatial vote (the ratio between the percentages of the votes obtained by the first and second political groups) points out certain spatial configurations and hierarchies by areas (urban and rural) that are different from those characteristic to other previous elections. The accession to the European Parliament of only 5 parties (by exceeding the 5% threshold (DP, SDP, NLP, LDP and DUHR) and of independent László Tıkés proves that it is difficult for just one party to create a political majority at the parliamentary elections which are to come; on the other hand, the Romanian political stage seems to experience a process of sedimentation by the decrease of the number of political parties and structures which will rise up to the minimal electoral threshold at the future elections. ( pdf.)
THE EUROPEAN UNION EXTERNAL BORDER. AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL APPROACH
Mircea BRIE, Ioan HORGA
Abstract: The approach of the European Union external border has been made on the one hand through an analysis of the concepts of external border from the point of view of official documents and the concepts introduced by authors and specialists in the field; on the other hand, it has been made through an attempt to seize certain types of symbolic and ideological borders. As far as the first category is concerned, resorting to documents and legal regulations of European institutions has been highly important. We have also paid attention to conceptual approaches on the border, as well as on the relations “open – close”, “inclusive – exclusive”, or “soft – hard” border. Beyond physical border irrespective of the conceptual approach from whose perspective it is analysed either within or at the European Union border, we can identify other types of “borders”. We consider these borders symbolic and ideological as they are not palpable more often than not. From Europeanism to nationalism, from ethno-religious identities to social chasm, this wide range of approaches on symbolic and ideological borders may continue in the context of new fight against terrorism or of the implementation of an efficient European neighbourhood policy. ( pdf.)
GEOGRAPHIA SACRA
Ciprian-Beniamin BENEA, Daniel TANC
Abstract: A major characteristic of a nation is its territory. As far as Israel is concerned, the geographical/geopolitical dimension plays a decisive role. The Jewish history and religion are shaped by geography. The Land of Israel has its roots in God’s Covenant with Abraham as a Promised Land. After Israel got out of Egypt, it received the Law that named the borders and the practices that God required of Israel. Israel had to fight with their arms in order to conquer the country and to fight with their souls (obeying God) to maintain it. That is why Asirian and Babylonian exiles were regarded by jewish prophets and also by people as God’s punishment. The Promised Land was also named the Holy Land. Torah says that God is holy and requires holiness from his people. This deep connection generates blessing and identity. Along with Torah (as spiritual or vertical dimension), the Land (as geographical or horizontal dimension) is a gift of Yahweh that shapes not only the identity of jewish people, but also their destiny. ( pdf.)
IS THE WORLD UNDERGOING A PERMANENT CRISIS?
Viorel MIONEL, Oana MIONEL
Abstract: The present article is a shy attempt to analyze crises that have affected the world recently. Obviously, there are many crises on the Globe. In the same time, the typology of the crises is quite varied: international crises, regional crises, continental crises, national crises, economic crises, financial crises, environment crises, social crises, political crises, geopolitical crises and so on. The world crisis that is presently affecting the globe makes one witness the establishment of a new economic order. In this new order, the great powers such as the USA, will maintain their considerable influence, and the new economies such as China will become more and more important. Therefore, we will present some of this crisis, from which we will submit the analysis only three because of their geopolitical impact was more than obvious: gas crisis, the crisis in Gaza Strip and the crisis in Georgia. ( pdf.)
COMMON, PARALLEL AND CONVERGENT EVOLUTIONS FOR SPATIAL PLANNING IN ROMANIA AND MOLDAVIA
Violeta PUSCASU
Abstract: Nowadays, spatial planning attracts scientist form various fields, urban planners, geographers and economists being directly involved. For all of them, to know major facts of history planning offer an advantage both for specific approach and also for possible comparative perspective. This article seeks to explore the possible comparability of two national planning systems. Among multiple key factors for a reasonable planning analysis , the normative and institutional components are most frequently used. The paper tries to offer an explanatory framework for scientists interested in decoding the spatial planning through formal context. ( pdf.)
ASPECTS OF THE PHENOMENON OF DEMOGRAPHIC POPULATION AGING IN ROMANIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION PERSPECTIVES
Marcu STASAC
Abstract: The world population, especially the European one, faces a serious process of demographic aging, whereas the number of the over-60-year old persons shall increase very fast in the following years, if it is to be compared with the young, respectively the adult population. Romania does not make an exception when it comes to this trend, especially now when the negative demographic balance sheet shall cause a step-by-step decrease in the number of the inhabitants, while the life expectancy average shall continue to be situated below the European average. The Republic of Moldova finds itself among the other European countries where the weight of the elder population is in a continuous growth, and the appraisals indicate even its doubling the following two decades, namely in the period of time when the generations born after 1990 shall get to the reproduction period. ( pdf.)
GEOPOLITICAL RECONFIGURATIONS IN THE BLACK SEA AREA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Liviu Bogdan VLAD, Gheorghe HURDUZEU, Andrei JOSAN
Abstract: Situated in the proximity of Heartland, whose control is the object of a very complex political, diplomatic and economic-military game, the Black Sea has become, especially after September 11 2001, but foremost once with the decision of NATO expansion in 2002, a space complicated crossroads between the geopolitical and geo-economic boundaries. The new geopolitical configuration of the Black Sea has been announcing itself ever since the ‘90s, when the first projects of pipelines transporting energy resources of the East to the West have been outlined. Geographically situated at the crossroads of the European, Eurasian and Middle East security spaces, the Black Sea has not been considered as belonging to any of these, this causing it to be ignored and marginalised, without stirring any particular interest. The conflict in the former Yugoslavia has directed, to a large extent, attention towards this space, and frozen conflicts (Transnistria, Abhazia, South Osetia, Karabah) and the residual situation immersed after the fall of the Soviet Union have lit red lights on the geostrategic maps of the European chancellors. The West stills mirrors it as a “near foreign” area of the Moscow, in which this harbours special interests, and as such, the Black Sea was not considered in major assessments. Today, the region of the Black Sea gradually starts to occupy the epicentre of the western efforts to protect their interests in the Caucasus and Middle East. As NATO expands its attributions and gets ready for a long term involvement in Afghanistan, considering and undertaking additional responsibilities in the Middle East region, and especially in Irak, the Black Sea region begins to be looked from another perspective. ( pdf.)
COMING TO TERMS? THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND ITS "NEAR ABROAD" DILEMMA
Emanuel COPILAŞ
Abstract: The unexpected and rather peaceful disappearance of the Soviet Union had irreversible modified the structure of the international relations stage, announcing, in the same time, the beginning of a new era. As for its predecessor, one of the most important variables of Russia’s security equation is its new geography, namely its post-communist borders and, nevertheless, the type of relation it develops with the former Soviet republics. The present paper analyses Moscow’s controversial role within the post-Soviet geopolitical assembly, emphasizing upon the tensions, but also the mutual interdependence that exists between Russia and its "near abroad". ( pdf.)
International Geographical Union Commission on Political Geography www.cas.sc.edu/geog/cpg NEWSLETTER 10 (Fall/Winter 2008)
Edited by Anton Gosar