scholarly journals Nuclear and radiation threats as resources for modeling the security community on the example of the Abkhaz political crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-92
Author(s):  
Alexander Rusetsky ◽  
Olga Dorokhina

This article is part of a research conducted as part of the Support Program for Doctoral Studies of Shota Rustaveli Georgian National Science Foundation.Name of the research – “Interdisciplinary analysis of the complex system of the Abkhazian conflict by the method 4D-RAV-17 (grant number – PHDF–18–1147).As part of the study, the task was to assess those political technologies that were not used in the process of resolving the Abkhazian conflict. The study identified that such a peacemaking resource as the recognition by the conflicting parties of “common threats” and the consolidation of common efforts to prevent or eliminate them, was not used to an adequate extent. Based on this, the Concept of Awareness of the Common Threat System (CACTS) were formulated and presented as a methodological basis for reinforcing the Security Community Theory created by Karl Deutsch.CACTS was described in the article “Abkhazian crisis: from the Concept of Awareness of Common Threats to the Building of an “Abkhazian Security Community”” published in the Scientific and Theoretical Almanac "Grani", Volume 23 №3, 2020.As a basis for creating an initial level of trust between the parties to the conflict, we take their policy of recognizing the system of common threats and identifying ourselves (and each other) with possible victims of these threats. The level of trust can grow as both parties gain satisfaction from the process of cooperation.In this article, which is the second of a series of articles devoted to the recognition of common threats and the construction of a security community by the parties to the conflict, we present one of the practical possibilities for strengthening the modeling process of a new multidimensional peacemaking format.In particular, this is the development of cooperation between the participants in the Abkhazian political crisis to reduce nuclear and radioactive threats. The research drew attention not only to physical, but also to psychological dangers posed by nuclear and radiation threats. Based on the analysis, a number of specific initiatives were identified for the possible development of cooperation between participants in the multidimensional Abkhazian political crisis.Particular attention in the article is paid to the role of scientific diplomacy in the positive transformation of the crisis and the integration into the peacemaking process representatives of natural sciences, in particular physicists, power engineers and ecologists.As one of the resources of the peace process, the prospects of cooperation between civil society institutions expressing the interests of victims of nuclear and radiation disasters from different sides of the conflict community are considered.The article focuses on the creation of common approaches on energy policy for the countries of the Caucasus region, especially, regarding nuclear energy. Despite the fact that the initiative is aimed at resolving the Abkhazian conflict, the measures to bring the parties closer, presented in the framework of this project, could positively affect the development of the level of trust in other conflicts of the post-Soviet space.The work is based on a holistic approach, which involves revising the reductionist approach that dominates the scientific and political discourses, distorting the real picture of the conflict and reducing its image to the quasi-scientific concept of the “Abkhaz-Georgian” resolution. Our vision of the complex and multidimensional structure of the Abkhazian political crisis is given in the first article of the mentioned cycle.The structure of this article consists of three main parts.The first part of the article is an introduction, which presents the idea of anti-nuclear and anti-radiation consolidation of participants in the Abkhazian political crisis on the basis of the Concept of Awareness of the Common Threat System (CACTS) and the concept of Karl Deutsch, adapted for the Abkhazian Security Community (ASB). One of the CACTS subsystems (in this article) is nuclear, radiation, and related to them information-psychological threats.The second part of the article presents an analysis of the situation associated with nuclear, radiation, information and psychological threats. This analysis aims to demonstrate the importance of the topic under consideration and the variety of real threats.Nuclear threats. The authors divide them into threats of a military nature, as well as threats associated with the construction, operation, conservation and liquidation of reactors and other nuclear facilities.Radiation threats. Statistics of incidents related to illegal operations in the transportation/sale of radiation/radioactive substances based on open sources are proposed. Examples of threats associated with the illicit trade of irradiated food products are given.Information and psychological threats. When considering information and psychological threats related to nuclear and radiation threats, special attention is paid to such a question as hiding of reliable information from citizens or manipulating information, which is the basis for the formation of distrust towards one’s own state and the psychosomatic problems arising from this.The third part of the article offers a model of a fragment of the peacemaking process to resolve the Abkhazian political crisis, in which a component is involved that includes a discussion of (CACTS) on nuclear and radiation safety and the construction of the Abkhazian Security Community as a subsystem of the Caucasian and Black Sea-Caspian Sea Security Community.

Author(s):  
Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong

Faith in public life can be associated with Christianity in Ghana from the days of the early Western missionaries. Christian faith perspectives on matters of public concerns however, assumed a wider scope with the practice of regular issuance of communiques to governments and the people of Ghana by the churches. Christian ministry is expected to be holistic. A holistic approach in Christian ministry is considered to lead to the holistic development of the nation for the common good and the glory of God. Church leaders subsequently, bring their faith perspectives to matters of public concerns as a ministerial mandate to be in pilgrimage with the people. The study is a reflection on how the churches’ communiques are done and the factors that make the communiques theological in the public space. It further seeks to identify the contribution of the construction of communiques to public theology in Christianity in Ghana. The study as qualitative, examines both available primary and secondary sources. Copies of communiques of some selected churches, ecumenical bodies and joint communiques by ecumenical bodies are examined to appreciate insights of communiques by the churches. The study seeks to make a contribution to the theological construction of public theologies in Ghana and African Christianity. KEYWORDS: Public Theology, African Christianity, Communique, Common Good


Author(s):  
Nikolaos Loutas ◽  
Konstantinos Tarabanis ◽  
Vassilios Peristeras

The rising importance of service for the global economy has resulted in a significant number of efforts to define and interpret its meaning. In this vein, this article identifies and organizes related literature following a holistic approach. The authors study service from different perspectives, both business-related and technical ones, e.g., marketing, operations management, and computer science. A total of 47 definitions of service are finally reviewed. They’ve found out: (1) How is service perceived and defined by different disciplines and (2) What are the common service species according to related literature. The authors observe that in the business realm service falls under either of the following two categories: service as a set of value-creating activities and service as a transformation. Due to ICT revolutionizing service provision, significant work has also been conducted in order to study technology-enabled services. The authors identified different types of technology-enabled services, namely e-services, SOA services and Web services. The main contribution of this article lies in the broadness, completeness and cross-disciplinarily of the literature covered, thus being able to stand as a reference source of knowledge for service analysts, engineers and practitioners.


Author(s):  
Sheila Adam ◽  
Sue Osborne ◽  
John Welch

Both critical illness and treatment in the critical care unit are extremely stressful, presenting great physical and psychological challenges for patients and their families. There are a range of compensatory responses to stress which may be adaptive, but severe or prolonged stress can induce a destructive spiral of decompensation. The importance of a holistic approach to care cannot be overemphasized; this chapter sets out the priorities of care for critically ill patients, and the common needs and problems for both patients and their families. The issues discussed include the mechanisms of stress in critical illness, the promotion of sleep, use of analgesia and sedation, management of delirium, complications of immobility, mouth, eye, and skin care, infection control, requirements for safe transfer, and care of the dying patient.


2001 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
JAN SOKOL

Speaking of a ‘lack of time’, do we mean the same ‘thing’ as the variable ‘t’ in a graph of some time-dependent development? The following article tries to show that both concepts are extreme examples of the two sides, or faces, of the single phenomenon of time, as common and trivial as it is mysterious. Scientific, numerical time is considered first, followed by the time of the common human experience, the time in the present. It is on the basis of this curious ability to ‘keep in presence’ various events that follow one another, that the scientific concept of linear time has been established and, with it, the possibility to measure the time for scientific and practical purposes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
Alexander Rusetsky ◽  
Olga Dorokhina

This article is part of a research conducted as part of the Support Program for Doctoral Studies of Shota Rustaveli Georgian National Science Foundation.This article is part of a research conducted as part of the Support Program for Doctoral Studies of Shota Rustaveli Georgian National Science Foundation.Name of the research – "Interdisciplinary analysis of the complex system of the Abkhazian conflict by the method 4D-RAV-17" (grant number – PHDF‐18‐1147). The method is a combination of well-known and innovative approaches and techniques. This article is part of the abovementioned research. The complex system of the Abkhazian conflict in this article received a conditional definition – the Abkhazian crisis. The political component of the complex system is accordingly called the Abkhazian political crisis and is the main object of research in the framework of the article.The article is aimed at solving a specific scientific and applied task – at determining a scientifically based method for the positive transformation of the Abkhazian political crisis and the transition to a new level of political order – to the Abkhazian security community.The article considers the possibility of carrying out work on the development and implementation of a new, alternative to the existing, peacemaking process, which can be based on the policy of the transition of the Abkhazian political crisis to a new political order.Consecutive transition tools are the following:• building a model of the structure of the Abkhazian political crisis;• The concept of awareness of common threats;• The concept of the Abkhazian security community.The work can be attributed to the following studies: Abkhazian Studies; Conflicts and Peace Studies, Crisis Studies, Security Studies, Political Studies and International Studies.The practical significance of the work and novelty. As a result of a reflective analysis of the past and existing political and scientific discourse, the absence of holistic research and the dominance of reductionism in the perception and description of the Abkhazian crisis and individual conflicts – its components - were first shown. In scientific works, a mostly complex and multi-component conflict is taken down to a hybrid and scientifically unreasonable formulation – "Georgian-Abkhazian" conflict. This wording also dominates in political discourse and even in international documents.As a result of a thoroughful analysis and synthesis of the information received, for the first time a brief and conditional definition was given to the complex system of the Abkhazian conflict – "Abkhazian crisis".As a result of this research, for the first time, at a scientific level, security threats are considered as a resource for peacemaking and the Concept of awareness of common threats is formulated.Also, for the first time (in the case of the Abkhazian crisis), the well-known Theory of the Security Community for International Relations of Karl Deutsch was proposed. It was adapted to the specifics of this conflict, not only related to the dimension of international relations. The political component of the crisis was classified in the research and a model of the Abkhazian political crisis was proposed, which includes both the domestic and international components of the crisis. The presented definition – "mixed conflict" theoretically resolved the conflict between supporters to define this conflict as "internal, local" and those who consider it "international". This is a useful solution for other political conflicts of the post-Soviet Union space, in particular, for the "Donbas crisis".From a theoretical and practical points of view, attention was drawn to the fact that Security Studies are considered a subsystem of studies in the field of International Studies, which does not allow the effective use of existing scientific achievements in these fields for mixed conflicts.The article proposes specific innovative ideas for implementing these approaches and techniques. This article proposes solutions to the problems of increasing the effectiveness of the peacemaking process. The task itself has an innovative character, since basically researches conducted earlier in this area (around the Abkhazian conflict) is more focused on the Conflicts Studies, rather than Peace Studies. In particular, this concerns the lack of research aimed at studying the effectiveness of peacemaking processes.As a result of formalization of the results obtained, the article presents new political concepts – neologisms, which until now have not been used (or not sufficiently used) in relation to this issue. Among them the following may be outlined: "Abkhazian crisis"; "Mixed conflict", "secessionists of Abkhazia"; "unionists of Abkhazia"; "irredentists of Abkhazia"; "Internationalization of the peacemaking process"; "legitimacy of peacemaking formats"; "democratization of the negotiation process"; "Abkhazian Security Community".As a result of the conducted work, an algorithm of stage-by-stage actions is presented, which can lead to a way out of the crisis and a transition to a new level of management culture and political order. It also provides specific practical recommendations that can be used by the participants in the process.Research on improvement of this model is ongoing, the following articles are being prepared, and negotiations are conducted on implementation with representatives of the participating parties at the expert and political levels.This research may be useful for those interested in the Abkhazian issue, as well as for adapting and using the approaches and techniques described in this article to improve the quality of peacemaking processes to resolve other conflicts and crises.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-164
Author(s):  
Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury

Background: Myeloma, the most common malignant disease of bone, is incurable and occurring with increasing frequency in elderly population. Typical clinical features are weakness, fatigability, bone pain, anemia, renal insufficiency and hypercalcemia. Incidental discovery on comprehensive laboratory panels is common. Serum or urine protein electrophoresis or immunofixation and bone marrow aspirate analysis help the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.Objective: The aim of this study was to define and evaluate the clinico-laboratory features of newly diagnosed adult multiple myeloma (MM) patients in the context of Bangladesh.Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in two centers, from October 2005 to January 2010 in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and July 2012 to June 2017 in Enam Medical College and Hospital (EMCH). Thirty two diagnosed valid cases of multiple myeloma were included in this study. Clinical history, physical and relevant laboratory findings were carefully recorded and analyzed.Results: In this study among 32 patients, 29 were males and 3 were females with mean age 51.94 ± 10.09 years. The common complaints were bone pain, weakness and fatigue. The common clinical findings were bone tenderness, pallor and high ESR (ESR of all the study patients was more than 100 mm in 1st hour). Hemoglobin level was <8.5 gm/dL in 13 patients, serum creatinine ≥2 mg/dL in seven patients, serum albumin <30 mg/L in 14 patients and serum β2 microglobulin >5.5 mg/L in 15 patients. Three patients were hypercalcemic. Lytic lesions were the most common radiological finding in the study.Conclusion: This study showed that multiple myeloma is a disease of the middle and elderly aged population with male preponderance, with high male female ratio. Multivenued studies are needed to view the real picture of multiple myeloma in the context of Bangladesh.J Enam Med Col 2018; 8(3): 159-164


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 158-168
Author(s):  
N.E. Martinez ◽  
L. Van Bladel

As we work towards a holistic approach to radiation protection, we begin to consider and integrate protection beyond humans to include, among other things, non-human biota. Non-human biota not only includes environmental flora and fauna, but also livestock, companion animals, working animals, etc. Although under consideration, there is currently little guidance in terms of protection strategies for types of non-human biota beyond wildlife. For example, in recent years, veterinary procedures that make use of ionising radiation have increased in number and have diversified considerably, which has made radiation protection in veterinary applications of ionising radiation more challenging, both for humans and the animal patients. In fact, the common belief that doses to professionals and members of the public from these applications will be very low to negligible, and doses to the animals will not be acutely harmful nor even affect their lifetime probability of developing cancer, needs to be revisited in the light of higher dose diagnostic and interventional techniques, and certainly in the case of therapeutic applications. This paper provides a brief overview of the initiatives of the International Commission on Radiological Protection concerning radiation protection aspects of veterinary practice, and poses a variety of perspectives for consideration and further discussion.


2021 ◽  
Vol VI (I) ◽  
pp. 356-362
Author(s):  
Saleha Aftab ◽  
Muhammad Khurram Iqbal ◽  
Abdul Rashid

The present research, "A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Linguistic Features of Billboards", has been accomplished in order to make a comprehensive analysis of the fact how advertising is manipulating and altering the basic philosophies, dogmas, creeds and ideologies of the common people. Advertising is a vast field, and it has influenced the lives of all of us in the last decades. Keeping this factor in view, the researcher has made an attempt to uncover those aspects which remain hidden in the glamorous and eye-catching commercials which contribute to the capitalist's efforts to make maximum profit by thrusting his products on the customers. The researcher has done the linguistic analysis by using Norman Fairclough's model of Critical Discourse Analysis (1993) of the billboard advertisements. The researcher has analyzed the language and images used on the billboards and had made an attempt to find out the basic notions for which these linguistic expressions have been used in the boards. For this purpose, he uses various tactics. The sincerity which is illustrated in the billboard advertisements by the advertiser is not factual. The real picture is on the other side.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Angelina Ilievska ◽  
Naum Ilievski

Faced with the challenge of Covid pandemic, the world will change its existence forever. In such circumstances of the common global crisis, humanity will form new narratives between suffering and survival. From the positioning to this experience, it will depend on whether it will remain a trauma or the deepest inner resources will be activated by building “new personal relationships” on a transpersonal level, and by forming a new alliance, versus the current alienation from nature and the planet. Spiritual resilience is the dimension of the overall mental framework, besides the cognitive, emotional and neurobiological one. This paper postulates the preventive, co-creative, and salutogenic capacity of this essential potential of one’s spiritual self even in the most painful and stressful life events. It offers the models based on Christian psychotherapy and Transactional analysis in re-emerging one’s inner power in forming adaptive coping mechanism and well-being. Within the TA we operate with the classical approach and two dimensions: intrapersonal and interpersonal and in the domain of spiritual TA- transcedental level regarding the cor self. Christian psychotherapy offers the union of the Holy Eucharist as a pastoral dimension of unity and the individual ascetic discipline through the FCP Method. Expanding the frame of reference – from the narrow anthropocentric to the wider and unlimited theocentric model – such a holistic approach can be successfully applied to all organized forms: family, organizations, and global community, thus creating a strong, aware, and compassionate society.


Author(s):  
Ihor Boshynda ◽  
◽  
Vasyl Popfalushi ◽  
Heorhii Bilak ◽  
◽  
...  

INESS DEVELOPMENT In today's conditions of economic development, the importance of small business as a factor in the competitiveness of local and regional economies is growing. The article provides a rating assessment of the regions of Ukraine in terms of their social and economic development for the functioning of small business. The issue of providing a rating assessment to the regions of Ukraine in terms of the favorable regions for the operation of small business is relevant and necessary for in-depth study. That is why the article is devoted to this topic. The purpose of the article is to calculate the suitability of regions for the operation of small business and provide a rating for all regions of Ukraine. The calculation of the indicator for assessing the level of favorable regions of the country in ensuring the effective functioning of small business is based on the summation of the rank values of each studied indicator that affects the functioning and development of small business in the region. Due to these indicators, it is possible to provide a rating assessment of the favorableness of the regions of Ukraine in the functioning of small business. After the calculations for 2018, the regions were divided into three structural economic blocks: with great opportunities, sufficient and underdeveloped regions. The first block includes 9 oblasts and the city of Kyiv, the second – 10 oblasts, and the third economic block – 5 oblasts. According to these indicators, we can conclude that the most favorable regions for small business are: Kyiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Lviv regions. Transcarpathian region entered the second economic block with further prospects for social and economic development. The most problematic regions are Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, which were caused by hostilities that began in the territory in 2014 as a result of the deepening political crisis in Ukraine. The results presented in this study show a real picture of the social and economic development of the regions, which will help in the future to find ways for the possible development of all economic and social components of the regions. Key words: social and economic development, small business, competitiveness index, ranking of regions, regional development.


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