Torun International Studies

9

Authors: Piotr Walewicz

The article is an operationalization of a new theoretical-methodological approach to analyzing International Relations discourse. The approach is based on the Critical Theory of International Relations and the concept of world-ecology. It re-conceptualizes the critique of mainstream International Relations theories and paradigms in a way which foregoes the Cartesian dualism of Society and Nature in order to analyze the subject through the dialectical power-capital-nature relation. The article analyzes two contemporary texts from “Foreign Affairs” which defend the realist and liberal theories. It shows that both discourses only stabilize the existing order without challenging it in any way or proposing radical ways of dealing with the ecological crisis. They either ignore environmental issues or treat them as solvable under the current political-economic status quo.

11

Authors: Nataliia Karpchuk, Bohdan Yuskiv

Political communication is a major factor in the democratisation of power relations, since the latter are based on public policy, ensuring a constant interconnection between political actors at all levels. Through political communication, it is possible to overcome the contradictions that complicate the democratisation of society. The article is a critical examination of the present-day communication interaction between the citizens and the government of Ukraine. The term developed here to describe this phenomenon is the communication discord between the citizens and the government provoked by the heterogeneity of interests and goals of society and factors associated with the activity of the government. Communication policy of the government is aimed at involving citizens in the decision-making process while communication activity of the citizens is oriented on the formation of public opinion, the exchange of ideas and arguments and, later on, on the influence on the government and the decision-making process. The distinction of these two communication processes is also facilitated by the tendency of mediatisation of communications in the modern world, related to technical development, the Internet and social media. Models of the communication interaction between the government and society are researched. Recommendations to improve the political communication of Ukraine’s Government are developed.

12

Authors: Piotr Pacek, Yuriy Danyk, Maryna Semenkova

The population’s tendency to protest or to get involved into conflict can be used as the method of the hybrid warfare in the targeted country or region. The frustrations are formed due to the actual or virtually created resentment in the community or among the population groups. The deterioration of the social and economic conditions and the lack of opportunities to change the life for the better as well as the growing sense of danger or the real threat to life and security – all these elements have caused the intensive migration processes in many regions of the world. As a result it is the main feature of the modern world to handle. The influx of refugees and migrants and settling down in the new areas cause the transformation of horizontal inequality among the migrants themselves and between migrants and locals. The intensification of the migration processes is a result from the peculiarities of the hybrid conflicts such as the powerful cognitive, information and psychological influence, use of different technologies including the manipulative ones. The possibility to manage the migration processes and, to a certain extent the migrants’ potential for conflict is becoming the feasible instrument to break down the system of regional and international security through the projection of conflicts to the places where the migration flows are directed.

13

Authors: Zofia Sawicka

The paper presents events in Algeria that led to fall of the long-term president of the country, Abd al-Aziz Bouteflika in April 2019 and examines the role of the new media in this process. The analysis explains the reasons of the failure of the Arab Spring in this country in 2011. Critical discourse analysis of Algerian new media conducted by the author shows that despite lack of active actions in 2011, youth movements appeared in Algeria and led the protests in 2019 not only in the Internet but also in the “offline” world. Currently, the discussion about political impact of new media focuses mainly on a question whether the power of protesting societies is sufficient to overthrow a government. According to the author of the paper, it is a single-dimensional approach to the problem, what has been proven by the example of Algeria. New media have become an inseparable part of contemporary societies and their discourse, serving as a platform for disseminating information, mobilizing and participating . In Algeria, despite the fact that social media "have not yet reached maturity" (among others, because of illiteracy, mismanagement, lack of freedom of speech and true democracy), they are gradually becoming political and media public spaces for those excluded from the mainstream politics and media. The social media have caused a situation where the Algerian government has to meet growing demands of society for a greater degree of democracy, justice and freedom of the press and freedom of opinion. With their help, people learned the techniques of social mobilization, developed structures of social movement and civil society. Effects of this activity can slowly be observed not only in Algeria but throughout the Arab world.

17

Authors: Roman Stanisław Czarny

The article attempts to present what seems to be of critical importance to the planet in terms of the influence on the life of all of us, namely the current changes occurring in the Arctic, as well as tries to show how complex the issue is. The main theme is the climate, presented also in a historical perspective. The work will also present the interesting connection between the Arctic and the two Nobel Peace Prize winners: one of the year 2007, namely Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr., and the other of the year 2010 to Liu Xiaobo of China, which brought us international tensions and affected Arctic deliberations as well. In addition, the work endeavors to describe briefly the role of the Arctic Council in responding to the problem and presents the countries vying for the participation in it, including their possible reasons for doing so. Through the example of China, a fairly new country with the permanent observer status in the Arctic Council, the author attempts to present the complexity of international relations and diversified interests of separate countries and organizations, as well as evaluates some potential developments in the Arctic geopolitical sphere.

19

Authors: Hanna Monika Wiczanowska

The purpose of the presented article is to resolve the issue of the existence of the common European standard regarding the blasphemous speeches and examine its efficiency for possible mechanisms of resolving the collussion between freedom of expression and freedom of religion. The presented analysis will be commenced with reference to the judicial practice of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the tension between freedom of expression and freedom of religion with addition to blasphemy. Through the prism of such analysis the author formulates hypothesis of the wide diversity between the States of the Council of Europe towards granting priority for one of the aforesaid freedoms in case of blasphemy. Secondary question refers to the influence of such diversity for the efficiency of protection of both: freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Subsequently the author will analyse the domestic regulations of Italy, Ireland and Austria to illustrate the occurring differences as well as search for optimal model of protection. The author will also refer to the statement of selected representatives of human rights doctrine. The conclusion part will focus on formulating recommendations for amplifying the efficiency of the common European standard regarding the presented issue. The author will rely mainly on legal dogmatic methodology with reference to the literal resonance of the legal regulations as well as judicial practice of the European Court of Human Rights as well as comparative analysis to unveil similarities and differences within presented States legal systems.