{"title":"Qualifying for international and national protection under the Polish legal order: Some remarks in the context of the war in Ukraine","authors":"Elżbieta Karska, Łukasz Dawid Dąbrowski","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17794.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17794.1","url":null,"abstract":"The Russian Federation's actions against Ukraine in February 2014, having - at the time - the form of hybrid warfare, followed later by an armed assault that took place on 24 February 2022, have resulted in an unprecedented influx of refugees from across Poland's eastern border. As Poland faced a major challenge (also in legal terms), additional regulations had to be introduced to supplement the refugee protection standards already in place under national and international laws. The purpose of this paper is to identify the prerequisites (conditions) stemming from the catalogue of protective instruments provided for in Polish legal regulations that can be taken advantage of by Ukrainian citizens after the Russian attack of 24 February 2022. The thesis of this study is that Polish protective mechanisms are consistent and complementary, and that, insofar as they apply to Ukrainian citizens, they fulfil international obligations under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, adopted on 28 July 1951 and secondary European Union law, mainly Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"57 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140662494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“This did not happen even during the Cold War”: religion and international sanctions in the Russo-Ukrainian War","authors":"Iuliia Korniichuk","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17743.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17743.1","url":null,"abstract":"The Russian Orthodox Church has emerged as a significant contributor to the intellectual framework that underpins Russia’s full-scale invasion and war against Ukraine. The Church’s endorsement and subsequent support of the war have compelled a number of secular governments and organisations to address this political involvement, resulting in the inclusion of church leaders and church-related entities on sanctions lists related to the conflict. This article aims to analyse the presence of religious figures on sanctions lists related to the war and the challenges associated with the implementation of such sanctions, particularly in the context of the ongoing debate concerning restrictions on freedom of religion and beliefs.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140711860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Belarusian economy in the face of Western sanctions","authors":"K. Kosowska, P. Kosowski","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17740.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17740.1","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, Belarus has been developing in conditions of extreme turbulence and uncertainty of socio-economic development due to the intensification of external and internal threats, undermining the possibilities of sustainable and balanced economic growth. Among the key external threats, we should mention: the rapid increase in geopolitical tensions after the rigged presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020 and the unprecedented pressure of sanctions from Western countries on the economy of Belarus and Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The broken dialogue with the West deprived President Lukashenko of the possibility of balancing between the EU and Russia, especially in the economic field. This article analyzes the condition of the Belarusian economy against the background of Western sanctions imposed on the country in 2020 and 2022.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"103 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140223305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Foreign policy towards civilization megatrends in world politics","authors":"R. Zenderowski","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17705.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17705.1","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this article is to indicate and analyze three selected civilization and culture megatrends that can be observed in the contemporary global policy which are important not only to a state’s foreign policy, but also to identities of particular states. Such analyses are preceded by: firstly, an indication of continuity and change of a state’s foreign policy over centuries, and secondly, an attempt at defining megatrends and selecting a few key megatrends outside the civilization and culture area (such an area essentially refers to norms, values and ideas and accompanying social practices). The following research questions were posed: What is the continuity and changeability of foreign policy since the mid-17th century? What are megatrends? How selected megatrends affect and modify the international environment.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139865988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Foreign policy towards civilization megatrends in world politics","authors":"R. Zenderowski","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17705.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17705.1","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this article is to indicate and analyze three selected civilization and culture megatrends that can be observed in the contemporary global policy which are important not only to a state’s foreign policy, but also to identities of particular states. Such analyses are preceded by: firstly, an indication of continuity and change of a state’s foreign policy over centuries, and secondly, an attempt at defining megatrends and selecting a few key megatrends outside the civilization and culture area (such an area essentially refers to norms, values and ideas and accompanying social practices). The following research questions were posed: What is the continuity and changeability of foreign policy since the mid-17th century? What are megatrends? How selected megatrends affect and modify the international environment.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"35 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139805964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"French Operation Barkhane in Africa – success or failure?","authors":"Aleksander Olech","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17737.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17737.1","url":null,"abstract":"Operation Barkhane began in August 2014 and was a continuation of Operation Serval, targeting Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) structures. The main objective of the French armed presence was to support the local military forces in the fight against terrorism, coordinate the international coalition and support the humanitarian action for the benefit of the local population. The aim of the article is to systematize knowledge and investigate the activities of French entities, also within the EU missions, obliged to fight against terrorism in the Sahel, carrying out the largest antiterrorism operation in Sub-Saharan Africa. France's strategic objective was to help the Sahel countries achieve military self-reliance so that they could provide security and stability in the region without the assistance of foreign forces. Ultimately, France decided to withdraw its soldiers from Mali and Burkina Faso at the beginning of 2022 and had terminated its mission earlier. It was the end of Barkhane and the French antiterrorism involvement on a high scale level in the Sahel. The decision to withdraw has a number of implications for international involvement in the region and will greatly weaken the level of security in the region. This would be very dangerous for Europe, which is not ready for another wave of migration, as well as the international threat of terrorism. It must be indicated that France have maintained a relatively secure situation in the Sahel region.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"54 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139176212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The securitization of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Asia, and Oceania: Mixes of imbalanced securitizing narratives and measures","authors":"Dionysios Stivas, Krzysztof Sliwinski","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17723.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17723.1","url":null,"abstract":"Governments across the world resorted to different forms of narratives and measures to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. This study observed the responses of six administrations (China, Sweden, UK, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and New Zealand) through the lenses of the securitization theory as complemented with tailor-made methodological tools. Introducing the concept of the ‘securitization gap’ between the securitizing narratives’ intensity and the securitizing measures’ stringency this study argues that a consistency between the rhetoric’s intensity and measures’ severity did not impact the governments’ capacity to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. Further, this study finds a relation between the stringency of the securitizing measures and the management of COVID-19. Administrations that resorted to severe forms of securitization managed to spare more lives from the virus than administrations that did not enforce stringent securitizing tactics. Lastly, this study argues that the agreement of the general public with the securitizing narratives and the securitizing measures did not drastically influence the COVID-19 fatalities in the concerned case studies.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"76 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139253559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Baltic States Cyber Security Policy: Development of digital capabilities in 2017-2022","authors":"Marek Górka","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17684.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17684.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background The Baltic Sea region is currently one of the tensest areas in Europe, with Russia potentially challenging the international order by provoking a new confrontation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In this context, the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are developing their cyber security capabilities, which provides an intriguing example of how small states with an aggressive neighbour can operate. The perceived threat is driving the development of cyber capabilities, and policymakers are prioritizing efforts to strengthen their digital capabilities. Methods This article aims to examine the security challenges faced by the Baltic States in the digital environment and their strategies for enhancing digital capacity building competencies. Additionally, the article focuses on the Baltic States' efforts to build and strengthen cyber capabilities, which serve as the foundation for their cyber security policies. To accomplish this, data from the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) was utilized, employing research methods including quantitative, qualitative, and comparative analyses. This approach aimed to evaluate and compare the progress in digital capabilities among the Baltic States. Additionally, an analysis of strategic documents was conducted to gain insight into each country's perspective on cyber security and to identify opportunities for the development of this field in consideration of available resources. Results The findings emphasize the Baltic states' dedication to bolstering their cyber resilience, primarily motivated by the perceived threat from Russia. The study underscores the intricate relationship between socioeconomic factors and a nation's cyber capabilities. Conclusions The conclusion drawn is that their endeavours to establish and enhance cyber capabilities constitute a pivotal component of their cybersecurity strategy, thus contributing to regional stability and NATO's collective defence.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139257965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the South China Sea dispute with general morphological analysis","authors":"Zachary Lavengood","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17688.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17688.1","url":null,"abstract":"The South China Sea dispute is among the most volatile flashpoints in contemporary international relations. This study examines this dispute using the general morphological analysis (GMA) methodology employing eight factors of analysis. These produced 65,536 distinct outcomes in a cross-consistency matrix (CCM) which exist on a spectrum of plausibility. Three scenarios were chosen for foresight analysis which project contemporary trends into the near-to-mid-term future. After the analysis of hundreds of different combinations from the CCM which remained after auditing for analytical noise and plausibility this research found that much of the foresight produced scenarios which were similar to a ‘dispute stagnation’ scenario. This highlights the present realities of the dispute wherein all parties have entrenched into their political and physical positions with little alternative outside of direct confrontation, an outcome which though possible, is unappealing to claimants due to the secondary effects which it would bring.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"130 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125274729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The transition to nuclear energy in Bangladesh: The interplay between climate-related urgency and geopolitical factors","authors":"Ushan Ara Badal","doi":"10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17436.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/stomiedintrelat.17436.2","url":null,"abstract":"One of the significant issues in contemporary international politics is to examine the contexts of energy usage of different countries, keeping in mind the looming climate threat. Energy transition not only highlights the central role of energy usage but also exposes the vulnerability caused by it. Given the context, Bangladesh has adopted nuclear technology to meet its economic demand and environmental requirements. As a middle-income country, eyeing to graduate to a developing nation by 2041, its choice of exploring nuclear energy has exposed the country to the question of the rationality of the decision. Nuclear energy has a distinguished history that accommodates several debates about its safety and sustainability. Though many developed countries are planning for a nuclear phase-out, Bangladesh’s decision merits attention and explanation to embrace such a stand. Often, the economic priorities have been attached to Bangladesh’s decision for the energy transition, while the discussion about nuclear energy in Bangladesh ignores the geopolitical purposes and international political agenda. This paper, therefore, aims to explore the internal and external climate-related urgency, and geopolitical concerns responsible for such a transition, which have remained unexplored in the existing literature.","PeriodicalId":124409,"journal":{"name":"Stosunki Międzynarodowe – International Relations","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133519381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}