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В статье проведѐн анализ философии традиционализма в контексте современных историко-философских исследований. Обращается внимание на генезис феномена традиции и традиционализма, обнаруживаемого уже в культуре и философии Древнего Востока, где они практически проявляются в социальной жизни и общественном устройстве восточного социума. При этом в философии античной эпохи также наблюдается влияние традиционалистских мотивов, которые более всего проявились в социальной философии платонизма. Формирование же систематизированной философии традиционализма происходит лишь в двадцатом столетии в европейской философии в лице Рене Генона, труды которого составляют теоретический фундамент этого направления. Геноновский традиционализм обращѐн к критике Запада и концентрирует внимание на Востоке, как «подлинно традиционной культуре». При этом через феномен традиции Генон находит свой путь для межкультурного диалога Востока и Запада. Существующий определенный пробел в исследовании философии традиционализма восполняется при рассмотрении ряда фундаментальных работ, раскрывающих становление и развитие этой философии и обозначающих еѐ дальнейшие перспективы. Автор резюмирует то, что в современных историко-философских исследованиях традиционализм актуализируется в свете глобальных цивилизационных проблем, поиска идентичности, а также в сравнительном изучении культур и ценностей., The article analyses the philosophy of traditionalism in the context of modern studies of the history of philosophy. Attention is drawn to the genesis of the phenomenon of tradition and traditionalism, discovered already in the culture and philosophy of the Ancient East, where they are practically manifested in social life and the social structure of Eastern society. At the same time, in the philosophy of the Ancient era, the influence of traditionalist motifs is also observed, which were most manifested in the social philosophy of Platonism. The formation of a systematized philosophy of traditionalism takes place only in the 20th century in European philosophy in the person of Rene Guenon, whose works form the theoretical foundation of this direction. Guenonian traditionalism is addressed to criticism of the West and concentrates attention in the East as «truly traditional culture». At the same time, through the phenomenon of tradition, Guenon finds its way for intercultural dialogue of the East and West. The existing definite gap in the study of the philosophy of traditionalism is filled when considering a number of fundamental works that reveal the formation and development of this philosophy and indicate its further prospects. The author summarizes that in modern studies of the history of philosophy traditionalism is actualized in the light of global civilizational problems, the search for identity, as well as in the comparative study of cultures and values.

Crazy Rich Asians is regarded as one of the movies that successfully represented Asians, regardless of all the controversy. One of the topics clearly presented in the movie is the contestation between the west and east. The dichotomy is resulted from the social construction of the western culture to maintain its superiority over the east culture. Since the movie seems to celebrate the east by portraying the Asian-Asians differently from the old stereotypes or old images of the eastern culture, but at the same time, this research finds that this movie overtly portrays the west as loveable or likable culture. The movie depicts the contrast between east and west through the story. This article is intended to analyze the contestation between east and west which is depicted in the movie. The movie is examined in how it depicts America as the west and Asia as part of the east. Therefore, deconstruction is used as the reading method to see what is behind it, the things that are not seen, related to how the Asians are portrayed in the movie. The finding of this research shows that there are double roles in the movie. The power of whiteness in the American movie industry somehow still brings impacts toward the contestation of whiteness and color.

Este trabajo propone una nueva consideración del budismo del suttapiṭaka. Es bien sabido que el budismo primitivo ofrece unos sólidos fundamentos metafísicos, antropológicos, epistemológicos, éticos y psicológicos desde una perspectiva experiencial que aúna, en un mismo gesto, teoría y práctica. Dicho enfoque vivencial, así como el amor incondicional a la realidad y el afán terapéutico son compartidos por la Praxis filosófica (PF): movimiento reciente que busca rescatar la filosofía concebida como ars vitae y cumplir su vocación universal de servicio. La tesis que se plantea es que la PF constituye un marco adecuado para reavivar la filosofía budista y ponerla al servicio de nuestra sociedad. Se propone, en suma, leer y aplicar el budismo desde y en el contexto de la PF., This work proposes a new consideration of suttapiṭaka Buddhism. It is well known that primitive Buddhism offers solid metaphysical, anthropological, epistemological, ethical and psychological foundations from an experiential perspective that combines, in the same movement, theory and practice. This experiential approach, as well as the unconditional love for reality and the therapeutic eagerness are shared by Philosophical Praxis: a recent movement that seeks to rescue philosophy conceived as ars vitae and to fulfill its universal vocation for service. Philosophical Practice offers an adequate framework to relight Buddhist philosophy and to adapt it to serve our society. It is proposed that Buddhism is read and approached from a Philosophical Practice viewpoint and applied in that context.

My dissertation explores the transmission of musical knowledge between China, Portugal, and France in the context of a global Enlightenment. Through the lenses of two treatises authored by Jesuit missionaries serving at the Chinese Imperial Court––one introducing Western music to China, the other introducing Chinese music to France––I investigate how music and the system of knowledge represented by each treatise challenged their audience's worldview: although their interpretation differed, both the Europeans and the Chinese acknowledged China as the origin of the Western civilization. I argue that this construction of a universal history that accommodates all cultures on a single timeline shows there was a common effort across the globe to systematize the diversity of the world's musical cultures into one coherent principle and, more importantly, that the Enlightenment did not originate in Europe but was built on a shared effort of the East and the West to use history to make sense of the expanding globe. My research offers a new model for musicological studies by situating music at the intersection between East Asian Studies, Mission Studies, History of Science, and Global History. Moreover, it challenges the preconceived notion of the Enlightenment as a purely European phenomenon and argues instead that the Enlightenment was global at its inception. In doing so, it moves beyond the framework of dissemination and the comparative approach that characterize much of the past scholarship on global history. Emphasizing simultaneous emergence over successive development and integration over connection, I examine how local societies actively incorporated foreign systems of knowledge in the face of globalizing forces and how this incorporation not only expanded but also transformed their conception of the world.

This article explores and examines the consulship as an institution in the Eastern and Western halves of the Roman Empire in the period known as Late Antiquity, that is from 284 CE to 541 CE. It investigates how the consulship of the Late Antique period differed from that of the Republic and earlier Empire, what it consisted of, who the occupants of the office were, the process of the inauguration of the new consul, the games associated with it, how the consuls were represented on the consular diptychs and the end of the institution., Mitchell Jill. The Eastern and Western Consulship in the Later Roman Empire. In: Hiperboreea. Journal of History, vol. 5, N°1, 2018. pp. 5-16.

1923 yılı, Cumhuriyet'in ilanından sonra, Atatürk'ün müzik kültürüne getirdiği Batılılaşma politikası sonucunda çağdaş Türk müziğinde ulusal akımlar ortaya çıkmaya başladı. Türkiye'de birinci kuşak bestecileri Cemal Reşit Rey, Hasan Ferit Alnar, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Ahmed Adnan Saygun ve Necil Kâzım Akses idi. Bu besteciler arasında Ferit Alnar, Doğu ve Batı müzik sentezini yalnızca müzik formlarında ve makamsal yapıda değil, aynı zamanda Türk müziği çalgılarını da senfonik orkestraya dâhil etmekle oluşturdu. F. Alnar'ın 1946 yılında bestelediği ve 1951 yılında seslendirilen Kanun Konçertosundan sonra Çağdaş Türk Müziğinde Türk müziği çalgıları için yazılan eserler sadece 1980'li yıllardan sonra ortaya çıkmaya başladı. Böylece, 40 yıllık bir aradan sonra Münir Nurettin Beken'in "Ud Konçertosu" (1987-1990), "Dino ile Ceren" (orkestra ve Türk çalgılar için süit), "Gerdaniye Türkü" (orkestra ve Türk çalgıları), Oğuzhan Balcı'nın "Solo Enstrümanları İçin Kemençe Konçertinosu" (kemençe ve yaylı sazlar için), Fazıl Say'ın 7 bölümlük "İstanbul Senfonisi" (6 Şubat 2008), Ney Konçertosu (2012) vs. ortaya çıktı. Bu eserler arasında F. Say'ın "İstanbul Senfonisi" ister makamsal isterse de yapısallığı ile en dikkat çekenlerdendir. Bu çalışmada, Çağdaş Türk Müziğinde Doğu ve Batı sentezini sadece makamsal değil, aynı zamanda Türk müziği çalgılarıyla da ortaya koyan Fazıl Say'ın "İstanbul Senfonisi"nin genel ve makamsal analizi yapılmakta ve bestecinin geleneksel ve çağdaş Türk müziğine olan bakış açısı incelenmektedir., In 1923, after the proclamation of the republic, as a result of the westernization policy Atatürk brought to the music culture, national movements had begun to emerge in Turkish music. In Turkey, first generation composers were Cemal Reşit Rey, Hasan Ferit Alnar, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Ahmed Adnan Saygun and Necil Kâzım Akses. Among these composers, Ferit Alnar formed East and West music syntheses not only in music forms and modal structure but also including Turkish musical instruments to the symphonic orchestra. After the Qanun concerto composed by F. Alnar in 1946 and performed in 1951, in contemporary Turkish music, works that are written for Turkish musical instruments started to emerge only after the 1980s. In this way, after a period of 40 years Münir Nurettin Beken’s “Ud concerto” (1987–1990), “Dino ile Ceren” (suitable for orchestra and Turkish instruments), “Gerdaniye Türkü” (orchestra and Turkish instruments), Oğuzhan Balcı’s “Kemancha concerto for solo instruments” (for kemancha and string), Fazıl Say’s “İstanbul symphony” comprised of 7 movements (6 February 2008), “Ney concerto” (2012) are emerged. Among these pieces, F. Say’s “İstanbul symphony” is one of the most conspicuous one in both its being modal and structural. In this study, general and modal analyses of Fazıl Say’s “İstanbul symphony” that reveals East and West syntheses in Turkish music not only modal but also with traditional instruments are made, and composer’s perspective to traditional and contemporary Turkish music is examined.

Study focuses on cyclic concept of social change and specific notion of civilizations of Shia Iranian scholar and former president (1997–2005) Mohammad Khatami. In this philosophical framework, he deals with contemporary hot issues of post-cold war world, especially with dialogue among civilizations and with development of Iranian polity and society which tries to make a creative synthesis of the West and the East and create its own civic society and form of democracy as a result. This concept is seen in the context of deep and more than real ongoing internal conflicts between two competing forms of Shia political Islam after the Islamic revolution (1979). It focuses especially on the intra-sub-civilization clash between Khatami and so far dominant Khomeini version of political Islam and modernity. Not only Khatami but as well Karl Popper is invited to critically address the issue of Khomeini Shia historicism. At the end, the study compares Khatami with selected relevant leading Western scholars: Shmuel Eisenstadt, Amitai Etzioni, Samuel Huntington, and Francis Fukuyama.

The author singles out the main resources of the Soft Power of Kazakhstan in this article and point that is an important political tool in modern world politics. It is a time-consuming task to analyze and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the soft power policy pursued by Kazakhstan. This is especially important for Kazakhstan, which is the leading country in the Central Asian region.

“Rags to riches” as an invariant “deep” structure of many stories about restored dignity and status has been in universal literary use since the eminent version of “Cinderella” in the Grimm brothers’ collection of fairy-tales. So has the “deep” structure of an individual’s moral evolution towards god, as made explicit by many narratives taking after the Quran story of Yusuf. After morphological dissection of Cinderella and Jami’s Yusuf and Zulaikha stories (performed with V. Propp’s original scheme in view) we discovered certain similarities between the respective underlying structures despite the stories’ apparent difference. Taking into consideration a number of later adoptions of Cinderella and Yusuf / Zulaikha plots, the authors put forward a hypothesis about culture-and-society determined reciprocal rapprochement and transformation of interpretation dominants in more recent narratives of the respective traditions. At that, “spiritual growth towards god” stories acquire certain features of the society-bound “rag to riches” progression and, vice versa, “rags to riches” narratives become increasingly suggestive of god’s favour as the highest value. If duly supported by scientific evidence, the hypothesis could assist in further study of causes and outcomes of an on-going “orientalization” of western culture and westernization of that of the Orient.

The article demonstrates the relevance of the thought of Eugene Trubetskoy to the new method of political science, proposed by Eric Voegelin. In his essay under the title “Speculation in colors. Three Essays on the Russian icon”, the thinker develops analysis, surprisingly close to the principles of presentation and order, developed by Voegelin, and expresses a vision, which is absolutely relevant, including in terms of the offered by William Cavanaugh “theopolitical imagination”. Thanks to this approach it turns out that the availability of clear ecclesiological and historiosophical foundations for today and give us an example and a common base (for both Orthodox and Catholics) to overcome the division between East and West of the Christian world. This article attempts to show that the division between East and West, to the image of which we are so accustomed to, is neither ecclesial nor Christian, and that, on the contrary, naturally church vision of that separation is quite different. The author aims to identify in the theopolitical context, what exactly is the vision of a church split.

Premier et dernier film produit par Mabel Normand, Mickey est une comédie à la croisée du burlesque et du mélodrame qui met en scène les aventures d’un garçon manqué envoyé dans l’Est pour devenir une femme. Contant les péripéties amoureuses d’une jeune fille asexuée qui se transforme en une femme convoitée, le film illustre une vision paradoxale de la féminité et la manière dont une comédienne et productrice met en avant les rapports de pouvoir entre les hommes et les femmes. Il révèle comment le corps féminin, à la fois objet de désir, vecteur de liberté et instrument comique, permet d’interroger les normes socioculturelles. De plus, l’étude de ce film permet d’examiner les rôles féminins propres à la comédie burlesque et comment Normand transforme le jeu excessif et ostentatoire du burlesque pour offrir une transition entre le comique physique et le comique de narration. Mickey is the first and last feature film produced by Mabel Normand. At the crossroads between slapstick comedy and melodrama, it stages the romantic adventures of a tomboy who is sent East in order to become a woman. Narrating the adventures of an asexual girl transformed into a coveted woman, the film illustrates paradoxical visions of femininity and the way a comedienne and producer highlights the power struggle between men and women. It shows how the female body, object of desire, means of freedom and comical instrument, is used to question socio-cultural norms. Moreover, studying this film is a way of examining traditional female slapstick roles and how Normand transforms the excessive and ostentatious performance of slapstick to offer a transition from physical comedy to narrative comedy.

Treballs Finals de Grau en Història, Facultat de Geografia i Història, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2017-2018, Tutor: Ignasi Joaquim Baiges Jardí, [spa] Trasladarnos a una sociedad con una mentalidad y un desconocimiento de las cosas mucho más amplio que la nuestra siempre es un trabajo complicado para el historiador. En este trabajo encontramos un análisis de los contactos entre occidentales y orientales en la Baja Edad Media, haciendo un estudio de los principales hechos históricos que permitían el contacto, y detallando una evolución de la tipología de viajeros, con algún caso particular como el de Marco Polo., [eng] Studying a society with another mentality and more ignorance that us always is a challenge for the historian. In this work we find an analysis of the contacts between Occidentals and Orientals in the Late Middle Age, doing a study of the main historical facts that allowed the contact, and detailing an evolution of the typology of travelers, with some particular case like Marco Polo.

In the world a certain interest to the Great Silk way is observed: communication, transport, power. Unique transcontinental, serving many centuries as a flying bridge between Europe and Asia, the Silk way answered for the development and exchange of not only material values (trade relations, development of crafts, creation of new settlements), but also for interaction of the whole cultural complexes. Passing on the territory of the country last centuries of the Great Silk way gives special mysteriousness to the shape of Kazakhstan that causes considerable interest among foreign guests. It is as a matter of fact the reference monument, which bears important historical and cultural loading and is a sign for genetic memory of the Kazakh people.

Es transcriuen i comenten tres textos breus del segle XVI sobre els vricolacs Three short texts from the 16th century on the vricolacs are transcribed and commented.

The article deals with the late Ottoman literary movement of New Literature (Edebiyat-ı Cedide) and asks what new conceptions of East and West there emerged in the Ottoman-Turkish novel at the turn of the century. Based on that, it tries to outline the connections of the new poetics of the novel developed by Edebiyat-ı Cedide to the Ottoman modernization process. The underlying argument of the paper is that West and East appear in these novels more as two states of mind than physical entities, as two poles of consciousness. The West becomes an elaborately crafted metaphoric space, serving as a backdrop onto which the authors, influenced by Romantic ideals, project the wounded, fragmented consciousness of their heroes. The East, on the other hand, turns into an anti-ideal, symbolizing triviality and mediocrity of the localness, stifling the novelists' dreams and desires and hindering them from being carried away by their poetic genius. We further suggest that despite the purely artistic ambitions of these authors, their writings vividly and accurately capture the problems and tensions arising from the cultural transformation of the Ottoman Empire. L'article tracta de l'últim moviment literari otomà de la Nova Literatura (Edebiyat-ı Cedide) i pregunta quines noves concepcions d'Orient i Occident van sorgir en la novel·la otomana-turca del canvi de segle. Basat en això, intenta establir les connexions de la nova poètica de la novel·la desenvolupada per Edebiyat-ı Cedide amb el procés de modernització otomà. L'argument subjacent de l'article és que Occident i Orient apareixen en aquestes novel·les més com dos estats mentals que com entitats físiques, com dos pols de consciència. Occident es converteix en un espai metafòric minuciosament construït, que serveix com un teló de fons on els autors, influïts pels ideals romàntics, projecten la consciència fragmentada i ferida dels seus herois. Orient, d'altra banda, es converteix en un anti-ideal, que simbolitza la trivialitat i la mediocritat d'allò local, sufoca els somnis i desitjos dels novel·listes i impedeix que es deixin portar pel seu geni poètic. Suggerim a més que, malgrat les ambicions purament artístiques d'aquests autors, els seus escrits capturen de manera vívida i precisa els problemes i les tensions que sorgeixen de la transformació cultural de l'Imperi Otomà. El artículo trata del último movimiento literario otomano de la Nueva Literatura (Edebiyat-ı Cedide) y pregunta qué nuevas concepciones de Oriente y Occidente surgieron en la novela otomana-turca del cambio de siglo. Basado en eso, intenta establecer las conexiones de la nueva poética de la novela desarrollada por Edebiyat-ı Cedide con el proceso de modernización otomano. El argumento subyacente del artículo es que Occidente y Oriente aparecen en estas novelas más como dos estados mentales que como entidades físicas, como dos polos de conciencia. Occidente se convierte en un espacio metafórico elaboradamente construido, que sirve como un telón de fondo en el que los autores, influidos por los ideales románticos, proyectan la conciencia fragmentada y herida de sus héroes. Oriente, por otro lado, se convierte en un anti-ideal, que simboliza la trivialidad y la mediocridad de lo local, sofoca los sueños y deseos de los novelistas e impide que se dejen llevar por su genio poético. Sugerimos además que, a pesar de las ambiciones puramente artísticas de estos autores, sus escritos capturan de manera vívida y precisa los problemas y las tensiones que surgen de la transformación cultural del Imperio Otomano.

This article examines the reception of Edward Said’s book Orientalism in Russia. While Said made little mention of Russia, a number of scholars, including Russians abroad like Vera Tolz and Alexander Etkind, have examined Russian Orientalism according to Said’s schema. As for Russia itself, the book remains relatively understudied. I explain why Said has been largely ignored in Russia, as well as the appropriation of his ideas by the nationalist right. La présente étude porte sur la réception russe de l’ouvrage d’Edward Saïd, Orientalisme. Même si cet ouvrage ne parle que très peu de la Russie, un certain nombre de chercheurs en Occident, y compris des Russes comme Vera Tolz et Alexander Etkind, ont étudié l’orientalisme russe dans l’optique de Saïd. Il n’en a pas été de même en Russie. Alors que l’ouvrage a été publié en 1978 et qu’il avait déjà été traduit en 36 autres langues en 2005, la version russe n’a paru qu’en 2006. Je propose donc de montrer ici pourquoi Saïd a été largement ignoré en Russie, et comment en même temps la droite nationaliste s’est approprié ses idées.

The present study suggest a generalization of the spatial autoregressive model for the case when considered regions are split into two different groups, which have a mutual influence on each other. The weighing matrix in this model is split into four parts and four spatial coefficients are estimated. The proposed model is applied for the analysis of three macroeconomic indicators using the data for Russian regions, previously divided into western and eastern. Our analysis revealed: 1) a positive spatial correlation of the main macroeconomic indicators for the western regions, 2) both positive and negative externalities for the eastern regions and 3) the asymmetric influence of eastern and western regions on each other. Usually «impulses» from the western regions have a positive effect on the eastern regions, but the «impulses» from the eastern regions usually do not affect the western regions.

Treballs Finals de Grau Antropologia Social i Cultural, Facultat de Geografia i Història, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2015-2016, Tutor: Olga Jubany, El presente artículo parte de la consideración de la práctica artística cómo creadora y transformadora de cultura. La investigación realizada explora las consecuencias sociales y culturales que pueden producir las nuevas prácticas artísticas en Occidente inspiradas o "importadas" de otras culturas. El presente artículo, se enfoca en la práctica de danza del vientre en los roles de género preestablecidos, relacionando a la problemática del tabú sobre el cuerpo y la sexualidad. Para ello se tomará especialmente en cuenta la figura del bailarín, pero también de la bailarina, ya que ambos representan una ruptura en las convenciones sociales y culturales sobre la danza.

In recent years, the thesis about a fundamental shift in Western religiosity has become increasingly prominent in the scientific study of religion. Many new phenomena of today’s religious scene are seen as the manifestation of a resacralization/re-enchantment of the world, or even of spirituality/a spiritual revolution. The new religious world view that is taking shape presupposes an essential oneness of microcosm and macrocosm and a presence of the divine in man and in the world. The radical distinction between the temporal and supernatural worlds disappears, which seems to herald the advent of a new type of spirituality based on the idea of immanence. This new ‘all-inclusive spirituality’ has many forms of expression and is concerned with ‘the sacredness of life, nature and the universe’ and ‘all pathways that lead to meaning and purpose’. This ‘subjective turn’ means ‘a turn away from life lived in terms of external or “objective” roles, duties and obligations, and a turn towards life lived by reference to one’s own subjective experiences (relational as much as individualistic)’. All the above-mentioned explanatory frameworks to a certain extent employ the concept of individualization.This presentation examines the the concept of individualization as an approach for the understanding of today’s religious scene.

The economic and social cohesion of Europe constitutes a main policy goal of the European Union. In this article a broad concept of social cohesion is proposed, which covers two principal dimensions: in addition to disparities in living conditions, which can be called the inequality dimension of social cohesion, social ties between countries are another important aspect, designated in brief as the social capital dimension. For both dimensions empirical analyses of selected indicators are presented. They address the question of whether the social cohesion among EU Member States increased during the past 15 years. Furthermore, the prospects for social cohesion within an enlarged EU are dealt with by analysing potential consequences that the accession of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland implies for social cohesion. The analyses reveal that social cohesion within the European Union did not really become stronger during the past 15 years. The entry of the three candidate countries would probably weaken social cohesion even further, especially owing to the limited public approval of their accession in many Member States. Social cohesion could be strengthened by greater solidarity between the prosperous and the 'backward' countries. The main prerequisites for this mutual understanding, trustful relations, and a sense of community may be enhanced by intensifying communication and interaction among countries. Sociologický casopis/Czech Sociological Review, 2002, Vol. 38, No. 6: 721-748 1. The concept of social cohesion The concept of social cohesion emerged during the 1990s as a central policy goal at the national and the supranational level. There may be several reasons for the great interest politicians take in issues of social cohesion. First of all, the social cohesion of a society is viewed as a condition of its political stability and security. Inequalities and divisions within a society increase the risk of the political disruption and breakdown of the political system [Council of Europe 2000]. Second, social cohesion is considered a source of wealth and high economic performance, as has been demonstrated in several empirical research studies [for example, Putnam 1993; Hjerppe 1999; Ritzen 2001]. It is also important for * * Direct all correspondence to: Regina Berger-Schmitt, Zentrum fur Umfragen, Methoden und Analysen, Postfach 12 21 55, 60872 Mannheim, BRD, tel. +49 621 12 46-0, e-mail: berger@zumamann-heim.de

Even if the figurative mosaics are usually the ones to catch the attention of the archeologists and the public, we cannot deny the meaning of the geometrical and the floral motives for the study of the mosaics landscape in the roman world. The combination of the different motives, the colors chosen for each motive and their combination can help to identify the influences that determined the making of the pavements. East and West of the Roman Empire are no exceptions to this phenomenon

The new method of system dynamics, Method of System Potential (MSP), is applied for examination of long-term and short-term dynamics of the Economic System. According to MSP two ways of long-term development of a system exist: (1) cyclical and (2) noncyclical dynamics of efficiency index of a system is possible. The cyclical type of development is based on periodical renewal of a system while the noncyclical way means that the system stagnate. Innovative processes are intensively stimulated in first-type systems (with cyclical dynamics) while the second-type systems needs the special pressing instance for realization of innovations. The systems with cyclical dynamics tend to the separate existence (private ownership system)of its constituents because the collapse into united wholeness leads to fall of total 'potential' in a united system . Consolidation of systems with noncyclical dynamics tends to the increment in the total 'potential' of united system. Hypothesis that these two qualitatively different ways of development correspond to 'West' and 'East' ways of evolution is discussed. MSP-cyclical dynamics of economic system corresponds to some quantitative version of N.Kaldor' (1940) business cycle model. Interrelation between MSP business cycle model and N.Kaldor' model is discussed.

The new method of system dynamics, Method of System Potential (MSP), is applied for examination of long-term and short-term dynamics of Economic System. According to MSP two ways of long-term development of a system exist: (1) cyclical and (2) noncyclical dynamics of efficiency index of a system is possible. The cyclical type of development is based on periodical renewal of a system while the noncyclical way means that the system stagnate. Innovative processes are intensively stimulated in first-type systems (with cyclical dynamics) while the second-type systems needs the special pressing instance for promotion of innovations. The systems with cyclical dynamics tend to fix and sustain the separate existence of its constituents since the collapse into united wholeness leads to fall of 'potential' of a system (part ownership system). The constituents of systems with noncyclical dynamics tend to amalgamate into united wholeness since it leads to the increment of 'potential' of system. Hypothesis that these two qualitatively different ways of development correspond to West and East ways of evolution is discussed. MSP-cyclical dynamics of economic system gives some quantitative version of N.Kaldor' (1940) model. Interrelation between MSP business cycle model and N.Kaldor' model is discussed.

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The evolution of Czech sociology, from its outset up until the present time, has had four lasting features: a tendency to put too much emphasis on personal grudges, a deep interest in the serious problems of the time, an ability for forming well-grounded statements on contemporary issues, & a natural plurality of opinions. These features are evident still in contemporary Czech sociology. In the postcommunist period, Czech sociology managed to come to terms with some of the more shadowy aspects of its past (cooperation with the regime) without any personal conflicts & was able to relatively quickly fill in the information gap in relationship to Western sociology. Several alternative interpretations of the transformation processes were formulated, & some neglected subject areas were cultivated. Impulses stemming from globalization are accepted in a critical & relatively reasonable manner, but there is a tangible lack of study devoted to cultural processes & the influence of mass media on society. Czech sociology has thus come to terms with the trauma that accompanies every fundamental social change, & has done so in a rational & practical manner.

In Ainslee Embree and Carol Gluck, eds., Asia in Western and World History: A Guide for Teaching (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 1997), pp. 514-522. The title reflects the argument that there are basic continuing misunderstandings of Japan in the early modern Tokugawa era (1600-1868), namely: 1) "Japan is a small country"; 2) "Tokugawa Japan was a feudal society"; 3) "The Tokugawa regime was a police state"; 4) "Tokugawa Japan was divided into sour separate classes"; 5) "Tokugawa Japan isolated itself from the rest of the world for more than two centuries." I argue that these assertions are misleading and simplistic.

This multi-authored work, edited and co-written by myself, was an effort to take seriously the best-selling novel of James Clavell, "SHŌGUN: A Novel of Japan" as a way of understanding changing Western images of Japan in the context of "real" Japanese history. The book appeared in September 1980, just before the television mini-series based on James Clavell's novel. It was the result of a workshop that I organized in the spring of that year at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I was then teaching, and was edited and produced in Santa Barbara over the summer. The design was by Marc Treib of the College of Environmental Design at Berkeley, then already well known for his graphic design and books on architecture. "Learning from SHŌGUN" was distributed by the Japan Society of New York, and two printings quickly sold out. The authors are pleased to make it available here in PDF format for interested readers and teachers. We also want to emphasize that "Learning from SHŌGUN" is about Clavell's novel, not about either the TV miniseries or the feature film versions. A postscript to the book does offer my own first impressions of the miniseries, however, of which I was able to see a preview before it appeared on national television.

Rafik Schami zählt zu den erfolgreichsten nicht-muttersprachlichen Autoren von Literatur in deutscher Sprache und wird als wichtiger Vertreter der Migrationsliteratur wahrgenommen. Seine Romane und Erzählungen spielen eine bedeutende Rolle bei der Vermittlung eines Orient-Bildes, dessen Wirkung auf den Leser am besten mit dem Begriff einer vertrauten Fremde' umschrieben werden kann. Der Autor macht in diesem Zusammenhang die arabische Tradition mündlichen Erzählens zum Dreh- und Angelpunkt seines fiktionalen Werks. Nach einigen theoretischen Überlegungen zu Definition und Eigenschaften interkultureller Literatur im Allgemeinen sowie Migrationsliteratur im Besonderen steht im vorliegenden Beitrag die Darstellung von Alterität und Fremdheitserfahrungen in Schamis phantastischen Märchen im Mittelpunkt. Besonderes Augenmerk wird dabei auf rezeptionsästhetische Fragen der Aneignung des literarischen Orients durch den Leser gelegt.