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In this article the author analyzes a theoretical direction called “Peripheral Realism”, which has arisen within the scope of neorealism in 1990s due to an acknowledged Argentinean political scientist Carlos Escudé. The author makes an attempt to provide a complex analysis of the original theory of 1992 and compares it with the modern realities of international relations. The author also conducts a comparative analysis of the original theory and its revised version of 2016, in order to trace the dynamics of its development. The main objective of the study is to establish whether the theory of peripheral realism can be attributed to the so-called ‘non-Western’ theories of international relations. First of all, the article is based on an in-depth analysis of the theoretical basis of Carlos Escudé’s peripheral realism theory on the basis of his main writings of 1992 and 1995, as well as an analysis of subsequent variations of the theory in 2012 and 2015. The study also uses a comparative analysis method, which contrasts the features and theoretical positions of the canonical ‘grand’ theories of international relations (especially realism and neo-realism, being the origins for the theory) and correlates them with those of the theory of peripheral realism in order to highlight the role and place of this theory in the configuration of Western and non-Western theories of international relations. The author concludes that the uniqueness of the concept comes from assessing reality from the point of ‘weaker’ and developing countries, which is not generally customary for Anglo-Saxon theories. This unique feature puts the concept of peripheral realism beyond the perceptions of the nature of world politics generally accepted in the research community. The study was originally drafted for the research seminar “Non-Western Theories of International Relations” of the Department of theory and history of international relations of RUDN University, as well as for the joint research seminar of RUDN and HSE University “Non-Western Theories of International Relations in a Polycentric World.”

En el presente artículo se indaga teóricamente sobre el poder de los Estados más débiles en lo que respecta a las relaciones jerárquicas del sistema internacional. Esta cuestión se aborda primeramente a partir de una revisión de la literatura existente sobre los conceptos de autonomía y valor estratégico. Se advierte que, mientras que el primero ha sido ampliamente discutido en diversos círculos académicos, principalmente en América Latina; el segundo carece de reflexiones profundas a pesar de la íntima vinculación entre ambos y de su mención pasajera por parte de diversos autores. En función de esta vacancia temática, en el último apartado del artículo se reflexiona teóricamente sobre este concepto, su operacionalización mediante la identificación de sus distintos componentes, sus características y su relevancia. El mismo se aborda desde el marco teórico general del Realismo Periférico de Carlos Escudé. Se argumenta que el valor estratégico percibido de los países periféricos por parte de las grandes potencias resulta una variable condicional esencial para comprender estas relaciones asimétricas, siendo fundamental su incorporación en posteriores análisis empíricos que avancen sobre las mismas., This article explores theoretically the power that weaker States have in the hierarchical relations of the international system. This question is first addressed on the basis of a detailed literature review on the concepts of autonomy and strategic value. While the former has been widely discussed in various academic circles, mainly in Latin America; the latter lacks any in-depth reflections, despite the intimate link between the two and despite being mentioned by various authors. In view of this thematic gap, the last section of the article presents a theoretical reflection on this concept, its operationalization through the identification of its different components, its characteristics and its relevance. It is argued that the perceived strategic value of peripheral countries by the great powers is a fundamental conditional variable to understand such asymmetrical relations and that its incorporation in subsequent empirical analyses is essential., Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales

The introduction of Internet and Information and communication Technologies (ICT) in offices is a global phenomenon that transformed white-collar worker job demands. Although there are several studies of e-skills and mental workload for central countries, there is a lack of similar studies for the Latin American context. An online snowball sampled (n = 352) survey was developed and validated by the authors (internal consistency = 0.7). We characterized ICT worker profiles from e-skills and these dimensions: attitudes toward, resources usage and technology dependency. Mental Strain was assessed with raw task load index (RTLX) and correlated with the proposed profiles by means of paired T-tests and Mann-Whitney Tests. The sample was characterized by 7.2% of non visual display terminal users and 92.8% of visual display terminal, ICT skilled users. Of the latter, 30.7% were ICT practitioners, 30.4% were ICT Users and 27.2% were E-Business Users. Non VDT users' mental strain was statistically meaningful smaller than VDT-ICT skilled users' mental workload. No statistical differences were found in RTLX results when comparing ICT skilled user profiles. Non VDT users can be identified from ICT skilled Users by their lower ITC Dependency and minor use of ICT resources. There were no differences in those dimensions among ICT skilled Profiles. Attitude toward these technologies was a distinct factor for ICT Users in relation to ICT Practitioners and ITC Business Users. The application of this tool in peripheral and central countries would allow a complete ergonomical characterization of white-collar workers within the Information Society. La introducción de Internet y las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en las oficinas es un fenómeno global que transformó las demandas laborales de los trabajadores de cuello blanco. Aunque existen varios estudios sobre las habilidades electrónicas y la carga de trabajo mental para los países centrales, faltan estudios similares para el contexto latinoamericano. Los autores desarrollaron y validaron una encuesta en línea de muestra de bolas de nieve ( n = 352) (consistencia interna = 0.7). Caracterizamos los perfiles de los trabajadores de las TIC a partir de las habilidades electrónicas y estas dimensiones: actitudes , uso de recursos y dependencia tecnológica. La tensión mental se evaluó con el índice de carga de tareas sin procesar (RTLX) y se correlacionó con los perfiles propuestos por medio de pruebas T emparejadas y pruebas de Mann-Whitney. La muestra se caracterizó por el 7,2% de los usuarios de terminales de pantallas no visuales y el 92,8% de los usuarios de terminales de pantallas visuales, expertos en TIC. De estos últimos, el 30.7% eran profesionales de las TIC, el 30.4% eran usuarios de las TIC y el 27.2% eran usuarios de negocios electrónicos. La tensión mental de los no usuarios de VDT fue estadísticamente significativa menor que la carga de trabajo mental de los usuarios calificados de VDT-ICT. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticas en los resultados de RTLX al comparar los perfiles de usuarios expertos en TIC. Los usuarios no capacitados en VDT pueden identificarse a partir de usuarios capacitados en TIC por su menor dependencia del ITC y el menor uso de los recursos de las TIC. No hubo diferencias en esas dimensiones entre los perfiles capacitados en TIC. La actitud hacia estas tecnologías fue un factor distintivo para los usuarios de las TIC en relación con los profesionales de las TIC y los usuarios comerciales del ITC. La aplicación de esta herramienta en países periféricos y centrales permitiría una caracterización ergonómica completa de los trabajadores de cuello blanco dentro de la Sociedad de la Información. Fil: Rodriguez, Roberto Germán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Pattini, Andrea Elvira. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; Argentina

In the past Portugal managed to grow at a significant rate, but the pace has getting slower and slower from decade to decade, until becoming practically stagnant in the first decade of the 21st century. This stumpy growth together with the current debt crisis has fed the rhetoric of structural reforms in a so obsessive way as if they are a panacea. Our paper shows how structural change was occurred in the Portuguese economy and how it began to be transformed in technological change in the beginning of the 21st. century and argues that structural change and structural reform are two very different concepts and using the latter as a magic potion is more detrimental than beneficial of economic growth and structural change.

A resenha faz uma discussão sobre o México e o Tratado de Livre Comércio da América do Norte a partir da bibliografia contemporânea. A resenha faz uma discussão sobre o México e o Tratado de Livre Comércio da América do Norte a partir da bibliografia contemporânea. A resenha faz uma discussão sobre o México e o Tratado de Livre Comércio da América do Norte a partir da bibliografia contemporânea.

The experiences of 259 regions in 21 European countries with within country GDP per capita and labour productivity growth suggest that variables associated with pro-active, growth oriented strategies are consistently more important predictors of successful regional development than variables related to austerity for a range of measures of successful development. Since regions are the only historical examples of restructuring in currency unions, we therefore also argue for a more growth oriented strategy to solve the problems of the European periphery and outline some features of such a strategy.