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Nobody talks about the "Czech miracle" anymore except with irony, and no longer can anyone refer to Slovakia as "a hole in the map of Europe."Times have changed rapidly and explanation has lagged far behind.

"Elected Affinities" is the first book-length project to account for the startling differences in the course of democratization in Slovakia and the Czech Republic during the 1990s.The book uses the natural experiment created by Czechoslovakia's dissolution to explore why some new democracies succeed and why some (nearly) fail.The comparison offers new insights into the inner workings of political parties and governments in postcommunist countries, and into the complex relationships among nationalism, economic reform, and political accountability in democracies, both new and old. ... Read more

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NATO has years of intellectual and practical international security investment and is committed to addressing new threats, including that of trans-national terrorism, under the 1999 New Strategic Concept. Through the legacy of Cold War functions and responses, however, some mechanisms can be inhibited and lack the necessary innovation to operate as effectively as they should, especially in pressing current circumstances. In particular the lack of working experience between military forces and domestic policing when addressing trans-national terrorist and other threats to todayÂ’s society became evident and demanded a fresh approach and novel, innovative ideas within NATO circles to compensate. It was recommended unanimously that:1) the 'Vilemov Group' should reconvene again in 2003 with an agenda of further deliverables and objectives. 2) A NATO Core Advisory Group on NATO Future Security should convene in Brussels later in the year. It should provide a scientific method for the development of new concepts, focusing on processes for NATO to better achieve convergence between security means and ends. Making use possibly of the Long-Term Scientific Study (LTSS) format, it should address security-related issues such as redefining terminology, surveys, audit and identification of NATO centres, resources, assets and agencies, and external groups, including NGOs.

IOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields.

Some of the areas we publish in:

-Biomedicine
-Oncology
-Artificial intelligence
-Databases and information systems
-Maritime engineering
-Nanotechnology
-Geoengineering
-All aspects of physics
-E-governance
-E-commerce
-The knowledge economy
-Urban studies
-Arms control
-Understanding and responding to terrorism
-Medical informatics
-Computer Sciences ... Read more

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CZECH REPUBLIC ECOLOGY AND NATURE PROTECTION HANDBOOK (World Business, Investment and Government Library) ... Read more

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This is the second of three books by Jeffrey Simon on emerging post-communist countries to recently join NATO. As with the previous volume (Hungary), this book represents a tremendous amount of first hand research grounded in primary source material and personal interviews with key civil and military leaders. ... Read more

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Though they shared a state for most of the twentieth century, when the Czechs and Slovaks split in 1993 they founded their new states on different definitions of sovereignty. The Czech Constitution employs a civic model, founding the state in the name of "the citizens of the Czech Republic," while the Slovak Constitution uses the more exclusive ethnic model and speaks in the voice of "the Slovak Nation."

Defining the Sovereign Community asks two central questions. First, why did the two states define sovereignty so differently? Second, what impact have these choices had on individual and minority rights and participation in the two states? Nadya Nedelsky examines how the Czechs and Slovaks understood nationhood over the course of a century and a half and finds that their views have been remarkably resilient over time.

These enduring perspectives on nationhood shaped how the two states defined sovereignty after the Velvet Revolution, which in turn strongly affected the status of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia and the Roma minority in the Czech Republic. Neither state has secured civic equality, but the nature of the discrimination against minorities differs. Using the civic definition of sovereignty offers stronger support for civil and minority rights than an ethnic model does. Nedelsky's conclusions challenge much analysis of the region, which tends to explain ethnic politics by focusing on postcommunist factors, especially the role of opportunistic political leaders. Defining the Sovereign Community instead examines the undervalued historical roots of political culture and the role of current constitutional definitions of sovereignty. Looking ahead, Nedelsky offers crucial evidence that nationalism may remain strong in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, even in the face of democratization and EU integration, and is an important threat to both.

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Based on a set of structured interviews with parliamentarians, and additional interviews with party leaders and activists, this volume provides an account of the formation of the new democracies in the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic and, later, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Examining efforts to construct stable democratic parliamentary regimes in the wake of communist breakdown, it also offers an analysis of parliament's relations with the electorate and the executive, as well as their internal working. ... Read more

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These eleven essays by historians, political scientists, sociologists and anthropologists establish a foundation for appreciating the political history of Central Europe. By examining the political landscape in each country, the contributors aim to evoke the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and bridge the gap between the two extreme images of Central European history. Specific topics presented include: the lost dimensions of social movements and classes; the relationship between the concepts of 'nation' and 'state'; Austrian democracy; party system development; the myth of Czech liberalism; the Sudeten-German problem; Slovak politics; the regime change in Hungary; and, the relationship between democracy and organised interests. By focusing on the consequences of past regime types, social structures and cultural contexts for democractic development, this volume presents a significant base from which future scholars can proceed on a country-by-country analysis. ... Read more

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CZECH REPUBLIC CUSTOMS, TRADE REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES HANDBOOK (World Business, Investment and Government Library) ... Read more

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Theory meets practice in The Philosophy and Politics ofCzech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel, a critical study of thephilosophy and political practice of the Czech dissident movementCharter 77. Aviezer Tucker examines how the political philosophy ofJan Patocka (19071977), founder of Chaavel's presidency and theeventual corruption of the Velvet Revolution, Tucker demonstrates thatthe weaknesses in Charter 77 member's understanding of modernity,which did not matter while they were dissidents, seriously harmedtheir ability to function in a modern democratic system. Within thiscontext, Tucker also examines Havels recent attempt to topple thedemocratic but corrupt government in 19971998. The Philosophy andPolitics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel will be of interestto students of philosophy and politics, scholars and students ofSlavic studies, and historians, as well as anyone fascinated by thenature of dissidence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Foundations of Political Theory First Book Honorable Mention
This book has been awarded one of two Honorable Mentions for the 2001 Best First Book Prize from the Foundations of Political Theory division of the American Political Science Association. The citation reads as follows:

In The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patocka to Havel, Aviezer Tucker provides a captivating critical narrative of the Charter 77 movement in Czechoslovakia and of the ideas that inspired it. The result is an informative and provocative case study of the intersection of theory and praxis during a pivotal time in Eastern European politics. Patocka was the pre-eminent Czech philosopher during the thirteen year career of the Charter 77 movement, and his philosophy played a central role in its history. His life and fate, as Tucker observes, parallels that of Socrates in Athens; and Havel's role as a philosopher president presented him with the kind of problems Plato confronted in his reforming mission to Syracuse. Tucker illuminates this important chapter in recent history and provides thoughtful critical commentary on the post-Heideggerian and phenomenological ideas that his subjects brought to life.

Students of Czech history: read this book now!
This highly readable book is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in the roots of the dissident movement in communist Czechoslovakia.Tucker describes the philosophical heritage of key members of Charter 77 with amazing clarity.He also does a great job of explaining the political and historical context of their thoughts.

Please note that the book is not an encyclopedic account of Czech dissident thought."From Patocka to Havel" in the title might better be phrased "OF Patocka AND Havel," since the work of other Czech dissidents are mentioned mostly in reference to these two men's theories.However, as theoretical background to a complex issue, this book is well worth reading. ... Read more

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This clear, objective introduction to the politics of Czechoslovakia and the successor Czech and Slovak republics builds a framework for understanding the dynamics of the "triple transition": democratization, marketization, and a national transformation that has reconfigured the dynamic between state and nation. Offering a valuable case study of a country coming back to Europe, the book's strong comparative element will make it invaluable to those seeking to understand the dynamics of transition in the region as a whole. ... Read more

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THE ONLY SOURCE FOR CURRENT CZECH AND SLOVAK INFO!!!
Leff has written the first detailed analysis of the Czech and Slovak Republics since their divide in 1993. She provides sufficient historical background, an excellent tale of the Velvet Revolution, and an accurateevaluation of the current situations in both countries including bothpolitical and economic statuses.This book is necessary for anyone wantingthe real picture of Czech and Slovak life after the fall of the SovietUnion. ... Read more

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Global, national and subnational changes (political, economic, social and demographic) force local governments to search, reactively or proactively, for alternative organizational patterns and management styles. This work explores different approaches toward local government reorientation in selected Western countries, as well as the "reinvention" of local government in Eastern Europe. Eight national case-studies (US, Canada, UK, Germany, Norway, Israel, the Czech Republic and Russia) provide the empirical basis. From a theoretical point of view, the book exposes three main critical factors: the range of policy options facing local governments (strategic choice), their organizational capabilities to cope with major environmental shifts (strategic capabilities), and their capacity for organizational learning (including programmed experimentation, innovation and creativity). ... Read more

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Czech Republic Country (Russian Regional Investment and Business Library) ... Read more

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WMI's Educational Building Construction in the Czech Republic: Market Snapshot to 2014 is the easiest way to find the headline figures for the sector.The report contains historical and forecast market values as well as the segments percentage share of the overall category in which it is

Who should buy this report?

This report is aimed at those who want just data and figures without analysis.It does not contain the analysis which can be found in our more comprehensive Databook or Market Intelligence reports. ... Read more

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2009 Reprint,updated,printed ""on demand""- Czech Republic Research & Development Policy Handbook ... Read more