What was wrong?

Interview with one of the most lucid Eastern European intellectuals, Tamás G.Miklos , about the ups and downs of post-communism and what happened after the fall.

The Bad Side of the Internet in Human Sciences Research

I am referring now strictly to the Human Sciences, where the definition of concept is apparently a never ending story and the information is so diverse that only recognizing modestly the strict limits of our knowledge could offer a chance to believe that our "writing" are really worthy and bring something valuable to the general appropriation of a subject.

Just an example of the daily struggle of imposing yourself limits to find out more about your topics: you want to check something, and while searching, you find another information and you stop yourself from the writing and read more. And then, you discover that THIS was something new, not covered yet. And you continue to read more and more, and to do more searches and your thoughts are high-speed rolling over and over again. No more writing, or you reconsider chapters or paragraphs, and you need, of course, new ideas to fit or another checking of the basic starting point. Before, it was easier, as the time-space limitations were higher: needed to go to the library, to find out the bibliography carefully prepared before and at the end of the day, you got some clear ideas, ready to be put on paper. None of the situations are enviable and the less of them all is when you should stop finding out for the sake of the time&space pressure of finishing your fantastic papers.

The Retiring Intellectual

A 1959 article about Martin Lipset's stance on the Intellectual choices during the Cold War.

And an appreciation he made, referring to the difficulty to define intellectuals:

Definition of intellectual is sharpened by the existence of intellectuals in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union who used, or still use, the tools and trainings associated with intelligentsia in the science of anti-intellectual values. Are they really intellectuals?

Another brick in the Wall

and the Nostalgia.
The good news is the Wall will remain only a memory.
Good Bye, Lenin, for ever!

The Power of the Powerless

Vaclav Havel's text from 1978, about the dissidence, the origins of Charter 77 and the choice of refusing to live in a lie.
For me, what it defines very well the former communist societies:

Because the regime is captive to its own lies, it must falsify everything. It falsifies the past. It falsified the present, and it falsifies the future. It falsifies statistics. It pretends not to possess an omnipotent and unprincipled police apparatus. It pretends to respect human rights. It pretends to persecute no one. It pretends to fear nothing. It pretends to pretend nothing.

Memories of the Cold War

Thatcher's Britain, Germany and the Soviet Union.

OSCE media freedom representative expresses concern about Lithuanian public information law, welcomes authorities' co-operation on improving it

VIENNA, 4 September 2009 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, expressed concern today that a recently amended law that aims to protect minors is sovague that it will restrict legitimate media content, but he also welcomed the Lithuanian authorities' readiness to co-operate with the OSCE in improving the law."The law sets numerous limits on freedom of expression generally, not only on children's programmes," Haraszti wrote in a letter to Arunas Valinskas, Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, and to Vygaudas Usackas, Minister of Foreign Affairs. "It introduces dubious and vague media content regulations that can be arbitrarily applied against media."Parliament, the Seimas, adopted the amendments to the Law on the Protection of Minors against Detrimental Effect of Public Information on 14 July.

New initiatives put forward in the Seimas aim to improve the law before it enters into force on 1 March 2010.The July rules outlaw public speech "agitating for homosexual, bisexual and polygamous relations" as well as "portrayal of physical or psychological violence", "promoting bad eating, sanitary and physical passivity habits" and "portraying mockery of a person"."Some of these norms are discriminatory, and all of them hamper the production of artistic or documentary content," Haraszti said. "But their main problem is a vagueness that makes their application unavoidably arbitrary, selective and politicized."Haraszti welcomed the Lithuanian authorities' readiness to co-operate with his office on the reform of the new law before it comes into force.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/item/39387.html

OSCE launches video contest on civil society to mark anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain

VIENNA, 24 August 2009 - The OSCE launched a video contest today to highlight civil society initiatives in the OSCE area to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain. Initiated and financed by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the OSCE, with the support of the Greek OSCE Chairmanship, the contest aims to raise awareness about the importance of civic participation and highlight positive examples of civil society in action.The winners will get a trip to Vienna to attend high-profile events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain on 5 and 6 November.

The winning short videos will be shown at a special exhibition on 5 November and showcased on the OSCE's YouTube channel and website.

The video contest - "Taking part - civil society initiatives in the OSCE area" - is open to all residents of the 56 OSCE participating States between the ages of 18 and 30. Students, journalists and civil society members are particularly encouraged to enter. The deadline for entries is 2 October.

Contest details can be found on the OSCE website: http://www.osce.org/item/39260.html.

Statement by OSCE Minorities Commissioner on Slovakia's State Language Act

THE HAGUE, 03 September 2009 - The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Knut Vollebaek, released the following statement today:

"Over the past two months I have had numerous discussions with the Slovak and Hungarian Governments and Parliaments as well as representatives of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia in connection with the promulgation of amendments to Slovakia's State Language Act. All parties have sought my good offices in order to help find an amenable solution to outstanding issues surrounding the promulgation and implementation of the Law. In my talks I emphasized that it is important that an appropriate balance is ensured between strengthening the state language on the one hand, and protecting the linguistic rights of persons belonging to national minorities on the other. I suggested specific measures on how this balance can be enhanced and recommended a number of steps to be taken in order to implement the law in an appropriate and proportionate way. It is essential that the implementation of the Act does not negatively affect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in Slovakia.

I also encouraged the Slovak and Hungarian Governments to engage in constructive dialogue on outstanding issues in the spirit of friendly and good-neighbourly relations and to make full use of existing bilateral mechanisms. It is also imperative that the next steps are taken in close co-operation with national minority representatives in Slovakia.In this context, all sides have welcomed my participation in the upcoming meeting of the Slovak-Hungarian Joint Commission on Issues of National Minorities and have invited me to provide my assistance in ensuring that the next steps will take account of the rights and legitimate needs of all stakeholders. This includes my assistance with the drafting of the implementing guidelines. I intend to remain engaged with this matter until it is resolved in a way that all sides accept. I will visit Budapest and Bratislava in mid-September to continue assisting Hungary and Slovakia in resolving their differences."

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/item/39377.html