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A Journey Through Another Dismal Science
No. 49, Sep.-Oct. 2024 I first met Professor Silviu Neguţ as a name on a book cover, probably the noblest of encounters between a (timeless) master and a (future) disciple. In my wayward youth, I was enamoured of everything that resembled geography, a passion second only to football. I have matured since then into the fullness of my wisdom and subtlety of pursuits ;-), therefore I can no longer claim a passion for geography. I just… love it. (As for football, the passion remains, defying maturity, wisdom and subtlety :-D). More
Social Scoreboard – Romania vs. Poland in the EU
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 Eurostat has published the state of play of the Social Scoreboard for Member States, summarised in the evolution of 16 profile indicators. In terms of GDP per capita at standard purchasing power parity, Romania is at 80% of the EU average, on a par with Poland and higher than Hungary, Croatia (76%), Slovakia (73%), Latvia (71%), Greece (67%) and Bulgaria (64%). More
May You Live in Interesting Times
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 The current state of American politics is dire. A deepening polarization has taken root at the heart of American politics, affecting all aspects of discourse. The division between Republicans and Democrats is no longer solely based on policy, but on fundamental values and differing perceptions of reality. This has immediate consequences for the lives of ordinary citizens both within and beyond the borders of the United States. The global rise of populism and nationalism has had a particularly strong impact in the United States, transforming long-standing debates about American leadership in the free world and the enduring nature of the American dream into a climate of hostility, political violence, and hate. More
An Uneasy Partnership: Medieval Church and State
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 Western civilization, which emerged during the late Roman imperial period, is a mixture – perhaps even a synthesis – of Roman and Christian elements. Christianity rejuvenated the Roman world by introducing a dynamism and resilience lacking in earlier civilizations. The adoption and spread of the Christian faith inspired cultural, moral, and technological innovations within a Roman legal and administrative architecture which, through the generations, have transformed everyday life nearly everywhere. This article is drawn from the first part of chapter 3, “Early Christendom,” of Crossed Swords: Entanglements between Church and State in America (unpublished dissertation, University of Oregon, 1984), 101-19. It is a companion piece to “Early Christendom: Chrysalis of the West” published in the Mar./Apr. 2023 issue. More
SWIFT
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 Twenty-five years ago, during World Economic History class in university, our professor decided to “indulge in a bit of showing off” (this was long before the Romanian expression translated as “making an arrogance” [a face o aroganță – sic!] became an iconic idiom thanks to the local shepherd + real estate + football magnate Gigi Becali). My professor’s very first words during the very first class were Azúcar Moreno. It was the name of an acclaimed Spanish musical duo consisting of sisters Antonia and Encarnacion Salazar who topped the charts back in the day and had just finished a well-received concert in Romania. The name of the band itself meant “brown sugar”, a self-referential nod to the sisters’ Romani origins. During that semester, the professor took us through various historical eras peppered with hints and references to these two words, discussing at length about routes and resources, relations and regimes, all connected by the “red thread” of the savour of the goods (or the scent of money) and of the colour or the skin (along with the sound of suffering). He did not abandon his eccentricity even during the exam. Sensing a sports-related metaphor in my answer to a standard exam question, he issued me a challenge, again, long before it became a common practice on social media. To earn the highest mark, I had to not only enumerate ten sports teams from the US regardless of the sport or league, but to do it in the (chrono)logical order in which the terms associated with them entered the American vernacular. I walked away from that exam with an “A” (10) and the revelation that skilful wordplays could add value to scientific knowledge. More
The October Surprises Came Early
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 In American politics, there is talk of the “October surprise”, an event that precipitates a spectacular reversal of the situation just before the presidential elections at the beginning of November, having the potential to radically change the outcome of the elections. After a prelude to the presidential race on autopilot, in which President Biden and former President Trump avoided primary debates and were their parties’ presumptive nominees with few expected surprises, July brought shocking events on both sides, that may change the course of the elections. Firstly, the June 26 early presidential debate precipitated a crisis of confidence in Joe Biden. Later, on the one hand, we have the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, resulting in one of the most powerful political images in modern history and precipitating a crisis of confidence in key organizations and a new Republican populist radicalization. On the other hand, Joe Biden announced, just a month before the Democratic National Convention that would have confirmed him as the candidate of the Party he leads for the American Presidency, that he is withdrawing from a role of candidate that he has tenaciously held onto and that he supports Kamala Harris as his successor. Donald Trump, meanwhile, picked a campaign partner with ideological weight as a promise to his supporters about his second-term commitment to the populist causes he launched but rarely followed through on. There are still more than three months until election night, and after such an inauspicious start to the real presidential campaign, we should not be surprised that the “October surprises” may keep on coming. More
Romania, the Lowest Number of Working Years among the EU Member States
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 Last year, Romania recorded the lowest number of years of work among EU member states, according to data published by Eurostat. With an average of only 32.2 years, we ranked below Italy (32.8 years), Croatia (34 years), Greece (34.2 years) and Bulgaria (34.5 years). Which, socio-culturally, shows that we are, simultaneously, both Latins and Balkans. More
Rising Temperatures and Rising Extremism
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 The political temperature is rising within the European Union. The political landscape within the European Union is currently undergoing a significant transformation, characterized by a noticeable increase in extremist ideologies. This shift is particularly evident among the younger generation, who are becoming increasingly disenchanted with traditional political parties and with yesteryear radicals like the Greens. The established political order, which was once viewed as the foundation of stability and progress, is now being challenged by movements that promise radical change. More
Navigating the Intersection of Race and Identity: Understanding the Complex Tapestry of Human Experience
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 The intersection of race and identity is a complex human experience with profound implications for individuals and society. To deepen the understanding of contemporary social issues and foster intellectual discourse, this article explores how race intersects with individual identity, shaping personal narratives and societal structures. It draws on scholarly research and real-life examples, in examining the multifaceted dynamics through which racial identity influences perceptions, experiences, and opportunities. More
The Inescapable Gap
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 Much awaited as any other major football tournament, the UEFA Euro 2024 brought along controversies regarding the competition format. Critics (or nostalgic fans) argued over the expansion of the tournament to 24 teams, considering that the old system, with 16 teams divided into groups of 4, would have been simpler and better. Better, meaning, more competitive (?). The current format sees the top two teams from each of the six groups (of four) qualify for the round of 16, joined by the best four third ranked teams of each group. More
“The American Claimants”
No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 We know, the US is short for the USA, in turn an acronym for the United States of America, which could very well stand for The-Somehow-Still-United-Despite-Constant-Divisions-and-Bickering-States-of-America. Race and class, gender and religion, all craftily packed in (debilitating) ideologies, are some of the cruxes for (or rather, causes of) the many fault lines that stubbornly drive wedges within the highly regarded and widely praised “land of the free, home of the brave”. These boundaries date back to the time of pilgrims and pioneers and will endure in an idiosyncratic form of patriotism, just like their political coalescence has become, paradoxically enough, the driver of American society and statehood. The polarity between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, aka “the left” versus “the right”, aka “liberals” versus “conservatives”, keeps America in motion, even if the image of the debate (debacle?) Biden-Trump on the evening/morning of June 28/29, was one of an American political class that “went to pot” than of candidates “running for POTUS” (President of the United States). More
“The Future of Europe” – To Be Scrutinized by Academics and Practitioners
No. 47, May-Jun. 2024 “The Future of Europe” International Conference, organized by the Faculty of International Business and Economics, of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, on 24-25 October 2024 and marking this year its 15th edition, aims to bring together academics and practitioners from all over the world to present research papers, share their knowledge and expertise, as well as to debate ideas in a wide range of thematic areas, including but not limited to:- international business, innovation and competitiveness, digital transformation, supply chain resilience, and sustainability challenges;- EU governance and enlargement, business cycles and economic crises, role of the state, mobility and infrastructure development, finance and banking in the EU, circular economy, climate change economics, green energy, and energy security;- multiculturalism & diversity across the European Union, with particular emphasis on business communication and negotiation, leadership, organizational culture, migration issues. More
