Oddajemy w Państwa ręce czternasty tom wydawnictwa ciągłego „Studia Politicae Universitatis Silesiensis”. Zgromadzone w nim artykuły są efektem badań prowadzonych przez pracowników oraz doktorantów Instytutu Nauk Politycznych i Dziennikarstwa Uniwersytetu Śląskiego, a także przedstawicieli innych ośrodków naukowych w Polsce i za granicą. Jeden z artykułów jest napisany w języku angielskim, pozostałe w języku polskim. Ze względu na problematykę poszczególne teksty pomieszczono w czterech blokach tematycznych.

Abstract: Though the concept of economic system is usually described and analysed in rela­tion to the state, it seems that because of the level of integration and a number of exceptional features, it is worthwhile trying to analyse it with regard to the European Union. Therefore, the paper contains a description and a brief analysis of the European Union as an economic system. The main axis of considerations is the simultaneous occurrence in the system of the particular features peculiar to the individual EU member states, and the universalistic ones, resulting from the integration process.

The first part of the article indicates specific features of the EU as an economic system. This is useful and necessary in order to understand the uniqueness of the EU as an economic system. The second part of the article concerns the theoretical aspects of the EU as an eco­nomic system. Subsequently, the selected aspects how the EU works in practice as an eco­nomic system are contained in the third part. To this aim, statistical data relating to about ten different criteria have been used. The summary and the main conclusions are at the end of the article.

Abstract: Dysfunctionality of the Swiss system of direct democracy on the example of the integration of the Muslim minority

Analysing the role of the Muslim minority in Switzerland is important to specify the role of Swiss direct democracy, which determines the status of religious minorities in this country. The Swiss political system is blocking the rights of Muslim religious minority and its full integration in Switzerland and in the Swiss society. In Switzerland exists the negative impact of direct democracy on the integration of Muslim religious minority. Limitation of full rights for the minority confirms the phenomenon of dysfunctionality in the Swiss direct democracy system. The analysis of this unexplored or wrongly interpreted problem is the subject of this article.

Abstract: Australian Republic — an outline of the problem

„Australian Republic” project is current political problem in Australian politics for over two hundred years. It was born, when Australia was a penal colony. It was developed for years, and nowadays it still arouses great emotions. The constitutional referendum, which was held in 1999, has shown that Australians are not ready for a republic and rejection of British monarchy as a head of state. There are still a lot of debates and discussions about this project. Republicans prepare to the next steps and activities. Republican movement has changed for years. This article shows the short history of Australian republicanism, current concepts and the public opinion support.

Abstract: The population projections for Poland to 2050 — analysis of selected aspects of the population aging

The article concerns the prospects of demographic growth of Poland to 2050, based on the results of the latest forecast GUS (2014), Eurostat and the United Nations (2012). A charac­teristic feature of population change in the world, is the intensification of the process of aging of the population, but his special character applies to highly developed countries. Quantitative analysis of the available data indicates that Poland will become one of the oldest countries in Europe. Depending on the forecast, the decrease in population by 2050 will be between 3,6 — 4,5 million. However, fundamental changes will concern the structure of the population by age. All the indicators of population aging clearly show, that in the analyzed term Poland will have experience the demographic crisis — hyper aging. Its consequences will concern to many areas of social, economic and political life.

Abstract: Health security — an introduction to the problems

The aim of this paper is to present and analyze the concept of health security. The main categories conditioning the health security will be explained, including the security context of the sectoral approach. Furthermore, objective and subjective aspects of health security will be taken into consideration in this paper.

Key words: health security, political discourse, human security, systemic transformation

Abstract: The equalization of educational chances in Polish school after 1989. About the necessity of the policy of equal educational chances

The article characterizes the actions, the aim of which is the equalization of educational chances which have been taken up by the educational authorities after 1989. The author focus­es mainly on the educational reform which took place in 1999. One of the crucial aims of this reform was the equalization of educational chances. The author claims that due to the lack of efficiency of the equalization mechanisms, one should consider the implementation of a com­prehensive program of policy of equal educational chances. The policy is a part of social policy and it does not affect only children who are in the school system.

Abstract: Internal policy of the PRC as a factor in Sino‑Indian relations

The article focuses on the analysis of internal factors of Chinese foreign policy, paying particular attention to their impact on Sino‑Indian relations. It addresses the question of making China policy, the impacts of actors such as the military and the various factions within the Communist Party of China. Has been widely discussed topic of Chinese nationalism and its current and potential impact on policy making in the PRC. The author pays particular attention to the changes in the Chinese policy, which take place after the adoption of state power by Xi Jinping in 2012. Xi tries to be a strong leader, and be able to concentrate in his hand more power than its predecessors. Both intended and unexpected effects of their actions can have a significant impact on China’s policy towards India and other countries. Reflections in the article refer often to the history of Middle Kingdom, because China has a great sense of historicity of their own civilization. No coincidence that one of the most frequently cited in discussions on China’s foreign policy is an ancient strategic treatise “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

Abstract: Journalism in comparison with new media. Opportunities and threats

Journalism has entered a critical period. Print media are losing readers and reducing their circulations at an alarming pace, whereas newspapers are moving to the network, where they face competition with social media. As noted by Paul Levinson, media newer than ‘new media’ have been invented. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia not only have exerted a huge impact on the surrounding reality, but all it happened in a rapid, difficult to predict manner. A few years ago, some of these services not only did not have a mass audience, but they even did not exist. In this situation the question returned about skills, professional ethos and the way the journalist work in contemporary media. Whether he/she should be merely one of many other providers of information, in the same way as bloggers or people utilising the popular Twitter, or be an insightful analyst of reality, capable of digging up and providing important information.

Trudno dziś z pewnością jednoznacznie stwierdzić, niemniej jednak można z dużą dozą prawdopodobieństwa powiedzieć, iż katastrofa prezydenckiego samolotu Tu-154 pod Smoleńskiem będzie długo pamiętanym przez polskie społeczeństwo wydarzeniem — jednym z ważniejszych w XXI wieku. To właśnie ono w dużej mierze wydaje się osią, dokonanego przez Krzysztofa Obremskiego, omówienia wizerunków medialnych tytułowych bohaterów recenzowanej monografii. Wybór ten nie może dziwić, choćby z tego powodu, że dyskurs medialny w Polsce w ostatnich latach — w większym lub mniejszym stopniu — zdominowany były właśnie przez dyskusję wokół wydarzeń z kwietnia 2010 roku.