Do rąk Czytelników oddajemy kolejny, szesnasty już tom wydawnictwa ciągłego Instytutu Nauk Politycznych i Dziennikarstwa Uniwersytetu Śląskiego — „Studia Politicae Universitatis Silesiensis”. Znalazło się w nim dziewięć artykułów będących efektem prac badawczych prowadzonych przez politologów z katowickiego ośrodka naukowego, jak również przedstawicieli innych krajowych jednostek naukowo-badawczych. W celu ułatwienia Czytelnikom lektury niniejszego tomu teksty te pomieszczono w czterech działach tematycznych: „Systemy polityczne i gospodarcze”, „Stosunki międzynarodowe”, „Komunikowanie społeczne” oraz „Myśl polityczna”.

Abstract: Sound institutions and macroeconomic stability: the political economy of the Swedish 2008—2009 recession.

Global recession that started in 2007 brought economic downturn experienced by almost all highly developed countries. Its consequences consisted not only of the slump in terms of national income and further GDP stagnation, but also of instability of public finance in many countries. This paper analyses the case of Sweden, which performed relatively well through the crisis and managed to keep public finances stable. As it seems, it was not a coincidence, but a lesson learned from the previous crisis which closely resembles the recession of 2008. By showing this relation we wish to demonstrate how strong the ties between the sphere of economy and politics are, which is unfortunately often disregarded by mainstream economics. In fact, political economy copes with this task much better.

 Key words: political economy, institutions, economic crises, political and economic order, macroeconomic stability.

Abstract: Remedies for the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms The only way for human and citizens’ rights and freedoms indicated by Chapter II of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland to be fully realized is providing an effective system of remedies for the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms. As it has been repeatedly emphasized in the case‑lawn of both the European Court of Human Rights and the Polish Constitutional Tribunal, such legal institutions as the right to court, the right to constitutional complaint, or the right to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights play a major role in guaranteeing the actual existence of the rights and freedoms granted by the Constitution. This reality is also backed by statistical data which unanimously suggest that persons whose rights and freedoms are infringed upon quite frequently use the legal remedies granted to them. Therefore, it seems necessary to analyze the structure of remedies for the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms.

Key words: human and citizens’ rights, remedies for the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms, the right to court, the right to constitutional complaint, the right to file.

Abstract: The institutionalization of territorial cooperation within the European Union on the example of the European grouping of territorial cooperation

Territorial cooperation — next to the convergence and regional competitiveness — is one of the three objectives of EU cohesion policy. It includes support for territorial competitiveness and promotes the harmonious development of the European Union within the framework of three components: cross‑border, transnational and interregional. The recognition of territorial cooperation as one of the objectives of cohesion policy resulted in the fact that the interests and actions of the institution of the European Union were directed among others to an institutional — legal and financial — strengthening of this cooperation. Despite the recognition of territorial cooperation as one of the objectives of cohesion policy the European Union has failed to develop a uniform legal framework enabling a collaboration with communities and local authorities through the creation of special‑purpose associations and concluding public‑legal agreements with the broadest scope based on legally held task areas. Only a legal instrument for territorial cooperation of a narrow scope was established. The model of the European grouping of territorial cooperation circled in the European Union law limits the scope of territorial cooperation to activities and projects supported financially by the European Union. The extension of the tasks of the grouping is also acceptable, but with the possibility of interference of the member states of the European Union in the additional scope. Despite the shortcomings in the model approach of the European grouping as a legal instrument of cooperation of communities and local authorities, the same legal structure of the grouping causes the exposure of functions of the institutionalization process of territorial cooperation. It’s not only about the number of bodies, standards and procedures, but also the method of creating certain forms of reconciliation, implement and control in each case.

Key words: territorial cooperation, territorial competitiveness, harmonious development, institutionalization process

Abstract: Evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — from the military to the economic cooperation

The paper shows the evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), going from the military to the economic form of interaction. It describes how the Russian‑Chinese cooperation has developed over the years that have passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union as well as how the relations have gradually been tightened. The author deals with the genesis of the SCO and the multidimensional nature of its activity. Further he describes the Republics of Central Asia as an important region for Chinese economic initiatives. Due to the specific nature of the SCO, as a forum for cooperation of the two regional powers, the author presents various aspects and effects of the Russian‑Chinese cooperation. He investigates the development of the economic co‑operation as well as economic integration of the associated states. The author shows future prospects for the SCO and foreseeable trends for the development of this organization. He presents a vision of a more and more close cooperation between the post‑Soviet area with the fast growing China.

Key words: military cooperation, economic cooperation, Russian‑Chinese interaction, foreseeable trends of development

Abstract: The situation of Poles inmates in the Ecuadorian prisons, in the context of the crisis of justice in Ecuador

Smuggling drugs from Latin American countries, with the participation of European citizens is a complex and multi‑faceted phenomenon. There is a variety of its manifestations and scale, as well as the variety of profiles and stories of people smugglers who are involved in the smuggling process. Unfortunately, among them there are also Poles although the trend, compared with the initial years of the first decade of the twenty‑first century, is decreasing. In media there are shown some information about the smuggling, but only periodically there are some news about smuggling attempts undertaken by organized criminal groups. Too rarely informed about the people running, whether on behalf of drug gangs, whether on their own responsibility, and about the specifics of conditions in Latin American prisons, radically different from European penitentiary systems.

Abstract: Media Policy as a theory and practice of regulation

The article focus on theoretical and practical aspects of contemporary media policy, finding the phenomena as an activity of creation and implementation of general principles and rules regarding the operation of media organizations and mediated public communication. In fact media policy is based on two different levels of regulation: government and governance. The author discusses the activities of key actors of media policy and regulation. He claims that within the internal affairs an important role in Media Policy play the regulatory authorities. Among the key actors of European Media Policy are such institutions as the Council of Europe, OSCE and European Union, while on a global scale operate especially ITU, WTO, ONZ and UNESCO.

Key words: media policy, regulation, government, governance, actors of the media policy

Abstract: „Female face” of parliamentary election in Poland in 2015. The perspective of media and politics

Number of women taking the high places on the electoral registers and the number of mandates get by women during the last parliamentary election in Poland was never higher. Moreover women i.e. Ewa Kopacz, Beata Szydło and Barbara Nowacka represented important entities of the Polish political landscape. The aim of the article “Seym and Senate” was to show the participation of women in the last parliamentary election and their current presence in politics. During an election campaign in 2015 they were also seeking the answer to a question about the role, the place and the created media image of leaders of PO, PiS and of the United Left.

Key words: parliamentary election, woman, media image

Abstract: Self‑government press in cyberspace. New dimension of information policy of communes and poviats?

The Internet development allows to apply in social communication modern technological solutions. Cyberspace becomes not only alternative, comparing to traditional media, source of obtaining information but in line with convergence phenomenon it absorbs press, radio, television making their content available in a new formula. In this way computer network helps to expand social range of conventional media. This also applies to self‑government press. Depending on economic condition and communication needs of units e‑face of such press can have different character. In smaller places on the Internet pages there are catalogues which allow to read or download searched content. In large cities make out of economic self‑government press autonomous communication platforms gathering plentiful of carriers and messages. Innovativeness of forms helps to create among the auditorium competences thresholds e.g. related with using applications on mobile devices which give the receivers the access to desired resources. The research of media audience shows that the receivers expect from self‑government the presence of commune and poviat press in the cyberspace.

Keywords: media relations, shaping the image, self‑government press, information policy,

communes promotion, territorial marketing

Abstract: The Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato si’ Continuation of the Church’s teaching or an attempt at a new perspective?

The encyclical Laudatio si’ is the first social encyclical letter by Pope Francis. Its key reference point is the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium promulgated in 2013. In the latter, the pope presents four „principles”: 1. „Time is greater than space”; 2. „Unity prevails over conflict”; 3. „Realities are more important than ideas”; 4. „The whole is greater than the part.” The encyclical Laudatio si’ in its entirety is devoted to ecology. However, by ecology the pope means the „integral ecology.” And this is where the previously mentioned principles apply. Following the footsteps of St. Francis, the contents of the encyclical offers new perspectives to the teaching and praxis of the Catholic Church.

Key words: encyclical, ecology, integral ecology, Catholic Church