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Articles by Olga Bubich

1. To the most “Gracious Mother” of them all A joyous yet ambiguous celebration in Berlin, October 2010

   If one wants to understand the arguments for institutional and ideological change propagated today, a closer study of the developments during the “long 19th century” is crucial, simply because this particular period in the history of higher learning continues to play a central role in the ongoing discussions on the future of the European university — Wilhelm Freiherr von Humboldt certainly casts a very long shadow.

2. Artpole. Interactive relaxation and music festival by the Black Sea

   The ArtPole festival has become one of the most well known festivals in Ukraine over the course of its five-year history. In the past the festival exclusively featured traditional Ukrainian folk music as it developed and flourished during the last decade; now the focus is on what may be called the new urban folk music.

3. The Baltic Sea Festival Bridging East and West, North and South

   The eleven-day Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm is supposed to build bridges and tie cultural bounds.

4. Pomerania. In the borderlands between Germany and Poland

   Today, Pomerania is divided between Germany and Poland, but the German and Polish populations have few factors in common that might serve to unify them. Nevertheless, in some respects the region is gradually becoming more interwoven. To study the development of these cross-border flows, a series of interviews is being conducted as part of a on-going research project

5. Algirdas Brazauskas. Last meeting with a pragmatic revolutionary

   Lithuanian politician and ex-President Algirdas Brazauskas was a Communist leader, who became a reformer of considerable prominence, a Western-style social democrat, and finally a statesman, European-style. Here is an interview with this pragmatic leader, only shortly before he died in cancer in June 2010.

6. Solidarity despite reservations

   There was no doubt among Swedish diplomats and union leaders that they would support the independent trade union movement Solidarity that had suddenly appeared on the Polish stage. Still, they could not ignore the risk of renewed military intervention that would have had disastrous consequences for Poland and security in Europe. This essay presents how diplomats and union leaders acted and communicated to support the democratization of Poland.

7. Poland. Economic Growth, Income Disparities, and Inequality in a Transition Economy

   Over the past two decades Poland has begun to catch up to the wealthier parts of Europe. Between 1996 and 2008, average growth in Poland was 4.6 percent, compared with 2.2 percent in the EU-15. During the crisis year of 2009, Poland was the only EU country to post positive GDP growth. Prosperity has increased, infant mortality has fallen and life expectancy is longer. But income growth has been unequally distributed. There are winners and losers. Today Poland is among the group of European countries in which income inequality is greatest.

8. Welcome to Baltic Worlds new Election coverage.

   Baltic Worlds will be commenting on the parliamentary and presidential elections taking place in countries around the Baltic Sea region and in Eastern Europe. The comments and analyses, written by researchers and in a few cases by expert journalists, present the parties, the candidates and the main issues of the election, as well as analyze the implications of the results. First out: a report from the election in Poland this summer.

9. Poland after the Presidential Election

   The Polish domestic political scene since the presidential election has been characterized by much sharper political divisions than before the disaster in Smolensk on April 10. At no time since 1989, have the tone of debate and the accusations been as hostile as now. Jaroslaw Kaczynski may have lost the presidential election, but because of the disaster in Smolensk and the good election results, he emerged politically stronger from the campaign. He has now set his sights on the next election campaigns in Poland. In November, municipal elections will be held, including politically important direct elections to mayoral positions in the cities of Poland. Next year it will be time for election to the Polish Sejm. All indications suggest that the strong differences of opinion and the angry tone of Polish politics will continue until the parliamentary election, although some hold hopes that somewhat cooler political winds may blow across the country after the municipal election this fall.

10. Election coverage

    Ann-Cathrine Jungar co-ordinate Baltic Worlds’ election coverage, on elections taking place in countries around the Baltic Sea region and in […]

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