On Soft Power: How to Measure Soft Power, Actors of Soft Power, Foreign Policy and Soft Power?
By Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic
How to measure soft power?
As social power is to a very extent a kind of social capital, the measurement of soft power is, in principle, difficult from the methodological viewpoint concerning social sciences. Methodologically, some indicators are usually used to measure the size of hard power, like geographical resources, economic power, or military potential. Compared with the relatively feasible measures of hard power, soft power is extremely difficult to be measured like the cultural and ideological attraction, or the rules and institutions of international regimes.
Mainstream propaganda finally admits trying to whitewash openly Nazi affiliation of Kiev regime forces
By Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst
The unashamed glorification of Nazism has been the „new normal“ in former Ukraine for nearly a decade now. And while even the mainstream propaganda machine has been reporting on it relatively regularly until early 2022, ever since, there’s been a disturbing trend of whitewashing amid attempts to portray the Neo-Nazi junta as some sort of „heroes of the free world“. Worse yet, it was Russia and its leadership that have been openly portrayed as the „new Nazi Germany“. Still, such analogies are quite laughable as it was the other side that has effectively institutionalized celebrating actual Nazis as „national heroes“.
Swiss parliament supports arms re-export to Ukraine and breaks image of “neutrality”
By Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher
A bill in Switzerland calls into question its neutrality in the Ukrainian conflict because the country’s Senate approved the amendment authorising the re-export of arms to Ukraine, according to a statement from the parliament. This effectively breaks Switzerland’s long-held image of a “neutral” country.
Dragana Trifkovic: Kosovo drama-through a series of victories to final defeat?
Dragana Trifkovic, Director General of the Center for geostrategic studies
- current situation in Kim
In the occupied territory of Kosovo and Metohija, there was again an escalation of the conflict, when Serbs from the north of Kosovo and Metohija came out to prevent the takeover of four Serb-majority municipalities. Extraordinary local elections in four municipalities in northern Kosovo - North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok, were held on the 23rd. April. These elections were organized by the illegal separatist structures of the so-called independent Kosovo. Over 90% of Serbs living in these municipalities boycotted the elections, and the branch of the Serbian Progressive Party in Kosovo-Srpska lista, did not participate in the elections even though it had previously exercised power in these municipalities, according to the laws of independent Kosovo.
IFIMES: Парламентарни избори у Црној Гори 2023: Изборе одлучују млади бирачи
We transmit from the portal www.ifimes.org
Међународни институт за блискоисточне и балканске студије (ИФИМЕС)[1] из Љубљане, Словенија, редовно анализира догађања на Блиском истоку, Балкану и по свијету. ИФИМЕС анализира ситуацију у Црној Гори поводом пријевремених парламентарних избора, који ће се одржати 11.јуна 2023.године. Из анализе „Парламентарни избори у Црној Гори 2023: Изборе одлучују млади бирачи“ објављујемо најважније и најзанимљивије дијелове:
Петр Бистрон: Признање Косова је била грешка, као и једнострана подршка Запада Приштини
Шеф спољнополитичког одбора посланичке групе Алтернативе за Немачку (АфД), посланик у Бундестагу Петр Бистрон поручио је да је признање Косова била грешка, као и једнострана подршка Запада Приштини.
Бистрон је у интервјуу за Косово онлајн оценио као неприкладан покушај косовског премијера Аљбина Куртија да Србе прикаже као „вазале Русије“, а Албанце као жртве, додајућу да његов „етноцентрични шовинизам“ не би требало толерисати у Европи.
Just War and Just War Theory
By Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic
One of the most disputed topics with regard to the concept of war is the idea of a Just War – a war held to be founded on the principles of justice in principle caused and conducted in the name of humanity like, for instance, self-defense or protection of minority groups, etc.
Уједињавање исламског света против хегемоније западних сила
Глобални скуп подршке опцији отпора: На путу победе и ослобођења, oдржан je у Бејруту – Дамаску од 25-30 маја 2023. године.
На конференције је учествовало преко 40 делегата, гостију из држава Блиског Истока, Европе, Африке, Латинске Америке, Азије и др.
Ово је друга конференција глобалног скупа за подршку опцији отпора, након што је постала широко распрострањена, и једанаеста је од оснивања као националног скупа, а потом и као арапског и исламског скупа.
Ukrainian counteroffensive increasingly discredited
By Lucas Leiroz, journalist, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, geopolitical consultant.
In the midst of the catastrophic situation of the Ukrainian armed forces, which are more and more losing territory and relying solely on terrorism as a combat tool, it is inevitable that the potential of the so-called „spring counteroffensive“ be questioned. Western public opinion and even Ukrainian journalists are disappointed by the results of the conflict, realizing that the high expectations created around the „counteroffensive“ were unfounded.