Publications of hillfort research during the Soviet period: A case study of the Narkūnai hillfort on the 50th anniversary of its investigation

The article presents a retrospective analysis of the role of charitable, voluntary organizations in mitigating natural disasters in different historical periods (imperial, Soviet and modern). The authors attempt to take a comprehensive look at the evolution of the institutionalization of volunteerism in Russia. They analyse charitable activities involving assistance to victims in natural emergencies during the imperial, Soviet and modern periods. The research employed general scientific methods, document, secondary analysis, event analysis and case studies. In conclusion, the authors find that the significance of charitable, voluntary initiatives in mitigating natural disasters has varied in different historical periods. In the imperial period, the charity was a widespread phenomenon. Lacking a state welfare system, assistance went through the institutions and forms of social assistance and support inherent in this era, where public initiatives played a predominant role. There were large-scale public and private donations to help people affected by natural disasters and catastrophes. During the Soviet period, state institutions took the lead in emergency management and had full control over post-disaster recovery activities. In this period, charitable initiatives (public and private) assisting people affected by the disasters virtually ceased to exist. It is possible to describe the current stage in the development of the charitable, voluntary movement in Russia as a renaissance. There is a certain institutionalization of volunteerism, with the creation of public volunteer organizations involved in humanitarian work. Today, one in six Russians engages in voluntary work.

Transformation of the role of university teachers in newly independent states: Case study of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Loodusmõttest aktivismini: saateks keskkondluse erinumbrile / From Nature Contemplation to Activism: A Special Issue on Environmentalism

<p indent=0mm>Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s strategic thinking about how to establish the archaeological science with Chinese characters, style and fashion, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) attaches great importance to archaeological science, and seeks to continuously deepen the reform of its fundamental management system. A new round of disciplines’ application code optimization was launched in April 2020. Under the first-level discipline application code “science of geography (D01)”, a new second-level code “evolution of geographic environments and civilization (D0107)” was established to promote the intersection of the sciences of geography and archaeology, and to further deepen and integrate research on “human-environment relationships”. This paper analyzes the development and difficulties of the archaeological science discipline of the NSFC based on statistics on archaeological science projects funded by the NSFC from 2011 to 2021. From the keyword co-occurrence map and the distribution of research areas, it can be seen that, with NSFC funding, the combination of archaeological science and geographical science continues to deepen, and advances have been made in research theories, research methods and research areas. These advances highlight the fact that with NSFC funding, archaeological science research has become focused more on the relationship between changes in the geographical environment and the evolution of human civilization, and also become clarifies more on the processes, laws and mechanism of the interactions between humans and the environment. For example, through analyzing the research hotspots of archaeological science projects funded by the NSFC in the past <sc>11 years</sc> (from 2011 to 2021), we found that environmental archaeology and archaeological science are the most prominent nodes in the keyword co-occurrence map, indicating that the projects funded by the NSFC fall mainly within environmental archaeology and archaeological science. However, although environmental archaeology is an important part of archaeological science, the NSFC has focused more on environmental archaeology. This is related to the stronger cross-cutting nature of environmental archaeology, and it demonstrates that with NSFC funding, archaeological science is moving to a more interdisciplinary direction. Moreover, by analyzing the distribution of the research areas of archaeological science projects funded by the NSFC in the past <sc>11 years,</sc> it can be seen that, on a large regional scale, the focus has moved from the original “cultural relics archaeological” provinces such as Shaanxi and Henan, to the frontier areas, with particular emphasis on the study of human-environment relationships in the unique ecological environment of the Tibetan Plateau. The newly-established D0107 code can make up for the lack of applications for archaeological science projects from the NSFC, and established an exclusive subject area for applications for archaeological science projects. Finally, we analyze the future role of the NSFC in promoting archaeological science, and propose that the development of the science of geography is conducive to improving and enriching the theory and methodology of archaeological science. In particular, combination with the science of geography will contribute to the transformation of the research paradigm of archaeological science. With the support of the division of geographical sciences of the NSFC, Chinese archaeological science research community will play a more active role in extending the historical axis, strengthening the historical credibility, enriching historical connotation, and revitalizing the historical scenes in China.

Book Review

PurposeNo‐frills carriers have revolutionized Europe's aviation market and have changed the airline business in a dramatic way. Having entered most of the countries in Central Europe, the wave has also reached the Baltics. The purpose of this paper is to reveal how a Scandinavian carrier entered the market with a subsidiary airline, by combining elements of low‐cost and traditional carriers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper starts by giving a brief overview of the different airline operating philosophies. It is followed by an introduction into the Nordic airline market. The main focus will be on the operating strategy of Air Baltic and its relation towards the extension policy of Scandinavian Airlines.FindingsThe paper provides an independent and structured analysis about the strategy of Air Baltic. Theory was applied to determine how much the airline was influenced by the “low‐fare wave” of the aviation branch and its implications. The hybrid character of Air Baltic reflects the Central European/Baltic business environment.Research limitations/implicationsResearch is partly limited to the information published by the airline itself. Because international aviation journals have not yet covered Air Baltic, newspapers and popular journals were used as a base of information. To fill this gap, two semi‐structured interviews with Air Baltic executives were carried out.Practical implicationsThe study is a useful source of information for scientists and managers dealing with the airline industry or/and the Baltic Sea region. Lecturers might use the paper for case‐based courses.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first comprehensive publications in the English language about Air Baltic and the Baltic aviation market.

The 40th anniversary of publication of the Book of Lithuanian Folk Songs (1980–2020), with its 25th volume being published, presents a good opportunity to look back into the history of this significant long-time project. Already during the interwar period, the leading Lithuanian scholars of literature and folklore proposed an idea of launching a multi-volume edition of the rich Lithuanian folksong heritage, comprising hundreds of thousands of variants accumulated in the archives or printed sources. This idea was successfully implemented much later. The publication of the collection of Lithuanian songs started only in 1980, in the late Soviet period, and has continued ever since – through restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1990 and until nowadays. The history of this huge folksong project is particularly impressive in terms of the time span of its implementation, meriting a separate study. The current article focuses on the role of time in the process of publishing the Book of Lithuanian Folk Songs that embraced two entirely different political epochs (the first five volumes saw publication in Soviet times). Such angle of investigation was prompted by the particularly strict ideological censorship that was applied during Soviet period to all publications, especially those belonging to the sphere of humanities, including fiction and research. The current research is methodologically supported by quite advanced studies of the Soviet period carried out by the Lithuanian historians and literary scholars, and among other things encompassing the complicated and watchful surveillance of press, the censors being enabled to judge whether or not a given publication suited the ideological requirements and therefore could or could not be published. The author presents a brief overview of the experiences gained by the editors of the Book of Lithuanian Folk Songs and some previous folklore publications that testify to their growing “skills” in substantiating the proposed publications in order to get them to see the daylight, and to save them from being banned by politically faultfinding Soviet censors. Certain circumstances that facilitated folklore research and publication are also discussed. These primarily include the “folk” character of the material in question, relating it to the Marxist definition of the suppressed and exploited class – namely, the peasants. In Soviet period, this endowed folklore with certain privileges unavailable to literature, for instance. The main part of the research presented in the current article essentially focuses on two issues: 1) the development of the ideologically constrained public spread of folklore, primarily folksongs that were scrupulously surveyed by the Soviet censors; 2) changes and continuity in the publication concept of the Book of Lithuanian Folk Songs after Lithuania regained independence. The author concludes that typological, or genre-related structural pattern of the collection was not essentially updated under the impact of the same – time factor; however, not only Soviet in this case. Certain stagnation possibly resulted due to the unchanged research methodology of the Lithuanian folksongs that was applied since the very first publications and persisted in the course of the whole 20th century, mainly centering on the artistic qualities of the folklore expressions.

From the Ground Up-Materials Science in Singapore.

"Vergessene Stimmen" is the first comprehensive publication on Jewish cantors and opera singers. There has hardly been any research or scholarly publication on this topic until now. The book describes on the one hand the art of the cantors (hazzanut) - on the other hand the close connection between the world of cantors and opera singers. Some important opera singers came from East Jewish cantor families. "Vergessene Stimmen" recounts the path of these singers from the synagogue to the opera stage, from Eastern Europe to Central and Western Europe and also overseas. Through the complete and carefully laid out list of cantors and singers as well as the discography, the book arouses the interest of Jewish readers and also of connoisseurs and lovers of opera music.

The Optimod Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative (IEJI) is a continuous research-based project developed and led by Optimod since 2022 to explore the relationship between theoretical entrepreneurship studies and practical experience. Conducted annually, the initiative gathers insights from more than one hundred global founders, CEOs, and leaders, highlighting their real-world experiences and strategic reflections that reveal the complexities of entrepreneurship. Its purpose is to establish a structured framework for understanding how knowledge transfer, leadership development, and collaborative learning contribute to entrepreneurial success. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines surveys, expert interviews, and case studies, the research identifies key factors influencing entrepreneurial growth, including mindset development, innovation, and resilience. Each year, the findings are synthesized into a comprehensive publication that merges academic reflection with practical guidance. The results highlight the importance of human-centric and ecosystem-based approaches that connect education, practice, and sustainable business development. The initiative contributes to the academic field of entrepreneurship by providing a long-term, replicable model that bridges theory and practice while supporting inclusive, adaptive, and innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of National Coexistence, Dialogue, and Official Languages published the work “People of Sri Lanka” in 2017. In this comprehensive publication, 21 invited Sri Lankan scholars introduced 19 different people’s groups to public readers in English, mainly targeted at a growing number of foreign visitors in need of understanding the cultural diversity Sri Lanka has to offer. This paper will observe the presentation of these different groups of people, the role music and allied arts play in this context. Considering the non-scholarly design of the publication, a discussion of the role of music and allied arts has to be supplemented through additional analyses based on sources mentioned by the 21 participating scholars and their fragmented application of available knowledge. In result, this paper might help improve the way facts about groups of people, the way of grouping people, and the way of presenting these groupings are displayed to the world beyond South Asia. This fieldwork and literature guided investigation should also lead to suggestions for ethical principles in teaching and presenting of culturally different music practices within Sri Lanka, thus adding an example for other case studies.

Description The latest practical uses for remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) for definitive site evaluation. This comprehensive publication also features 35 state-of-the-art color graphics. 17 peer-reviewed papers from an international team of scientists and engineers are divided into 5 areas: Two keynote papers discuss remote sensing and GIS guidelines for geological and environmental site characterization, environmental monitoring and management. Remote Sensing Applications -- Alternative systems and image processing as well as geological mapping and environmental monitoring data integration techniques are addressed in three papers. Case studies are included. An extensive Geographic Information System section features six papers on such issues as environmental restoration strategies, ground water exploration and management, and urban growth monitoring in developing countries. Site characterization and the use of innovative geomatic techniques are explored in three papers. A final section addresses developing standards and their uses in three papers and includes comprehensive appendices on glossary terms, additional readings, and current specific standards for remote sensing, geographic information systems and site characterization. An invaluable resource for remote sensing specialists and GIS experts, engineers and scientists involved in site characterization and planning, environmental scientists and consultants in superfund cleanup.

This collection of essays investigates the relation between race and theatre, how the performing arts have articulated and/or mirrored understandings of race in the modern and contemporary world, and how (or whether) racial issues – both at a community and institutional level – have impacted on, or have, in turn, been affected by theatrical representations of race. This will be the first comprehensive publication on the subject, with 26 essays on case studies that will shed light on areas previously neglected by criticism, while providing fresh perspectives on already investigated contexts. The volume is organized in two parts - the first examines specific historical contexts, while the second focuses on the visual construction of race and has a more thematic focus. Ultimately, this collection frames the history of racial discourses on stage in a global context, resetting understandings of race in public discourse.

The latest practical uses for remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) for definitive site evaluation. This comprehensive publication also features 35 state-of-the-art color graphics. 17 peer-reviewed papers from an international team of scientists and engineers are divided into 5 areas: Two keynote papers discuss remote sensing and GIS guidelines for geological and environmental site characterization, environmental monitoring and management. Remote Sensing Applications -- Alternative systems and image processing as well as geological mapping and environmental monitoring data integration techniques are addressed in three papers. Case studies are included. An extensive Geographic Information System section features six papers on such issues as environmental restoration strategies, ground water exploration and management, and urban growth monitoring in developing countries. Site characterization and the use of innovative geomatic techniques are explored in three papers. A final section addresses developing standards and their uses in three papers and includes comprehensive appendices on glossary terms, additional readings, and current specific standards for remote sensing, geographic information systems and site characterization. An invaluable resource for remote sensing specialists and GIS experts, engineers and scientists involved in site characterization and planning, environmental scientists and consultants in superfund cleanup.

It is recognized that change management is necessary for information technology implementation success. While there are a growing number of interorganizational systems (IOS) designed for the public, there is little study of and lack of clear guidelines on managing change related to their implementation. This research explores the phenomenon through the case study of a country-wide farecard system implemented in Singapore's public transportation system that involved several organizations and the public. Through the case analysis, we identified critical success factors (CSFs) for change management in IOS for the public and interrelated them using a causal loop diagram (CLD). These factors included refinements of existing CSFs identified from the literature as well as new CSFs from our case study. Our case analysis showed that communication through senior management and cooperation of affected organizations in the system implementation was able to overcome resistance to change in these organizations. We also found that while comprehensive publicity could initiate change in the public, a critical mass had to be built up for managing public change by coopting public opinion leaders as well. By interrelating CSFs identified in the case via a CLD, this study provides a preliminary theoretical framework for studying change management in IOS for the public and aims to guide practitioners in implementing such systems.