Hungarian Research Research Articles

Mongolia In Finno-Ugric Academic And Political Discourse (1840s – 1910s)

Mongolia, as one of the geographical and semantic centerpieces of Central Asia, has remained in focus of Finno-Ugric, Altaic and Turkic studies for several generations. Expeditions and academic publications in the 1840s-1910s were given special attention due to growing political tension in a strategically important region, where the interests of the "Great Powers", Japan and China, converged. The search for Oriental rarities and negotiations with the leaders and religious figures of Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang took place against the backdrop of tense social situation in a multiethnic and multiconfessional land. Mongolia, the Mongolian language and ethnoculture have gained prominence in the scholarly discourse of Finno-Ugric studies. By looking into Mongolian materials, Finnish and Hungarian researchers have tried either to confirm or to disprove the linguistic and ethnogenetic closeness of their own ethnicities to the Central Asian cultures of the past. M.A. Castrén and A. Csoma de Kőrös had paved the first roads of research to the East, after which the expeditions of J.R. Aspelin, H. Vámbéry, A.O. Heikel, K.G. Mannerheim, G.J. Ramstedt and J.G. Granö followed. A leading role in the organization of field research in Southern Siberia, Altai and Mongolia was played by the Finnish-Ugric Society, established in 1883, and its longstanding Chairman, Professor O. Donner. Studying the oral poetry, literary and monumental heritage of Mongolia, scholars have directly or indirectly touched upon the issues of ethnic identity and self-representation of contemporary Finno-Ugric peoples. In this case, the scholarly dialogue was combined with discussions on domestic politics and international affairs at the same expedition tent.

Preliminary results of the latest excavations at the Kőlyuk I, Parasznya

The first decades of Hungarian research on prehistory were characterised primarily by cave excavations; these archaeological-palaeontological investigations became less frequent after World War II. Since research had been rather intensive until that time, the lack of the remaining upper cave layers and the documentations incomplete to varying degrees made it rather difficult for future generations to “revisit” earlier chapters of the sites’ histories. The cave named Kőlyuk I. is located in the northern Bükk Mountains, near Parasznya. One of its caverns, its size comparable to other large prehistoric caves, provides an excellent opportunity (potentially one of the final few) to methodically unravel history from the present-day surface level.

The state and Protestant Churches in Hungary in 1948 – 1989

The purpose of the article is to characterize the activities of the largest and most influential Protestant churches in Hungary: Reformed (Calvinist) and Lutheran (Evangelical). These religious denominations along with the Catholic denomination belong to the so-called historical churches of Hungary. The chronological framework is the following: 1948 – the year of the communist regime’s rapid attack on the political, economic, educational activities of the Reformed and Lutheran churches and the signing of a compromise cooperation agreement with them, which lasted until 1990. 1989 – the liquidation of the State Administration for Churches, socio-political transformation in Hungary, which resulted in gaining absolute freedom. Based on Hungarian historiography, the relations between the Protestant churches and the state during the reign of Janos Kadar (1956 – 1988), called by Hungarian researchers the Kadar era, and are analyzed. It was Janos Kadar, the leader of the “soft dictatorship”, who managed to turn the Hungarian People’s Republic into “the funniest barracks in the socialist camp”. The background for the successful policy of the Hungarian government after the revolutionary events of 1956 was the achievement of social harmony, including through great tolerance and flexibility in the religious sphere. The article notes that representatives of the Reformed and Lutheran churches did not take an active part in the preparations for the events of 1956, but pastors and congregations supported the revolution. It is stressed that the relations with the Protestant denominations were settled specifically during the 50s of the twentieth century; the authorities managed to turn part of the clergy into their allies. Based on the analysis of the scientific literature, it is identified that relations were compromise in the 60s and 70s of the twentieth century, as the leadership of the Reformed and Lutheran churches helped the government to pursue the policy of the Popular Front in the struggle for socialism. Owing to it, no one was persecuted for their religious beliefs. In the 1980s, the state’s influence on historical churches gradually weakened, and processes leading to socio-political transformation in the late 1980s started, and as a result, churches in Hungary gained absolute freedom.

Travel-based Multitasking on Public Transport: An Empirical Research in Hungary

On the basis of a survey addressing travel behaviour in 4707 households in Hungary in 2016, activities of passengers (especially on non-local public transport services) are analysed in this paper. Descriptive statistics is applied to provide a general view of household survey results about activities while travelling. K-means clustering is used for the analysis of travel-based multitasking on public transport and chartered commuter bus services. On the basis of one of the very first travel-based multitasking studies in Hungary, we concluded that the prevailing activity is talking to others, followed by relaxing or daydreaming, and listening to music/radio. Based on the outcomes of the clustering of public transport journeys by age of passengers, the main finding is that the use of electronic devices decreases with age and the characteristics of clusters in terms of other activities are diverse.

Towards a new monolingual Hungarian explanatory dictionary

The Lexical Knowledge Representation Research Group at the Department of Lexicology is one of the youngest research groups of the Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics, founded in February 2020. The group is currently working on a new version of a monolingual explanatory dictionary partly based on The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language. The aim is to compile an up-to-date online dictionary of contemporary Hungarian (2001–2020) by corpus-driven methods. The present article describes The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language and the Comprehensive Dictionary of Hungarian by presenting their history, the circumstances of their compilation, and the basic editorial guidelines. Then it outlines how the corpus for the planned dictionary is to be set up and how this corpus is to be analysed.

Cikkismertetés: Van-e összefüggés a sorsunk feletti kontroll és az egészségi állapotunk között?

The conclusion of the article has an important added value for Hungarian research: the main conclusion is that representatives of different disciplines can only carry out real exploratory research in cooperation and by examining the problem from each other's perspective, at the micro-, meso- and macro-level. Failing this, they can only investigate and correct the problem in isolation, but the complex mechanism of action remains hidden, so that the problem reappears, even in a more serious form. An excellent example of this is homelessness care that focuses on immediate care - while an important first step - it does not help to change the individual, community, social situation of the homeless, helping them to change their situation, or prevent other individuals from being declassified by the same mechanism of action.   &nbsp

Kindergarten and School Social Assistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hungary

In this paper, we have analyzed the results obtained in the third year of our longitudinal research (2018–2020) regarding the work of kindergarten and school social workers, research conducted in connection with the Hungarian Educational Research Association. The service provided by kindergarten and school social workers was made generally available in Hungary by a legislation change implemented in 2018. By the end of the school year 2018/2019, after initial difficulties, we noticed a positive change in the supportive attitude and acceptance of teachers and public educational institutions towards the work of kindergarten and school social workers. We confirmed an increase in connections to fellow professions as well as in the level of mutual initiative (Homoki & Czinderi, 2020). The continuous development of the service and the reinforcement of professionals is essential as there is a high degree of fluctuation at the national level (Sinka, 2019), even more increased by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, posing unprecedented challenges for actors in public educational institutions. Based on our qualitative data obtained by a focus group interview, we have shown how social workers in different types of settlements and educational institutions of the country (N = 13) were ableto adapt to the crisis. What was the degree of fluctuation? What kind of challenges did they face, and what types of resources were they able to mobilize during the online education in the first and second waves of the pandemic? Our data show a shift in priorities at the individual, group, and community levels of social work.

A szégyen mediációs szerepe a stigma és az életminőség kapcsolatában coeliakiában szenvedő betegek körében.

Coeliac disease can detrimentally affect well-being. Stigmatization related to a chronic disease can enhance physical and psychological symptoms and negatively influence health behaviour, hence, stigma in chronic diseases needs to be addressed. Our main goal was to psychometrically evaluate the Hungarian adaptation of the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness-8 (SSCI-8). Further aim was to examine the mediating role of shame on the relationship between stigmatization and well-being aspects among individuals with coeliac disease. This cross-sectional study collected data using online questionnaires based on self-reports (n = 85, mean age: 37.64 years, 91.8% women). Instruments assessed levels of stigmatization, shame experience, quality of life in coeliac disease and well-being. Confirmatory factor, correlation and mediation analyses were used. Factor analysis showed adequate fit for a unidimensional model with high internal consistency. Mediation models showed that higher levels of stigmatization can contribute to decreased levels of quality of life in coeliac disease and well-being via increased levels of shame. The SSCI-8 is a short, valid, reliable instrument measuring stigmatization in the current sample of people with coeliac disease. The results highlight the role of stigma and shame in the decrease of well-being. The adapted version of the SSCI-8 can be a useful tool in Hungarian research and healthcare. The results suggest that stigmatization and shame need further attention to develop effective intervention which can reduce their effect and enhance adherence to gluten-free diet and improve physical and psychological well-being. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(49): 1968-1976.

Romanization then and now. A brief survey of the evolution of interpretations of cultural change in the Roman Empire

Romanization is a model that helps understand and explain the cultural changes that were brought about on a newly conquered territory by the Roman Empire. It refers to the process by which the conquered people integrated into the Roman Empire and became ‘Roman’. Although Romanization is more than a hundred-year-old interpretative concept, it is only in the past few decades that its validity as a framework of interpretation has been seriously questioned. While there is an intense discussion about Romanization in Western scholarship, Hungarian research remains mostly unaffected and scholars do not seem willing to engage in the debate.

Effects of Caffeine and Caffeinated Beverages in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults: Short Review.

The prevalence of ED consumption has increased over the past 10–15 years. Studies describing the effects of caffeine and caffeinated beverages show confusing results, so it seems important to regularly summarize the available facts, and in more detail. By a thorough analysis of more than 156 scientific papers, the authors describe the molecular background of absorption, as well as the positive and negative effects of different dosages of caffeine, just like its effects in physical activity and performance. ED and EDwA consumption is a regular habit of not only adults, but nowadays even of children and adolescents. There are no safe dosages described of caffeine or ED consumption for children. There are no positive short- or long-term effects of these compounds/products concerning developing brain functions, psycho-motor functions, or social development. Instead, there are many unpleasant side effects, and symptoms of regular or higher-dose ED consumption, especially at younger ages. This mini review describes many details of these unpleasant side effects, their severity, and motivations for consuming these compounds/products. In a quantitative research in Hungary (10–26 years, mean age: 15.6 ± 3.8 y, 1459 subjects, randomly chosen population), a survey based on a questionnaire asking people about their ED consumption habits was conducted. According to the data, 81.8% of the participants consumed EDs at least once, and 63.3% tried several products of the kind. A positive correlation was found between age and consumption (p < 0.001). The results show that a high proportion of this group often consumed EDwA, in many cases leading to harmful side-effects of caffeine overdose. In a sample of Hungarian high school and college students (17–26 years), ED consumption matched the international data, and only 19.7% of respondents did not use EDs at all (had never tasted an ED in their life).

Agar binding reaction as a method for diagnosing cancer

In 1959, a message appeared from Hungarian researchers Ksab, Toro, Kiss and Janikovsky (Med.ref.j., II, 1959, 1) about a new method for diagnosing cancer, based on the fact that mucopolysaccharides with high molecular weight, the latter are formed during the destruction of the barrier "hyaluronic acid - heparin", which can be identified using agar.

Intangible assets as possible indicators for the growth of the Hungarian firms

PurposeIntellectual capital has become one of the most important factors in the knowledge economy. It is the combination of human capital and structural capital. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital, especially the effect of structural capital on the productivity of Hungarian firms between 2007 and 2017.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyzes the impact of intellectual capital on the output of the Hungarian firms in a fixed effect dynamic model, using the lagged dependent and explanatory variables method. This study is based on annual reports of Hungarian enterprises.FindingsThis study proved that intellectual capital was a relevant source of the effectiveness of the firms in Hungarian industry in the examined period, and structural capital had the strongest impact on productivity of the firms.Research limitations/implicationsThe annual report as database nonetheless bears the specificity and the limitation of the model alike. Labor costs, the proxy for human capital can measure the level only indirectly. Intangible assets, the proxy for structural capital contain more items which are optional.Practical implicationsThe results reflect that the internally developed knowledge became the most relevant source for Hungarian firms to increase their productivity, but externally generated innovation may offer further possible sources to boost their own efficiency.Originality/valueUnlike the previous empirical research in Hungary the source of variables in this model is based on the data of annual reports. This database allows to examine a larger panel investigation for a longer period than those methods which collect data on a voluntary basis, e.g. Community Innovation Survey.

Constellations of Memory: The Historicity of Hungarian Yizker-Bikher

The following paper reviews Central European memorial volumes created within the borders of modern day Hungary from the 1960s onwards. Using six sporadically chosen primary sources as the subjects of analysis, the argument of this piece will centre around finding out whether memorial volumes or in Yiddish yizker-bikher are reliable testimonial documents based on their historical veracity. The paper argues that the historicity of Eastern European memorial books can range from personal tales of community living, to more accurate historical monographs, aiming to fill out gaps in trans-generational remembrance. The analysis is then divided into four chapters each introducing a relevant perspective when evaluating yizker-bikher: Firstly, it will examine the six memorial books as linguistic sources by showcasing their characteristic narrative techniques. Secondly, the paper will contrast the historical contents covered in the texts with the findings of modern Hungarian Holocaust research. Thirdly, previous academic perspectives categorising yizker-volumes are introduced, leading the paper to a brief conclusion. A final evaluation is conducted to highlight the examined volumes as the sources of microhistory that carry anthropological research potential rather than the ability to provide overarching solutions to the gaps in archival Holocaust history.

Midseason potato cultivars suitable for organic growing: results of a 4-year on-farm participatory research in Hungary

Midseason potato cultivars suitable for organic growing: results of a 4-year on-farm participatory research in Hungary

A H-UNCOVER vizsgálat eredményei és hatása a magyarországi járványkezelésre

Összefoglaló. A HUNgarian COronaVirus disease-19 Epidemiological Research (H-UNCOVER) vizsgálat egy országos szintű reprezentatív felmérés volt, melyet az Innovációs és Technológiai Minisztérium (ITM) támogatásával végzett el a négy orvostudományi képzést folytató magyar egyetem a Központi Statisztikai Hivatallal (KSH) együttműködve. A vizsgálat célja az volt, hogy egy reprezentatív mintán keresztül felmérje a magyar lakosság SARS-CoV-2 átfertőzöttségét, és támaszul szolgáljon a koronavírus első hulláma kapcsán meghozott restriktív intézkedések utáni lazításra. A világszinten is jelentős méretű vizsgálat alacsony átfertőzöttségi arányt mutatott, így nemcsak a restriktív intézkedések hatékonyságát mutatta meg, de egy biztos járványügyi támaszt jelentett a gazdaság újranyitásának tervezéséhez. Summary. Close to the end of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, many countries started to consider the possibility of reopening their economy, and lifting some of the containment measures introduced in the previous weeks. Such a decision is utterly complicated, as reopening might easily lead to an increase in active SARS-CoV-2 cases, but a delay puts an almost unbearable burden on the country’s economy. The objective of the HUNgarian COronaVirus disease-19 Epidemiological Research (H-UNCOVER) study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey among the Hungarian population to estimate the total number of infectious cases and the prevalence of prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure, and by using these data help to plan an exit strategy. The H-UNCOVER study was performed by the 4 medical universities in Hungary (Semmelweis University, University of Pécs, University of Debrecen and University of Szeged) with the help of the Central Statistical Office, Hungarian National Ambulance Service, Governmental offices and General Practitioners. The study was initiated 50 days after the Hungarian restrictions and performed between 1-16 May. With the help of the Central Statistical Office, 17,787 people were selected to represent the Hungarian population of 14 years or older living in private households (n=8,283,810). SARS-CoV-2 PCR and blood tests were performed to assess the prevalence of active infection and seropositivity. These tests were accompanied by a questionnaire about symptoms, comorbidities, and COVID-19 contacts. More specifically, questions included topics about home office, going abroad after the 1st of March, or possible contacts with COVID-19 positive, or quarantined individuals, as well as symptoms which might be due to COVID-19 infection. Altogether 67.7% of the selected individuals participated in some form in the study, which is an exceptionally high number compared to such studies. 10,502 individuals had SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing and 10,501 people had a blood test to assess SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels. Of the tested individuals, three had positive PCR and 69 had positive serological tests. Population estimates of the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections and seropositivity were 2,421 and 56,439, respectively, thus the active infection rate (2.9/10,000, 95% confidence interval: 0-6.7/10,000) and the prevalence of prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure (68/10,000, 95% confidence interval: 50-86/10,000) were low. A total of 10,474 individuals completed the questionnaire. Self-reported loss of smell or taste and body aches were significantly more frequent among those with SARS-CoV-2. Our study suggested that the early containment measures initiated by the Government of Hungary were effective in preventing the escalation of the first wave of COVID-19 in Hungary. We also found that the highest prevalence of the disease was in Budapest, and those who attended their workplace on a regular basis, travelled abroad after the 1st of March, or contacted with a COVID-19 positive or quarantined individual had a higher tendency to become infected. In conclusion, the H-UNCOVER study supported the exit strategy after the first wave of COVID-19 in Hungary.

Learning from each other: Expanding and deepening international research on shadow education

AbstractResearch on private supplementary tutoring, widely known as shadow education, has a long history but only gathered intensity during the present century. This research has shown much diversity in the scale and nature of shadow education, but further mapping and analysis is needed to reduce gaps in understanding and to keep up with changes. The collection of articles in this special issue of the journal presents insights from parts of Africa, Asia and Europe; and this introductory essay juxtaposes these insights with Hungarian research. The domain of shadow education has many tensions, with both positive and negative implications for individuals, families, the field of education, and societies as a whole. International research helps with understanding these tensions, and in due course with appropriate action to address them. In the process, much can be learned from counterparts in different systems, countries and cultures, not only about the nature and impact of shadow education but also about methodological approaches to research.

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE SOUTH-WESTERN EDGE OF THE EAST- EUROPEAN PLATFORM IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERWAR RESEARCH (1918-1939)

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE SOUTH-WESTERN EDGE OF THE EAST- EUROPEAN PLATFORM IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERWAR RESEARCH (1918-1939)

THE STORY OF ONE METAPHOR: «LITTLE WAR» IN SLOVAK AND HUNGARIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

The article is devoted to the role of the Slovak-Hungarian «Little War» in Slovak and Hungarian historiography. The author draws attention to the beginning of research on the «Little War» in national historiographies. The difference in the approach to the events of that time on the part of Slovak and Hungarian historians has been considered. The characteristic features of research on this problem have been emphasized and described. An attempt has been made to answer whether it is possible to talk about interethnic historiographical discussions on this issue? The author tries to trace what chronological periods in the study of the topic can be identified. The work was based on a comparative analysis of the Slovak and Hungarian researchers` texts written in the last thirty years since the actualization of the "Little War" theme in the historiographical space of both countries. As a result of the study, some important conclusions have been which open new perspectives for further research. Firstly, the «Little War» issue is presented in the national historiographies of Slovakia and Hungary very unevenly and disproportionately. An evident intellectual tradition was built around the events of March 1939 in Slovakia with all the features of a national historiographical myth about a heroic complex defensive war against a stronger enemy, while Hungarian scholars practically ignored this issue. The author emphasizes that it is problematic to talk about any historiographical Slovak-Hungarian dialogue but rather about the active participation of Hungarian scholars in Slovak scientific discussions. In particular, the most important of them is the so-called Deak-Chefalvai discussion closely connected with the terminological definition of the «Little War» and the assessment of the political and military goals of the hostile parties. The emphasis is placed on the leading role of Slovak historical opinion in the study of the «Little War», which becomes a model for historiographies of other countries. The attention is drawn to the tendencies of recent years to focus on specific issues, mainly if the Hungarian attack on Slovakia in March 1939 was a carefully thought-out plan? How accurate are the modern chronological frameworks of the «Little War»? What impact do the events under study have on the present and the politics of national memory?

Long-Term Vision For Rural Areas

The European Commission initiated the preparation of a new long-term vision for rural areas. First step of this process was the launch of a public consultation to which also the Horizon 2020 SHERPA (Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors) project is making a contribution on behalf of 20 different Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). The Hungarian MAP - a group of science-society-policy actors - focuses on the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), more precisely digitalization. The topic of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System - is a horizontal issue and it is embedded even into the Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) strategic planning process. Being part of it, the development of AKIS requires close and intensive cooperation of policy makers, researchers and farmers or in broader context the society with various stakeholders. The aim of the Hungarian research was to identify the current and likely trends for the Hungarian rural areas and to point out key challenges, opportunities, enablers and hinderers in rural development in terms of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) up until 2040. The methodology used was the Delphi technique. In the first phase, a review of key trends, main challenges and opportunities and a summary of existing foresight regarding digital agriculture was written. Then AKIS experts were asked to talk about their experiences and opinions in the framework of interviews, a focus group meeting and a survey. In the end, results of the survey were discussed in a consensus meeting. Among the results, it is worth mentioning that digitization and digitalization will fundamentally change the way rural areas operate including economic, environmental and social dimensions. The main enablers of a promising future vision are capacity building for knowledge transfer, adaptation for job creation and offering better quality of life, stronger community building for collaborations, deeper government involvement, and last but not least, strengthening the local identity in rural areas.

Kriminológia MA

The Criminology MA book has primarily been written for Master’s students at the Faculty of Law Enforcement of the University of Public Service as it covers some of the most current and important international and Hungarian research within the field of criminology. Its topics include, among other things, crime prevention strategies, crime prevention through environmental design, child-friendly justice practices and the consequences of drug use. The main question of the volume of studies edited by Andrea Tünde Barabás is which criminological topics can provide the students with the newest and hopefully the most useful knowledge. The volume consists of three chapters: Theory and practice of crime prevention; Criminology of children and the elderly; and Drug-related crimes and drug use.