Utopian Ideas Research Articles

Christian Eschatology and Social Utopias: To the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann

The relevance of the article is due to the fact that in the modern world, various utopian concepts do not lose their ideological strength, which for more than two centuries have significantly influenced public consciousness and have caused significant transformations in the socio-cultural life of mankind. The connection among social utopias and Christian eschatology has been noticed for a long time, and the thoughts expressed on this occasion by Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann in articles and diary entries can contribute to a better understanding of deep cognitive processes that largely determine modern social realities. The purpose of the study was based on the analysis of the works of this worthy representative of the philosophy of the Russian diaspora, comparing the traditional religious eschatological "prototype" and later views on the "end of history". These views contributed to the development of utopianism and ideologism in the public mind. The authors focus attention on the antinomical nature of Christian eschatology, in contrast to the various socio-utopian modifications that define social ideals in a field transcendental to everyday human activities. The striving of religious thinking towards the "non-worldly" ideal, as Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann believed, made it possible to form a Christian's attitude to earthly life, which inevitably required a qualitative transformation corresponding to the notion of the ultimate goal. However, over time, the Christian faith paid less and less attention to the eschatological dimension of human life, which contributed to the formation of new eschatologies seeking their social ideals in the immediate givenness of earthly life and affirming the belief in the possibility of their empirical achievement. The authors of the article come to the conclusion that the most important factor in the formation and development of the "ideological faith" in the public consciousness, the concept of which is defined in the most general terms in the works of Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, was the isolation of the dominant ideological structures based on social utopian ideas, from traditional faith grounds. Thus, ideologies ceased to be functional aspects of concrete historical religions, lost their official character and themselves became the foundation for pseudo-religious creativity.

Becoming Utopian: The Culture and Politics of Radical Transformation

Becoming Utopian: The Culture and Politics of Radical Transformation

ПОЛИТИЧЕСКАЯ ЭКОНОМИЯ ПРОСТРАНСТВА: ПРОБЛЕМАТИКА РЕНТЫ И РАЗВИТИЕ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ МЫСЛИ В СССР В 1930–1950-е гг.

The article analyzes the development of the rent theory in the Soviet Union in the 1930–1950s which would later become a conceptual basis for the environmental economics in the USSR. Its primary goal is to answer the question of why, after heated debates of the NEP era, the issue of rent completely disappeared from the academic discourse for almost fifteen years. The answer I offer is based on the analysis of the end of history ideologeme — the utopian idea that the development of planning by itself solves all economic and social problems in the country, including all forms of rent. The return of the rent problem back in the economic discourse in the late Stalin period should be understood in the context of the emergent political economy of socialism, a discipline aimed at the overcoming the utopian and antiscientific nature of the end of history ideology. This research also analyzes in a great detail the key article for the development of the rent theory in that period — I. D. Laptev’s “The collective farms’ revenue and differential rent” (1944). The result of the work is the conclusion that the reemergence of the rent theory in the Soviet economic discourse of the Stalin period was accompanied by its normalization — whereas in the 1920s, rent was understood as a heritage of capitalism violating such a key principle of socialism as the distribution according to labor, for I. D. Laptev, it was nothing but a “gift of nature”.

Утопия в поисках субъекта, субъект в поисках утопии

The central concept of this article is the idea of utopia as an optimistic image of a societal order achievable in the distant future. Tracing the process of gradual decline in the emergence of new positive utopias through examples of literary dystopias over the last century, the author proceeds to discuss the topic of the end of utopia. The idea is that, despite its long existence, it is only recently that the absence of new models for a happy future becomes critical, that utopia begins to be recognized as a problem. In this regard, the author proposes to temporarily shift researchers' attention from the already fairly well developed matters of the characteristic features, signs, and functions of utopias of past centuries to factors contributing to the formation of social utopias in culture. Most theorists point to active transformational processes in societal structures and relationships as a factor stimulating the emergence of new utopian ideas, which the author admits to being true, but insufficient. An equally important factor is the obligatory presence of a certain subject of utopia. At closer examination, it seems that the status of the subject of utopia in the contemporary world is largely problematic for many reasons, unlike the subject of classical utopias of the modern era. Firstly, the idea that any utopian project could be brought to fruition raises serious concerns. Secondly, the tendency to perceive utopia as a naive project significantly reduces the degree of its possible influence on the way of thinking and the direction of social change. Thirdly, the lack of clarity about the subject's qualities required to create utopias hinders active creativity regarding new utopian projects. This, in turn, is directly related to the ongoing unresolved problem of the “death” of the subject, brought forth by postmodern philosophers. Against this background, there is a notable inconsistency of contemporary attitudes, which are focused, on the one hand, on the debunking of the subject as an exclusively rational being, and, on the other, on the rationalization of utopian impulses. In conclusion, the author puts forward a thesis about the need to regard the absence of utopia and the absence of a subject as causally interrelated situations. Finally, an idea is proposed about the priority of solving the problem of the subject in comparison with the problem of the end of utopia, or, in other words, about the impossibility of starting the process of forming new utopias until there is clarity about the figure of the new subject and the image of the new person.

Философское осмысление понятия «ноосферы» в эпоху технизации: возможности и проблемы

The article discusses the philosophical meanings of the concept of «noosphere», reflecting the phenomenon of human presence as an active and productive force on Earth. The relevance of the study lies in the analysis of the ambiguity and inconsistency of interpretations of the term «noosphere», which gives reason to think about its multidimensionality and the possibility of using philosophical science to describe the essential content of the activities of modern society. This approach will qualitatively rethink: what is the «reasonable sphere» in the philosophical dimension, since behind it is the future, more precisely: the future is possible if it begins to prevail on a global scale, as a new level of collective and individual thinking. The rejection of «noospherism» by science is largely due to its moral component, on which it is based, and its life-affirming optimism in critical literature is presented as a utopian idea. At the dawn of a new scientific revolution, prominent scientists predicted a global crisis if the implementation of scientific research is not accompanied by a constant appeal to ethical principles. The purpose of the work is to show the need to comprehend the ideas of the noosphere in the context of a philosophical approach, as the only way to preserve the spiritual foundation of a person in a technological world. Using elements of historical and philosophical reconstruction and the principles of dialectical reflection, the article considers the problem of losing balance between the spiritual and the material, creation and destruction, domination and service, as an inevitable path to a global catastrophe on a planetary scale. The dialectical approach made it possible to more deeply reveal the concept of «noosphere»: the sphere of interaction between the public and the natural reflects the process of the formation of human thinking — from opposing oneself to nature, to finding ways to unite with it, the harmonious coexistence of two principles that complement each other. Using the method of historical analysis, the similarity of the views of thinkers of different eras on the problem of Man in the world and the prospects for his development as an integral and harmonious being in the conditions of modern realities was found. The authors come to the conclusion that the prospect of developing the idea of the noosphere is most productive in the context of the philosophical approach, since philosophy gives the necessary freedom of thought and does not require a rigid attachment to any doctrine. According to the authors, the utopian nature of the concept of the noosphere at the present stage of the development of human society does not mean that its positive experience cannot be applied in the social environment. Moreover, it is the philosophical approach that makes it possible to «reconcile» and combine the moral and value component of the idea of the noosphere with practical science. Major companies around the world are already reconfiguring their technical base, taking into account new environmental requirements, including gentle production methods and a reasonable attitude towards the environment. The prospects of modern science are directed towards «green» technologies, which would be impossible without rethinking the role of humanity in organizing activities that affect nature. The «ecology» of thinking is not only an attempt to solve a number of global problems, but, above all, a new consciousness that seeks to find a way out of existing contradictions using humane methods. In this sense, philosophy turns into a «practical» science, influencing the activities of man and society.

Цифровые технологии: размышления о различии между инструментальной рациональностью и практическим разумом

Are computers on the way to acquiring “superintelligence”? Can human deliberation and decision-making be fully simulated by the mechanical execution of AI programmes? On close examination these expectations turn out not to be well-founded, since algorithms (or, in Kantian terms, “imperatives of skill” that are implemented by technological means) do, ultimately, have “heteronomous” characteristics. So-called AI-“autonomy” is a sensor-directed performance automatism, which — compared with the potential for ethical judgment in human “practical reason” — proves to be limited in significant ways (even if, in so-called “machine learning”, digital technologies are able to probabilistically adapt to new data). This is shown in some detail with reference to the idea of a “digital humanism”, which was introduced by Julian Nida-Rümelin and Nathalie Weidenfeld, who argue that algorithms (possibly) are useful “tools”, but emphasise — thus rejecting excessive “post-humanist” (Utopian or dystopian) ideas about AI — that there exists a crucial difference between human action and its (partial) AI-simulation. While Nida-Rümelin/Weidenfeld´s “digital humanism” is, on the one hand, inspired by Kant’s conception of human autonomous self-determination, the concept of “structural rationality” that they advocate is, on the other hand, quite problematic. “Digital humanism”, however, can be improved as I argue — with reference to Barbara Herman’s analysis of “moral judgment” and to Allen Wood’s reflections on “human dignity”.

In This Issue

In This Issue Malcolm Alan Compitello, Executive Editor Emeritus The essays that comprise Volume 26 of the Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies embrace a variety of modalities of cultural analysis and subject matter from interpretations of under scrutinized cultural works and original approaches to more canonical ones, to engagement with the relationship between recent forms of cultural diffusion, important social movements, and politics. Spatial and border issues have always been well represented in the pages of this publication. That is certainly the case in Volume 26. Irune Del Rio Gabiola deploys recent work in neocolonial examines how communities combat "geografías extractivistas" or "zonas de no-ser" with peaceful tactics of resistance to achieve social and environmental justice in Honduras. Space, in this case affective mapping, also frames Julia R. Brown's reassessment of the works that Rosario Castellanos sites in Chiapas, Mexico. Professor Brown's spatial analysis of Balún Canán, Ciudad Real, and Oficio de tinieblas argues that Castellanos deploys affective mapping to highlight social inequality in Chiapas. The border has also been central to the scholarship the Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies has published. In this issue it is the focus of essays one jointly authored by Claudia Sandberg and Glenda Mejía and the other by Tess Renker. Professors Sandberg and Mejía focus on Diego Quemada-Díaz's first work, La jaula de oro and what it contributes to the growing bibliography on the traumatic effects of those who navigate crossing the border between the United States and Mexico. Professor Renker aligns José María Arguedas's El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo (1971), a critique of inequality with Yuri Herrera's Señales que precederán al final del mundo (2010). His essay proposes that Arguedas novel, which highlights issues of migration, work, and global capitalism, offers an excellent theory and method to interpret recent work that deals with similar issues. The impact of new media is at the center of Daniel Runnels's contribution. It explores how contemporary social resistance movements use a politics of refusal as a form of contesting power. He draws his arguments from social media posts of supporters of Black Lives Matter and the Chilean revuelta, vogueing which the author views as "exercises against state performance of legibility." With the assistance of Luis Buñuel, several of whose most famous films he directed in the early 1960s, the Mexican producer/director Gustavo Alatriste released his adaptation of La casa de Bernarda Alba in 1982. Using archival material, Buñuel's close connection to Lorca [End Page 4] and interviews with one of the film's actors, Braden Clinger offers an assessment of Alatriste's non-canonical interpretation of Lorca's play in a film that has received little attention from scholars. Ramón Gómez de la Serna's vanguardist literary production is fundamentally linked to the tertulia he initiated at the Café Pombo in Madrid. María Soledad Fernández Utrera uncovers an unexplored aspect of the Pombo, its stimulation of what the author labels "sociabilidad anarquista" as a crucible for utopian ideas in Spain before the Spanish Civil War. Like the works of García Lorca and Gómez de la Serna, Horacio Quiroga's fiction is challenging and canonical at the same time. Carlos Abreu Mendoza employs Pierre Boudieu's critique of biography, a study of narrative techniques and recent work on biofiction to scrutinize three recent televised biographical works on Quiroga to challenge common perceptions about the relationship between his fiction and personal life. I have long admired Robert Frost's poem "On Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening." Like the speaking voice in Frost's eloquent poem, I find myself at a point of inflection. Twenty-seven years ago, with the support a dean, a colleague, and a graduate student, I turned a suggestion from David Herzberger into a reality and the Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies was born. Dean Chuck Tatum retired some time ago, my colleague Amy Williamsen passed away in a tragic accident, Professor Susan Larson now holds the Qualia Chair at Texas Tech and I retired from full time activity...

Postapokaliptyczna wizja Rosji (na przykładzie współczesnej antyutopii rosyjskiej)

Post-apocalyptic Vision of Russia (Based on Modern Russian Distopia) The following article focuses on the new genre of antiutopia which appeared after the collapse of the USSR. Not only do we consider the antiutopia as the literary genre but as the attitude toward reality and the style of thinking as well. Modern antiutopia (like Kysh by Tatyana Tolstoy) does not warn us against communism together with its concentration camps, tortures and utopian ideas… It shows what can happen with people when they will lose their culture, especially literature and language. The human beings change into creatures with special ugly effects, their mentality is badly disturbed and they behave as newborn children. The citizens of Russian country presented in Kysh, are afraid of everything and everybody only because they do not know their history, the knowledge about themselves. Books are strictly forbidden, thinking and reading seem to be the worst illness. Paradoxically special brigade of firemen was created in order to burn down books and to kill their holders. It turned out that people may regain their identity only by overcoming their fear.

Вербалізм облікової теорії

Based on the deductive understanding of current publications in the area of accounting theory, it is determined that it is increasingly acquiring signs of verbalism. It is caused by an excessive enthusiasm for foreign terminology, and without a balanced application in the context of accounting, since it is based on arbitrary interpretations of foreign words, as a result of which the authors fall into a semantic trap. The author emphasizes the importance of focusing not on false verbose scholastic exercises in an attempt to pretend to be the discoverers of certain ephemeris terminologies, but on the real problems of accounting, which negatively affects the state of the domestic economy. It is noted that this happened due to the growing remoteness of accounting theory from pragmatism and the predominance of utopian ideas in it, which have nothing to do with accounting, but is only an adjustment to it in order to sell books that attract buyers by the incomprehensibility of names and ignoring the fundamentals of accounting theory. After all, even such a basic financial and economic category as capital, in many cases began to affect negative numbers, and the “tax shield of an enterprise” – depreciation is considered synonymous with its antipode – depreciation of fixed assets. And instead of at least solving the problem of the targeted use of accumulated financial resources for the simple reproduction of non-current assets, in many cases not only depreciation of fixed assets, but even the capital of the enterprise is directed to the payment of dividends. In addition, the current fashion for foreign-language terms distracts scientists from unsolved problems of methodological support of accounting, obscuring them with verbalism of ephemerality, which never end with at least some pragmatic methodological developments, but only verbose attempts to convince them of their pseudo-relevance, as a result of which the accounting theory goes astray. The possibility of solving the current paradoxes regarding the main accounting categories by using the achievements of predecessors, which are recognized by the classics of accounting theory, is substantiated.

End of history, Covid 19, and new Leviathan the broken communication between modernism and postmodernism

This work is about the spirit of Western civilization and its temptations. Drawing on Hegel's philosophy of history, the text explains why, until recently, this civilization was dominant over the rest of the world. The thing is that she understood the importance of rationality, subordinated all manifestations of life to her and especially, during capitalism (modernism), developed science and technology, and produced powerful weapons. Along the way, she incorporated all the significant achievements of other civilizations and peoples into her system of rationality. In this regard, Hegel says in the introduction to the Philosophy of History: „The only Thought which Philosophy brings with it to the contemplation of History, is the simple conception of Reason; that Reason is the Sovereign of the World; that the history of the world, therefore, presents us with a rational process.“ In other words, history is exclusively occupied with showing how Reason (Mind) comes to a recognition and adoption of the Truth. Of course, rationality is something that belongs to all civilizations and peoples, but other societies, for various reasons (geographical, climatic, religious, etc.) subordinated rationality to some other imperatives. Therefore, many of these communities were non-historical. Whatever it was, the West exploited its supremacy by colonizing other civilizations and destroying some. From the usual moral point of view, it is unacceptable, criminal. However, Hegel's philosophy, somewhat in Marx and Engels's interpretation, says something else. History makes sense. Its primary goal is to preserve humankind from anything that could destroy it, especially from various natural cataclysms and deadly diseases. The meaning of history is also its progress towards civil society as the realization of freedom and the end of history. This was only possible by adopting and practicing absolute rationality. Why guns and violence? Absolute rationality, in order to be histo-rically efficient, had to cover the whole world. In the West, as a "chosen civilization", it was to make it happen and he, militarily superior, did so by submiting other civilizati-ons and nations to the extreme violence. On the other hand, with this relentless exploitation of colonized areas, the West was able to develop rapidly in every way and thus, at the level of possibility, achieve the best destiny of humankind. Especially important was the XX century. Then this civilization, developing medicine, genetics, computer science, nanotechnology and robotics, managed to defeat various deadly diseases, begin space exploration, and turn deserts into fertile soils and, with the "green revolution", produce food for all the inhabitants of the planet. Seeing the advantages of rationality, other areas of the world, with varying success, followed the example of the West. Colonialism disappeared, and human rights and international relations were institutionalized, especially throughout the United Nations. The détente between the two blocs, capitalism and socialism, was established, and the nonaligned movement contributed to the stabilization of the world. As for the world's environmental prob-lems arising from the often-uncontrolled industrialization, they too, although excruciating and slow, seek to be solved on a global scale. Unlike modernism, which was constituted as a modern civil society with the adopted principle of equality of all, the current postmodernism is the opposite of everything civil. The market economy is functioning less and less, major utopian ideas, Christianity and Marxism, have been abandoned, the “new human rights” destroyed everything noble of the already proclaimed universal human rights. In the resulting hopeless chaos, worried about the rise of China and Russia, the most important forces in the West crossed in the "illegal" making a global deep state, the New Leviathan. They operate, as needed, both through formal and in-formal mechanisms. If necessary, they also oppose the authorities of their states if they deem their actions to be collapsing this civilization. As good disciples of Carl Schmitt, the German political philosopher, they are against the humanization of interpersonal relations; they have enormous financial and technical means and inhuman, eugenic ideas about reducing the world's population. There is no longer any doubt that their methods include the production and dissemination of deadly viruses. The action of these anti-liberal shadow minds is the destruction of all existing humanism, and has not-hing to do with history or any sense. Note. Leviathan is a sea monster mentioned in the biblical Book of Job, where it is associated with the forces of chaos and evil. Metaphorically, Leviathan is a huge and powerful social organism living secretly in the darck deep, out of any legal social control.

Universal Health System in India: Review and Directions for Future Research

The universal health system (UHS) was considered a utopian idea in emerging markets until countries like India initiated its implementation. The UHS is not a new phenomenon with countries, such as Canada, Ireland and the UK, having implemented it many decades ago in their respective countries. This study revisits the entire literature on UHS till date. The extant literature analysis has resulted in five research themes and has highlighted the challenges faced during the implementation of UHS in India. The future research directions for academia and a conceptual framework of UHS implementation is also proposed. This study suggests that there is a need for more studies on policy paradigms, improving accessibility, funding models, healthcare grid, manpower mapping and audit metrics for achieving the goal of equitable UHS implementation in India.

State activity of the Ukrainian People's Republic Central Council: a comparative analysis against the background of diplomacy in Central-Eastern Europe

The article describes the state activities of the Ukrainian People's Republic against the background of the implementation of its diplomacy in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, the process of formation of the executive diplomatic body of the Ukrainian People's Republic - General Secretariat of International Affairs is highlighted. The Ukrainian leadership offered the utopian idea of forming a federation to the regional governments of Kuban, Crimea, the Don, and Siberia. Thus, the article analyzes the main blunders of the Central Rada on the way of formation of statehood and highlights the main vectors of discussion on this issue. The main geopolitical climate, in particular in Central and Eastern Europe, which existed for the diplomatic activity of the Ukrainian state is also investigated. In particular, it is noted that the diplomatic situation in general was not particularly favorable for the state activity of Ukraine.

Three undiscovered utopias in German-language literature from the Czech periphery: Moravian Wallachia and Zlín

This study examines three literary utopias from the margins of German literature, namely German-language literature from Eastern Moravia. The works chosen for analysis are the dramatic cycle The City of People (Die Stadt der Menschen) by Moravian-born Austrian writer and visionary Susanne Schmida (1894–1981), the novel The Imperial City (Die Kaiserstadt) by the Austrian writer and diplomat Paul Zifferer (1879–1929), and the text “The City of the Future” (“Die Stadt des Kommenden”) by the German-speaking Czechoslovak author Walter Seidl. In all the texts examined, the model of urban landscape is used as the location of utopia: the prototype of an abstract futuristic city (Schmida), Vienna as an exemplar of political utopia (Zifferer), and Zlín as a fully realized social utopia (Seidl). These three sites show a complementary gradation in the sense of the (potential) realization of utopian ideas, i.e. the belief that, put simply, “it was once good” (Zifferer), “it is good” (Seidl), and “it will be good” (Schmida).

PEMIKIRAN PENDIDIKAN ISLAM OMAR MUHAMMAD TOUMY DALAM PERSPEKTIF PROGRESIVISME

Abstract: This article explores the progressive style of Islamic education and education philosophy initiated by Omar Muhammad at-Toumy Asy-Syaibani. In conducting the exploration, the author uses a qualitative literature research method with the primary source of the book Falsafatu at-Tarbiyah al-Islamiyah by Omar at-Toumy. The results of this paper are a progressive style in the concept of Omar's Islamic education philosophy, including (1) the concept of Tawazun (balanced) and I'tidal (proportional) applied by Omar in formulating the philosophy of Islamic education accommodating the characteristics of progressivism in education in general and at the same time providing a new color in Islamic progressivism. Omar's concept of tawazun was poured into seeing reality, seeing the process of humans getting knowledge, and sources of knowledge and knowledge that are considered valid. (2) Emphasizing individual and societal change for the better, (3) The philosophy of Islamic education is following the community environment's realities (environmentalism) and can be practiced, not utopian ideas. (4) The philosophy of Islamic education is dynamic (dynamic) which can be changed at any time according to the demands of the times (5) Humans (education subjects) as creatures (natural realities) are the best according to Islamic teachings and have intelligence (instrumentalism) as natural resources and potential in solving all problems in the world, besides that he can prosper or take advantage of all the potential that exists in his life (6) The principle of justice and equality in society (students). A progressive style can be seen in (1) The existence of practical and realistic concepts in Islamic education, not only dwelling on information and theory, (2) According to him, an educator must maintain the differences that students have. , given that students have different potentials. (3) The goals of education are also very dynamic, they are adapted to the times, and (4) The curriculum in Islamic education must also be dynamic and flexible with the times. Keywords: Progressive,Tawazun; Tagyir; Omar Muhammad at-Toumy; Islamic Education Philosophy.

‘A Fine Solidarity in the Life of the Countryside’: The Ashbees and Sport in the Cotswolds, 1902–1907

Between 1902 and 1907, C.R. and Janet Ashbee ran the Guild of Handicraft from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, a manufacturing and trade experiment underpinned by utopian ideas. They used sport in the life of the Guild and the wider town in various ways, including the construction of a public swimming pool, the promotion of sports days, and the compilation of sporting songs, while their writings – both public and private – on sport revealed underlying assumptions about a sporting culture that diverged from both the commercial and amateur models of sport that were predominant in Edwardian Britain. This model for sport, based on balance, solidarity, community bonds, and health, was evident in all of their interventions in sport. This article, based on the Ashbees’ published and unpublished writings, along with Guild and other archives and newspaper reports, explores this sporting culture.

Study of the forming elements of utopia city in Medan to create a sustainable city (Case study of Medan Johor District)

Diverse and complex urban problems, both originating from internal and external cities, such as urban poverty, slums, inadequate facilities, and infrastructure and poor environmental quality are always part of the agenda in urban planning. Planners are not only faced with solving urban problems but also mobilizing all elements of the city so that they can support the success of the plans drawn up. In this case utopia city as a planning concept that describes a condition where urban problems can be solved and create an ideal and sustainable city. This utopian idea has inspired urban planners to develop new physical structures that are more detailed to get to a better world. This study aims to find the forming elements of utopia city which can create a better city in Medan with the location of a case study in Medan Johor District. Three main theories form the basis of this research, namely garden city, broad acre city and radiant city. Data collection was conducted using two methods, namely literature review and field observation. The data obtained were analyzed by interpreting existing conditions with the literature to produce findings, conclusions and suggestions from this study. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that the forming elements of Utopia City have a role in efforts to create an ideal and sustainable city.

KUPASAN ARTIKEL ‘MALAYSIA: THE 2020 PUTSCH FOR MALAY ISLAM SUPREMACY’

The 2018 General Election (PRU) marked a significant point in the history of Malaysian politics when the major opposition bloc Pakatan Harapan (PH) ended Barisan Nasional (BN) rule of 60 years since gaining independence in 1957. However, the PH government, led by ex-premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, only lasted 22 months. Accordingly, the sudden collapse of the PH government drew many to offer their respective analyses. James Chin (2020) wrote one of them titled ‘Malaysia: The 2020 Putsch for Malay Islam Supremacy’. He argued that, amongst the many reasons attributable to its sudden collapse, one stood out – the position of Islam and Malay supremacy in Malaysia. Since Malaysia is predominantly a Malay-Muslim country, such a profound claim warrants a thorough response. Thus, this study’s objective is to analyse and offer critiques on Chin’s work based on the three main factors, namely the concept of Malay supremacy, unreadiness of Malays to share power with non-Malays and the position of non-Malays in the top government positions. This study utilised documentary analysis to uplift the discussion to fit the social contract concept and the Federal Constitution and strike a balance between extremist and utopian ideas that best suit Malaysia’s political development reality. The study’s main findings can be narrowed down to show the actual picture of Malaysian political genesis’ uniqueness based on its own identity, which constantly rejuvenates and evolves across time and space. Keywords: General Election 2018, Pakatan Harapan, Islam, Malay supremacy, Malaysian political genesis.

THEORY OF COOPERATION IN THE 19TH - EARLY 20TH CENTURIES: JUSTIFICATION OF THE NEED FOR PRACTICAL REALIZATION OF A JUST SOCIETY

The article examines the stages of development of the theory of cooperation during the XIX - early XX centuries. The theory of cooperation reflects the main stages in the development of human society, when the search for a certain ideal of organizing social life begins with the substantiation of frankly utopian ideas (T. More's theory) that cannot be put into practice. The theories of R. Owen and C. Fourier were the first attempts to theoretically substantiate the need to use cooperation under capitalism to facilitate the work and life of ordinary workers. In the case of R. Owen, there was an attempt of the practical implementation of the ideas of cooperation. However, this attempt was initially doomed to failure due to the discrepancy between theoretical ideals and harsh life practice. An attempt to substantiate Christian socialism was quite interesting. The classics of Marxism-Leninism consider the theory of cooperation from the point of view of its use as a tool for creating a fundamentally new type of society - communism. It was assumed that cooperation in one form or another could cover the entire population of the country, which, by the way, can also be described as an absolutely utopian idea. Attempts of even a slight disagreement with the theoretical provisions of the theory of Marx-Engels-Lenin were not allowed in principle. The research results can be used in the process of teaching the history of economic doctrines and economic theory.

Online dispute resolution in e-commerce: is consensus in regulation UNCITRAL’s utopian idea or a realistic ambition?

ABSTRACT The rigorous deliberations of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law to create a global regulatory framework for Online Dispute Resolution have failed to generate a consensus. This paper analyses whether UNCITRAL’s ambition to develop an inclusive ODR regulatory platform has considered the complexities of cutting across cultural boundaries and power (im)balances. The objective here is to challenge UNCITRAL’s assumption that technology’s a-territorial nature facilitates homogeneity in ODR. To this end, the paper examines the implications of globalisation and the evolution of diverse cultures on ODR and proposes that an alternative approach is needed to combine cosmopolitan and legal pluralism in developing a platform trusted by all disputing parties. The author argues that the focus of contemporary research should extend to consider commonalities across and between national, regional and global levels of governance when regulating for ODR. The paper’s findings will inform policy makers and regulators, including UNCITRAL, when considering the role and interaction of various stakeholders when developing an ODR framework. The significance of this article lies in bringing out that the creation of a regulatory ODR framework needs to be more finely nuanced due to its nature as a normative and legal hybrid.

As contribuições filosóficas de Marx para a construção da dialética e para a Filosofia

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a teoria dialética de Karl Marx, evidenciando suas contribuições para a filosofia. Por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica, que visa descrever as principais teorias sobre o assunto, será apresentado ao leitor que o ponto de partida para o pensamento de Marx é uma crítica a toda filosofia hegeliana, sendo a partir do confronto de ideias com o Filosofo Hegel e da esquerda hegeliana, que Marx vai construir as bases para o seu pensamento filosófico. Sua teoria que posteriormente seria chamada de materialismo histórico dialético pelos seus interpretes, seria uma síntese da dialética hegeliana e do materialismo de Feuerbach, sendo concebida como um conjunto de leis que explicam a evolução da natureza como uma relação determinada por elementos da economia, sociedade e história. Essa idéia utópica compartilhada por Marx, Engels e seus sucessores foi refutada por desenvolvimentos subsequentes da filosofia. De fato, a filosofia, por sua própria natureza, é pluralista e interminável.