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The ms. Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Barb. Lat. 3996 contains an anthology of poems written by Giovan Battista Strozzi the Younger (1551-1634) destined to cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini. In a letter in the volume, the poet calls the ten madrigals entitled The Moons some of the "sweetest in style" that he had ever written. The madrigals describe a night scene with Selene (the moon, Strozzi's alter ego) staring at a dormant Endymion (probably Torquato Malaspina). They show a typically manneristic taste for repetition. This article will present a critical edition based on the Barberini manuscript and two autographs complete with with an introduction and full commentary of the poems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen is a nutrient necessary for many functions of plants, e.g. shoot growth, fruit and flower bud set, and fruit size. In Latvia use of mineral fertilisers is limited by EU Directives and Regulations developed on the basis of the Guidelines of Integrated Production. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of nitrogen (N) fertiliser on apple growth and production in the conditions of Latvia. The study was performed during 2013 to 2015. In an apple trial, seven cultivars on rootstock B.396 were planted in 2009. There were two fertiliser treatments: without fertilising and N 6 gm-2. Significant effect of treatment was observed only in cultivar 'Ligol'. Tree crown in the N treatment was over-dense, shoots too long, yet all cultivars had over-long shoots also in the unfertilised treatment. Effect of nitrogen in regard to amounts of acceptable and unacceptable shoots of the cultivars included in trial was negative. Nitrogen significantly increased the amount of unacceptable shoot types of cultivars 'Gita', 'Rubin' (Kazakhstan), and 'Ligol'. Additional nitrogen as fertiliser had no significant effect on growth and yield of cultivars 'Antei', 'White Transparent' and 'Konfetnoye.' The cumulative yield of 'Kovalenkovskoye' and 'Ligol' was positively affected by nitrogen fertiliser. The most pronounced biennial yielding was observed for cultivar 'Rubin'. Cultivar 'Ligol' had the most active and longer vegetation, especially in the nitrogen fertilisers treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Letonica is the property of University of Latvia, Institute of Literature, Folklore & Art and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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The research paper studies enhancement of study process for improvement of garment manufacturing professional skills at Riga Technical University, Institute of Technology and Design of Textile Materials. To improve the study process and its outcomes, it was decided to allow students to participate in annual student fashion show not only to elaborate their diploma papers elaboration, but also to achieve the results of the study program. It requires developing ready-made garments during laboratory works and infield internship at such a level that they are suitable for fashion show. When designing the collection, basic design principles are acquired under real conditions of collection formation for clothing market. In such a way students have a possibility to prove their professional skills, enjoy the public interest, get confidence about their skills, and to succeed in their chosen career. The aim of such changes in the study process is to motivate students to engage in setting the learning objectives and to show more interest in achieving the stated learning objectives. The public presentation of the collections is a psychological factor that noticeably increases the students' responsibility for the result of their work. The paper examines study process related problems and provides solutions to study process enhancement, as well as benefits and achievements from the implementation of changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Power & Electrical Engineering is the property of RTU Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Present article overviews main principles of arrangement of un-regulated crosswalks and the division of the safety equipment. Considering present situation in Latvia, where a level of un-regulated crosswalks' equipment is minimal but the location of the crosswalks often conflicts with the basic principles of road traffic safety, several enhancements were presented, including usage of non-activated as well as individually activated systems. Systems of that kind have never been used on the roads of Latvia before, but in conformity with foreign practice, according to which some of these solutions appeared to be successful, implantation of those or similar systems in Latvia could significantly improve the safety level of pedestrians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Geomatics is the property of RTU Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Humanities & Social Science (1407-9291) is the property of RTU Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The phases of orthodox Socialist Realism art in Latvia (1940 - 1941, 1945-1956) are already researched and interpreted in many publications of Latvian art historians (Ilze Konstante, Stella Pelše, Elita Ansone, Sergejs Kruks, et al.). They reveal the robust suppression of local art life by the totalitarian regime during the Soviet occupation, the force of the ideological pressure on artists and describe the considerable body of artworks named Socialist Realism. Tracing the process, an impression of irresistible dominance of this production could arise. Nevertheless, in order to be more realistic, some hidden deviations from the official art policy and canonic requirements of Socialist Realism should be indicated. They emerged already during the first year of Soviet rule as a difference between published conformity and presented artworks, as a specific duality of iconography and its connotations or as a dichotomy between required subject matter and formal style. The double codes of art life of Latvia continued after the Second World War, when artists had to adapt themselves once more to the cultural policies of the totalitarian state. In most cases the reason for it was quite pragmatic because the state institutions were the main art consumers. The prescribed themes for art production were given together with the dogma of Socialist Realism and examples to be followed. For all that, in the course of the first post-war years artists managed to escape in the realm of politically neutral genres and images; landscapes dominated exhibitions, the legitimate and desirable compositions with images of the so-called working people (labourers, farmers) were made according to the tradition of the 1930s without unquestionable features of Soviet life (paintings of Eduards Kalniņš, Arijs Skride, Jānis Liepiņš, Ģederts Eliass). The same could be said about some graduation works of the Latvian Art Academy of the time. A historical scene "The Kauguri Rebellion" (1945, Riga, Latvian National Museum of Art, further LNMA), painted by the former prominent modernist Oto Skulme, was an ideologically required depiction of the class struggle; on the other hand, it could be read as an anticipation of the national liberation. The picturesque style of the work was far from mimetic Socialist Realism. Versions of "Entangled" (all in the LNMA) modelled by the leading sculptor Teodors Zaļkalns could tell us about artist's dependence on the changing political powers. The ideological pressure on Latvian art increased from 1949 until the middle of the 1950s; the historical background contains brutal repression, deportations and includes individual stories of deported artists. The result of the growing engagement and conformity - many works of Latvian orthodox Socialist Realism with all the necessary elements of the current policy. The largest exhibitions of 1949 and 1950 were full of artefacts with demanded subjects; painted and sculpted images of the dictator Stalin were inevitable. The most notable examples (the works of Oto Skulme, Arnolds Pankoks, Ojārs Ābols, Semjons Gelbergs, Aleksandra Briede, Jānis Briedis and others) were already examined in Soviet times and in recent publications. Still, the hidden double-coded art life was not totally exhausted. Thematic escapism gradually recovered and already in 1953 landscapes dominated the representative exhibition of Latvian creative artists in Riga once more. In 1954 the official art critic Arturs Lapiņš "unmasked" painters who worked with "two easels" - one for commissioned Socialist Realism works and the other for individual formalism. The dichotomy of subject and form was also preserved. Some artists from the older generation (the aforementioned Eliass and Zaļkalns, graphic artist Pēteris Upītis, et al.) continued to produce works repeating their pre-Soviet style and supplying them with titles typical for Socialist Realism. The youngest generation (students of the Art Academy) acquired another double-coded concept. Painters, who composed conventional scenes with farmers' work or with happy children, had to create the obligatory optimistic mood not only by postures and facial expressions but also by sunlight effects. Therefore, volumes were modelled using colours dependent on the light of plein air. The role of brushwork increased. Sometimes elementary narratives were reduced to the simple fixation of depicted figures and their dynamics. This development towards Impressionism resulted in a mutation of Socialist Realism and could be called "Socialist Impressionism". Historical Impressionism was rejected by the authorities of the orthodox Socialist Realism, nevertheless, its elements were integrated into some individual versions of the style, including the achievements of some leading Soviet representatives of it (Yuri Pimenov, Arkady Plastov, Tatyana Yablonskaya). The overall phenomenon has recently become a subject for art historians; Vern Swanson praised "Soviet Impressionism" in his monographs of 2001 and 2007, Eha Komissarov staged an exhibition of "Stalinist Impressionism" in Estonian art (Tallinn, 2016). In Latvia two graduation works of Art Academy students Bruno Celmiņš and Zigurds Kampars are good examples of "Socialist Impressionism" (both 1954, LNMA), the best was an urban plein air scene "At a Book Table" (1955, Latvian Art Academy) by Gunārs Cīlītis. The trend continued in the next years (notable the paintings of Edgars Iltners, Rita Valnere, et al.) during the so-called political "thaw" and led to further mutations of local Socialist Realism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical events of the 20th century have been rather merciless towards the architectural heritage and part of it has perished. Koknese Manor House is among such lost architectural monuments whose image is captured in historical pictures but only ruins of foundations and the basement level remain in situ. Koknese Manor has been owned by the family of the Barons von Löwenstern since the 1780s. Commissioned by Otto Carl Nikolai von Löwenstern, architect Carl David Neuburger (1842- 1897) designed Koknese Manor House in 1894. The project reveals the idea behind the building - a rather grand longitudinal house with volumes of different height: a two-storey main block with a mansard roof, a spacious winter garden and an expressive vertical accent in the shape of a square tower topped by a spire. The arrangement of volumes and façade solutions demonstrate the principles of harmony and symmetry. Volute gables crown and accentuate the central axis of façades and their parts. A visually attractive contrast is created between red-brick masonry and abundant elements of light decorative sculpture. The layout of the building, envisioning a high level of comfort, is commensurate with the commissioner's status and the rationalist ideas of the epoch. The architect has functionally grouped premises into representative, private and household quarters. The location of the manor house on the Daugava riverbank parallel to the river has ensured a presentable, picturesque composition harmonised with its surroundings. Manor house construction began around 1898 and the building was completed in 1901. Some works continued later too, for instance, improvements were finished in 1911 with the installation of running water and sewerage systems. Unlike many other manor centres, Koknese Manor did not suffer during the 1905 Revolution. The building was destroyed during the First World War when the front line was established along the Daugava River and the manor house became a firing target. There were plans to restore the manor house and turn it into a public building like Koknese Parish School. However, preservation or restoration works needed for educational or any other function were not carried out and the building was virtually abandoned before the Second World War. One can fairly certainly conclude that the manor house fell into ruin naturally without any special actions to dismantle it until the Second World War. There are quite plausible memories that the manor house ruins were used as construction materials for individual and cooperative buildings in the 1950s. Koknese Manor House as seen in historical images and photographs dating from the early 20th century up to the 1930s is not identical to the architect Neuburger's design. The overall arrangement and situation of architectural volumes is consistent with the design. Also, the building's foundations covering over 800 square metres are retained. Nevertheless, the architectural volume is larger, as additional storeys have been added to some parts of the building, enlarging the interior. The built tower has an octagonal top and the overall constructive and artistic solution is visually more massive and monumental than initially planned. The fully plastered, light façades have replaced the contrast of the red brick and light details envisioned in the project. The building's exterior is complemented with column porticos; there is abundant use of decorative and constructive metal elements. The architectural and artistic solution of Koknese Manor House, including its design as well as implementation, can be seen as an outstanding example of German Neo-Renaissance style in Latvia's history of architecture. Interest in this architectural trend of Neo-Renaissance, rooted in Northern Renaissance and Mannerism, was on the rise since the 1870s and was seen as expressing the commissioner's wish to belong to the German cultural space. Neuburger's design was probably supplemented and executed by the architect and art historian Johann Wilhelm Carl Neumann (1849-1919) as they had collaborated previously. Both architects represented Late Historicism in their output and implemented Neo-Renaissance forms, using the German trend of Northern Renaissance as a source of inspiration for new buildings. Neumann also sought to belong to his own age, studying and utilising its innovations, thus combining Historicism with the modern Art Nouveau. Constructive and decorative metalwork with typical Art Nouveau ornaments found in Koknese Manor House can testify to Neumann's contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shows Latvian citizens’ perceptions of the normative aspects of citizenship – what it means to be a “good citizen”. It is based on two consecutive surveys (Latvian population survey – at least 1000 respondents aged 18–74/75, face-to-face interviews in respondents’ places of residence, representative sample) conducted in 2011 and 2021. Respondents were asked to describe their spontaneous associations with being a good citizen. While there is a wide range of academic work on citizenship, good citizens, etc., this research does not clarify the extent to which people do or do not support existing theoretical notions of civic virtues, but rather gives a sense of what people themselves find most important in this area. The study shows that public opinion in this area is relatively stable, although there are signs that current events in society (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) have an impact. This fact is probably due to the lack of public debate on the topic in Latvian society. There is no clear-cut answer to the question – how political or apolitical the Latvian population considers the idea of being a “good citizen”. Although it is often pointed out that good citizens must fulfill their duties to the state (respect the law, pay taxes, etc.) and have a positive attitude toward their nation (being patriotic, loyal, staying in Latvia despite economic hardship, etc., a large proportion equates being a “good citizen” with being a “good person”, emphasizing qualities such as “honest”, “hardworking”, “smart”, “creative”, “takes care of his/her health”, etc. An important characteristic of a good citizen is having a good attitude towards fellow human beings (helping, charity, respect, courtesy). Interestingly, less than 10 % emphasized traits related to the Latvian language and culture, even though knowledge of the Latvian language is one of the requirements for naturalization, and less than 5 % associate responsibility towards the environment with the duties of a good citizen, although this aspect is receiving more and more attention when talking about the characteristics of a good citizen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publication analyzes Soviet-era questionnaires filled out for the purpose of dating in Riga from 1979 to 1982 that are related to the activities of the then Leningrad district culture club Let's Get to Know Each Other. The research uses prosopography, which is one of the research methods or approaches of life-writing. Unlike life-writing potentialities offered by, for example, autobiography, in dating club questionnaires people had a minimal opportunity to tell about themselves or develop automythology, which on the one hand made the texts less engaging for the reader, but, on the other, gave more credibility to the data provided. It was relatively difficult in these limited opportunities to reveal the details of one's life story in a way that would personally interest a potential partner. It can be seen from the questionnaires that many people who were looking for a partner did not have a separate apartment. It was not accepted to ask or talk about sex in public. In general, the material of dating questionnaires quite organically fits into that section of life-writing, which is often called contextual biography. Namely, the questions and answers of the questionnaires are not really understandable, nor can they be evaluated outside the social context of the 1970-80s. The data included in more than 100 questionnaires of Let's Get to Know Each Other dating club provide relatively good additional material for the collective social portrait of average Riga resident in the 1970s and 1980s, the data also help to characterize the living conditions in Soviet Latvia during its decline, and vividly mark the threshold or transitional situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the 21st century, in extensively managed mature and over-mature conifer stands (Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies) in Latvia, establishment of native deciduous broad-leaved (Acer platanoides, Tilia cordata, Quercus robur and Ulmus laevis), as well as alien broad-leaved species (Acer pseudoplatanus and Tilia platyphyllos) has been observed. The establishment of deciduous broad-leaved species in coniferous stands is a process known as nemoralisation of coniferous stands, which is characterised by a large number of seedlings of broad-leaved species, young trees and the formation of a subcanopy layer in stands. Based on the age measurements of individuals of broad-leaved species trees, the establishment of some individuals into the studied coniferous stands occurred 40–50 years ago — in the 1970s–1980s. However, the predominant age of alien broad-leaved tree species in the study plots was 15–25 years, i.e. the introduction of large numbers of seedlings of these species in the coniferous stands occurred at the end of the 20th century. In this manner, in the final phase of the conifer replacement process, stable, mostly shade tolerant, mixed stands consisting of 3–4 species have formed, in which spruce is often found together with broad-leaved species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trials were carried out at the farm „Bērzemnieki“ located in Jaunalūksne parish, Latvia, to investigate the effect of plastic mulch on the yield formation of strawberries. Strawberry cultivars 'Polka', 'Sonata' and 'Rumba' were grown in double beds. The distance between plants in bed was 30 cm. Strawberry beds were covered with a black film, a white film with the black bottom, a black ground cover or black geotextile. Non-mulched beds were used as a control sample. Results showed that the yield of strawberries in the beds covered with the white film and the black film was significantly higher than in the beds without mulch. Strawberries in black covers began to produce up to 3 days earlier in comparison with white mulch and the control sample. Significantly higher yield for strawberry cultivars 'Polka' and 'Rumba' was obtained in mulched beds in comparison with the control sample. For cultivar 'Sonata' significantly higher yield was obtained in the black and white film and black geotextile. The highest yield and most qualitative berries were obtained in the white plastic mulch. The black geotextile and the black film could be mentioned as the next most promising mulches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently the demand for biomass for bioenergy and fiber in many countries has been changing the traditional utilization of grasses for forage. Grasslands compared to other crops for agro-fuel production can be produced on marginal agricultural lands, since they do not require high amounts of fertilisers and pesticides thus having a better impact on biodiversity. Agroforestry is a perspective way of biomass production which combines simultaneous growing of woody plants with agricultural crops on the same area for different purposes. At the same time successful management of waste product enlarged amount is very important. Field trials were established in 2011 at the Research Institute of Agriculture at Skriveri in collaboration with the Latvia State Forest Research Institute "Silava" with the aim of studying various fast-growing deciduous trees species without and with perennial grasses between the trees, as well as herbaceous energy crops. The objective of this research was to evaluate the grass biomass and seed yield of Phalaris arundinacea L. (RCG), F.arundinacea x L.multiflorum (festulolium) and Galega orientalis Lam. using different bio-energy and municipal waste products as fertilisers: sewage sludge, biogas digestate and wood ash. The trial results showed a significant dry matter and seed yield dependence on used grass species and fertiliser. The greatest average dry matter yield increase for RCG and festulolium was provided using mineral fertilisers (3.92 t ha-1 and 3.81 t ha-1 respectively) and wood ash combined with mineral fertilisers (3.00 t ha-1 and 3.63 t ha-1 respectively). For galega the greatest average dry matter yield increase was obtained by using sewage sludge (1.41 t ha-1) and digestate (1.34 t ha-1.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the influence of crop rotation on weed incidence in winter wheat was based on sowings' monitoring during 1997 - 2011 in Kurzeme and Zemgale regions of Latvia. The Institute of Soil and Plant Sciences of the Latvia University of Agriculture studied the dynamics of annual and biennial weed level in the fixed annually observed areas. The type of crop rotation was selected by a land holder. The weed infestation of sowings was determined using the quantitative occurrence method developed by A. Rasinsh. The support of this method is the correlation between the incidence of weed species in the field and the number of weed species per m² of the field area. The difference between the annual and biennial weed incidence was studied in four types of crop rotation during fourteen years. Repeated sowing and monoculture of winter wheat growing were not the only factors determining the increase of weed infestation. The following dominant weed species were determined: Viola arvensis, Polygonum spp., Galium aparine, Veronica arvensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from 2014 the farmers in Latvia will implement the Integrated Plant Nutrient Management the aims of which include the use of nutrients in a more rational way (yield-targeted, site and soil specific), the understanding of the interrelation of different nutrients, the use of the combinations of mineral and organic fertilizers, the provision of nutrients on a croppingsystem/rotation basis. A field experiment of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety 'Kranich' was designed to study the effect of different additional top dressing nitrogen fertiliser rates and forms on grain yield and quality within the integrated nutrient management system. The field experiment was carried out in cultivation loam soil of the Research and Training Farm "Vecauce" of the Latvia University of Agriculture. There were 6 variants with different nitrogen fertilizer rates: N0, N85, N153, N175 with sulphur 18 kg ha-1, N180 (rates determined by nitrogen tester) and N187 kg ha-1. The highest winter wheat yield (7.84 t ha-1) was obtained in the variant N175 with sulphur. The increase of yield was obtained by nitrogen fertilizer up to norm N152. Further increase of nitrogen fertilizer did not ensure a significant increase of yield. The obtaining of grain that would meet the requirements set for the food grain quality was ensured by the nitrogen fertilizer norm starting from 175 kg ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A five-year field experiment (2009-2012) was carried out in different parts of Latvia -- Peterlauki, Priekuli, Stende). The objective was to test the effectiveness of increasing nitrogen (from 0 to 210 kg ha-1 N) applications on the yield and several quality parameters of rye, spring wheat and spring barley. In total 8 nitrogen variants were compared. Nitrogen applications were compared using two trial plots -- a plot with unfertilised soil (to identify the potential fertility of soils) and a plot where a full norm of phosphorus and potassium was applied (to test the nitrogen requirements for cereals). The obtained results are useful for planning fertilisers regarding the criteria for the optimisation of nitrogen norms depending on goals set by farmers -- either to obtain the maximum yield, maximum grain quality, highest return in terms of grain per kg of N applied or to achieve the highest N utilisation rate. Plant nutrient removal coefficients also were renewed using the data obtained as a result of the field experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Estonian & Finno-Ugric Linguistics / Eesti ja Soome-ugri Keeleteaduse Ajakiri is the property of University of Tartu Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Journal of the Institute of Latvian History / Latvijas Vēstures Institūta Žurnāls is the property of University of Latvia, Institute of Latvian History and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Journal of the Institute of Latvian History / Latvijas Vēstures Institūta Žurnāls is the property of University of Latvia, Institute of Latvian History and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The period of the independent Latvia had two common things - the vast freedoms for press and the great ethnic diversity. Latvia had many minorities significant by their count and cultural sovereignty. The Latvian government made large efforts in national integration policies offering equal chances for national minorities to participate in politics and the social life. However, the publications in the Latvian newspapers that were heated against the minorities and seldom violent outbursts between the Latvians and the minorities showed that certain national tensions existed in Latvian society. This partly lays to blame on economic and social rivalry between minorities and Latvians. Germans, Jews and Russians had notable influence on Latvian economy and politics. That made national resentment or even national hatred among some Latvians. These problems are best seen though the Latvian satirical press. Caricatures reflected the cross-national problems in the satirical magazines. Some of them like "Svari", "Ho-Ho!", "Siksparnis", regularly published caricatures about Jews, Germans and Russians that often were xenophobic and radically nationalist tended. During the parliamentary period 333 caricatures were published about national minorities in 18 satirical magazines. 201 caricatures were about Jews, 60 about Germans and 19 about Russians. Poles and Romani people (Gypsies) were also depicted on rare occasions. Russians were depicted as the favours of the old Czarist times, there were attacks on their language and culture. Germans were depicted as the political enemies of the Latvian state, the strivers for old times of German prominence. Jews were accused of speculation and complete takeover of Latvian economy. Caricatures about Jews had visible anti-Semitic character. The large amount of caricatures and the way the national minorities were depicted in them showed that national issues were important for Latvian society. Although some of the caricatures can be seen as hate spreading they did not call for violence and abolition of democracy. National minorities had large impact on destiny of the Latvian nation and therefore national issues were good theme for satirical publishers. The coup by Karlis Ulmanis on 15, May 1934 restricted to openly speak about national problems. National issues were "solved" simply by not mentioning them, because of that the parliamentary state of Latvia was openly democratic country that allowed to freely speak about national issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Sciences Bulletin / Sociālo Zinātņu Vēstnesis is the property of Socialo Zinatnu Vestnesis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article is dedicated to the notion of religion in the context of phenomenology of religion during the modernist period and the post-modern one in Western Europe. The second part of the article is devoted to Latvian phenomenology of religion of the 20s-30s of the XX century. The problem is that phenomenology of religion and comparative religion on the whole today ignore the classical category of the Sacred and that of religious experience applying to their unverifiable character. Is the methodology of sciences appropriate for religious studies? Does comparative religion have its own object of research? Which paradigm of religion is appropriate for Latvian comparative religion? Those are questions we are trying to answer in the present article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was carried out within two levels: Theoretical, where there have been analyzed legislative acts of the Republic of Latvia, documentation of boarding school, consequently there has been evaluated the work specificity of boarding schools in work with social risk group pupils within the economic crisis. Analyzed social problems, children rights and parents' duties, their relation to main conditions of boarding school activity. By virtue of performed research there have been developed and approbate triangular cooperation model School - NGO - Family referring to direct cooperation between school, NGO and family, which is one of boarding school's priorities. It promotes rising of EU funds and is one of solution versions for promotion of boarding school's potentialities in work with social risk group pupils. Empirical part carries out the SWOT analysis of boarding school's activity, consequently, there were determined factors that influence boarding school's activity, and there were developed suggestions and solutions for reduction of these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Sciences Bulletin / Sociālo Zinātņu Vēstnesis is the property of Socialo Zinatnu Vestnesis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The research was carried out within two levels: Theoretical, where there have been analyzed legislative acts of the Republic of Latvia, documentation of boarding school, consequently there has been evaluated the work specificity of boarding schools in work with social risk group pupils within the economic crisis. Analyzed social problems, children rights and parents' duties, their relation to main conditions of boarding school activity. By virtue of performed research there have been developed and approbate triangular cooperation model School - NGO - Family referring to direct cooperation between school, NGO and family, which is one of boarding school's priorities. It promotes rising of EU funds and is one of solution versions for promotion of boarding school's potentialities in work with social risk group pupils. Empirical part carries out the SWOT analysis of boarding school's activity, consequently, there were determined factors that influence boarding school's activity, and there were developed suggestions and solutions for reduction of these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with structurally spatial aspects of populated centres in regions. From the point of urban planning, the main accent is put on the hierarchy of populated areas based on National or Republic significance, regional significance, significance of districts and centres of local significance. This hierarchical system is based on socio -economic interaction and also on differentiation and integration processes of everyday periodical and episodical services. As the most typical functions of populated centres could be mentioned administrative authority, communications and information, commerce and public catering, household services, cultural life, recreation, external traffic hubs and construction centre. The second aspect of spatial development of regions analyzed in the article deals with structurally spatial formation of populated centres. It is reasoned that differential zones must created when planning the structures of centres where the main service sectors of town and its bordering districts are divided, thus, creating architecturally spatial systems of populated areas in the united renewed Republic of Latvia, and harmonious composition of populated areas as well, which is considered to be one of the most important tasks in the field of regional territorial planning and urban construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]