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The Arab Spring broke out in the MENA-region in 2011 in the guise of a series of mass protests demanding political and regime change. The rebellion was triggered by a long period of autocratic rule which for the region’s citizens had meant social injustice, economic complications, oppression and lack of political and human rights. The purpose of this study is to examine the democratization process in Tunisia and Egypt in connection with the Arab Spring. The two countries are similar in terms of political history, religion, language and culture, and during the Arab Spring the advancement of democracy was initially evident in both Tunisia and Egypt, but over time led to divergence between them. In the period after the uprisings, there was a regime change in both Tunisia and Egypt, but only Tunisia managed to establish a democratic governance. By using a comparative method, this essay seeks to answer the following question: During the period after the Arab Spring, how come that the democratization in Tunisia was more successful than the regime change in Egypt? Consequently, it is interesting to investigate which factors gave rise to the divergence between the countries. Therefore the study takes a theoretical outset in Robert Dahl’s fundamental and favorable conditions for democracy. Focusing on the units of analysis, Tunisia and Egypt, can be fruitful for examining how and why some countries succeed better in the transition to a democratic political system, and which factors for success and challenges that plays a role in such a process. In addition, it also provides insights into how economic, cultural, religious, political and social dynamics can affect the democratization of a nation. However, the study will show that one of Dahl’s fundamental conditions, control of the military and police, is indeed a fundamental explanatory variable as to why Egypt failed to establish a democracy, while Tunisia succeeded.

El presente artículo investiga la manera en que la tecnología de Blockchain puede resolver algunas fricciones en la financiación de infraestructura a través de Asociaciones Publico-Privadas, en Colombia. Ésta es clave para aliviar la pobreza y generar crecimiento a largo plazo, sin embargo, el financiamiento se enfrenta a un decrecimiento de capitales, debido al aumento de los déficits públicos, los problemas de transparencia y el alto costo de financiamiento. Este documento hace una revisión exhaustiva de literatura para estudiar el potencial del Blockchain en el mejoramiento de eficiencia de finanzas públicas y en atracción de fuentes privadas para cerrar la brecha existente en infraestructura. El Blockchain impacta la inversión en infraestructura, democratizando la participación en los proyectos de tres maneras: i) Ampliando el grupo de inversores, atrayendo capitales potenciales de pequeños financiadores, ii) Descentralizando la formulación de proyectos hacia instituciones como alcaldías y gobernaciones y iii) Proponiendo modelos financieros que acojan proyectos de mediana y pequeña envergadura tales como las redes secundarias y terciarias. El Blockchain mejora la liquidez de los activos de infraestructura, elevando la transparencia y la confianza y disminuyendo los costos de transacción facilitando el acceso a diferentes capitales., This article investigates the way in which Blockchain technology can solve some frictions in the financing of infrastructure through Public-Private Associations, in Colombia. This is key to alleviate poverty and generate long-term growth, however, financing faces a decrease in capital, due to the increase in public deficits, transparency problems and the high cost of financing. This document makes an exhaustive review of the literature to study the potential of Blockchain in improving the efficiency of public finances and in attracting private sources to close the existing gap in infrastructure. The Blockchain impacts investment in infrastructure, democratizing participation in projects in three ways: i) Expanding the group of investors, attracting potential capital from small financiers, ii) Decentralizing the formulation of projects to institutions such as mayors and governors and iii) Proposing financial models that accommodate medium and small-scale projects such as secondary and tertiary networks. The Blockchain improves the liquidity of infrastructure assets, increasing transparency and trust and reducing transaction costs by facilitating access to different capitals.

This article will discuss on the development of civic education and it contribution towards the democratization in Thailand. The aim is to highlight the weakness of democratic system that is practiced which is seemed originated from the lack of emphasis on the civic education. Furthermore, it will support and argue the important of such education as a mechanism in enhancing the democratization process. The formation of democratic country of Thailand started since 1932. The unfinished formation gone through the stages of continously up and down in the process. Theoretically, the process deserve a recognition. It is going into the right direction of having the ideal democratic country. There were continuous efforts between government and the people to cooperate to ensure the formation of an intent democratic country accomplished. However, in reality they are ample of evidence showing that the practice of democracy is facing problems, whereby people feels that there is less democracy in the country which claim as a democratic. The development of democratic country is facing many hurdles, and among the main one is the lack of awareness by the people on their responsibilities towards establishing a democratic system. Furthermore, it interrupt the formation of the country of intent, and there are people look at Thailand as less successful in practicing the principles of democracy as it should be.Therefore, the needs of civic education to be thought to the people in order to establish a successful democratic country. The concern is arising among the Thai elites lately. In addition, the curriculum of civic education need to be evaluated to include the basic principles of democracy, also the rights and obligations under that principles, so people could practice it accordingly.

This paper address the implications for the Gender Mainstreaming strategy of the present economic and political crisis, at both EU and Spanish level. In the first place the main achievements and shortcomings of the implementation of gender equality policies during the last decades are briefly pointed. Secondly, the gendered dimensions of the crisis are explored: both in the crisis genesis, in its social impacts, as well as in the policies developed to face it. A specific attention is placed in the weakening of the democratic decision-making process in key areas of the current political and economic governance. To conclude we identify the challenges, obstacles and opportunities that this new scenario pose to mainstream gender in policy making, raising some questions regarding the need to rethink the priorities, the courses of action and the tools of equality policies., Este artículo se centra enreflexionar acerca de los retos a los que se enfrenta la estrategia del gender mainstreaming o transversalidadde género en el contexto económico y político actual, recurriendo a laliteratura feminista sobre las políticas de igualdad y sobre la crisiseconómica. Para ello, se revisan brevemente los logros conseguidos y loslímites encontrados en el desarrollo de las políticas de igualdad de génerohasta el momento actual -a nivel europeo y estatal-, y se explora la dimensiónde género tanto de la crisis económica como de las políticas implementadas paradar respuesta a la misma. De este modo se identifican los retos y obstáculosque la gobernanza económica y política actual plantea a la hora de implantar latransversalidad de género en el Estado español, y se discute sobre lasposibilidades de actuación existentes, planteando algunas preguntas acerca dela necesidad de replantear las estrategias e instrumentos de las políticas deigualdad en este nuevo escenario.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the increased use of the communication channels provided by Internet affect production and distribution cycles of the fashion system, and what the consequences this development will have on the fashion concept. It is crucial for all producers in the fashion industry to take this development into consideration in order to anticipate the changes that might take place, or should take place, in the fashion system. It is also important for those who are conducting fashion studies to be aware of changes in the industry which may provide a new meaning to fashion. The analysis is based on articles sourced from various websites where discussions of changes in the fashion system, or fashion relative to the Internet and social media, take place. The content of these articles are analyzed primarily from a sociological perspective through qualitative text analysis in relation to already existing research. The outcome of this study is that websites such as Style.com has contributed to the fact that the public and the fashion industry simultaneously have access to fashion news. This causes fashion news to seem old to the public once the products are available in the stores. As novelty is one of fashion's fundamental principles a lot of companies are searching for new strategies. Some companies use Instagram as a tool for crowdsourcing, and design products according to the requirements of Instagrams users, which means that fashion to a certain extend is generated by the public. Another result that the study shows, is the fact that people are consuming fashion visually which implies that the consumers feel they acquire fashion values through pictures, and therefore do not feel the need to consume physical objects on an economic level. Companies handle this development in various ways, with the mutual ambition to once again connect fashion with their physical products to obtain physical consumption.

The producer participation in cinema is often distorted and therefore unknown figure. The film industry and the film as a commodity goes beyond its definition, and understanding the basics of production, distribution and marketing are absolutely necessary. In this article these three steps of independent film are discussed in the international market., La figura y participación del productor español en el cine es, en muchas ocasiones y ámbitos una figura desvirtuada y por ello desconocida. El cine como industria y la película como mercancía va más allá en su definición, entendiendo los tres pilares de la producción, distribución y marketing como absolutamente necesarios. En este artículo se analizan estas tres fases del cine independiente en el mercado internacional.

The Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR), which contains 51.5 percent of the USSR's population, has emerged as a key factor in the political and economic ferment that is undermining the very existence of the Soviet Union. The election of Boris Yeltsin as RSFSR president in June 1991 marked a decisive step in the decline of Mikhail Gorbachev's primacy and a new stage in the process of reform and democratization, the consequences of which we are only beginning to see. Though the RSFSR's population is over 80 percent Russian and over 85 percent Slavic, the republic confronts almost as many problems of ethnic and regional self-assertion as the USSR as a whole. Though many native peoples are minorities in their own areas, some have political leverage and a disruptive capacity far beyond their numbers. In some parts of the RSFSR, Russians are exploiting ethnic concerns-forming alliances with other ethnic groups and serving as spokesmen for greater autonomy of ethnic areas-to advance their regional interests. Most Russians now tend to give regional interests priority over national and republic considerations.

This study focuses on frictions between the U.S. and ROK; it seeks to identify primary causes for anti-American sentiment. This study discusses the rise of Korean nationalism -- its dynamic economic growth, the successful 1988 Summer Olympics, and the continuous democratization in Korea. As a result of this growth, Koreans desire equal partnership with the U.S. in economic, political and military relations. They resent U.S. economic pressures for access to Korean markets. This study also analyzes the vulnerability of the Korean economy, the threat from North Korea, challenges of domestic political situations, and the role of students in Korean politics. The study concludes that the U.S. must be sensitive to the changes in South Korea in order to continue harmonious relations. Both English and Korean language sources have provided documentary support for this study. (EDC)

Ukraine remains far from a robust democracy and qualifies as a consolidated hybrid state. Despite more than 25 years of government development since independence, Ukraine continues to experience difficulty shedding the legacy of the Soviet era in order to advance to a truly democratic state. This thesis seeks to understand Ukraine's regime development and why the country experiences difficulty strengthening democratically. Drawing on theories of democratic consolidation and the rise of hybrid regimes, this thesis explains how and why Ukraine has consolidated into a competitive authoritarian state of government vice a true democracy. Analyzing six different criteria of regime development, including choices, institutions, elections, accountability, civil society, and economics, this thesis determines that while democracy exists on paper, overall, more than a quarter century of political development in Ukraine failed to bring robust democratic governance to this nation. As a result, Ukraine remain in a hybrid condition with democratic and autocratic elements living in constant tension with each other. Thus, the prospects for a strong democracy in Ukraine in the near future remain wishful thinking at best, unless Ukraine can find a way to radically break with its past., http://archive.org/details/ukrainethelinger1094555615, Lieutenant, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.