Ukrainians' EU migration prospects. OSW Commentary No. 128, 10.03.2014.

The political crisis in Ukraine, particularly the bloodshed seen on 18–20 February and the subsequent Russian intervention in Crimea, has sparked fears of another possible wave of immigrants heading to the EU. However, the country was partially politically stabilised (at least in its central and western parts), and this has made the scenario of a mass migration of people from Ukraine rather unlikely. If there is no civil war in Ukraine, any further development of the political situation in Ukraine may have only an indirect impact on the actual migration. Should the political instability continue, the Ukrainian economy remain in recession while jobs are available for Ukrainian immigrants in the EU, then an increase in the migration of Ukrainian citizens to the EU, including Poland, would be possible. In the short term there may be two characteristic groups of immigrants: (1) young people who will attempt to leave Ukraine for good due to the lack of job opportunities; (2) circulating migrants, mainly from western Ukraine, who will be looking for temporary jobs. Only if the economic downturn trend and political turmoil in Ukraine continues for a longer time, will settlement migration increase.

Russian army justifies its reforms. OSW Commentary No. 109, 2013-06-25

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have been more active than usual since mid- -February this year, holding a number of previously unannounced military exercises aimed at testing combat readiness. They have also maintained, for many months, a Russian warship task force in the Mediterranean in connection with the civil war in Syria. Those activities stand out of the usual training routine of the Russian army. They have no precedent in Russia’s recent history in terms of the size of the forces involved, the measures employed, the territorial span, the number of exercises, or the scheduling and mode of carrying out the drills. The last combat-readiness tests on this scale were carried out by the Soviet army in the 1980s. The intensity of the Russian Navy’s activities in the Mediterranean and the military means engaged are comparable, in due proportion, with the activities of the Soviet fleet during the Vietnam war. The Russian leadership, including president Vladimir Putin, has been directly following the recent activities of the Russian Armed Forces and their evolution.

Kazakhstan: the regional success story; Tajikistan: a trial period; Uzbekistan: the major source of instability in Central Asia? OSW Study 15/2004

Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan can boast economic development like no other country in Central Asia. In contrast to other countries of the region, which have rich natural resources, Kazakhstan has managed to use its economic potential in a way that yields concrete benefits now and, at the same time, creates prospects for further sustainable economic growth. Tajikistan: Tajikistan in its present state has been built on the civil war experiences and provisions of the peace accords signed in 1997. These have had a great impact on the present form of the state, its political scene and power mechanisms. President Emomali Rakhmonov is the central figure in the state. The political system, which he has cocreated, is based on - unique in this region - political pluralism (the existence of the Islamic party), decentralisation (far-going independence of the regions and relatively limited potential of the central structures) and compromise as the basic way of resolving conflicts. Such a system has so far guaranteed stabilisation and normalisation of the country. Uzbekistan: With its geographic location, potential, ambitions and political priorities, Uzbekistan could play a leading role in Central Asia. The international community has perceived the country as the pillar of stability in the region. This perception was further reinforced after 11th September 2001 and was certainly among the factors that inspired the United States to start closer political and military cooperation with Tashkent. The administration in Washington had expected that closer contacts might galvanise political, economic and social change in Uzbekistan, thus reinforcing positive trends in other countries of the region as well. But the relations between Washington and Tashkent are in crisis (which the United States will certainly try to overcome), and we have seen rapprochement between Uzbekistan and Russia and China.

Syria: An end to the hands-off policy. CEPS Commentary, 31 August 2015

After a year of focusing on the nuclear deal with Iran, international diplomacy is returning to consider resolution of the civil war in Syria, with each side now a little less firm in their positions as the situation on the ground deteriorates further. In this new CEPS Commentary Steven Blockmans sheds light on the highly complex and volatile environment in the Middle East, concluding that failure to seize the new diplomatic momentum to resolve this conflict will likely mean that Syria falls into the hands of IS.

Flashlight Europe N°2–February 2015. “Europe must now get involved in a very big way”

More than three years after al-Gaddafi was overthrown, Libya has still not returned to some semblance of normality. In many places, the Libyan state exists only on paper. No less than two governments and dozens of rival tribes, all with their own militias and armed to the teeth, are trying to come to power. In the midst of this chaos “IS,” the terrorist organization, has now entered the fray. Evidence of this is provided by the brutal murder of 21 Egyptian Copts, which could trigger off a civil war that will pose a threat to the entire region and to Europe. Mirco Keilberth, an expert on Libya, explains what is going on.

My enemy’s enemy–Turkey’s stance on Islamic State. OSW COMMENTARY NUMBER 198/24.02.2016

In the context of the civil war in Syria, Turkey has been accused of intense co-operation with Islamic State. The accusations have been coming for some time from the West, and also from the Turkish opposition and the Kurds. The Russian government has also joined in the accusations over the past few months.

The Basque Diaspora in Latin America: Euskal Etxeak, Integration, and Tensions. EDAP 1/2016

The establishment of the Basque diaspora in Latin America can be divided in several different periods. First, from the 16th to 18th century, the so-called original diaspora of Basques who were part of the Spanish colonial regime. The second can be traced to the 19th century, consisting of a mixture of impoverished Basque migrants seeking jobs, especially in Uruguay and Argentina, and of refugees fleeing from the Spanish War of Independence and the Carlist wars. The third wave is identified by, but not only through, the considerable amount of refugees from the Spanish Civil War on the 1930's. The fourth wave came during the 1970s, with refugees from the Franco Dictatorship, ETA members and sympathisers. In this paper I will argue that each new wave of migrants brought tension to the diaspora, with the Euskal Etxeak, or ‘Basque houses’, as a focus point. The main idea is to analyse the different tensions and political discussions of this set of diasporic waves in Latin America.

Lugares de memoria y lugares de amnesia : La familia como colectivo amnésico en Os libros arden mal de Manuel Rivas

A lo largo de los últimos años, la expresión "memoria histórica" resulta omnipresente en el discurso político, social y cultural europeo. Cuando, en el caso de España, se menciona la "memoria histórica" los acontecimientos a que se refiere en la mayoría de los casos son la Guerra Civil (1936-1939) y el Franquismo (1939-1975), acontecimientos cuya memoria nunca pierde su actualidad y necesidad. A partir del año 2000 se inició la apertura pública al pasado oculto y reprimido que lleva consigo la liberación de los recuerdos que habían permanecido marginados e ignorados hasta ahora. La obra del autor gallego Manuel Rivas forma parte de este proceso de recuperación de la memoria histórica y pone su enfoque, precisamente, en ese pasado incómodo que tantos años ha permanecido oculto para contribuir a la reivindicación de la memoria de las víctimas de la represión franquista. En Os libros arden mal (2006), Manuel Rivas ofrece un panorama complejo y diverso del pasado traumático. A través de la confrontación de diferentes comunidades de memoria -en muchos casos antagonistas- elabora la historia vivida por los ciudadanos coruñeses. Con referencia a los conceptos correspondientes a la memoria colectiva desarrollada en las Ciencias Sociales y Culturales, este artículo tiene la intención de estudiar la memoria de la Guerra Civil y el Franquismo a partir del análisis de una de las familias retratadas en la novela.

Lo fantástico y la memoria histórica en Rivas

A partir de tres ejemplos, En salvaje compañía (1994), El lápiz del carpintero (1998) y Los libros arden mal (2006), esta contribución pretende determinar la función de 'lo fantástico' en las novelas de Manuel Rivas, con respecto a la memoria cultural de un evento traumático como la Guerra Civil y el franquismo. La argumentación parte de la hipótesis de que lo 'real maravilloso gallego' ofrece una estruc-tura particularmente apta para hablar de la Guerra Civil al darles a los muertos un espació ficticio de acción.

Memorias en voz baja : Transmisión oral intergeneracional: de Os libros arden mal a As voces baixas

Este trabajo analiza la forma en que se desarrolla un traspaso de la experiencia del pasado traumático en dos textos de Manuel Rivas en los que adquiere gran protagonismo el discurso oral. La Guerra Civil española y sus consecuencias son incorporadas a la narrativa de Os libros arden mal y As voces baixas con especial énfasis en las generaciones que no vivieron esos años. Las convergencias entre oralidad y escritura resultan un terreno fértil para considerar la inclusión de voces largamente postergadas debido a silencios impuestos y a la represión de verdades que tardaron en visibilizarse.

Literatura en el espacio público : Rivas y su obra: un punto de inflexión en la recuperación de la memoria histórica

Tras una revisión diacrónica del tratamiento del tema de la guerra civil en la narrativa gallega, el artículo analiza la función performativa que en ese contexto han desempeñado una serie de obras narrativas de Manuel Rivas y su eficacia como factores de legitimación y dinamización del proceso de recuperación de la memoria histórica. Como conclusión se propone considerar a Rivas como un emprendedor de la memoria (Jelin) y sus obras como 'lieux de memoire' (Nora) por su condición de artefactos culturales de integración social.

Captains of the three student companies in 1861

Handwritten on verso: civil war volunteer. Printed sticker on verso: W. Nessler

Soldier's memorial

Rest of title: Company G, 4th Regt. Michigan Infantry, 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army corps: organized at Tecumseh, Michigan, May 16, 1861: mustered into U.S. Service for 3 years, June 20, 1861.