Suchergebnisse

The first three free elections in the Polish-Lithuanian Republic (1573-1589) involved the activity of many international diplomats and agents. Their main goal, though not the only one, was to win the throne for their candidate. It was particularly difficult for diplomats from monarchies like Spain that had hardly any experience with Poland and Lithuania (negotiations of the famous "Neapolitan sums" repayment had not lead to mutual recognition). In consequence, the Spanish diplomacy did not know the country in which they were to compete with France or Turkey, their deadly rivals, which put them in a very difficult situation. First, they had to act in a whole different reality, mostly due to differences in political culture and values. Secondly, they were deprived of their allies. The famous international Spanish network of agents (partido español) did not reach the Commonwealth and cooperation with the imperial diplomacy produced poor effects. On the basis of Spanish diplomatic correspondence concerning the so-called "Polish Buissnes" (negócio de Polonia) we may analyze the clash of two different sociopolitical orders, cultures and sets of values. Studying the image of the Commonwealth seen through the eyes of Spanish diplomats offers a great opportunity for highlighting some aspects of the construction of the Modern Europe in XVI century. ; Las tres primeras elecciones libres en la República Polaco-Lituana (1573-1589) involucraron la actividad de muchos diplomáticos y agentes internacionales. Su objetivo principal, aunque no el único, era ganar el trono para su candidato. Fue particularmente difícil para los diplomáticos de monarquías como España que apenas tenían experiencia con Polonia y Lituania (las negociaciones sobre el pago de las famosas "sumas napolitanas" no habían conducido a un reconocimiento mutuo). En consecuencia, la diplomacia española no conocía el país en el que iba a competir con sus rivales mortales, Francia e Turquía. Eso la puso en una situación muy difícil. Primero, tenían que actuar en una realidad muy diferente, principalmente debido a las diferencias en la cultura política y los valores estatales. En segundo lugar, fueron privados de sus aliados. La famosa, internacional red española de agentes (partido español) no llegaba a la República y la cooperación con la diplomacia imperial en este asunto produjo malos efectos. Sobre la base de la correspondencia diplomática española sobre el llamado "negocio de Polonia" podemos analizar el choque de dos diferentes sistemas socio-políticos, culturas políticas y valores estatales. El estudio de la imagen de la República vista a través de los diplomáticos españoles ofrece una oportunidad para destacar algunos aspectos de la construcción de la Europa Moderna en el siglo XVI.

Taking food assistance as its starting point, this article examines the underlying system of ideas that the Bangladeshi government and humanitarian organizations have about the term 'refugee'. Through a consideration of refugee coping strategies, host government responses and humanitarian organizations' operations on food assistance, I show that the provision of food aid is not just an apolitical act of assistance but also one which is embedded in relations of power that are continually (re)produced through laws, practice and discourse. In the conclusion, I offer some thoughts on the social construction of the term 'refugee' and its implications for the lives of refugees in Bangladesh.