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The collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has encouraged proliferation of academic literature. This paper examines Western scholarship and, while broadly dividing factors that contributed to the state disintegration into two main categories (internal and external), questions what is yet to be analyzed in order to get a clearer picture about the Yugoslav drama. In this respect, the paper perceives non-state actors as important players capable of influencing decision-making processes. Thus, deeper understanding of activism perpetrated by diaspora groups, media and churches — altogether bearing remarkable power within the Yugoslav federation — would be a valuable contribution to the existing scholarship.

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The author deals with some key questions concerning the role of European Union in the Balkans. He stresses that the European Union failed both to settle the Balkan crisis and to create a system of collective security. It remains still only an economic zone with divergent political positions in global affairs. American intervention and the Pax America determined the future of the post-communist Balkan states. New small states as protectorates with fragile stability emerged. Globalisation proved to be on other aspect of the Balkanisation. The Balkans was designed to be a buffer zone against the potential Russian influence. But Russia, after its recovery under Putin, has been trying to return in the Balkans, playing the energy card. The Balkan were included in the American-Russian energy war and propably in the new Cold War.

Abstract ▼

The global downturn is amplifying its negative effects on the local economic crisis. The real sector is much more exposed to the crisis and its negative impact than the financial sector, which is dominated by foreign ownership. Under the conditions of foreign capital squeeze and foreign debt repayment, the pressure is increased on the depreciation of the local currency, what is followed by the uncertain value of the nominal fix rate. Due to these underlying principles, the policy response should be to shift the focus from the financial sector to the real sector. The paper explains that due to the world financial crisis the sudden stop of foreign capital inflow has caused a sharp monetary contraction and consequently a drop in output in Serbia. The main problem of Serbia is the discrepancies between the real sector and the financial sector. The macroeconomic balance is directly related to the rate of implementing the industrial structural reforms and the level of the economic competitiveness. The increasing illiquidity, which is the major cause of decreasing demand and consequently manufacturing, is possible to overcome by offering additional resources to the industry and the population.

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Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was keen to join the IMF as a sign of the international community’s confidence in perestroika and in his leadership. Based on archival material, US government freedom of information requests, and personal interviews it appears that the Soviet application to join the IMF was rejected. The G7, led by the United States, had serious doubts about Gorbachev’s commitment to join the free-market community. In contrast, first Russian President Boris Yeltsin was encouraged to apply for full membership only days after taking office. This article chronicles the debate in international capitals on the fate of the Soviet application in the IMF and reveals this unknown period of international relations. Moreover, this case teaches us the value of being viewed as a part of the community of states as an explanation for gaining membership into international organization.

Abstract ▼

It has been noted that museum security guards form the least effective line of defense in the protection of art from theft and vandalism. Museums rely increasingly on high-tech, alarm-based security, which has failed to work, or failed to provoke an effective response, in a number of high-profile occasions. It is time to re-evaluate the role of museum guards. Hundreds of museum security guards around the world were interviewed about their own roles, their training, and their perception of museum security. The results were processed, and trends were found that suggest a prevalent passivity and resulting ineffectuality on the part of guards in general. Guards from museums with untraditional security directors, who advocate a more active participation from their staff while on duty, felt better prepared to respond to security threats, and felt that they diffused potential security threats by identifying suspicious persons in advance and approaching them in an appropriate manner. The purpose of this article is to identify problems and trends in museum security guard management. Based on these trends, as noted by professionals as well as culled from over one-hundreds of museum security guard questionnaires, we will suggest new ways of managing guards that result in the early identification and diffusal of potential security threats.