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1. Are International Institutions/Organizations Useful for Maintaining Peace and Harmony? An Analysis in Combination with a Case Study on the Conflict in Ukraine

Author:
Fabian Boettcher
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
February 24, 2022: Russian forces start the full-scale invasion of Ukraine under the orders of Russian President Putin. Since then, our world has been in turmoil; what seemed certain for years is not certain. After the end of the Second World War, the World Powers established international organizations to prevent that amount of suffering from happening again. Are international organizations useful for maintaining peace? This research essay is going to address the question based on available literature and internet news sources to draw some tangible conclusions and perhaps even to suggest some improvements on how international organizations will be able to stay relevant for global peace in the future. The War in Ukraine will serve as a case study in the essay’s second half. The reader will learn that international organizations have performed well in their functions, that Western nations did things wrong in handling the Ukrainian crisis, and that organizations like NATO got a new drive and purpose courtesy of the Russian aggression. Most importantly, the reader will learn that argumentations on the demise of the liberal world order are premature at best.
Topic:
International Relations, NATO, International Organization, United Nations, European Union, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Ukraine

2. From Wałęsa to Rivlin: An Overview of Challenges and Controversies in Polish-Israeli Relations in the Post-Cold War Period Within a Bi – and Multilateral Dimension

Author:
Justyna Łapaj-Kucharska
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The centuries-long coexistence of the Polish and Jewish nations gives Polish-Israeli relations specificity and unique character. One can state that there is an emotional bond between these nations, which shaped interstate relations in the post-Cold War period, simultaneously facilitating and hindering their progress. The article reviews the most critical challenges and controversies surrounding building state relations between Poland and Israel after the Cold War. It also analyzed how selected historical events related to the coexistence of the Polish and Jewish nations influenced later Polish-Israeli relations. The work summary included recommendations for further actions to develop interstate relations further. The present research uses investigative methods and techniques in the field of social sciences, such as documentary analysis and review of official statements from politicians, analysis of primary literary sources, the decisional method, secondary analysis of quantitative research, and deduction. Due to the formal constraints of this article, the author has selected the issues that have emerged in Polish-Israeli dialogue within a state context, emphasizing political relations.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, and Post-Cold War
Political Geography:
Europe, Middle East, Israel, Poland, and Palestine

3. The International Community in the Face of Intensified Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon During the Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro

Author:
Anna Sakson-Boulet
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
Since the 1950s, when the deliberate settlement of the Amazon began, with a rapid influx of people, the Brazilian Amazon has faced various threats because of the demands associated with unsustainable economic development. During the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, environmental policies were marginalized, including through the legislative and regulatory dismantling of forest protection and the financial sapping of environmental institutions, which favored uncontrolled logging of equatorial forests. Therefore, deforestation increased yearly during the Bolsonaro administration, accompanied by increased greenhouse gas emissions. That is why the article aims to answer the question of what role the international community can play in protecting the Amazon rainforest, given its essential role in regulating the climate regionally and globally. The research methods include formal institutional analysis of relevant legal documents and decision analysis. The research and analysis of states’ individual and collective actions lead to the conclusion that economic pressure has been applied to influence the Bolsonaro administration.
Topic:
Climate Change, International Community, Jair Bolsonaro, and Deforestation
Political Geography:
Brazil, South America, and Amazon Basin

4. The Biden Administration’s New Industrial Policy: Domestic and International Implications

Author:
Barbara Regulska-Ingielewicz
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The article aims to analyze new industrial policy based on the example of actions taken by the Joe Biden administration. Their essence is transforming the economy in line with climate goals while stimulating development. The paper will present the main assumptions of the United States’ green industrial policy, its goals, and international implications, which indicate that it is characterized by economic nationalism. The article attempts to answer three main research questions: What is the essence of the new industrial policy? What are the goals of the new industrial policy initiated by the Joe Biden administration? What are the expected international implications of this policy? Answers to the above questions will enable verification of the hypothesis, which states that the Joe Biden administration has initiated a new industrial policy in the spirit of state interventionism based on new environmental protection assumptions. Its goal is to give the U.S. economy new pro-development impulses and increase its competitiveness. The first part of the paper will present assumptions of the new industrial policy, then the goals and measures of the new United States industrial policy, and the third part will show the international implications of the above policy.
Topic:
Climate Change, Industrial Policy, Economic Growth, Joe Biden, Green Transition, Green Economy, and Economic Nationalism
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

5. Ten Years of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia: The Critical Assessment and Future Directions

Author:
Elżbieta Proń
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
This paper looks at how China’s use of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in its policy towards Central Asia (CA) has changed since 2013 and what this change signalizes regarding China’s use of the BRI at international forums. To answer these research questions, the paper focuses on Central Asia – once dubbed “the first strand of the BRI” (R. Pantucci); the region where China has “tested” many institutions of its international engagement; and where the BRI was introduced in 2013. To answer the research questions, this study draws from analyzing literature and sources in Russian, Chinese, English, and Polish. This study is primarily empirically oriented. This study finds that at its 10, the BRI will focus on connectivity, clean energy, and new technologies. It also finds that despite the high profile of the Green BRI and many relevant agreements, only a fraction of projects are branded “Green BRI.” It thus argues that the BRI has served as a legitimizing “umbrella” label for various Chinese policy initiatives, which are realized via other cooperation formats.
Topic:
Economics, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Renewable Energy, and Silk Road
Political Geography:
China and Central Asia

6. Indonesia in the Face of the Death Penalty – Hopes Versus Reality

Author:
Maria Ochwat
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The right to life, without a doubt, is the most essential right of every human being. Protection and respect for this right is a prerequisite for enjoying and realizing other rights guaranteed to the individual. However, it is not an absolute right, but one that, under various circumstances, can be restricted. One such restriction is the death penalty. Many countries have decided to abolish it; however, only three countries in Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, the Philippines, and East Timor, have decided. While Indonesia guarantees the right to life, it does allow the death penalty. Although the death penalty has not been carried out for several years, the death penalty has been retained in the criminal code, and courts continue to award it. The public (especially the young) is increasingly advocating its complete abolition, but those in power do not seem interested. The death penalty is also left in the new criminal code. This article is about the death penalty in Indonesia. The author also decided to survey Indonesian students to find out their attitudes toward the death penalty.
Topic:
Public Opinion, Prisons/Penal Systems, Death Penalty, and Right to Life
Political Geography:
Indonesia and Southeast Asia

7. Realism in International Trade Relations: Limiting Judicial Activism

Author:
Dmytro Skrynka
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
he WTO dispute settlement system crisis is an important milestone in the history of international law. Since the realist school in the study of international relations is known for its attention to the limits of the functions of international law, it is quite appropriate to review the key concepts of the realist school relevant to the current crisis. The ambitious endeavor to minimize the use of political methods of dispute settlement in international trade disputes within the institutional system of the WTO has not been quite successful. As postulated by realists, the political processes prevailed over the international legal procedures. In this article, based on the realist approach, the causes of the stalemate of the WTO dispute settlement system are analyzed, and recommendations are presented for remedying the current situation. The comparative analysis method is used for this. The article translates the relevant concepts of international relations by key realists, including the classification of international disputes by Hans Morgenthau, into specific recommendations for resolving the ongoing crisis.
Topic:
International Relations, International Trade and Finance, Realism, Dispute Resolution, and Judicial Activism
Political Geography:
Global Focus

8. The Bay of Bengal Countries’ Domestic and Regional Sources of Maritime Governance Concepts in the 21st Century

Author:
Tomasz Łukaszuk
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The primary aim of the article is to analyse domestic and regional sources of maritime governance in the Bay of Bengal in the 21st century from a constructivist viewpoint. It offers a comparative examination of domestic and external factors shaping maritime governance in the region, illustrating how Kantian-style anarchy prevails over Hobbesian and Lockean models. The article explores the roots of the maritime culture of sharing, cooperation, and trade in the Bay of Bengal, which stems from Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim traditions and aligns with the Kantian model. The recognition of the agency of seas and oceans by Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand is analysed within the context of natural disasters and their role in safeguarding the security of the Sea Lanes of Communication. They regard the sea as an integral and objective part of their lives, intertwined with the fabric of maritime societies. Despite the political diversity in the region, domestic and regional factors play a crucial and positive role in shaping maritime policies, fostering confidence in the importance of developing international cooperation in the maritime sector. The article is divided into four sections. The first – introduction – outlines the main ideas, research questions, hypotheses, and the structure of the article. The following section explains the conceptual framework, presenting the constructivist perspective on anarchy in international relations and its relevance to the maritime domain. The third section provides a detailed analysis of regional and domestic influences on the maritime domain and maritime governance concepts in the Bay of Bengal, offering a thorough understanding of the topic. Finally, the article concludes by summarizing all assumptions and addressing the research questions.
Topic:
Security, Governance, Maritime, and Blue Economy
Political Geography:
Bay of Bengal

9. Nile’s Flow of Tensions: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Its Impact on Ethiopian-Sudanese Relations

Author:
Hanna Rubinkowska-Anioł and Nagmeldin Karamalla-Gaiballa
Publication Date:
09-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
Over the last decade, the Ethiopian project of constructing a dam on the Blue Nile (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, GERD) close to its border with Sudan resulted in creating serious political tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia, with Sudan being involved. Egypt is accusing Ethiopia of attempts to control the water of the Nile, while Ethiopia claims that the power produced by the dam will contribute to the well-being of Ethiopia and its neighbors, most importantly, Sudan. Among many aspects and layers from which the problem of the Nile’s waters and the construction of GERD can be analyzed, there are disputed areas on the Sudanese-Ethiopian border. They are claimed by Sudan on the grounds of breaking the rule of the 1902 treaty, giving the lands to Ethiopia under the condition of not interfering in the flow of the river. This article examines the GERD project and explores in depth the historical, political, and economic significance of the Ethiopian-Sudanese border, with a particular focus on its implications for relations between the two neighboring countries. The article also discusses key issues related to water resource management, historical land disputes, and the geopolitical dynamics of the region, providing a comprehensive historical and contemporary context.
Topic:
Treaties and Agreements, Bilateral Relations, Water, and Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)
Political Geography:
Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Nile River

10. Anti-Terrorism Prevention in the Police: Theory and Practice

Author:
Marek Cupryjak, Marek Stefański, and Radosław Zych
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to analyse police services in terms of their preparedness to counter terrorist threats. The authors considered that one of the main areas of the research subject in the paper is the relationship between public needs and expectations and the functioning of the police and other entities of the anti-terrorist system in terms of the sense of public security. An essential part of the paper is the presented and discussed results of scientific research on preparing police services to counter terrorist threats. The conducted research clearly indicates that conducting anti-terrorism prevention training is necessary, first and foremost, in the basic professional courses of police officers, as well as in in-service training. It is better to prevent than to be surprised by a terrorist attack, which brings death, destruction, trauma, and tragedy for all those affected. Therefore, every police officer should have a basic knowledge of anti-terrorism prevention issues. The authors include the most important proposals for improving the anti-terrorist system of the Republic of Poland in the conclusions. The most important ones included: efforts should be made to continuously improve the level of training of Polish police officers and officers of counterterrorist formations. These trainings should be organized with the use of instructors and specialists from the world’s leading counter-terrorist units.
Topic:
Terrorism, Counter-terrorism, Homeland Security, Crisis Management, and Police
Political Geography:
Global Focus