Masaryk University Journals / Časopisy Masarykovy univerzity
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Freedom of Internet and State Control: A Case Study on Internet Shutdowns in India
Full text linkThis study is necessitated by India’s abysmal record with internet shutdowns, raising human rights concerns. In the past decade, India has witnessed a surge in internet shutdowns, ostensibly justified on grounds of national security, counterterrorism efforts, maintenance of law and order, and suppression of misinformation. These actions have sparked concerns regarding the violation of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech, expression, and profession. Recognizing the pivotal role of the internet in contemporary society, this study scrutinizes the legal framework surrounding such shutdowns and the permissible grounds of governmental intervention. Through an exhaustive examination of shutdown grounds, frequency, and duration across Indian states and Union Territories (UTs) during 2021-24, this study evaluates their alignment with statutory and judicial directives. Employing both doctrinal and non-doctrinal methodologies, the study interrogates the hypothesis that internet shutdowns in India often transgress mandated guidelines. Findings underscore repeated violation of the established norms at the hands of governmental authorities and stress upon strict adherence to guidelines to curb potential abuses of state authority in implementing internet shutdowns. The study concludes that while India's approach to internet shutdowns provides valuable insights for the global community, it highlights the need for stronger enforcement of legal safeguards to prevent misuse. These lessons can help other nations balance state control with the protection of digital rights
Oversight Board – An Effective Tool to Protect Free Speech?
Full text linkMeta has more than two billion daily active users, two and a half billion posts a day, and more than a million reports of violations of policies and guidelines every day. These large numbers justify the establishment of a body that goes beyond the usual content moderation and reporting system. Recognizing that its role in online speech cannot be managed solely through algorithmic decision-making and reporting, Meta has introduced a non-judicial grievance mechanism, the Oversight Board, which delivers its decisions solely in light of Meta’s policies, values, and guidelines. The OB is committed to the Business and Human Rights regime, and in line with this commitment, the UNGPs are the governing international human rights law standard. This article cross-referenced the OB goals defined by its Charter, the UNGPs standards relevant to the goals of the OB, the statistics of the operation of the OB, and the doctrinal background of these goals, in particular, the accessibility, predictability, and transparency prongs as elements of an effective remedy. Through this in-depth analysis, we aim to explore whether the OB fulfills its predefined goals, and thus provides an effective non-judicial grievance mechanism regarding freedom of speech in the online environment
Methodology of Interpretation of Constitutional Competences: DIENSTBIER, Jakub. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces from the Perspective of Constitutional Law
No full textV roce 2023 vydalo nakladatelství Leges monografii Jakuba Dienstbiera Vrchní velení ozbrojeným silám z hlediska ústavního práva. Monografií Dienstbier představil svůj výklad k vrchnímu velitelství, který představuje zcela nový, v doktríně doposud nepojatý výkladový rámec. V této recenzi oceňuji hloubku teoretického vymezení, komparativní a historický rozměr. Hodnotím výkladové závěry Dienstbiera a analyzuji samotný postup teoretického vymezení a interpretačních metod ústavního práva. Na základě této analýzy modifikuji Dienstbierův postup a navrhuji šestikrokovou strukturu pro výzkum ústavních kompetencí. In 2023, Leges published a monograph by Jakub Dienstbier, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces from the Perspective of Constitutional Law. With this monograph Dienstbier presented his interpretation of the Commander-in-Chief which represents an entirely new interpretative framework, hitherto unseen in czech doctrine. In this review I appreciate the depth of the theoretical framwork, comparative and historical dimension. I evalute Dienstbier's interpretive conclusions and analyse the methodology of theoretical definition and interpretive methods of constitutional law itself. Based on this analysis, I modify Dienstbier's methodology and propose a six-step structure for research of constitutional competencies
The ultra-short-term outcomes in performance, aerobic endurance, blood-related parameters, and anthropometrics following prolonged low-intensity ski trekking across Spitsbergen: A case study
Full text linkThis study aimed to evaluate changes in endurance capacity, blood-related variables, and anthropometrics following ultra-short-term, prolonged low-intensity ski trekking (LIST). One female (38 years) and one male (52 years) participated in the study in connection with a self-selected ski expedition (hauling ~40-kg sledges each) across Spitsbergen (~126 km), the largest island in Svalbard, Norway. Results revealed that the two moderately aerobically fit participants performed LIST at a mean velocity of ~3.4 km·h-1, corresponding to ~54–63% of maximal heart rate, ~5 hours·day-1, for eight days during this unsupported event. The mean daily energy intake during the expedition was ~7.8 MJ· day-1 (~1 850 kcal·day-1), of which ~49–61%, ~25–36%, and ~14–15% was derived from carbohydrates, fat, and protein, respectively. Body mass, absolute fat mass, and relative fat mass decreased by 2.2%, 10%, and 8%. In the male participant, time to exhaustion increased by 10% and 3.8% during a ~5 min and ~40 min incremental ski trek-simulated treadmill test. The number of leukocytes declined by 30–41%, as did low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Free triiodothyronine level increased by 19% in the female, whereas thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration increased by 23% in the male. In this category of ski trekkers, one can conclude that ultra-short-term, prolonged LIST can cause slimmer body composition without loss of lean mass, improve performance, reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and affect metabolic hormones associated with the pituitary-thyroid axis. However, such an event may impair the immune system
Scene-to-Scene classification variability in spatiotemporal glacier surface facies mapping in Svalbard
Full text linkSpatiotemporal analysis of glaciological phenomena provides a robust assessment of a glacier’s health. Glacier surface facies (GSF) are direct indicators of the state of snow and ice within a glacier. However, long-term analyses of GSF via optical satellite products presents challenges stemming from data availability, weather conditions, and variations in mapping methodologies. In this study we present the first decadal analysis of GSF in Svalbard using optical satellite data. Utilizing unsupervised classification on images of the Vestre Broggerbreen glacier from 2013 to 2023, we identify and quantify the variations between facies observed on the images and their classified spatial distributions. The identified facies comprise of snow, firn, glacier ice, and dirty ice, with a fifth thematic class of shadowed snow. In certain imagery, snow and firn are labelled as ‘snow 1’ and ‘snow 2’ due to the derived reflectance and appearance of firn differing from established patterns in the literature, while remaining spectrally distinct from snow. Our analysis suggests that shadowed snow induces the most misclassification in overall assessment of GSF. Shadowed snow and dirty ice produce convoluted spectral reflectance that in combination with the overall darkening of the glacier severely misrepresented firn, underreported dirty ice, and produced inaccurate maps. Spatially, dirty ice was classified with a lower distribution in 2023 (0.49 km2) than in 2013 (0.58 km2). Moreover, firn/snow 2 was classified as a larger area in 2023 (1.01 km2). These results indicate a pressing need to identify long-term trends affected by scene-to-scene distortions. Our future experiments involve multi-decadal supervised analyses of GSF in the high Arctic involving image-specific discussions, thereby providing crucial information for refinement of supraglacial monitoring with multispectral data. 
Desiccation resistence of photosynthetic processes in photosystem II of Antarctic moss Sanionia uncinata assessed by two chlorophyll fluorescence methods
Full text linkDehydration-induced decrease of photosynthetic performance in mosses is a general response to thallus dessication. The decrease is caused by changes in photosystem II (PSII) functioning which is sensitively reflected in several chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) parameters. Apart from the decrease in potential yield of photosynthetic reactions in PSII (FV/FM), several protective mechanisms are activated during moss desiccation, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in particular. This is study focused on NPQ changes during the desiccation of Antarctic moss Sanionia uncinata. NPQ induction and relaxation curves were recorded during gradual dehydration from a fully wet state (relative water content [RWC] = 100%) to a fully dry state (RWC = 0%). Three key NPQ parameters were evaluated: NPQmax (maximum value), NPQtermin (at the end of induction) and NPQrelax (end of dark relaxation). The initial slope (a) and dark relaxation (b) of NPQ were analysed. Additionally, fast chlorophyll fluorescence transients (OJIPs) were measured and the parameters related to PSII functioning evaluated for decreasing RWC. The relationships between the ChlF parameters and RWC were investigated. Results indicated that NPQ induction and relaxation curves – along with the OJIP-derived parameters were sensitive to dehydration. Since critical RWC for all the investigated ChlF parameters were found below 20%, Sanionia uncinata might be ranked into drought-resistant moss species
Creating a new history museum : mapping visitors' expectations and needs
No full textCílem této studie bylo popsat, jak vznikala nová expozice novodobých dějin a jaké nové přístupy byly využity: například interdisciplinární týmy, mapování očekávání návštěvníků nebo využití výzkumu pro lepší plánování výstavy. Nová expozice je stěžejní součástí Institutu Paměti národa (IPN), který založila nezisková organizace Post Bellum s více než dvacetiletou tradicí zaznamenávání vzpomínek pamětníků na historické události 20. a 21. století. Během procesu navrhování jsme uplatňovali přístup zaměřený na návštěvníka: ptali jsme se návštěvníků, jaká jsou jejich očekávání od tohoto druhu projektu a jaké kulturní zvyky si do muzeí přinesli ze svých předchozích návštěv. Odpovědi na tyto výzkumné otázky jsme získali prostřednictvím kvantitativního průzkumu, kterého se zúčastnilo 808 respondentů. Ze zjištění o celkových potřebách návštěvníků vyplynulo, že v navštívených muzeích stráví přibližně 1 až 2 hodiny; přijdou s někým dalším; ochota k interakci s výstavou i exponáty. Výzkum zachytil i preference týkající se konkrétních historických témat. Za účelem získání podrobnějších dat jsme také realizovali polostrukturované rozhovory s respondenty, kteří původně pocházejí z různých zemí, ale v současné době žijí v České republice (16) a rozhovory s českými respondenty (10). Výzkum poskytl užitečné informace o obecných zvyklostech návštěvníků v České republice, ovlivnil výslednou podobu expozice a pomohl s rozhodováním.The aim of this study was to describe how a new exhibition about modern history was created and which new approaches were used: such as interdisciplinary teams, mapping visitors' expectations or using research for better exhibition planning. The new exhibition is a pivotal part of the Memory of Nations Institute (MNI) founded by Post Bellum, a nonprofit organization with a 20-yearplus history of recording witnesses' memories of historical events from throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. During the design process we applied a visitor-centered approach: we asked visitors what their expectations about this kind of project were and which cultural habits they brought to museums from their previous visits. These research questions were answered via a quantitative survey completed by 808 respondents. We recorded visitors' overall needs which showed that they spent approximately 1–2 hours in museums visited; they came with another person; with increasing age, their willingness to interact with exhibitions decreased; and we discovered preferences regarding particular historic topics. In order to obtain more detailed data we also conducted semi-structured interviews with respondents who originally come from different countries but currently live in the Czech Republic (16). We did similar interviews with Czech respondents (10). This research provided useful information about visitors' general habits in the Czech Republic, influenced the exhibition design and helped with dicision-making process
Contribution of Ivan Yushchyshyn (1883–1960) to the Theory of Ukrainian Education
Full text linkThis article aims to explore Ivan Yushchyshyn’s educational ideas concerning the purpose and content of educating Ukrainian youth. It analyzes two main goals of education: practical (preparing individuals for societal life) and spiritual (cultivating moral qualities, values, and creative abilities). The focus lies on the educational ideal, national consciousness, and the Ukrainian national idea. The article examines how school textbooks in Ukrainian language, history, geography, and natural sciences contribute to educating pupils’ national consciousness. It delves into the requirements for teachers and their pivotal role in educating young people. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of cooperation between schools, families, churches, and public organizations in fostering youth patriotism. I. Yushchyshyn’s works offer valuable theoretical propositions and practical recommendations that remain relevant to contemporary educational processes
Intolerance of uncertainty and emotion dysregulation mediate relations between fear of negative evaluation and problematic social media use severity
No full textProblematic social media use (PSMU) has been associated with social anxiety symptoms, including fear of negative evaluation (FNE), across the literature. Less is known about constructs mediating relations between fear of negative evaluation and PSMU, such as emotion dysregulation and intolerance of uncertainty. Given the high prevalence of social media usage and social nature of these sites, and their high usage in emerging adults, we explored relationships between FNE and fear of positive evaluation (FPE) with PSMU severity, and whether intolerance of uncertainty and emotion dysregulation mediated these relationships. The sample of 372 undergraduate students aged 18–25 (M = 19.9, SD = 4.3) at a Midwestern U.S. University (65.6% or n = 244 female) completed a web survey to assess the relations between fears of evaluation, emotion dysregulation, intolerance of uncertainty, and PSMU severity in a cross-sectional design. Structural equation modeling results demonstrated significant direct pathways between intolerance of uncertainty and emotion dysregulation with FNE (β = .67; β = .59, respectively; ps < .01) and PSMU severity (β = .30, β = .29, respectively; ps < .01). Indirect effect testing indicated that intolerance of uncertainty (β = .21, p < .001) and emotion dysregulation (β = .17, p < .001) mediated relations between FNE (but not FPE) and PSMU severity. Results provide support for the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and emotion dysregulation in the relationship between FNE and PSMU severity. Results are discussed in context of prior work on fear of evaluation, PSMU, and relevant transdiagnostic psychopathology processes