“Lituanistika”, International Research Database
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Enlargement of the EU towards the East: a pivotal change in EU's external policy?
No full textThe EU’s Eastern enlargement in 2004 was marked by the entry of mostly smaller states, whose ability to shape the external direction of the EU was questioned. However, the EU’s response to the war in Ukraine has shown how important the Eastern dimension of external policy is for the EU and that this Easternisation of the EU has occurred precisely in the wake of the 2004 enlargement. This is due to the fact that these states have been able to push their own narratives in the discourse on the EU’s Eastern direction, particularly in the case of the Eastern Partnership. This article analyses the discourse of Central and Eastern European states regarding the Eastern partnership, specifically the narratives of the official documents of three Baltic and four Visegrad group countries in the 2009–2022 period. The analysis made it possible to identify narrative structures and showed that the narratives are relatively similar in the selected countries. Despite the lack of cooperation between the two groups and the West’s neglect of the Eastern Partnership policy, they were able to individually strengthen their position in the EU and maintain the discussion about the Eastern Partnership at the EU level as a result. Keywords: Eastern Partnership; European Union; Easternisation; V4; B3
Evaluating agri-environmental indicators for land use impact in Baltic countries using multi-criteria decision-making and Eurostat data
No full textThe present research assesses the agri-environmental sustainability of the Baltic states, namely Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, while analyzing agricultural biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, land utilization, energy use, and water management. For the purpose of these evaluations and ranking, we employ the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), applied to a set of agri-environmental indicators (AES) collected from various sources, including Eurostat and similar databases. This knowledge is necessary to help policymakers or agricultural managers who are interested in developing more sustainable agriculture in the region. That is why, according to the findings, the highest AES value is attributed to Latvia, followed by Lithuania and Estonia. Conservation methods that were essential included High-Nature-Value farmland, bird populations in agricultural habitats, organic farming, and water. It emphasizes the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Making tools for combining both qualitative and quantitative data and form the general framework for sustainability assessment. Another goal of this research is to fill the gap in the literature regarding the lack of attention paid to agri-environmental sustainability in the Baltic area in general. This, therefore, suggests that assessing the strengths or weaknesses of these nation-states provides critical information that can inform the change of land management practices, nutrition practices in agriculture, and the ability of the natural world to adapt. The findings will be useful to governmental leaders and individuals involved in agriculture who need to find a balance between economic growth and conservation, as well as scholars working to improve the international measures for agri-environmental assessment. Keywords: agri-environmental sustainability; Baltic countries; multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM); TOPSIS; land use indicators
How can cities build their brand through arts and culture? An analysis of ECoC Bidbooks from 2020 to 2026
No full textRecognizing the vital role of a positive city image in attracting stakeholders, urban officials are increasingly implementing cultural branding strategies to establish and highlight their city’s distinct character. Culture, essential in urban development, shapes identity and local economy, encouraging social cohesion and sustainability. According to existing research, strategies for branding places—and cities in particular—through arts and culture include associating them with a famous personality (such as Barcelona’s perceived connection with Gaudi), flagship buildings (like Paris with the Eiffel Tower) and hallmark events (as exemplified by Cannes and its Film Festival). The European Capital of Culture awarded annually by the European Union, which associates a city with a good cultural reputation, was a favorable starting point for this research. Fourteen EcoC Bidbooks brought forward by candidate cities bidding for the title within the 2020–2026 time frame were analyzed in order to investigate essential components of city branding. The study delves into aspects such as perceived image of European Capital of Culture candidates, problems behind this perceived image and ideal city image, revealing recurrent themes that define cultural European cities today. In addition, the research identifies new strategies that complete Ashworth’s list (such as culture tailored to a particular natural environment, alternative spaces turned into culture hubs, artistic transportation, historical moments and movements, culture gamification, grassroots culture, culture thematization, highlighting the cultures of minorities, cultural fusions and embracing local folklore and mythical creatures). This helps bridge a gap in the specialized literature on cultural place branding. The study’s originality extends to the analysis of Ecoc Bidbooks as a sum of cultural branding strategies proposed by the candidate cities. Each Bidbook is in fact a cultural vision of the city under optimum financial circumstances, thereby carrying a significant weight in the realm of research. Keywords: branding; city branding; arts marketing; cultural events; cultural management
Institutions and development in a fragile limited access order of late-medieval Lithuania
No full textApplying the framework of North et al. (2009, Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), this paper analyses institutional and economic development in a new setting – the Grand Duchy of Lithuania between 1245 and 1386. Although remaining a fragile limited access order, Lithuania achieved positive institutional change. Its elite became more stable by restricting ruling privileges to the grand duke's family and integrating rival dukes through administrative positions and hereditary property rights. This arrangement encouraged land accumulation and productive activity over extraction, while the elite started providing better security to traders and craftsmen seeking to finance its war against the Teutonic Order. Synthesised material evidence reflects development at the extensive margin. However, health data shows no increase in average living standards, potentially due to population growth and inequality. Both sets of findings are consistent with the conceptual framework, as it expects fragile limited access orders to be underdeveloped from a static perspective, but improve following institutional development. Keywords: development; Grand Duchy of Lithuania; institutions; limited access orders
Reflections on the historiography of post-war justice and the Holocaust in Lithuania
No full textThe article gives a brief overview of the historiography of post-war justice in Lithuania. It begins with an introduction to post-Holocaust justice, outlining the functioning of the post-war war crimes trials in Soviet Lithuania, including the institutional framework, the retribution law, the nature of legal proceedings, and the procedural changes that took place over time. The article then presents the historiographical approaches historians have used to investigate these trials and depicts the current developments in this field of study. It shows that following the fall of the Soviet Union, the first works on post-war justice lacked an in-depth analysis and instead concentrated on how the Soviet regime had utilized these legal proceedings for political purposes. The article presents not only the micro-historical studies that historians have conducted on selected court cases in recent years, but also explores the ways in which the relationship between the Holocaust and the Soviet war crimes trials, as well as the visual representation and mediation of these trials, have been investigated. It then briefly discusses the missing categories of analysis that need to be integrated into the study of post-war justice in the case of Lithuania. The article finishes by presenting the debates and controversies surrounding this historical topic. It shows that the Soviet campaign of post-war retribution is embedded in the “narratives of doubt.” The credibility and reliability of the legal records compiled by KGB officials are constantly questioned not only by the legal and political authorities, but also by historians. Keywords: Lithuania; the Holocaust; war crimes trials; post-war justice; historiography
Spatial and temporal analysis of urban crime factors in Kaunas City, Lithuania
No full textCrime is a negative phenomenon that can highly influence the economic and social state of an area and is relevant to every country in the world. Crimes are recognized to be one of the main factors that disrupt a healthy society, as it can cause a disruption of its state, by leaving the limitations of insecurity, anxiety, and mental distress among the citizens. This article aims to investigate spatio-temporal dimensions which affect the urban crime level in the city of Kaunas. The research question – to what extent do population density, age and unemployment rate affect the Urban Crime in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania (2008–2021)? The mapping of crime prevalence has demonstrated that population density in different parts of the city has a direct correlation with the amount of crime. However, this relationship weakens as one moves away from the central parts of the city. Also, crimes are the most prominent in the middle of the city of Kaunas and become rarer when moving out. The relationship between mean age of population and crime prevalence showed a bell-shaped curve, and therefore the hypothesis that there is an association between age structure of population and crime prevalence is partially supported. However, due to lack of data, the relationship between the age structure of the population and the crime prevalence in that area could not be found statistically reliable. Keywords: spatio-temporal analysis, urban crime, Kaunas, factors
Proper names of Eastern Lithuania and their spelling
No full textPratarmė -- Įvadas -- I. Rytų Lietuvos gyvenamųjų vietų vardai: 1. Vilniaus miesto oikonimai; 2. Vilniaus rajono ir gretimų vietų oikonimai; 3. Vietovardžiai ir jų slavinimas -- II. Rytų Lietuvos asmenvardžiai: 1. Įvadinės pastabos; 2. XV–XVI a. asmenvardžiai; 3. XVII–XVIII a. asmenvardžiai; 4. XIX–XX a. asmenvardžiai; 5. Asmenvardžių kilmė, sandara, raida -- III. Lietuvos valstybinė kalba ir vardynas : 1. Valstybinė kalba ir kitos kalbos; 2. Gyvenamųjų vietų vardų ir kitų toponimų rašyba; 3. Asmenvardžių rašyba -- Išvados -- Sutrumpinimai -- Literatūra -- Summary -- Priedai: 1. Dėl asmenvardžių rašymo asmens dokumentuose; 2. Dėl asmens vardo ir pavardės rašymo Lietuvos Respublikos piliečio asmens tapatybę patvirtinančiuose dokumentuose, civilinės būklės aktų įrašuose ir kituose asmeniui Lietuvos Respublikoje išduodamuose oficialiuose dokumentuose.Studija yra naujausias mokslo ir kalbos politikos darbas, atspindintis svarbiausias rytų Lietuvos vardyno ir jo rašybos aktualijas. Leidinio tikslas – atsakyti į klausimą, ar dėl nelietuviškos asmenvardžių, vietovardžių rašybos dokumentuose, užrašuose kiltų pavojus bendrinei lietuvių kalbai, lietuvių kalbos savitumui, ar tai nepaveiktų lietuvių kalbos tradicijos. Dėl to keliami šie darbo uždaviniai: 1) glaustai (kiek šiam tikslui būtina) išnagrinėti tradicinių rytų Lietuvos gyvenamųjų vietų vardų kilmę, darybą, galimus regioninius skirtumus; 2) ištirti, kokie yra lietuviški tradiciniai asmenvardžiai (daugiausia pavardės), kokios jų ypatybės, ar lietuvių kalbos sistemoje aiškiai skiriasi lietuviškos kilmės pavardės ir ne visai ar visiškai nelietuviškos kilmės asmenvardžiai; 3) patikslinti, kaip pagal įstatymus Lietuvos Respublikoje oficialiai turi būti rašomi ir vartojami tikriniai žodžiai valstybine kalba. Mokslo studiją sudaro trys skyriai: „Rytų Lietuvos gyvenamųjų vietų vardai“, „Rytų Lietuvos asmenvardžiai“, „Lietuvos valstybinė kalba ir vardynas“. Nagrinėjama tradicinio vardyno kilmė, daryba, cituojama ir svarbiausia literatūra tais klausimais. Studijoje pateikiamas istorinių lietuvių kalbos plotų žemėlapis, autoriaus išvados dėl Lietuvos vietovardžių ir asmenvardžių oficialios rašybos, prieduose – specialių žinių ir specialią kompetenciją turinčių mokslininkų išvados dėl asmens vardo ir pavardės rašymo Lietuvos Respublikoje išduodamuose oficialiuose dokumentuose. Mokslo studija bus naudinga vardyno, kalbos istorijos, kalbos politikos specialistams, dialektologams, sociolingvistams, baltistams, slavistams, istorikams, teisininkams, įstatymų rengėjams ir visiems besidomintiems rytų Lietuva.To mark the Year of the Constitution and the 700th anniversary of the mention of Vilnius, this study delves into the correlation between the nomenclature of Vilnius and its environs (including place names, personal names, etc.) with the Lithuanian language system, the Constitution, the State Language Law, and statehood. The study is divided into three sections, examining the oikonyms of Eastern Lithuania, the systems of personal names written in Lithuanian and Polish, and the normative spelling of proper names in the state language. In the vicinity of Vilnius, more than 90% of hydronyms written in Polish and 70% of oikonyms have retained their Lithuanian origins, along with the ancient characteristics of the Aukštaičiai (Aukshtaitic) dialect: the Dzūkai dialect, hardened consonant l, and the pronunciation of diphthongs such as am, an, em, en, um, un, im, in. These names also preserve Lithuanian word roots, suffixes, and prefixes. Oikonyms are closely linked with Lithuanian personal names, common vocabulary, and the language system, unequivocally indicating the existence of ancient Lithuanian territories where Lithuanian was spoken, at the very least, until the 17th–19th centuries. There were five types of Lithuanian place names written in Polish letters: 1) those that remained completely authentic (cf. Ankštà, dialectically Unkštà – Polish Unkszta, Dublė, dialectically Dubla – Dumbła); 2) those that were partially Slavicized by altering the vowels, consonants, endings, suffixes, prefixes, and roots of oikonyms (cf. Grąžtēliai, dialectically Gruštēliai – Polish Grusztele, Grúodžiai – Grodze); 3) fully Slavicized (Meka – Miechowo); 4) translated (Pabéržė – Podbrzezie); 5) replaced (Pernai – Dąbrowo). The personal names were registered in the Slavic Chancellery of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, indicating a lesser representation of clearly Lithuanian names and surnames, amounting to approximately 40%. Among them are the ancient two-stem Lithuanian surnames, along with personal names featuring a Lithuanian root or stem, characterized by unchanged endings such as -is, -as, -us, -a. For instance, in 1517, names like Bagdžius, Eičius, Strielčius, and others were documented in Maišiagala; in 1622 in Vilnius, names like Jodela „Juodelė“, Kudzis „Kudzys“, Kukia „Kukė“, Margamuszysz „Mergamušys“, Ozys „Ožys“, Zienczunas „Zenčiūnas“ were recorded. Numerous traditional Lithuanian personal names have been preserved in historical sources. In 1992, following the decision of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania to annul the arbitrarily established territorial autonomy of Southeastern Lithuania, which recognized Lithuanian, Polish, and Russian as state languages, efforts have been made to reinstate autonomy through alterations in the spelling of personal names, place names, streets, public signs, and the introduction of a regional („auxiliary“) language. The European Court of Human Rights has observed that the harm caused to the state language by transcribing surnames into other language alphabets far outweighs any potential inconveniences that individuals, whose surnames could be transcribed according to the rules and traditions of the state language, might face in their daily lives. Furthermore, female individuals whose surnames differ from male ones with nedings such as -ienė, -aitė, -ytė, -ūtė, -ė, etc., within the EU, have not raised complaints about inconveniences. „The Current Lithuanian Language Grammar“ does not anticipate any exceptions to the spelling of the personal names of Lithuanian citizens. If personal names written in Latin- based alphabets from all languages are transferred to the Lithuanian language, approximately 150 new letters would emerge, potentially disrupting the system of the state language. Consequently, the new legislation concerning the spelling of personal names in documents, along with its anticipated amendments, will need to undergo evaluation by the Constitutional Court and the Seimas. It is worth noting that naturally evolved traditional proper names in the Republic of Lithuania are inherently Lithuanian in nature. According to Article 14 of the Law on the State Language, official, standardized forms of place names in the Republic of Lithuania are to be written in the state language. The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania confirmed the supremacy of the State Language Law in 2009 and 2011, affirming that any public notices must be presented in the state language. Bilingual names of places, streets, and institutions are common in federal states. However, according to Article 10 of the Constitution, the territory of the State of Lithuania is integral and not divided into any state formations. In documents of the Republic of Lithuania, place names and personal names of citizens must first be written using the 32 letters of the state Lithuanian language. The attached map illustrates the shifting border of the eastern area of the Lithuanian language from the 5th to the 20th century, explaining the formation of Lithuanian authentic proper names in the region and the subsequent emergence of their non-Lithuanian forms. The map is compiled using linguistic, historical data, and scientific research
Trends and characteristics of human casualties in wildlife-wehicle accidents in Lithuania, 2002-2022
No full textWe analyzed 474 human casualties in wildlife–vehicle accidents (WVAs) that occurred between 2002 and 2022 in Lithuania, which is a small northern European country. The study revealed the escalating trend of WVAs, since 2018 surpassing other transport accidents, although the number of casualties per WVA was ca. 100 times lower compared to other transport accidents. Moose was the primary contributor, responsible for 66.7% of fatalities and 47.2% of injuries, despite much lower species abundance compared to roe deer, which is the main species involved in WVAs without human casualties. Temporal patterns highlighted seasonal, daily, and hourly variations, with the majority of casualties occurring during dusk or dawn in May and September, on weekends, and between 20:00 and 22:00. Spatially, main roads with high traffic density exhibited the highest casualties per unit length. Most casualties occurred after hitting an animal directly with cars and motorcycles being most vulnerable vehicles. The effectiveness of WVA prevention measures was inconclusive: 9.5% of fatalities and 1.4% of injuries were registered in the area of the warning sign, and 10.4% of all casualties occurred on fenced road segments. These findings suggest the need for a critical evaluation of the current prevention strategies in reducing human casualties associated with WVAs. Keywords: human casualties; transports accidents involving wildlife; moose; temporal trends; wildlife fencing
Energy citizenship in energy transition: the case of the Baltic states
No full textThe governance of energy systems is undergoing a transformative shift, vital to advancing the energy transition. Understanding the dynamics of energy citizenship and the factors that influence citizen engagement in energy matters is critical for driving social and institutional change. This paper informs on the key results of a comprehensive analysis of 54 energy citizenship cases in the Baltic states (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania). The study explores the role of citizens in the energy transition and characterizes the socio-economic and geopolitical factors shaping energy citizenship activities in the region. The governance of energy systems represents a significant transformational shift that is essential for energy transition. A more comprehensive understanding of the current state of energy citizenship and the factors influencing the energy transition process could inform the social and institutional changes necessary for the involvement of citizens in energy matters. This desk study represents a crucial element of the EU Horizon 2000 EnergyPROSPECTS project, which aims to map the landscape of energy citizenship in Europe. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of 54 cases from the Baltic states. The findings provide insight into the role of citizens in the transition process and the underlying factors and conditions that shape energy citizenship activities within the specific socio-economic and geopolitical context of the region. In general, energy citizenship in the Baltic states can be seen to exist on a spectrum between reformative and transformative practices. Overall, progress is being made toward systemic changes in the energy sector, with a focus on the democratization of processes. Nevertheless, additional measures to enhance and reinforce energy citizenship, coupled with the advancement of enabling conditions, are imperative at all levels of governance and across all energy transition scenarios. Keywords: Baltic states; energy citizenship; energy transition scenarios; reformative case; transformative case
Stream gushing out from a rock struck by a rod
No full text2022-2023 m. „Būde“ jau skelbtuose autoriaus straipsniuose „Stabo akmuo ir akmuo stabas“, „Užtvenkta tėkmė“, „Pavirsti akmeniu“, „Akmeninė širdis“, taip pat straipsnyje „Akmuo - velnio ir akmuo - velnias“ (Sovijus, 2023, t. 11, Nr. 1) nagrinėta mitinė priešprieša tarp (gyvybinės) tėkmės ir (mirtino) sąstingio, kurį įkūnija, perteikia ir simbolizuoja akmuo (uola) bei su juo itin glaudžiai susijęs velnias. Tuose straipsniuose įvairiais atžvilgiais telktasi daugiau į velnio sustabdytos, akmeniu (uola) užverstos, užtvenktos tėkmės ir į gyvos būtybės suakmenėjimo, pavirtimo akmeniu įvaizdžius. Pastaruosiuose dviejuose straipsniuose - „Iš (po) uolos pasilieja versmė“ ir „Perkūnui trenkus iš (po) uolos pasilieja“ ("Būdas, 2023, Nr. 6 ir 2024, Nr. 1) - pereita prie įveikto sąstingio ir išlaisvintos tėkmės mitinių įvaizdžių, būtent - nuverstos uolos ir iš (po) jos pasiliejusios versmės. Dabartinis straipsnis tiesiogiai tęsia šiuodu pastaruosius - jame pateikiami ir nagrinėjami įvairių tradicijų (tarp jų, žinoma, baltų) mitiniai siužetai bei vaizdiniai, kuriuose tėkmė, srovė, versmė iš uolos pasilieja per ją sudavus (trenkus, skėlus) lazda. Reikšminiai žodžiai: įveiktas sąstingis; paleista lietis tėkmė; lazda sudavus iš uolos pasiliejusi versmė; baltų ir lyginamoji mitologija.In several previous articles by the author on the mythical images of stagnation, of stopping, damming up of a flow, particularly by a huge stone (rock) or a pile of stones, also of turning into stone and petrification, were examined. Two latter articles, conversely, dealt with the mythical images of the tumbled or smashed-down rock and the free flow released. As the dammed-up flow symbolised obstruction, so the released flow, or stream, has very strong and widely known semantics of liberation and freedom, strictly opposite to petrification as an image of constraint. This time, directly continuing the two latter articles, the Baltic and comparative data are adduced and analysed which present the mythical image of a stream (spring, fount) gushing out from a rock struck by a rod. The agent of the deed differs (subject to the tradition and genre of the adduced text) from a god to a human hero who, nevertheless, retains some traits of the Thunder-god (Lith. Perkūnas). And, as in previous cases, so in this one too, corresponding mythical images imply a psychological sense of release and liberation