“Lituanistika”, International Research Database
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Possibilities for an internationalised, inclusive pedagogy for transnational sport education: the case of a safe sport education programme in Lithuania
No full textGlobal education is a priority in the Higher Education (HE) system of all nations. In sport degree programmes in HE, the internationalisation trend is also noticeable. However, working in transnational education settings may bring to light, and generate existential and pedagogical contemplation of some of the foundational principles and assumptions about effective teaching. This paper aims to extend theoretical understanding of the confluence of internationalisation and educational modalities to fostering critical thinking. And, illustrate how building language-sensitivities in variable delivery may yield effects upon positive classroom experiences and establishing a ‘safe’ space for communication and learner-informed/learner-led dialogue. Based on a case study of a safe sport education programme for university student-athletes in Lithuania, this paper features a narrative that amalgamates: (1) descriptions of the practical context, session structure and delivery; (2) reflections on the sessions from the lead author; and, (3) focus group data from student participants. The case presented reveals that irrespective of an educator’s efforts to acculturate to the distinct context, continued uncertainties regarding the teaching environment, language and cultural differences, and learners’ understandings of subject content remained perennial concerns. Such issues necessitated adopting careful session design that incorporated a breadth of methods to make students’ experiences more meaningful and inclusive. Key here was the consideration of language and conceptual assumptions (e.g. vis-a-vis ‘safe’ sport), and wider Western-hegemonic frameworks of what sport is/is not. The analysis illustrates how efforts to consider language, use student-co-creation and blended learning can be effective in generating a comfortable space for interaction, communication and learning. Thus, this paper contributes to continuing debates on transnational education, internationalisation in HE and roles sport content may play in generating global dialogue on critical contemporary issues. Keywords: transnational; higher education; safe sport; translanguaging; inclusive pedagogy
The Importance of sports participation on Lithuanian adolescents' social and emotional health
No full textGlobal mental health rates are staggering. Youth mental health in sport is a topic with increasing research attention. To date, most youth sport research examines mental health from isolated events as opposed to a cumulative-assets framework. Our main research question examined sport participation group differences regarding four mental health domains; emotional competence, belief-in-others, belief-in-self, and engaged living, and the composite covitality meta-indicator. To answer our research questions, 1965 Lithuanian youths (60.10% female) ranging in age from 11 to 17 (M = 13.62, SD = 1.96) from urban and rural school districts completed our survey. Our results indicated many significant differences (p <0.001) emerged for participant sex, age grouping, and sport participation (competitive, leisure, or none). Only for the sport participation were the MANOVA and ANOVA effect size values at least small in magnitude. In the follow-up analyses (all p’s <0.001), the competitive group differed from the no sport group (effect sizes medium-to-large) and to the leisure participant group (effect sizes small) in all four mental health domains and the meta-indicator covitality. Small-to-medium effect size values resulted between the leisure and no sport groups. Sport participation, even for leisure, is related to improved self-reported social and emotional health in our large sample. The practical implication is clear that all governments and such bodies should provide accessible and affordable sport participation opportunities, whether competitive or recreational. Longitudinal research, as a future direction in sport contexts, will help to best understand and move forward with youth mental health. Keywords: adolescents, physical activity, competitive athletics, covitality, mental health
Domas Kaunas’ monograph on Martynas Jankus
No full textThis work reveals the multifaceted activity of the public figure and printer Martynas Jankus (1858-1946) from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, exposes his connections with the politicians, public figures, and intellectuals of the time, evaluates the role of Jankus in the unification of the Klaipėda region and Lithuania, and comprehensively discusses the spectrum of publications printed in the Bitėnai printing house, which belonged to him. The history of commemorating this figure in the first half of the 20th century and after the 1990s is also discussed
Assessment of green growth in the Baltic States
No full textEU Green Deal and US Green New Deal strategies indicate that green growth is at the center of the policy agendas of many developed countries and regions. The green growth is a key element in achieving sustainable development. Green growth is an economic growth strategy that prioritizes human development while guaranteeing that natural resources continue to provide environmental services to the current and future generations to achieve their sustainable development. There are many definitions of green growth, and many indicators and measures have been developed to assess green growth results for countries. The paper aims to analyze green growth indicators and measures and develop a case for a comparative assessment of green growth achievements in the Baltic States. The Baltic States were ranked based on their achievements according to specific dimensions of green growth, and policy recommendations to promote green growth were developed based on conducted research. Keywords: green growth, indicators, assessment, ranking, Baltic States
Assessment of implementing green logistics principles in railway transport: the case of Lithuania
No full textToday, green transport is a growing trend in terms of transport costs, CO2 emissions and satisfaction with logistics services. Green logistics is an environmentally friendly and sustainable logistics system that encompasses activities affecting logistics functions and processes, promoting the environment and the development of a circular economy. Rail transport is considered to be one of the least polluting modes of transport, but the fact that only electrified rail represents the concept of green logistics has been underemphasised, as the fleet consisting of diesel trains is a major challenge. This article aims to investigate the implementation of green logistics in railway transport in the case of Lithuania. The scientific literature, SWOT analysis, expert evaluation and parameter correlation methods were used to achieve this goal. An analysis of the internal and external factors of Lithuanian Railways in terms of green logistics has identified the main strengths of rail transport. These are environmental friendliness, electric trains reducing CO2 emissions, a strong focus on circular economy and others. The main weaknesses include the more extensive use of diesel trains, competition, etc. The external factors of the company show that the main opportunities are the reduction in net CO2 emissions to zero, the acquisition of more electric locomotives and others, while the main threats include an increase in energy costs or the complexity of implementing new technologies. An analysis of these factors has led to the construction of a SWOT matrix, which shows that the company’s strategy in the field of green logistics is quite strong, with more strengths than weaknesses. The results made it possible to identify the links between the individual implementation principles of green logistics in railway transport and provide strategic guidelines for the successful integration of green logistic principles into railway transport in Lithuania. Keywords: green logistics; sustainability; railway transport; parameter correlation
Can small states wage proxy wars? A closer look at Lithuania's military aid to Ukraine
No full textProxy wars are an increasingly common feature of great power competition in the 21st century. In this context, the role of the small states is less clear and has not been properly addressed in the academic literature. Although states of this type have often been chosen as battlegrounds for such wars and have even acted as proxies for the superpowers, this article argues that they are also capable of conducting proxy warfare themselves. Since the start of the 2014 conflict in Donbas, Eastern Ukraine, this country has experienced proxy interventions from many external actors, both large and small, that provided resources to both conflict parties. One of the smallest states which has been trying to affect the course of this conflict in support of the Ukrainian government is Lithuania. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with the security and defence policy-makers in Vilnius, the article aims to explain why Lithuania is punching above its weight and interfering with this conflict from backstage. The empirical evidence points to an almost perfect alignment of interests between the current governments in Kiev and Vilnius in that they both see Russia as their long-term ‘enemy’ which makes Ukraine a surprisingly suitable proxy for Lithuania to exploit. Keywords: capacity building, donated assistance, Donbas conflict, Lithuania, proxy war, small states, Ukraine
Economic attractiveness of the flexible combined biofuel technology in the district heating system
No full textEuropean Union (EU) energy markets are changing rapidly. After the recent turmoil, a new wave of EU legislation is once again reshaping the way energy should be used in the EU, emphasizing not only the increasing importance of using renewable and local energy sources but also highlighting the importance of energy efficiency and decarbonization of high to abate sectors (including aviation and marine fuels). Heating and cooling account for about half of the total gross final energy consumption in the EU. This article explores the novel concept of using waste heat from the flexible Fischer–Tropsch (FT) process (FLEXCHX) in the existing district heating network, resulting in tri-generation: FT C5+ liquids, heat, and electricity. FLEXCHX provides operation flexibility and combines advanced biomass gasification, catalytic liquefaction, electrolysis, and waste heat recovery, allowing use of biomass residues in a more sustainable way. Our results, based on the Kaunas district heating (DH) system, show that this process could be integrated into the existing district heating network in Northern Europe and successfully compete with existing heat-only boilers and CHPs using biomass or municipal waste, resulting in more efficient use of biomass and savings accumulated up to EUR 200 million over the study period in the analysis (2020–2050), supplying up to 30% of the heat in the Kaunas DH system. Enriching the FT process with hydrogen (using electrolysis) could result in additional FLEXCHX utilization benefits by creating demand for cheap excess electricity that might otherwise be curtailed. Keywords: biomass gasification; Fischer–Tropsch liquids; district heating; waste heat; optimization
Exploring rationality of peer-to-peer lending investors: a conceptual approach and multicriteria-based methodology
No full textResearch background: The shift towards globalization, technological innovations, and digitalization has led to the emergence of various innovative financial products, such as peer-to-peer (P2P) lending. Characterised by digital solutions and easier access, P2P lending allows investors to make quick and more frequent investment decisions. However, this can increase investors’ vulnerability to behavioural biases, and therefore leave them open to potential losses. There is a research gap in understanding P2P lending investors’ rationality, including research methods tailored to the specifics of this innovative product. Purpose of the article: Objectives of our study is to propose a conceptual approach and multicriteria-based methodology to measure the degree and type of investor rationality; to apply it in Lithuanian P2P lending context, and to explore the differences in rationality based on the investors’ sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: The data set represented answers to an online survey collected from 390 Lithuanian P2P lending investors. Three groups of criteria were employed to assess rationality degree and type: risk and return (reflecting utility maximization), use of available information, and behavioural biases criteria. The rationality index was developed to measure the rationality degree of individual P2P lending investors; descriptive and cluster analysis were performed to assess the rationality type; t-test, ANOVA test and regression analysis were used to investigate its influencing factors. Findings & value added: The results indicated a moderate overall degree of P2P lending investors’ rationality, with bounded rationality representing 96,67% of the sample. Further clustering analysis proved that bounded rationality behaviour is not homogenous; therefore, measures taken to increase individual’s rationality should be tailored to their specific rationality type primarily focusing on low-scoring rationlity criterion. Regarding sociodemographic factors, investors’ financial literacy was identified as the only significant and positive determinant of P2P lending investors’ rationality, reinforcing the importance of financial literacy in society. Keywords: investor rationality, bounded rationality, rationality criteria, peer-to-peer lending, online investing, financial digitalization
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the birth of modern Ukraine: a reappraisal of the Khmelnytsky "Revolution".
No full textThis essay delves into the significance of the Khmelnytsky uprising, spotlighting it as a vivid illustration of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth’s political project failure. It examines the lessons the study of the Cossack Hetmanate offers concerning the history of Poland–Lithuania. The author contends that the decline of the Commonwealth’s encompassing power, often pinpointed to 1648, likely began earlier, thus making the Union of Lublin provisions instrumental in modern Ukraine’s formation. Although the Ukrainian revolt has usually been classified as a revolution due to the sweeping economic, social, and political transformations it triggered, it could also be seen as a frontier response to integration into the more advanced economic and social structures of the Commonwealth. The author suggests that current trends in historiography invite an exploration of the uprising through the lenses of slavery, violence, and colonialism. Despite this, the national and proto-national relations between Poles and Ruthenians remain critical in the discourse. Yet, advancements in research on hybrid identities advocate moving away from binary national perspectives. It is evident that the concept of Rus’-Ukraine as a patria was established before the revolt, providing a foundation for the evolution of Cossack Ukraine into an Otchyzna. Although the Cossack Hetmanate adopted many political concepts from the Commonwealth without developing into an equally stable republic, the author asserts that Ukraine’s history must also be examined within this context. Keywords: Bohdan Khmelnytsky – Cossack uprising – Ukraine – Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – religious clashes – rebellion – Hetmanate – republic
Juostos kilimuose.
No full textPratarmė -- Juostytėlė išrašyta... -- Juostų kilimai iki XX a. 4 dešimtmečio -- Juostų kilimų paplitimo žemėlapis ir juostų kilimų katalogas iš muziejinių rinkinių bei istorinių fotografijų -- Juostų kilimų tradicija - senųjų papročių kitimo liudininkė -- Nemajūnų bažnyčios kilimo juostos -- Alksnėnų kilimo juostos -- Anzelmo Matučio drevės-muziejaus kilimo juostos -- Kaip nusiausti juostą -- About sashes -- Summary of: The carpets of sashes until the 4th decade of the 20th century -- Summary of: The carpet of sashes tradition marks the change of old customs -- Literatūra ir šaltiniai -- Sutrumpinimai.Juostų kilimai - įdomi, mažai tyrinėta interjero tekstilės sritis. Leidinyje pristatoma jų atsiradimo ir parodinė istorija, prasidedanti XIX a. pabaigoje. Publikuojami Lietuvos ir užsienio muziejuose saugomi kilimai iš juostų. Pirminis sumanymas žvelgti į juostų kilimus kaip į juostų rinkinius, pamatyti ne tik visumą, bet ir kiekvieną juostą atskirai, paskatino leidinyje pateikti žinių apie juostų audimo tradicijas, jų paskirtį ir naudojimą, rinktinių juostų raštų piešinius, siūlų suvėrimo schemas bei vaizdinę metodinę dalį, kaip nusiausti juostą. Leidinyje pateiktas, aprašytas ir išanalizuotas ir mūsų rajone, Anzelmo Matučio drevėje - muziejuje kabantis juostų kilimas