"Asia and Africa today"
- is a scientificl monthly journal (in Russian)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Included in Russian Science Citation Index on
WoS platform, and EBSCO Publishing.
ISSN 0321-5075. Published since July 1957.

 

 "Asia and Africa today" № 11 2010

 

Azia&Afrika 11 2010-s 

 

 From Our Own Correspondent

THE TURKISH MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRES: «THE RUSSIAN- TURKISH RELATIONS HAVE REACHED A VERY HIGH LEVEL» by A.A.Koritsky (Ankara)
Keywords: Turkey, Russia
Multi-vector foreign policy of Turkey and it’s architect and conductor foreign minister Davutoglu, has become a subject of active discussion and analysis of both in the West and in the East. One of the priorities of modern foreign policy of Turkey are relations with Russia. The Head of the Turkish diplomatic service has agreed to answer some questions put by A. Koritsky, the correspondent of the «Asia and Africa today» magazine accredited in Ankara.

 

 Top Problem

JAPAN: ALICE IN THE COUNTRY OF INFORMATI0N TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBALIZATION

POLITICAL SYSTEM IS A GLASS HOUSE by D.V.Streltsov, Dr.Sc. (History)
Keywords: Japan, political system, Democratic Party of Japan, N. Khan
Having won the parliamentary elections in 2009 the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has replaced the Liberal Democratic Party which was in power since 1955. This success has had an epochal importance for the political system of the country. Nevertheless very soon many voters have disappointed in democrats and the prime- minister Y.Hatoyama had to retire. The failure of the DPJ at the 2010 elections demonstrated that Japan must take a long and thorny road towards the change of it’s political system.

UNIVERSITIES IN INFORMATION ERA by O.V.Orusova, PhD (Economy)
Keywords: Japan, higher education, globalization
The education system has played the key role in creating the economic “miracle” in the post-war years. The patriarchal character of relations between labor and business - the “secret weapon” and an important item of Japanese post-war economic success - proved to be outdated in the globalization era.
The author of the article analyses contemporary system of school and higher education of Japan, the main problems which it confronts with during the process of adjusting to present day demands.

 

50 YEARS OF “THE YEAR OF AFRICA”

AFRICA: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS by L.V.Geveling
A well-known Africanist scholar, professor, deputy director of the Institute for Asian and African Studies, the Moscow State University L.V.Geveling has answered the questions of current importance concerning development of the African continent. In this issue of the magazine the author is giving his analysis of the problems of religious extremism, contemporary piracy, of development of the African Union and of characteristics of African cultural traditions.

APARTHEID AND PROTEST MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTH AFRICA by V.N.Tetekin, PhD (History)
Keywords: Apartheid, ANC
In April of 1994 the first general election with participation of both black and white population took place in the South Africa. The African National Congress (ANC) has won overwhelming victory eliminating once and forever the system of apartheid, which was existing since 1948.
The essay presents a history of bankruptcy of the apartheid presenting the role of public movements of black population, ANC and the Communist party included.

 

 Policy, Economy

“THE WINTER WAR” IN GAZA. INVESTIGATION HELD by the UN by M.S.Hodinskaya-Golenisheva
Keywords: the UN, Gaza, Israel, Goldstone’s report
The article deals with the creation and activities of UN Mission on investigation of the conflict in the sector Gaza provoked by the Israel operation “Cast Lead” (the end of
2008 - the beginning of 2009). The author analyses the process of examining the Goldstone’s report prepared by the Mission in different bodies of the UN: the Council on Human Rights, the General Assembly, the Security Council.

WILL SAARC PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH ASIA STATE’S ECONOMY? by N.V.Galisheva, PhD (Economy)
Keywords: SAARC, regional integration, South Asia
The article deals with the analysis of topical issues and perspectives of regional cooperation in South Asia. The author believes that in the near future the integration will remain the priority of economic policy of the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation - SAARC.
The article contains analysis of SAARC activity for the period since it’s foundation until present day. Due to economic and political problems confronting members of the organization as well as contradictions between them the Association is rather a forum for discussion than a real trade and economic association.

ISLAM AND BURQA PROBLEM IN FRANCE by I.M.Mokhova, PhD (Political science)
Keywords: Islam, France, burqa, identity
France’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved on 14 September 2010 a bill that would ban wearing the Islamic full-length veils covering the face in public. In France this wearing is called a «burqa».
The author enumerates partisans’ and opponents’ arguments of this ban and expresses her own opinion about a complex situation which drew a wide response in France and worldwide.

 

 Opinion Of International Expert

ENERGY DIALOGUE BETWEEN TURKEY AND EU by F.H.Bingol (Turkey)
Keywords: Turkey, energy, «Nabucco»
The article contains a detailed review of alternative energy projects for the construction of transit pipelines -
Nabucco and South Stream, which are planned to go thru the territory of Turkey. The special significance of these projects for Turkey follows from the fact that they would not only guarantee the receipt of foreign currency, but also would give a chance for the country to become one of the leading actors in the transit of energy resources and a reliable intermediary for the EU between the Union and the Middle East, the Caspian Basin, the Caucasus and the Black Sea.

 

 Pages of History

BENAZIR BHUTTO: THE LAST DAYS by A.A. Suvorova, Dr.Sc. (Philology)
Keywords: Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Pakistan, terrorism
Like the tragedy of the Kennedy clan in the United States and the Nehru-Gandhi in India, the mueded of Bhutto family members belong to the unsolved mysteries of modern history, which resulted in a political and geopolitical disaster, which exerted influence upon the fate of entire nations. The author is preparing a monograph about this amazing woman. She has had meetings with Victoria Skoffild, a famous journalist and close friend of B. Bhutto in Oxford, as well as with Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Pakistan’s current Ambassador to Britain, who knew Benazir when she was only a child. The book would tell the story of the last days of B. Bhutto’s life.

 

 Academic Life

DIPLOMAT AND SCOLAR. IN MEMORY OF M.S.KAPITSA (1921-1995) by A.S.Zaitsev, PhD (Economy)
The journal is publishing memoirs by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation A. Zaitsev devoted to M.S. Kapitsa. his career in the Foreign Ministry, his scientific research interests as well as his personal traits

 

 Religion, Beliefs, Cults

FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN SHINTO by E.V.Safonova
Keywords: Japan, Shinto
In Russia, very little is known about the traditional religion of Japan - Shinto, which has shaped world outlook, ideology and Japanese mentality. In May 2010 the book
«Gods, temples, rituals of Japan: Encyclopedia of Shinto» has been presented at the Center for Oriental Literature of the Russian State Library. It’s the first scientific publications fully devoted to Shinto which has ever been published outside of Japan.

 

 Traditions, Customs, Morals

IN THE TEMPLE OF GODDESS KALI by V.P.Kashin, PhD (History)
Keywords: India, Kali, Kali Puja, Kalighat
The article contains interesting facts about the history and the role of Goddess Kali in Hinduism and particularly in the state West Bengal. Her cult has an ancient aborigine origin and is connected with the worship of progenitors Goddess Devi. The most famous temple of Kali called Kalighat is situated in Kolkata. It’s one of the centers of mass pilgrimage.

FALCON AND FALCONRY: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES MOTIVES by Y.N.Zinin, PhD (History)
Keywords: UAE, falconry, traditions
There is a clinic not far from Abu Dhabi - the capital of United Arab Emirates (UAE). As elsewhere clinic’s doctors accept and treat patients. But these are very special kind of patients who don’t walk around in their pajamas in the corridor. Instead they are wearing thongs to a perch in small boxes.
The article presents a story of falconry, so popular in the UAE, its origins and traditions. For many generation the falcon was, and still remains a friend and companion of people in Arabia. Not for nothing falcon is engraved on the State Emblem the UAE, and its wings and tail represent the seven principalities forming the country.

 

 Culture, Literature, Art

THE ART OF CINEMA IN CHINA by A.Gorsky (Krasnodar), A.Pavlova.
Keywords: China, the art of cinema
Most Russians know next to nothing about the art of cinema in China. Certainly they are familiar with the names of world famous Chinese actors - Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li. Much less they know about traditional subjects and topics covered by Chinese film industry. In order to fill the gap in the knowledge of the subject we recommend to read the article by A. Gorsky and A.Pavlova.

INCOMPLETENESS OF THE PAST by S.V.Prozhogina, Dr.Sc. (Philology)
Keywords: Malika Mokeddem, literature, Algeria, France
The article examines the work of French-Algerian writer Malika Mokaddem - doctor by profession, an artist of words by vocation.

 

 Book Review

THE WORLD AFTER CRISIS by N.Tsvetkova, PhD (Economy)
Review on the book «The World After: an Unprecedented Crisis» published in 2009 in Paris (Pigasse M., Finchelstein G. Le monde aprиs: Une crise sans prйcedent. P.: Plon, 2009). The authors of the book - Pigass Mathieu, vice president of “The Bank Lazard Frer”, and Gilles Finkelstayn, president of the Foundation “Jean Jaures” - analyze the current global financial crisis and a new configuration of the global economy emerging after that crisis.

TURGUT OZAL - POLITICIAN AND REFORMER by E.I.Urazova, Dr.Sc. (Economy)
Review of the book by S.N.Uturgauri annd N.Y. Ulchenko
«Turgut Ozal - Prime Minister and President of Turkey» (Moscow, Institute of Oriental Studies, 2009, 128 pp.). This book opens a new series of publications on the subject “The East: historical portraits”.

 

Summary