Continuing Dialogues. A Tribute To Igor Zabel

The Slovenian curator, art critic, writer and theorist Igor Zabel (1958–2005) was largely responsible for putting Slovenian art on the map of the international art scene. As senior curator of Moderna galerija in Ljubljana, he was engaged in establishing links between “East” and “West” Europe without losing a critical perspective of the ongoing transformations. In this book, which aims to provide an appreciative insight into Zabel’s far-reaching commitment, with contributions by artists and theorists it will become clear that, despite his unblinking perception of all the apparently unbridgeable differences involved, continuing dialogues played a fundamental role in his practice as both a theorist and a curator.

 

Power Struggle

Meeting Global Energy Challenges in the Balkans

Few words have altered their meaning in the light of economic change as much as 'energy'. Once a term that defined the physical or spiritual power of human beings, since the Industrial Revolution it has come to denote forms of power that mankind has learned to tap from the environment: electricity, oil, nautral gas and, more recently, nuclear and alternative power.

Moving On

Overcoming Balkan Barriers to a European Future

The Balkan region is witnessing an ever-growing number of barriers to the movement of people, goods and ideas, both among the countries of the region and vis-à-vis the European Union. This development is leading to frustration, sluggish regional cooperation and isolation. Moving On: Overcoming Balkan Barriers to a European Future is a product of original research within the Balkan region and the EU, providing new insight into the existence of such borders with regard to political, social, cultural, economic and environmental issues.

Reclaiming Democracy

Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe

Postcommunism, with its daunting power of the economy, politics, law enforcement, justice and media, from a present view, can be considered as replaying the period of communism. The patience of the inhabitants in Central and Southeastern Europe has been long but not without limits. Fortunately, the situation in many postcommunism countries lead to civic protest against the new abuses of power. Reclaiming Democracy portraits how people in these European countries fought with energy and courage to get back the democracy in their home.

 

Utopian Visions

Governance failures in Kosovo´s capital

Utopian Vision is the first of the European Stability initiatives (ESI) studies titled New Economic Geography. It broaches the issue and the concerning conflicts in this matter of Kosovo, in its process of change as to deindustrialization, Europeanization and the living together in a multiethnic society. Especially Pristina as the capital city of Kosovo and therefore the major player of this process of revitalisation has to face urban challenges and has to make an effort to gain economic structures and foremost an effective and democratic governance.

 

A future for Prishtinas´s past

The photo brochure ‘A Future for Prishtina’s Past’ was distributed to Prishtina’s inhabitants in the three local languages of the city (Albanian, Serbian and Turkish). It contains brief descriptions of all the 21 protected monuments of the capital of Kosovo. The second ERSTE Stiftung Study in cooperation with the European Stability Initiative highlights this brochure and, in addition, contains a discussion paper.

 

Arbeite, Sammle, Vermehre (Work, Save, Accumulate)

Von der Ersten Österreichischen Sparkasse zur Erste Bank (From Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse to Erste Bank)

This book describes the history of the “Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse” from its foundation in Vienna in 1819 to the major financial institute of today featuring numerous examples of art and pop culture. The section covers not only the history of the company itself but the development of the savings and monetary system in Austria and Central Europe as a whole. It is about the perception of money and the form in which it has circulated over time. Records, documents and other materials reveal how Erste Bank has reacted to these developments throughout the years.

 

The cost of non-Europe

Textile Towns and the Future of Serbia

The third part of the researching New Economic Geography is a story about the economic decline and social crisis of a formerly proud textile town in a country well-placed on the edge of the largest market for clothes and textiles in the world (the EU), but unable to take advantage of it. It is also a story about the costs of non-Europe in the Balkans. The town is Leskovac; the country is Serbia; and the key policy question is how it was possible that all of Serbia’s neighbours were winners in the global restructuring of the textile and clothing industry (TCI), while Serbia was a loser.