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References
1.Acitelli, L.K. (1993). You, me, and us: Perspectives on relationship awareness. (pp. 144–174.). Newbury Park: SAGE.
2.Allan, G.A. (1993). Social structure and relationships. (pp. 1–25). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
3.Allen, K.R., & Walker, A.J. (2000). Constructing gender in families. (pp. 1–17). Chichester, UK: Wiley.
Anastasia Nikulina,
3rd year student,
English Language in Professional Communications,
Institute of Foreign Languages
Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service
RUSSIA, CHINA AND THE USA – PROVIDING FOR COMMON FUTURE
Russia is not only in Europe, but also in Asia…
And what is more, Asia might very well become our main way out.
F.M. Dostoevsky
Since October of 1949 “the great triangle” of Moscow, Beijing and Washington have been in the foreground of the world history. It used to be up to those three “giants” to pursue the world politics until 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed. In the course of time China was also surpassed by the power of the United States. For a long time we have been experiencing the supremacy of the USA over the rest of the world. And today speaking about the so-called “balance of powers” becomes particularly important.
Nowadays the world has two recognized centres of economy, science and culture. These are the North Atlantic and Eastern Asia. The United States of America and People’s Republic of China. The two sides are striving for leadership. On the other hand, our country lies between them. And taken as a third part Russia has a right to choose which partner to cooperate with. Depending on this choice we may either create the “balance of powers” or be taken over by the winner side.
In my presentation I would like to make a brief observation of what the consequences of the choices may be.
Possible alliance with China
First of all, let us see in what way China benefits from such an alliance. The most important ones will be: Russian natural resources (gas and oil), military equipment and the support in case of the deterioration of relations with the US and Japan.
Finally, what is the benefit for Russia in choosing China? Most likely this alliance would help to solve the territorial disputes in the Far East and Siberia in a friendly manner. Also, in case with the “northern territories” of Japan Russia will receive a powerful backing from
China. Moreover, our country will gain more political weight in the relations with the European Union and the US. Some experts believe that collaboration with China will only improve Russian-American relations. There is also a point of view that Russia can do little about the immigration of the Chinese people, so why not make this flow well-ordered? The People’s Republic of China has accumulated phenomenal spare funds (primarily from the trade with America), and these funds can become a base for international investments into our
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country. Even more than that, China’s high technology is developing rapidly and cooperation with Chinese companies will increase the technological growth of our production.
Russia and China may have resembling interests and the alliance between the two is important. This includes acting in the frames of Shanghai Organization of Cooperation as a counteraction to the enlargement of North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Moreover, the fact that most of the border disputes have been settled shows that Russia and China are able to cooperate well.
On the other hand, demonstrating such preferences to the US might not be safe. American officials and the White House have been treating Russia as an ally. Disappointing them may make America turn to some other countries to seek for alliance. And there is no guarantee that those countries will be friendly to us.
It is obvious that China will not be going in for charity in Russian-Sino relations either. Chinese experts believe that through this alliance and because of the decreasing population of Russia the land to the East of Urals will be given to them.
Possible alliance with the United States
Several divisive issues that arise in Russian-American relations by many analysts are considered normal due to different national interests. More than that all of these disputes may be solved as the pluses of the cooperation between the countries surpass its minuses.
Let us examine what major profit America will have from this alliance. Most important for the US is nuclear arms reduction issue. Cooperation with Russia in this aspect will help solve Iranian crisis.
What does Russia derive from this alliance? Our highest expectations are to ensure Russian ownership of the Far East and Syberia. Other expectation is the economical and technological help. It is important to specify that economical help (besides the investments) would be based on the increase of Russian import into the US.
Besides, most of the Russian population lives in the European part of our country where the influence of the American cultures is even bigger than in the East of Russia. So many of Russian people can hardly imagine what Asian culture is like. As a result, they view American-Russian alliance as a more possible one.
Those are the two possible ways that our country may step into.
It is very important to mention that while in many cases Russia will have to make a choice between American or Chinese way, there are still some spheres in which all the three countries collaborate together. A good example of it is so-called “scientific triangle” or a project named GLORIAD (Global Ring Network for Advanced Application Development). It is sponsored by the three governments and is designed to unite scientific communities (involving teachers, professors, scientists and students to contribute into international scientific research).
This example shows that cooperation of all the three countries IS possible when the interests of all the three are met.
In a word, it is up to major politicians to make a choice. From my part I may say that choosing one way (one country) does not mean refusing to interact friendly with the other one; it also crucial to keep in mind the possibility of uniting the efforts of all the three counties to succeed.
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Kristina Avanesyan,
5th year student, Management Department, Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law Scientific adviser: Natalia Y. Pavlova PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor
DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF TOURISTS
This article is devoted to destroyable effects of tourists’ actions. Worldwide examples of tourists chopping off the parts of ancient churches, attacking the artworks, carving their names in the world famous sites reveal an international problem of preservation and protection of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage. Hunting for keepsake tourists started actions that boarder upon vandalism. Does tourism ruins everything it touches? What measures could be taken to prevent the disappearance of the World Famous Sites? The author tries to answer these questions and the most important one: “What is more destroyable and dangerous for the whole World Heritage: time, natural force or …tourists?”
«Everything in the world is afraid of time, only time is afraid of pyramids», said ancient
Egyptians. So they built the mysterious pyramids, immortalizing a name of the pharaoh in time and space. The pyramid has reached us as a firm symbol of eternity and fearlessness to the time. Unfortunately nowadays something more destructive and frightful than the time not only for the Egyptian pyramids, but for the whole world heritage has appeared. This destructive phenomenon has a name – “tourists”. Tourists can bring damage, mutilate beyond recognition or even destruct cultural and natural heritage of the world. The effect of one tourist’s action can be more destructive than wear and tear of time in combination with the natural force. Great example of tourism destructive influence can be Norway. Thousands of tourists have become the cause of destruction of the unique wooden churches in the historical places and nature reserves in Norway. It’s not a secret that for many tourists it has become a ritual to bring home some local souvenirs. On the other hand, many tourists prefer not to spend their money on buying local handicrafts, pictures, etc. Following the possibility of getting free keepsake they just chop off wooden pieces from the churches! Now the scale of these small actions could be compared with vandalism.
These “chopping off” actions of tourists in Norway have lead to that fact that the ancient church in Eidsberg is on the edge of destruction. A lot of huge holes have been made in the wooden walls for many years of such “pilgrimage”. Restorers can offer only carbonizing as a form of reconstruction of the church. However, carbonizing in combination with the age of the building and its general condition has lead to condition when outward wall can fall down at any moment. The only way out that locals see now is preventing the cause itself – to ask the tourists to take care of the church and to stop vandalizing actions. Many notes have been posted on the whole territory of the historical complex and at the entrance to the church, they urge the visitors: “The time and the severe climate of Norway couldn’t destroy this unique church. Please, do not be the one who will destroy it!”
Sorry to say, but it seems that tourists desire and aspiration to travel and see the historical places has turned into obsession. Now tourists don’t want just to come and see, but to touch, probe, scan and take part of the history back home in their pockets. Tourist doesn’t judge the morality of his action supposing that he is the only one who takes a stone from a cathedral as a souvenir. But what if each of the tourists visiting the cathedral has the same thoughts? What if there are 1000 people visiting this cathedral everyday and taking stones from the walls as a keepsake? Will it be possible to calculate the years or even months or weeks, when this cathedral is disassembled and taken to pieces?
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It’s amazing, but after reviving comeback after World War II tourist industry has barely reached its 64th birthday. Paradox is that this 64-year-old industry can put an end the centuries-old history of the whole world heritage all being taken back to tourists’ houses and flats and being put on their dusty shelves. No wonder, the question of protection and providing security to the natural and cultural heritage has been raised so many times.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) encourages the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in the international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. In 2008there were 878 sites in “World Heritage” list: 678 cultural, 174 natural, and 26 mixed properties, in 145 countries. Each
World Heritage Site is the property of the country on whose territory the site is located, but it is considered to be in the interest of the international community to preserve each site.
UNESCO makes a lot of attempts to protect the world heritage sites. However, sometimes travel agencies go against the grain. Their unwillingness to help UNESCO with preservation and security of the sites can be explained by colossal growth in amount of travelling people, as a result the rise in volume of sales of tour-packages brings in high profits to the tourist companies. For example, UNESCO is concerned about condition of worldfamous Machu Picchu site. Machu Picchu (Peru) is an ancient site that was constructed in the height of the Inca Empire at about 1460. After long research and investigations the scientists came to conclusions that Machu Picchu is located in hazardous area – the hills are unstable and can crumble at any second. The site needs careful handling, which is opposite to extremely growing number of tourists in Machu Picchu. The site discovered in 1911 is visited now by more than 1000 tourists daily. Archaeologists in liaison with ecologists and Peru officials came out with a rescuing plan of the world famous site. Nevertheless, the tourist industry holds back the implementation of this plan: it neither wants to cut off the number of excursions nor to decrease the number of tourists.
Unfortunately, many countries and cities can’t cope with rapidly growing number of tourists and can’t provide proper safety of the sites situated on their territory. For instance, poor Venice with all its magnificent glory and exquisite beauty wasn’t able to cope with the crowds of tourists on one hot day in 1987. The city had to be closed for all visitors. In the same city, in 2004, a man was arrested. He attacked with an axe and damaged few priceless monuments aged 5 centuries. In this case, it’s obvious that tourism quite often borders upon vandalism. Ex-mayor of Venice, Paolo Costa, declared, that it’s more difficult to protect
Venice from a vandal than from a terrorist. He said that unpredictable actions of an insane man are more frightful than the explosion of the bomb.
In continuation of the subject, vandalism is one of the causes of the irreversible disappearing of the World heritage. Many psychologists see the reason for vandalism in people’s subconsciousness: vandals just become obsessed with one idea of destroying any particular piece of art. Otherwise, other psychologists call such vandalizing behavior as a displaying of “Herostratic fame”. Herostratic fame is a crime of random violence as a means of achieving fame, “fame at any cost". Back in 356 BC, young man named Herostratus set fire to the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Herostratus committed this crime in order to immortalize his name in history. He was executed to death, also it was forbidden to mention his name. However, once his name was recorded it could never be erased from the history. The burned temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. By that time the history of the temple counted 1000 years, but in one night it burned to ashes because of Herostratus.
Generally that is hunger for fame pushes many people to destroy world famous sites, as Herostratus did a long time ago so that people could remember him. For example, in 1956
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Bolivian man stood beyond the picture “Mona Lisa” in the Louvre and then he just took out a stone and threw it into the painting. Since then “Mona Lisa” has had a noticeable mark on the left elbow. Until that time nobody could even imagine that something dangerous like that could happen with this piece of art. In 1974 when “Mona Lisa” was in Tokyo another vandal threw a bottle filled with ink into it. Luckily, by that time the painting had been protected with glass. Later the painting was hidden behind bulletproof glass and even got its own room in the Louvre.
It seems strange that the artworks are protected from the connoisseurs of art. The paintings are hidden behind the glass not only to protect them from the dust, but they are hidden behind bulletproof glass so that the visitors are unable to break the glass and damage the painting. Fences are erected around ancient buildings… The reason for erection is actually not the possible collapse of a wall or redecoration works, but the fear of the government that tourists can approach the building so close so that they can take a stone out of the wall as a souvenir. Alarm system, security officers, separated guarded room for one artwork, videotaping, what not…It happens, that the World Cultural and Natural Heritage nowadays must be protected from tourists.
Janny Rodary has didactic story called “The man who wanted to steal the Coliseum”.
One greedy and narrow-minded young man wanted to possess the Coliseum himself. For that reason he came to that World Wonder with empty bags and filled them with the stones and bricks, taking apart the Coliseum every day. Time passed, the man got old and became disabled, he could hardly step in his house – it was full of stones. As for the Coliseum, it still was a magnet for all visitors and main tourist attraction in Rome. The man understood how miserable his dream was: it is impossible to steal or destroy the Coliseum. It belongs to the history, to all humanity. Also, in VI century it was said: “When the Coliseum stands – Rome will stand. When the Coliseum falls down – Rome will fall down. When Rome falls down – the whole world will fall down”. But what would happen if not only one man came to the
Coliseum everyday and took it apart brick by brick? What if he had 10 or 15 friends to help him? Doubtlessly, they would manage to disassemble it very fast. In this case the story of Janny Rodary would not be so didactic. Besides, when the Coliseum falls down, the whole world will still stand. Tourists just will find another destination to travel.
In conclusion it’s worth mentioning that paintings, buildings, sculptures and pyramids once were in the spotlight as the symbols of the centuries and now they are the part of the history. People can feel and smell the scent of the history in every stroke, twist or stone. The world heritage belongs not to any particular tourist, but to the whole humanity. If one man tries to destroy any site that will mean he wants to destroy the whole history, he wants the mankind to suffer. People make history, but at the same time they are the one who protect and safe this history for the sake of next generation. During the blockade of Leningrad (1942 - 1944) the first thing that people in the beleaguered city did was that they hidden all the statues, covered the golden domes of churches and dug into the ground paintings and artworks. All their actions were caused by fear: people were afraid that fascist shells could destroy all the beauty of the city, all the world famous artworks. Even at that hard time people believed that when the war ended, the history would be saved in all those carefully hidden, dug and covered artworks. The faith protected all that magnificent beauty of St. Petersburg that still magnetizes tourists all over the world.
To sum up I’d like to tell that, unfortunately the global understanding of preservation and protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage is still a delusion. At the entrance to one of the ruined temples of Petra in Jordan, there is an inscription chiseled into the soft red rock. It looks as if it has been there for centuries. It could have been carved by one of King Herod’s soldiers, when they were imprisoned in the town in 40 BC. However the closer inspection reveals that the inscription is not so ancient. It reads: “Shane and Wendy from Sydney were here, April 16, 1996”.