GÁBOR MAYER: Effective urban and rural development, competitive districts programme
- available in Hungarian
SÁNDOR KEREKES: Rechnitzer memorial lecture
János Rechnitzer (1952-2023), economist at PTE, PhD, Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS). In 1986 he founded the Scientific Department of West-Hungary of the HAS, which he managed until 2008. He was the former chairman of the HAS Regional Science Committee and the former president of the Hungarian Regional Science Society. In 2009 he was awarded an honorary doctorate – Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Miskolc. Founder and former head of the Doctoral School of Regional- and Business Administration Sciences at Széchenyi István University in Győr. Since 2021 he has been a scientific advisor to the iASK. His research specializations are territorial capital, urban development and the creative economy. During his academic career, he has published more than 460 publications, including 23 books, and has 3300 citations.
He was the lead researcher of the Insula Magna (IM) project at the iASK, one of the creators of the research concept of IM using the Kraft approach, leader of the research group on contemporary society, one of the developers of its strategic proposal. At the same time, his person was a link and bridge between Széchenyi University and iASK, as well as a guarantee of a living link between iASK and the Szigetköz & Győr region. He is co-editor of the IM – Szigetköz volume. He was an ambassador of the Kraft Methodology, one of the most influential advisors to the Kraft Research Group and the Institute, with decades of creative research in the field of regional science, and with his experience as a science organizer, his strategic thinking, his immense experience and wisdom.
SZIGETKÖZ INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLE
The focus of the study volume “Insula Magna—Landscape, Water and Sound in Szigetköz” is the island—and microregion—which was named Insula Magna (meaning large island in Latin) on maps dating back to the 14th century. The study’s objectives include the complex, long-term sustainable development of the Szigetköz-Csallóköz region, entailing cross-border cooperation projects. This development includes the exploration and promotion of not only the natural but also the cultural and historical heritage of the region while aligning with the “KRAFT” concept, which forms the foundation of the central research program at the Kőszeg-based Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK). The KRAFT concept views regional development as more than just fostering economic growth; it emphasizes leveraging the intrinsic, endogenous values as well as characteristics of regions, landscapes and municipalities, which includes highlighting natural, built and cultural heritage. Additionally, fostering cooperative projects and adhering to the principles of sustainable development are integral components of the KRAFT framework.
LAJOS SZABÓ: The beginnings of the Kraft programme
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KRAFT ROUNDTABLE
At the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg and before that at the ISES Foundation, under the directorship of Ferenc Miszlivetz, theoretical and empirical research has been carried out for more than a decade on the formulation of a regional development methodology that that does not think in terms of traditional regional development instruments such as infrastructure development, business promotion or extensive tourism development, but rather sees the potential for regional progress primarily in sustainable and creative ideas and local potentials. The Kraft development concept, i.e. Creative Cities – Sustainable Region, which the Institute is promoting, focuses on an integrated development approach based on local creativity, cultural and societal values and traditions, while focusing on local connectivity and interconnectivity, and following socially, economically and environmentally sustainable principles. The concept is based on the conviction that the key to successful regional development initiatives and projects is effective cooperation between socio-economic, governmental and cultural actors.
SZABOLCS MORVAY: The Role of Knowledge Centres in the R&D Ecosystem and the Network Model of Knowledge Sharing – Regional “Redevelopment” in Central Europe
We are applying for a European cooperation project within the framework of the 2021-2027 funding round of the Creative Europe programme. With the funding available under the Culture strand of this European Union programme, we intend to implement a medium-sized cooperation project with participants from Central and Southern Europe. The proposed project will focus on regional redevelopment, which would be supported by the knowledge centres in the region by creating an R&D and knowledge-sharing ecosystem. We plan to use several approaches to achieve this “redevelopment”. In particular, cultural heritage will be highlighted as a potential and available regional resource, the exploitation of which would significantly contribute to the development of the region. Secondly, we believe that the sharing and utilisation of new knowledge can also be a factor in regional development and that knowledge centres in the macro-region can play an important role in this effort. Another key objective is to increase the resilience of regions and society. To achieve this goal, the involvement of local communities – through grassroots initiatives – is also essential and necessary. This research serves as a starting point towards the achievement of the objectives outlined above, exploring both the theoretical underpinnings of the R&D ecosystem and its practical implications by presenting the current operation, networks and practices of the knowledge centres involved in the partnership.
Stefano Grimaz: The ResiliEnhance Platform: advancements after the Udine Chart
In 2022, the ResiliEnance Platform for disaster resilience in sustainable development was launched in Udine, Italy. The platform connects various UNESCO Chairs and scientific institutions in the Central European Initiative area, aiming to generate knowledge on enhancing resilience through an interdisciplinary and innovative approach. It provides recommendations to decision-makers and policymakers to address sustainable development with resilience.
The increasing complexity and uncertainty of our current landscape emphasizes the necessity for novel approaches of governance that effectively meet challenges. The changing context and intricate interconnections of territorial systems require a transition from linear to cyclical and adaptive strategies. Recognizing the importance of interdisciplinarity, intersectorality, and diverse perspectives is crucial in addressing the challenges of resilient development. Establishing a knowledge bridge between scientists and decision-makers is paramount.
Operating within the framework of the Udine Chart and an intersectoral safety approach, the ResiliEnhance platform perceives governance as a form of “playing the game”. Within this context, two key concepts and metaphors — “navigation” and the “play button” — have been identified to facilitate knowledge exchange. These tools offer valuable insights for advancing towards resilient development in the era of multiple crises by adopting a transformative resilience, based also on the creativity, that allows us to seize opportunities and foster innovation.
MARIANN SZABÓ: Kraft Veszprém 2017-2024: lessons learned from a large-sample questionnaire survey
The city of Pécs was the first city in Hungary to win the prestigious European Capital of Culture title in 2010. The Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture Programme (VEB2023 EKF) is Hungary’s second European Capital of Culture Programme, which was implemented not in one settlement, but at regional level, considering the basic idea of Creative City – Sustainable Region Concept of the Institute of Advanced Studies in Kőszeg. At the end of the program year, in 2024, the Kraft Center of the Institute repeated its residents’ survey about quality-of-life patterns in the city. The elapsed time frame and the events of the 2023 programme year provided a good basis for evaluating public perceptions about the development of the city of Veszprém. The report, prepared at the request of the Ministry of Public Administration and Regional Development, presents not only the results of the 2024 survey and their comparison with the 2017 survey, but also the good practices of cultural heritage-based urban development of the VEB2023 EKF Programme. In her presentation, Dr. Mariann Szabó, head of research, presents the key results of the impact assessment of the VEB2023 EKF Program in the case of Veszprém, based on the population survey conducted with a total of 1200 people. In the presentation, The presentation will highlight VEB2023 EKF projects and events explaining the results as well as differences between the 2017 and 2024 survey’s results.
GYULA PORGA: PVSZ RESULTS
Porga Gyula, the mayor of Veszprém, will give a presentation on how the title of European Capital of Culture contributed to Veszprém’s long-term goals. The city’s aim is to be among the best by European standards in terms of quality of life, economic competitiveness, cultural offerings, community building, social care, and the use of renewable energy sources. To achieve these goals, the city leadership created the 2030 Strategy, with the 2023 European Capital of Culture title being an important milestone.
GERGELY TÓTH: Keszthely contra Keszthely – Gentle development
Gentle Development (Szelíd Fejlődés) is the local, pragmatic program of sustainable and humane development. Qualitative progress instead of quantitative growth, saving natural environment, cultural heritage, local society. Still, it is smart development, whereby we can reinvent the city and make it attractive for the youth, fostering eco-innovation and local economic activities. Practice is harder than theory here, in Keszthely we gained political power in the local government to change the course of the capital city of the Lake Balaton and to test the ideas of Gentle Development.
ANJA HELLMUTH KRAMBERGER: Connecting civilizations across time and space
Archaeological heritage plays a vital role in deepening our understanding of the origins of modern civilizations. For the vast majority of human history, it serves as the primary source of insight into living conditions, social structures, communication, artistic expressions, religious beliefs, and many other facets of human society. The significance of archaeological and cultural heritage in general extends beyond its historical and scientific value, as highlighted by international strategies that emphasize its broader importance.
One notable example is the Strategy 21, launched in April 2017 by the Council of Europe in Limassol, Cyprus. This initiative seeks to redefine the role and value of cultural heritage in Europe by offering guidelines, recommendations, and challenges to support its preservation and management.
Our presentation will showcase selected examples of international and interdisciplinary projects and initiatives in the Danube region that underscore the dual role of archaeological heritage. They raise awareness among diverse social groups and regions about the importance of cultural heritage while demonstrating how archaeological heritage serves as a bridge, fostering connections between civilizations across time and space.
LINDA KATONA: Csallóköz research
The project aims to identify new strategies for the efficient implementation of cross-border cooperation between Slovak and Hungarian partners in the border region of Southern Slovakia and North-Western-Hungary, Csallóköz and Szigetköz. The outcomes will establish a comprehensive study to research the linkages and impacts between the twin regions to develop the cross-border cooperation strategies.
In 2021 the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK) elaborated a medium- and long-term development strategy that will enable the Szigetköz region, the twin region of Žitný ostrov (Csallóköz) to become a sustainable model-region in Europe. The strategic document focused on a systematic presentation of the impacts underpinning the knowledge-based development of the Szigetköz area, based on the innovative regional development approach methodology entitled “Creative City – Sustainable Regions” (Kraft). The underlying idea of this approach is that the success of a region’s development depends crucially on the effective cooperation of the cultural, political, economic and social actors, aspiring for long-term sustainability and development. Based on preliminary experiences gained in the Szigetköz area, the proposed project aims to extend the Kraft-based development methodology to a cross-border development project, by taking into account the regionally overarching issues related to cultural heritage, local values, knowledge, as well as socio-economic and ecological sustainability. Until now the Žitný ostrov region has not been described or analyzed through the lens of the complex Kraft approach. It could serve as a test region for the identification of local specificities and regional similarities in comparison with its twin area on the other side of the border. The project aims to formulate the basics for cultural development based cross-border knowledge transfer, by enhancing the elaboration of networks among local participants, knowledge centers and municipalities.
MÓNIKA MÁTAY, IZABELLA AGÁRDI, SZABOLCS MORVAY, ÁGNES KOVÁCS: Kőszeg research
The talk will present the Kőszeg-Kraft survey planned for 2025-2026, which aims to examine the implementation of the regional development concept “Creative City, Sustainable Region “, i.e. Kraft. Grounded in previous research, the planned survey will include the critical assessment of societal, demographic, and economic properties of Kőszeg and its surrounding region, as well as the identification of the key factors, directions and breakthrough points of its future development path. In addition to the analysis of demographic, economic and social factors and potentials in those areas, an important objective is to examine the relationship between cultural heritage, collective identity and community development from the perspective of transcultural heritage items, story-telling and historical memory, and to identify some development paths that emerge from the patterns of this relationship.
PÉTER BALÁZSY: Good practices in Vas county – -upload in progress
ZSUZSA MÁRKA: Facts and fallacies: the role of AI in educating local citizen scientists
iASK brings together ‘intellectually open, brave, collaborative, creative, and thinking professionals and scientists’. The proliferation of open science augmented with new research and communication tools enabled by artificial intelligence brings the opportunity to raise local talents and engage citizen scientists in research activities while they stay active in their community. I will discuss best practices for developing open-source citizen science engagement projects and the role of AI as a disruptive innovation.
SZABOLCS MÁRKA: Local or Global? Harmony or Progress? The global shadow that determines our everyday life from the desire to the passing
Science shapes and enriches our past, present, and future, yet people seldom witness it in action up close and personal. Local research brings global progress that, in time, reshapes our daily life. Humanity perceives this mysterious force sometimes as a mythic falcon, other times as a majestic great bustard. While we carry the tangible legacy of scientific marvels in our pockets, only a select few experience the exhilarating wonder of discovery firsthand. In our discussion, I look forward to sharing an inside glimpse of groundbreaking science behind the curtains and a taste of the joy it brings. Together, we’ll explore how research, science, and education are deeply interconnected, from creating global knowledge to establishing local knowledge centers, revealing their role as pillars for regional success and development.
LÁSZLÓ Z. KARVALICS: Micro-heritage project presentation
The project’s goal is to preserve and protect cultural micro-heritage in the Danube-Carpathian region. Cultural micro-heritage includes small but valuable cultural objects that fall outside the collection scope of large official memory institutions, such as family memory objects, privately held photo heritage, private collections of objects, book heritage, intellectual and built micro-heritage. The mission of the project is to create a lasting network structure that continuously keeps local and regional tasks related to micro-heritage on the agenda and organizes them. Through cooperation and joint action, the project contributes to the preservation and protection of cultural micro-heritage, as well as to the preservation of the cultural diversity and richness of the region.
PHILIPPE DE LOMBAERDE: Regional Cooperation and Integration: The UNU-CRIS Research Program
The aim of this short intervention is to present the research program which is conducted at the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), based in Bruges. It will cover institutional aspects as well as substantial aspects, including conceptual and methodological approaches, and guiding research questions. Avenues for collaboration and partnerships will be explored.
ZOLTÁN NYUL: New knowledge centre „campus” project in the former MÁV children’s home in Kőszeg
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MÁRTON MATYASOVSZKY-NÉMETH: The International Synergy Campus (ISC) project
The International Synergy Campus (ISC) is a pioneering project initiated by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Kőszeg (FTI-iASK) to support interdisciplinary research, innovation and education in a sustainable, globally connected knowledge hub. The ISC will be located in the former MÁV orphanage complex, which will offer a modern, inspiring and integrated education and research infrastructure through a redevelopment that will start in 2022. The building is expected to be completed and operational by 2026.
The ISC will have a range of functions with a focus on collaboration and synergies. Through the Inter-University Platform, the Campus will provide joint doctoral programmes and research infrastructure with national and international partners. A key objective is the creation of a Network Interdisciplinary Doctoral School, which will prepare future researchers to address complex societal and scientific challenges. Other ISC priorities include the application of the KRAFT (Creative City – Sustainable Region) concept, which aims to rethink regional development and strengthen urban-rural links.
The project has a unique focus on sustainability, whether it is energy-efficient architecture or promoting cooperation between natural and social sciences. The Campus Science Garden – the Arts and Sciences Garden – will serve as a creative and recreational hub, facilitating spontaneous encounters and the implementation of Open Science and Citizen Science initiatives.
The ISC’s global engagement is further strengthened through collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU) and other international institutions, including the development of joint doctoral programmes. ISC research focuses on sustainability and human security.
The long-term goal of the project is to modernise the science and education infrastructure in Western Hungary, which will contribute to increasing the international competitiveness of Hungarian higher education and reducing regional disparities. The creation of the ISC is a unique meeting point between the past and the future, where new dimensions of science, education and innovation are realised in a small urban environment.
ALÍZ MARKOVITS: Keep shining Veszprém-Balaton!
With the title of European Capital of Culture, Veszprém and the Bakony-Balaton region had the opportunity to showcase their unique cultural treasures. We gained unique opportunities and experiences that help organize high-quality cultural offerings not only during the program year but also in the long term. Thanks to the collaborations, we opened doors to each other and the world, realizing that together we are more.
DAN BROOKS: A Darwinian Survival Guide: Hope for the 21st Century
Global climate change threatens human survival. What does our future hold under trajectories bound by accelerating climate and environmental change? The fundamental theory of the survival of life on this planet is Darwinism. Darwinian evolution is about coping with change by changing, using what you have on hand to survive. In more technical terms, evolution is conflict resolution by ecological fitting in sloppy fitness space, reinforced by natural selection. Resolving conflicts in sloppy fitness space leads to diversification in inheritance systems, but also sets the stage for new conflict. The fuel for this process is evolutionary potential, which resides in preexisting variation, that allows living systems to move forward into an uncertain future. Persisting indefinitely in a changing world requires only being fit enough to survive and reproduce, not being the fittest. The biosphere is a complex evolutionary system that generates, stores, and uses its own potential to survive. This makes ecosystems robust, not fragile. That suggests we can use the biosphere without destroying it, but we some need guidelines. Those guidelines are embodied in the Four Laws of Biotics, which tell us how we can interact with the biosphere and with each other without endangering ourselves further. Our persistence through the Anthropocene will depend on the choices that we make as individuals and as societies. We have the capacity and intellectual resources to alter and save our future now and for generations and environments to come if we are willing to change our behavior. We can improve our chances of survival as a technological species by (1) implementing the economics of well-being, (2) reducing population density by finding new space in rural areas and revitalizing them into circularized economies, and (3) re-growing sustainably by creating networks of cooperating circular economies, adding new modules when growth occurs, not consolidating into new densely populated and vulnerable urban centers. A Darwinian Survival Guide thus offers hope for surviving an increasingly uncertain future.
LÁSZLÓ IMRE KOMLÓSI
Methodologies and Methods for Research in the Social Sciences
The nature of research within scientific communities
Abstract
The aim of the presentation is many-fold:
A – Discussion about the nature of scientific communities
Depicting the “way of life” of doctoral students which facilitates their becoming integrated members of the scientific/research community of their own chosen fields;
Membership in a scientific community is acquired by
(i) observed interest in shared problem fields
(ii) shared knowledge of the disciplinary knowledge background
(iii) shared vocabulary (terminology, taxonomy, concept interpretation, etc.)
(iv) documented publications achieved as a “good citizen” in line with the scientific community’s mainstream journals
(v) committed adherence to a paradigm (disciplinary matrix)
Preconditions
(a) developing engagement in disciplinary studies relative to a scientific community,
(b) understanding that scientific research and the validation of results take place in scientific communities,
(c) finding solutions to complex (social) problems –meta-level conceptualization with the help of a transdisciplinary approach
B – Showing the desired/ favorable conditions for pursuing successful doctoral studies
Knowledge acquisition („learning”) and Knowledge sharing can be realized in the following frameworks:
(i) student-supervisor cooperative learning (regular consultations)
(ii) peer-to-peer learning (ateliers)
(iii) self-organized learning (course work)
(iv) problem-solving learning environment (research groups, workshops)
C – Methodologies and Methods
(i) Adopting a methodology means commitment to certain perspectives derived from the big picture of science and approaches derived from plausible reasoning.
A chosen methodology corroborates the conceptual framework of a research project.
(ii) Adopted methods are well-defined procedures for carrying out research by testing proposed hypotheses.
D – A random list of possible methodologies
(i) ways of reasoning for inference making leading to propositions
– deductive reasoning is an inference drawn based on consistent elements of a theory or axiom
– inductive reasoning is an inference (or prediction) drawn based on experience and educated guess about any given situation or issue
– abductive reasoning is an inference to the best explanation (an intelligent guess) A conclusion drawn by abductive inference is an intelligent guess which is tied to an incomplete body of evidence. As new evidence comes in, the guess could be shown to be wrong (cf. defeasible argument)
/Note: Uncertain and tentative reasoning – very common in everyday thinking: a positive presumption always favors the most plausible contentions among the available alternatives. A proposition stands as a plausible presumption until some alternative is shown to be more plausible./
(ii) Explanation versus Interpretation in scientific research
(a) It is to be acknowledged that different scientific approaches need to be adopted and applied for natural sciences – life sciences – engineering sciences – social sciences – arts – philosophy, etc.
(b) The most conspicuous differences lie in the distinction between
Explanation versus Interpretation in scientific research
(1) explanation – propositional – declarative knowledge
/to define the meaning of concepts and the relation among them/
(2) interpretation – procedural knowledge
/to form a personal understanding or opinion of something/
(3) These two modes of knowledge generation are not necessarily in opposition.
/Scientific research can make use of both declarative and procedural knowledge/
(iii) Problem solving and decision making
disciplinary – multidisciplinary – interdisciplinary – transdisciplinary approaches
Disciplines – mainstream ideas validated and accepted by the scientific community
The transdisciplinary approach
Quest for solving complex problems – organizational, technical, financial, managerial, social, societal, etc.
In the real-world hardly any problem exists whose solutions are provided by only one discipline.
Experts and stake holders – Deliberative Public Discourse
/See, e.g. the scientific complexities of the Covid19 phenomenon, building highways, nuclear power stations, deploying nuclear waste, euthanasia, etc.)
PHD ABSTRACTS
AADI RAJESH: Sustaining a circular economy in water management: Analysing the innovative and creative solutions implemented in Singapore
Rapid urbanization in all major Asian cities has created new challenges for resource management and sustainability. While major Asian nations such as China, India, and Indonesia have struggled with sustainable urban development, Singapore, a small city-state, has tested and implemented innovative and creative solutions, especially in its water management circular economy, which has made it an interesting case study for sustaining a circular economy in water management.
Singapore’s water management strategy is led by its National Water Agency(PUB) and their strategy focuses on water reuse, waste reduction, efficient distribution, and rainwater harvesting. Through its “NEWater” program, Singapore treats and recycles using modern technologies and innovation and returns this water to the national water grid. The renewed water, makes up over 40% of the national demand, highlighting a major achievement in creating a sustainable water management cirucal economy.
Although, Singapore has reached a major mileshone in water reuse, challenges with techonoligcal stagnation and possible financial constrins of developing new techonoliges remains a major structural challenge. Furthemore, challenges remain to implement, test and improve on the Singapore strategy on much more diverse and larger population centres in China, India and even Africa. The research will focus on the current trends in major Asian and African cities and understand the challenges and opportunities faced by these cities in their water management and circular economy plans.
ELIF SARIHAN: Revealing urban palimpsest: a combined approach to exploring layers of change in historic peninsula of Istanbul
The aim of this study is to demonstrate how the structure of a historic urban conservation area has transformed over a relatively long period of history, using a specific example of a mixed-use area in the histori8c peninsula of Istanbul. The methodology draws parallels between geographical information systems (GIS) and urban morphology, employing tools typically used in literary textual analysis. The similarity between the palimpsest concept in literary research and the historical character of settlements is that both involve multiple layers of restructuring.
The historic peninsula of Istanbul serves as specific evidence of conceptualizing cities as palimpsests, where different morphological periods remain visible. The paper presents several scientific findings through a comparison of cartographic data, contemporary maps, and satellite images.
On one hand, it combines qualitative and quantitative data using a descriptive and analytical approach to urban morphology to demonstrate the rigorous framework of the methodology. On the other hand, it employs clustering methods to trace and compare changes or the persistence of urban fabric during periods of transformation.
This research not only provides a deeper understanding of the transformation of the historic structure of the city but also offers a tool for modern urban planning practices and heritage conservation.
HENRIETTA DÓKA: Hagyományos szerepektől a globális partnerségekig – tudásközpontok új szerepe viharos időkben
A tudásközpont, habár sok intézmény nevében szerepel, nemcsak egy épületet vagy fizikai teret jelöl, hanem annál sokkal többet. A tudás legyen az tacit vagy explicit, kulcsfontosságú szerepet játszik a társadalmi-gazdasági folyamatok előmozdításában, az együttműködések, hálózatok kialakításában. A tudásközpontok – legyen az egy intézmény vagy intézmények együttműködési formájaként létrejött társulás -, akkor vonzóak, ha fejlett tudásbázissal, magasan képzett munkaerővel, és megfelelő minőségű infrastruktúrával rendelkeznek, ezek által stratégiai szerepet tudnak betölteni az innováció folyamatában. A felsőoktatási intézmények klasszikus szerepköreik mellett (oktatás, kutatás) a fejlesztési modellek aktív résztvevői ma már komplexebb feladatrendszerrel, ami megjeleníti a társadalomba és a gazdaságba való beágyazottságukat is. Az ún. harmadik missziónak köszönhetően kialakult az a nézőpont, hogy ezek az intézmények tevékenységeikkel hatást gyakorolnak környezetükre és mind egyénileg, mind társadalmi/gazdasági nézőpontból felelősséget vállalnak és nem elszigetelt intézményként működnek. Az integráció, a hálózatok és a kapcsolati tőke összefogásában játszott központi szerepük új modelleket, gyakorlati megvalósulásokat támogathat. Az előadás az új szerepkörökre összpontosít, és arra, hogyan mérhető a sikeres innováció, mivel mutatható ki a valós társadalmi megtérülés a régióban.
HARUMING S. SARASWATI: Building a Smart and Sustainable New Capital City: Lessons Learned from Nusantara, Indonesia
The old capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta, is overpopulated and prone to natural disasters, and therefore a capital city relocation is one solution the country chose. The brand new capital city, Nusantara, has been built from scratch of the forest in Kalimantan island. This new capital city has just been inaugurated on 17th August 2024. This study will explore how the new capital city is developed, conceptually as well as in its implementations. This paper will explore in-depth to the strategies in building a more sustainable city as well as digitalized city in order to build a more resilient city for everyone. Furthermore, this study will share the lessons learned from Nusantara new city development, especially the challenges and threats encountered during the relocation of the new capital city of a country. The development of this new capital city is not without controversies, such as the protests from the indigenous people living around the territory, as well as critics from the environmentalists on the environment issues arisen from opening a wild forest into a brand new city. This research is a qualitative reseach with primary data collection gathered through in-depth interviews from the relevant experts and policy makers, while secondary data were obtained from various documents and media.
ZITA SZAKÁLNÉ SZABÓ: Opportunities for horizontal cooperation among local governments from the aspect of catching up with townships
After the regime change, the problems of the local government system remained unsolved until the entry into force of the new local government law, imposing a huge financial and administrative burden on the local governments, and the quality of public services slowly began to decline. However, it became clear that the challenges cannot be solved without change. The experiences of the twenty years following the regime change served as a valuable consensus in the renewal and transformation of the local government system, and last but not least, the relationship between the state and local governments had to be settled. Even in the nineties, the Fifth In the few years following its entry into force, both Hungarian and international practice drew attention to the fact that there is no clear relationship between the number and size of local governments, the cost and quality of the work they perform, since in addition to fragmented local government rights, the quality of the public sector is quite remained high.
And when we ask for the institutionalization of cooperation between settlements in our supposedly modern self-government system, we always have to take into account historical traditions, since the presence of self-government integration first appeared in the construction of regionalized administrative structures. To this day, the intensity of the association relations depends on the characteristics of the settlement network, and just as territorial development, the trends in the development of the local government system are increasingly influenced by local and regional governments. Strengthening partnership relations between cities and rural areas and reassessing the benefits and opportunities arising from partnership is still an important objective, since due to the existence of the rurbanization vacuum, the proper recognition of the exercise of regional roles is still still an important objective, since due to the existence of the rurbanization vacuum, the proper recognition of the exercise of regional roles is still waiting to happen.
ÁRON FÁBIÁN: Limits of Theory: Theorising and empirical research, theory and practice
Within contemporary legal and political philosophy, there are increasingly serious methodological concerns about the grounding of theorising. One part of these concerns is related to the problem of the so-called ideal theories, pointing out that this approach makes unrealistic demands on theorising. Another possible critique comes from the field of so-called experimental philosophy, where the epistemological foundations of philosophy are called into question. In my presentation, I will analyse these problems through the example of transitions.
SÁRA GINK-MISZLIVETZ: A Women’s Reading of the Fészek Artists’ Club in the Seventies and Eighties through the Recollections of Neoavant-garde Textile Artists of the Kádár Regime
In my doctoral research, I examine the role that the Fészek Artists Club played in the careers of textile artists in the 1970s and 80s; how the aspirations for women’s emancipation are correlated with the avant-garde concepts and experimental pursuits of textile art; whether we can call the textile industry and textile art a women’s profession or field; and what the role and significance of textile is in femininity, in female existence?
On the basis of all of this, I investigate the life trajectory of experimental avant-garde textile artists – who are still living – who are linked to the Fészek and have been supported by art historian Éva Molnár, founder and curator of the Fészek Gallery.
The aim of the research is, by way of interviews with artists, as well as studying the contemporary press and archival material, to obtain knowledge that until now has remained unrevealed in the writing of art history addressing the Hungarian neo-avantgarde artists.
While the oeuvres of the examined individuals are recognised and acknowledged, further analysing them as a homogenous group allows us to discover knowledge that has not yet been uncovered within the sphere of questions related to the artistic predominancy characteristic of the epoch and the spirit of the age.
The preparation of methodology began with the exploration of archival material of the Artists Club within the photo archive that has remained unexamined up till now. This was followed by my investigation of the Kádár-era record system and the registry of the Club members, since during this period, the Club counted the most active members. From there came the narrowing of research thematics in accordance with the high proportion of textile artists and a survey of those with a bond to the venue. Finally, I carried out interviews with eight textile artists.
The collection, systematisation, and archiving transcribes the scholarly process and nature of the research, while the masterwork analyses the memories and material-visual representations of the examined individuals on the basis of data acquired through the research.
TAMÁS SZÉKELY: The Habsburg Code: Discovering Western Hungary’s “Austro-Hungarian” Heritage
If there ever was a region of the Habsburg Empire which can be described as neither really Austrian nor typically Hungarian, but rather as Austro-Hungarian par excellence, then it must have been historical Western Hungary. If we picture the old Dual Monarchy as a jigsaw puzzle, then this multi-ethnic and multicultural region should be imagined as an oddly shaped interlocking and mosaic piece that connected the two halves of the empire geographically as well as culturally. However, this historical border region was entangled in a triple collapse after the First World War: its own fragmentation, compounded by the simultaneous dissolution of both the Habsburg Empire and the historical Kingdom of Hungary. Therefore, when it comes to the exploration of the history and historical heritage of the region, one must face a fundamental question: can “historical Western Hungary” be considered a distinct regional entity? If we consider language as the very foundation of culture, then a strong differentiation between the German, Hungarian and Slavic ethnic-linguistic sub-cultures existing in the region is called for. However, if we understand culture and cultural identity in a wider sense, as a category based primarily on everyday cultural exchange and social interactions, then one can rightfully claim that Western Hungary historically produced its own regional cultural character.
MÓNIKA MODROVICS: Fostering community engagement and sustainability: The role of deposit refund system
The newly implemented Deposit Refund System (DRS) in Hungary represents a significant step towards promoting sustainability through social and cultural engagement. This innovative initiative encourages recycling and waste reduction by providing monetary incentives for returning beverage containers. The DRS addresses environmental concerns while emphasizing the social dimension of sustainability by fostering community participation and accountability.
The system is designed to instill a sense of shared responsibility among citizens, motivating individuals and families to adopt eco-friendly habits. By involving local communities, the DRS not only reduces litter and increases recycling rates but also strengthens social cohesion as residents collaborate for a common environmental goal.
Moreover, the DRS can positively impact marginalized groups by creating job opportunities in collection and recycling processes, thus promoting economic equity. It serves as an educational tool, raising awareness about waste management and the importance of sustainability within cultural contexts. As Hungarians engage with the DRS, it can lead to a cultural shift in attitudes towards consumption and waste, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable society. Overall, the Deposit Refund System exemplifies how integrating social components into environmental initiatives enhances community resilience and fosters a sustainable future.
ISTVÁN SZÜCS: The human factor of electric vehicle emission
Our research for this conference presentation examines the role of user habits on the emissions impact across the life cycle of electric vehicles (EVs). While numerous studies focus on the environmental effects of EVs, a critical and often overlooked factor is user behavior. EVs are typically designed to match the range and charging speeds of internal combustion engine vehicles without assessing the real necessity of these features or their influence on emissions. These development challenges are driven by genuine consumer demands, which are essential to consider for sustainability. In our study, we introduce a model promoting environmentally conscious consumer behavior to reduce emissions and enhance the impact of EV technology. The model highlights that the maximum environmental benefit of technological advances can only be realized if end-users adopt and apply these technologies appropriately.
ANILLA TILL: Environmental Change=Eco-Conscious Behavioral Change? Experiences of the Hungarian Diaspora in Iceland on the Country’s Sustainability Practices – and Their Own Shift Toward Eco-Conscious Behavior
The role of diaspora communities in international sustainability efforts is becoming increasingly significant. My research examines how cross-border connections and pre-existing eco-conscious behaviors of the Hungarian diaspora in Iceland are reshaped within a sustainability-oriented society. Iceland holds a prominent position in the development of smart and sustainable cities, connections to nature, and solutions based on renewable energy—at least in international discourse. For Hungarians living in Iceland, this setting provides a unique opportunity to engage with new knowledge networks and knowledge ecosystems. To explore these connections, I conducted ten interviews—seven individual and one with a three-person focus group—to uncover their perceptions of Icelandic sustainability practices and how these influence their own lifestyles.
Do we really see Icelanders as eco-conscious from a Hungarian perspective? Is there truth to this stereotype? If so, have Hungarians who moved to Iceland adopted these behavioral patterns? Primarily, I sought answers to these questions through my research while gaining insights into the experiences, impressions, and emotions of the Hungarian community in their new island home.
One of the study’s main objectives is to better understand how members of the diaspora transplant their cultural values and experiences into a new environment, while directly engaging with a society where sustainability is a prominent focus—at least according to its international reputation. Such exchanges of knowledge are essential in the 21st century for developing intelligent urban systems and identifying sustainable pathways for regional growth.
