ABSTRACT This article presents research on the intersection between cultural expression and ideological resistance. The case study refers to Swat Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is based on in-depth interviews with thirteen artists and cultural figures in Swat, which reveal how artists, poets, and cultural practitioners have used art as a means of rebellion against emerging extremism. The study contributes to public administration scholarship by extending the understanding of governance mechanisms beyond formal bureaucratic institutions to informal, symbolic, and local rationalities through which Global South communities negotiate authority, legitimacy, and resilience. The article adds to the literature on the topic of governance and resistance in the Global South by showing how localised and informal institutional modes of public value and identity politics are realised through cultural channels. It joins the wave of attempts to decolonise knowledge about state administration by pre-empting traditions, beliefs, and practices of culture that tend to be pushed to the periphery by mainstream development and governance paradigms.

ABSTRACT This study examines three flood governance models in Metro Manila: a government-centered relocation model, a collaborative model, and a civil society initiative model. Drawing on center-periphery theory, it analyzes how power asymmetries and cultural values shape disaster governance and recovery outcomes. The study uses qualitative data collected between 2009 and 2024, including semi-structured interviews, archival documents, and field observations. Findings show that state-driven relocation policies often marginalize vulnerable populations by prioritizing technocratic efficiency over social equity and community participation. In contrast, grassroots initiatives and civil society-led responses leverage local knowledge, community networks, and cultural and religious traditions to foster resilience and collective action. Collaborative approaches occupy an intermediate position, partially mitigating exclusion while retaining centralized authority. The study highlights the importance of integrating local knowledge and participatory governance into disaster management frameworks to enhance social equity and sustainability.

ABSTRACT This study examines how the alignment between career placement and organisational context conditions the relationship between public service motivation (PSM), career satisfaction, and organisational commitment in structured public employment systems. Drawing on survey data from 299 newly recruited senior public servants and follow-up interviews with 42 participants, the analysis shows that career satisfaction is the key pathway through which motivation translates into commitment, but that this pathway varies systematically across service roles. Specialists are more likely to report strong alignment and sustained commitment when placed in organisations with limited direct public exposure, whereas generalists more often experience motivational misalignment that constrains commitment. Qualitative evidence further indicates that perceived opportunities to influence governance and policy, conceptualised as realised publicness, shape how individuals evaluate their careers. These findings challenge the assumption that PSM operates uniformly across institutional settings and underscore the importance of deliberate career placement for sustaining motivation, commitment, and retention in public sector organisations.

ABSTRACT Trust signals the effectiveness of governance by reflecting citizen confidence in public institutions. This article examines reported trust in civil service and local government, aggregated as public administration, across Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, using nationally representative Governance and Trust data from 2020–2021 (n = 6240; 2740 in Bangladesh; 2256 in Nepal, and 1244 in Sri Lanka). The findings reveal high levels of trust despite widespread perceptions of corruption, which challenges dominant Global North assumptions that corruption undermines trust. Although corruption remains endemic, regression analysis shows that it does not positively predict citizen trust. This paradox reflects the region’s social orientation, characterised by an authoritarian culture that fosters obedience and loyalty. Citizens also face heavy administrative burdens, including onerous rules and processes. Additionally, given the oppressive governance context in these countries, citizens may overestimate the government’s actions out of fear of harassment. Importantly, as the data predate Sri Lanka’s 2022 and Bangladesh’s 2024 uprisings, this article interprets such trust as conditional, fragile, and likely to collapse when fairness norms weaken or repression intensifies.

ABSTRACT Due to recent crises, public sector organisations worldwide have been increasingly confronted with unexpected and turbulent events characterised by high complexity, uncertainty and divergence. They have differed in how they respond to, overcome, and learn from them. In this article, we present the results of our research on factors influencing organisational resilience in selected Czech ministries and agencies that differ in their levels of bureaucracy during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the model to identify factors and compare organisational resilience that helped us show how different organisational contexts determined the ability to respond and recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The findings confirmed our initial assumption that situations characterised by high levels of complexity, uncertainty and divergence are better handled by organisations that are non-bureaucratic and have higher levels of digitalisation and flexibility among line workers and managers.

ABSTRACT Retaining civil servants is crucial for ensuring good governance and effective service delivery. Frequent turnover affects stability, reliability, and continuity of policies and increases costs for organisations. Drawing insights from self-determination theory, this study examines the impact of the fulfilment of basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness on turnover intention and how public service motivation mediates this association among civil servants in Pakistan. By collecting original survey data (N = 205), we focus on Pakistan’s elite Central Superior Service officers due to their critical role in policy management. The findings suggest that satisfying basic psychological needs for autonomy and relatedness reduces turnover intention. However, we do not find significant evidence on the mediating role of public service motivation between basic psychological needs and turnover intention. Our study contributes to the knowledge of civil service by providing empirical evidence on the intersections of self-determination theory, public service motivation, and turnover intention.

ABSTRACT What should a good government do? Answers to this question vary across institutional and cultural contexts, reflecting individuals’ underlying public values. This study examines how future public administrators – students majoring in public administration – perceive public values associated with a good government in China, Singapore, and Taiwan, three Confucian societies. Drawing on survey data from first-year public administration students and analysing differences using ANOVA and ANCOVA, we find that students prioritise government functions differently, with public sentiment strongly shaping their expectations. Certain societal dimensions – such as efficiency in China, public security in Singapore, and human rights in Taiwan – are highly prioritised, whereas others – such as equity in China, happiness in Singapore, and public security in Taiwan – receive relatively limited attention. This study contributes to comparative public administration by moving beyond East – West comparison and focusing on variations within Confucian societies. It has implications for public administration scholars and educators for a more balanced perspective about public values.