Active Citizenship Research Articles

Patterns of child and adolescent sexual abuse in the era of COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which first broke out in Wuhan, China in December 2019 undoubtedly created a novel health challenge for countries around the world. The federal and some state governments in Nigeria in a bid to contain the spread of the virus and manage a looming health emergency pronounced lockdown measures at different times in 2020. The lockdown which affected the routine activities of citizens forced families and friends to stay indoors while it lasted. This was in compliance with the movement restriction order of the government which empowered law enforcement agencies to prosecute violators. While health authorities and other stakeholders made concerted efforts to control the coronavirus disease, some deviants and criminals exploited the situation to commit heinous crimes. The Nigerian media reported several cases of child and adolescent sexual abuse; including incest during the lockdown. This study used narrative review to examine the patterns of child and adolescent sexual abuse (CASA) during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria. It found that CASA is often hidden, and can occurred online. It also revealed that CASA is perpetrated often by males as well as close relatives and have mainly females as victims. Furthermore, it found that perpetrators used manipulation, coercion and threats to facilitate the abuse. The study recommends strategies that may assist in forestalling the sexual exploitation of minors and young people during lockdowns and how to assist victims who may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among other pains.

Promoting active citizen engagement in sustainable energy transitions: a co-creation approach

ABSTRACT The shift towards sustainable and decentralised energy production has encountered a notable gap between the need to establish energy communities and the existing technological and infrastructural basis provisions for their facilitation. A concerted effort is thus required to align capabilities with the requirements for fostering energy transitions. This paper introduces the ACeT method, a novel decision-making approach aimed at involving citizens in the context of sustainable energy transitions. The aim is to support the collaborative development of visions and roadmaps by citizens and regional/local authorities, who co-create strategies to mitigate broader societal impediments to the adoption of renewable energy. By addressing issues such as bureaucratic procedures, inequitable tariffs, and legal constraints, this approach offers valuable insights for stakeholders. Policymakers can further scrutinise and substantiate these insights and recommendations derived from this novel approach.

Towards active citizenship and caring democracy? User participation in Norwegian long-term care

The conceptualisation of a caring democracy provides strong arguments against neoliberal welfare states. However, there is currently a knowledge gap regarding how non-market-oriented welfare states are striving to reach their intention of a caring democracy. Based on a qualitative study, this article uses the case of Norwegian long-term care services for older people to provide insight into how this intention is practised in everyday care service settings when the current development is about active citizenship. The findings show ethical dilemmas for care managers and healthcare professionals, positioned on the front line of combining the creation of active citizens with the democratisation of services.

Promotion of community resilience: Do citizens have a role to play?

ABSTRACT The promotion of community resilience is a multifaceted process that warrants further exploration. This article aims to contribute to this literature stream by assessing the role of citizen science (CS) approaches in the development of community resilience, since CS is considered a promising approach for generating new knowledge by fostering the participation of citizens (non-professional scientists) in research activities. The results show that CS approaches can contribute to community resilience at the institutional level, improving emergency and recovery planning capacity; at the infrastructural level, by contributing to land use planning and urban design; and at the social level, through the creation of community ties and social capital. This contribution is relevant for the development of public policies that are more shaped to local contexts and aligned with communities’ needs and expectations.

Harnessing Social Media for Climate Action in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Egypt

Like many developing nations, Egypt is facing a climate crisis due to its agricultural dependence and the Nile Delta’s vulnerability. Despite government plans for sustainable development, recent infrastructure projects have resulted in large-scale green space removal. Effective communication about environmental issues can spark pro-environmental behavior and citizen activism. This study explores social media’s potential to bridge this gap in Egypt. Utilizing Facebook AB testing with a limited budget, we reached a significant 2.3% of Egypt’s online population (nearly 2 million users). This study explored message framing, with findings showing that rational posts resonated best while fear appeals had minimal impact. Social media’s cost-effectiveness and message-framing consideration provide a strategic approach for NGOs to reach a large audience and encourage climate action in Egypt.

Citizen-led decentralised energy futures: Emerging rationales of energy system organisation

The current energy systems are undergoing fundamental changes driven by the climate crisis, unfolding digitalisation and increasing calls for a more active citizens' engagement. The impact of these ongoing trends on the future energy system, however, is far from straightforward. Although there is an increasing shift towards a decentralisation, it is not clear yet how exactly this new decentralised configuration will unfold and materialise. In this article we explore the rationales behind current trends towards a more decentralised electricity system. Given the developments in the electricity system, our study centres on emerging initiatives led by citizens and their values. Theoretically, we first mobilise the notion of socio-technical system as constituted and reproduced by actors, institutions, and technology, operating based on certain shared principles. We use this lens to describe the past and current energy system organisation. Secondly, based on two dimensions of value orientation and steering direction we define four emerging ideal-types socio-technical decentralisation configurations. We examine possible pathways of change, and the institutional, actor and technological preconditions they require, to become predominant forms of decentralisation. We conclude that although all forms of decentralisation may potentially contribute to low carbon objectives, they are likely to co-evolve catering to diverse system needs and the citizen requirements simultaneously.

The Role of Parent Schools in Strengthening Traditional Family Values in China

For modern Russia, the most important task is to strengthen the institution of the family and traditional values. The growing up of children in the last decade has taken place in the information field of propaganda in Western countries, which requires prompt measures to create a system of education, involving parents in this process is not a trivial task. The experience of China in recent decades in creating a network of parent schools is a valuable object of study. The purpose of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of parent schools in the PRC as a developing pedagogical system, to identify the principles for the formation of content and methods for organizing education and training of parents. Methodology and research methods. Based on a systematic, historical, cultural and comparative approach, an analysis of legislative acts, monographic, scientific and methodological sources reflecting the work of parental schools in the PRC was carried out. The results of the study show that parental schools in modern China are a developing pedagogical system that has gone through three stages in its development: from setting a strategic state order to science and educational authorities, through scientific, organizational and methodological support for the work of schools to the present state of a large-scale all-China network with the active involvement of parents in its development. It was revealed that parental schools as a system in the PRC are developing in several directions: scaling (increasing accessibility), standardization (improving quality) and involvement (increasing the active citizenship of parents). While coinciding with the global trend of educating parents in the form of consulting-seminar and training sessions, the Chinese specificity of the principles for selecting the content of education was found, based on the moral postulates of Confucianism, taking into account the socio-cultural specifics of the local parental community. In conclusion, the important role of parental schools is emphasized in terms of the strategic goals of the state to strengthen the institution of the family and prevent deformations of the youth worldview by consolidating the family and the school in the upbringing and education of minors, where the involvement of parents is a necessary condition. The authors identify the strengths of parental schools as an institutional form of the process of educating traditional family values in the PRC, among them reliance on a clear moral core in determining the content of parental education based on the philosophy of Confucianism, scientific and methodological support from scientists, regulatory and organizational support from the state in the form of standardization of functioning.

Is it possible for sustainability? The case from the new capital city of Indonesia

The decision to relocate the nation’s capital from Jakarta is not without reason. Jakarta, the nation’s capital, is regarded as less than ideal, with numerous issues such as flooding, air pollution, poor water quality, and political and environmental sustainability. This research will be based on the framework of ecological citizenship to investigate active citizens. The lesson from other countries that relocate their capital city as a comparison. This research uses a qualitative research method with a literature study type of research. reviewing several previous studies on citizenship and academic texts on moving the nation’s capital, studies on moving the capital, and legislation on the nation’s capital. This research tries to find how the possibility of environment sustainability in the new capital project. Ecological concerns have not been on the agenda of public discussion. Moreover, this research provides more information on the opportunity of ecological citizenship community in Indonesia’s new capital city project, in the context of the sustainability agenda.

The role of the educational environment in shaping attitudes towards nature in young schoolchildren

The article emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach in shaping young schoolchildren's relationships with nature. This approach encompasses the integration of environmental education into various teaching subjects, the organization of practical activities aimed at solving real environmental problems, and the cultivation of respectful attitudes towards the environment through various educational activities. Additionally, the role of the educational environment in developing critical thinking necessary for understanding modern ecological challenges and in shaping an active citizen's stance towards environmental protection is noted.

A new model of giftedness for transformational active concerned citizenship and ethical leadership

Individuals are typically identified as gifted largely on the basis of competence in limited contexts, but their performance in the real world, both as children and adults, often lags far behind their competence. Thus, the identification of the individuals as “gifted,” however useful in theory, is much less useful in practice. This article explains some of the reasons why people identified as gifted by competence often fail in their performance. In this article, I propose a transformational, T-ACCEL model of giftedness. In this model, it is important not only to become an active concerned citizen and ethical leader, but also to do so in a way that makes the world a better place—that makes a positive, meaningful, and possibly enduring difference to the world, not just to one’s national, or ideological, ethnic, racial, religious, or other group.

How do micro-placements in industry within an initial teachers’ training programme contribute towards bridging the gap between education and employment?

ABSTRACT The complex interplay between labour market needs and education poses significant challenges to the teaching profession, frequently criticised for its perceived inadequacy in addressing contemporary work – life dynamics and professional practices. In response to these challenges, the ‘Micro-Placements’ initiative was introduced in an initial teacher training programme in Malta, aimed at providing student teachers with practical exposure to different industries. This study reports on an evaluation conducted within a higher education institution, utilising a responsive approach alongside the RUFDATA evaluation framework to observe the value-added of having micro-placements in a programme that enables students to become teachers. Through qualitative analysis, this study underscores the value of micro-placements in enriching pedagogical practices by enabling teachers to integrate diverse workplace experiences, thereby fostering the development of skills essential for active citizenship among students. The findings advocate for the integration of micro-placements into initial teacher training programmes and for their incorporation into continuous professional development initiatives for educators.

Political reconfiguration in the social space: data analysis and future perspective.

This paper aims to explore the complex and sometimes controversial relationship between social media and politics. The correlation between these two areas of research has always been less linear than a simplistic narrative might suggest, mainly because of the involvement of different scientific disciplines, such as sociology, political science, communication, social psychology and computer science. The decision to explore this topic is motivated by the persistent relevance of social media platforms in the current era. This growing centrality is also due to the accelerated digitization process that occurred during the pandemic phase in the digital ecosystem. In particular, the pandemic has contributed to a significant evolution of the concept of social networks. The methodology used is based on secondary data, and the work seeks to highlight the expansion of digital space resulting from the shift from a simple place of interaction to a digital space that reconfigured the mobilization and political action of Campania's governor Vincenzo De Luca. In conclusion, the study reveals important findings on the president's use of social media. For example, active citizen engagement strategies through direct interaction, timely information sharing, and mobilization of online resources are evident. Therefore, it becomes necessary to ask and understand whether the potential of new social technologies is being used to cultivate critical and massive citizen participation in democratic processes or whether it is being distorted for the sole purpose of increasing or consolidating consent.

The effect of progressive exercise prescription for group exercise guidance for Taiwan seniors and Integrated Care for old People: Post-event movement observation

PurposeThis study is aimed at the seniors of the “2022 Taiwan Senior Citizens Fitness Club Subsidy Plan” with a sample. MethodThe doctor will diagnose and confirm whether the physical condition suits participation. Then, the professional sports instructor will design and arrange a progressive fitness enhancement group course suitable for the Senior person's physical fitness, conducted four times a week, every 2 h, for three months of group course training. Afterward, four group course instructors analyzed the motor ability of the three periods through a video, divided into 21 evaluation indicators. The data collection will be from January to May 2023. In addition, the Integrated Care for Old People (ICOPE) was used to assess the situation. ResultThe results showed that all indexes were significantly better than those in week one at week 6. All indexes at week 12 were significantly better than those in week one and week 6 (p < .001), and the benefit of all indicators was the largest (Cohen's d: 2.79–5.11), the reliability of the scores of each index ICC (0.73–0.94). ConclusionProgressive and multifaceted guidance on how to safely and effectively enhance the physical activity of senior citizens may be the most suitable method. Through progressive energy enhancement, the participants' physical activity and cognitive function can be improved, especially the overall rhythm of the music, which can be combined with high and low impact, dynamic and static balance control, agility, flexibility, and extensibility to achieve the benefits of health promotion.

Enhancing youth Voices: Exploring community participation through youth workers

The European Union and Council of Europe (hereafter referred to as the EU and CE) encourage member states to promote and stimulate the active participation of young people through the role of youth workers. However, it is worth noting that the personal perceptions of youth workers may influence the actions they take to achieve this goal. This article aims to investigate the perceptions of youth workers and the characteristics and conditions of their interventions in promoting young people's participation in the community. To this end, six discussion groups were formed, consisting of 51 professionals working in this field in Catalonia, Spain. The findings suggest that youth workers associate the notion of participation with how young people dialogue with the public institutions. Although youth workers have observed self-managed forms of participation among young people, their aim is to improve the relationship between young people and institutions. They also acknowledge that young people are often on the margins of the local political context. Rather than being viewed as active citizens and central figures, young people are frequently seen as being in a learning and development phase towards adulthood. At the methodological level, youth workers use strategies based on socio-educational relationships and identify conditioning factors that limit the development of transformative policies for civic participation in their workplaces. It is recommended that the model for local youth policies be transformed into a more collaborative approach. This would involve collaboration between youth workers, young people and adults to foster innovative public participation policies that help promote the potential of municipalities for change.

Can school cultivate active global citizens? Exploring school and student factors related to students’ global citizenship in the Republic of Korea

Can school cultivate active global citizens? Exploring school and student factors related to students’ global citizenship in the Republic of Korea

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION AS A BASIS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY IN KYRGYZSTAN

This article analyzes the process of political socialization in the context of civil society in Kyrgyzstan. The study examines various aspects of political socialization and identifies factors that influence the formation of political beliefs and activism of citizens, including education, mass media, and the role of political parties. The paper focuses on the significant role of education and the media in shaping political socialization and identifies the challenges facing contemporary civil society in Kyrgyzstan. The author suggests possible strategies to strengthen political activism and civic participation in the country to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between political socialization and the formation of civil society. This study aims to identify potential strategy.

Активізація українського національного руху в 60-х рр. ХІХ ст.: учасники, вимоги, наслідки

The purpose of the article is to examine the development of the Ukrainian national movement in the 1860s, the formation of populist ideology in social and political thought, and the efforts of the imperial government to suppress this movement with all kinds of measures. The research methodology is based on the principles of scientificity, historical objectivity and systematic analysis, as well as on the use of methods: analysis and synthesis, historical-comparative, problem-chronological. The scientific novelty is the determination of the place of the Hrodavits in the Ukrainian national liberation movement of the 1860s, the disclosure of its significance in relation to the consolidation of the Ukrainian nation. It is emphasized that tsarism constantly persecuted the Ukrainian people in their desire for their native language and suppressed it with all kinds of methods. Conclusions. In the mid-60s of the 19th century. as a result of the Valuev decree and political persecution and repression by the imperial authorities, teaching in the national language in primary schools and the activities of Ukrainian communities temporarily stopped. The formation of populist ideology in socio-political thought falls on this time. Communities were the carrier of populist ideology. They were the social associations that represented the Ukrainian national movement in the second half of the 19th century. The majority of community members were apolitical, leaning towards educational and cultural activities. The scientific, educational and cultural activity of Hrodiv citizens in those conditions was of leading importance for the further development of the Ukrainian national movement. The activities of the communities could not remain unnoticed by the imperial government. Therefore, in the early and mid-1860s, a new period began in the attitude of tsarism to the Ukrainian national liberation movement. The activities of Ukrainian citizens constantly aroused suspicion on the part of the authorities. Administrative and police measures were taken against some of them. Tsarism constantly persecuted the Ukrainian people in their desire for their native language and suppressed it with all kinds of methods. The Valuev circular and the tsarism’s administrative persecution of the national intelligentsia were the product of imperial ideology in the fight against the Ukrainian national movement. They cherished the ideological task of neutralizing the Ukrainian national idea.

Active citizen or pest? Civic authorities, democratization and citizenship in inter-war England

Abstract In the 1920s, the art collector John Hilditch tirelessly undertook a public campaign to have his objects exhibited at the Manchester City Art Gallery. This article uses his struggle as a lens through which to examine how the relationship between the civic museum and its citizens was reshaped during the transition to mass democracy. Historians have explored how civic authorities responded to the challenge of mass democratization by encouraging their citizens to become ‘active’, but we know little about how the citizens responded to this call. Hilditch’s campaign allows us to see what public platforms citizens could negotiate to become ‘active’ citizens, and just how far they could influence civic policy.

State youth policy in Russia as a tool for the development of society: an analytical review

This article deals with the peculiarities of the implementation of youth policy in the Russian Federation. The analysis of the main normative-legal acts of the Russian Federation in this direction is carried out. In particular, most of the attention was paid to the "Fundamentals of State Youth Policy in the Russian Federation until 2025" approved on 29 November 2014 by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation № 2403-r. In the course of the study, the author identified a number of problems of youth policy. Thus, it was established that from 2014 to the present time there is a tendency to decrease the number of young citizens in the total share of the country's population. Consequently, this creates significant problems in the labour market. Attention is drawn to the problems of political representation of young people in the Russian power structures. The absence of measures in the state policy to attract young people to the political life of the country can reduce their civic consciousness, which will negatively affect the society as a whole. As a result, the author made assumptions about how to correct the current state of the state youth policy and to achieve improvement of employment indicators, number and civic activity of young citizens.

How Citizens Meet the State: Police Contact, Trust, and Civic Engagement

This paper investigates the relationship between the police, the most visible street-level bureaucrat of local city governments, and citizen political attitudes and behaviors toward local city institutions. We introduce a holistic conceptualization of police-citizen contact and examine how each type impacts citizen trust toward and participation in political institutions. Leveraging an original survey targeting the city of South Bend and spatial data from the city government, results demonstrate that greater day-to-day contact with police has a positive impact on trust in state agencies while citizens who seek service from the police but are left unsatisfied result in lower trust in state apparatus. Most importantly, indirect exposure to police coercion has a negative impact on trust while direct and proximal contact with police predicts higher level of civic activism. This study demonstrates the fragility and challenge of building trust in police-citizen relationships, and how extreme encounters with the police can, in the right circumstances, spur citizen activism.