Political Science Analysis Research Articles

The pathways of political elites in the modern information and communication reality

The article is devoted to the socio-political understanding of the functioning of the political and administrative elite in the modern information and communication space. The relevance of the research topic is based on the need to redefine, in current political and social reality, the concepts of political elite and administrative elite, as well as to identify its distinctive features. The authors lead theoretical foundations for defining the concepts of political elite and administrative elite from the point of view of linguistics and political science, analyse the approaches and models of western and domestic researchers on the problem of relations between the political and administrative elites, and put forward the thesis about the relative independence of the administrative elite as a category of political science analysis and the validity of studying public administration outside the framework of the concept of the dichotomy of political and administrative elites. The final part of provides the authors’ assessment of the role and the pathways of Western political elites in the context of modern geopolitical reality.

Isocrates’ Political Science

Abstract This article argues that despite Aristotle’s criticism of him, Isocrates does not actually hold the belief that political science, or universal knowledge of practical affairs, is impossible. When he appears to express this view, he is using hyperbole to distinguish himself from his adversaries. In reality, while he certainly underscores the significance of particular cases and doxa, he also claims to possess insights into universal principles concerning politics. He does so on the ground of philosophical arguments characterized by their consistency, sophistication, and substantive nature. These arguments are robust enough to be structured into a coherent system of principles akin to a political science in the Aristotelian sense of the term – although Isocrates himself never elaborated this science in a clear and systematic manner. The objective of this article is twofold: first, to defend this unconventional interpretation of Isocrates’ political speeches, and second, to offer a systematic analysis of the implicit political science within them.

Jacques Ellul’s concept of propaganda: a critical analysis

The present article is devoted to a critical analysis of the concept of propaganda by the prominent French scientist Jacques Ellul, who became widely known in the Russian sociological discourse due to the word combination “sociological propaganda” incorrectly attributed to him, which in fact is an incorrectly constructed concept and in the author's original interpretation sounds like “social propaganda”.In this regard, the main goal of this article is to accurately and correctly convey the author's original views on the phenomenon of propaganda, but to systematize them in such a way that in their sum they form an integral concept of propaganda, which could find a worthy place in further sociological and political science analysis of related phenomena. For this purpose, the author, relying on the materials presented in the first chapters of J. Ellul’s work, tries to answer a group of questions. These include: what does J. Ellul understand by the phenomenon of propaganda in the most general sense? What methodological difficulties are associated with the scientific study of this phenomenon? Who is the object and who are the subjects of propaganda influence? What exactly are the tools and mechanisms that trigger the action of propaganda? What are its goals?According to J. Ellul, the author emphasizes, propaganda is a manipulation aimed at changing the worldview, indoctrination of alien ideas, indoctrination of other ideas about a particular event or about the world order as a whole, and then – to push it to action. Consequently, the most important property and result of propaganda is the separation of the thought process from action and deeds: “…one performed action makes the propaganda influence irreversible. The one who performs an act under the influence of propaganda cannot go back and become the same person”.The author considers the questions about the basis of propaganda influence to be especially significant in the concept of J. Ellul. The author considers the questions about the basis and content of propaganda, the problem of consistency in the organization of the propaganda process, its effectiveness. Noteworthy are the typologization and classification of types and varieties of propaganda according to J. Ellul, his questions about the truthfulness and scientificity of propaganda.A detailed analysis of the main provisions of the concept of J. Ellul allowed the author to substantiate. Ellul allowed the author to justify a number of critical conclusions, including excessive psychologization of the propaganda process, the inappropriateness of the thesis about the secondary nature of ideology in relation to propaganda, which functions at the practical level of its expression, as well as excessive fetishization of propaganda, which levels the influence of traditional social institutions and practices on the individual.

Политическое инвестирование бизнеса как категория политической науки: теоретические версии в современном российском контексте

The article proposes a conceptual model of political investment of business, which reflects the political and economic realities of the modern Russian state. In the conditions of unprecedented external pressure on the national economy, political investment by representatives of business circles at the federal and regional levels is one of the effective tools that contribute to the strengthening of internal dialog between society and government represented by public institutions. Also, political investment provides an increase in stability and investment attractiveness of the economy as a whole, reduces the riskiness and corruption component. The author of the article proposes as an initial theoretical and methodological platform for the meaningful disclosure of political investment as a category of political science analysis the classical concept of corporation, which is historically linked to the concept of civil society. The central idea that political investment expresses is the mediation of private and public interests.

Gradual de-idealisation and progress in political science: a case study

This article contributes to the discussion regarding the relationship between idealisation, de-idealisation and cognitive scientific progress. In this, I raise the question of the significance of the gradual de-idealisation procedure for constructing political science theories. I show that conceptions that assume the reversibility of the idealisation process can be an extremely useful theoretical perspective in reconstructions of political science modelling and analyses of scientific progress in political science. I base my position on the results of the methodological reconstruction of Richard Jankowski’s theory of voting. My reconstruction and results of empirical studies show that by gradually removing simplifying assumptions, models can emerge that more accurately identify the determinants of the voting decision and the corresponding relationships. In the case I analysed, the transition from coarse-grained to fine-grained models likely demarcates the line of scientific progress.

Asymmetric Relations Between Indonesia and Singapore

The effort to repatriate funds stored abroad by Indonesian citizens, as part of the 2016 Tax Amnesty Program by the government, was deemed a failure. Only 14% of the expected funds were brought back into the country. This is very disappointing, considering the government needs substantial funds to support the financing of Indonesia's economic development, especially physical economic infrastructure development. Given that a significant portion of the funds held abroad by Indonesians is in Singapore and that the Indonesian government had requested Singapore's assistance to facilitate the repatriation of these funds, this phenomenon raises interesting questions. There are even suspicions that the Singaporean government did not care enough, and may have even hindered these repatriation efforts. This paper attempts to highlight this issue and place it within the study of a central concept in political science and international relations, namely power. Considering physical geographical size (Indonesia being the largest), demographic (the largest population), and economic (the largest GDP), why can the much larger country not influence the smaller one? Why is “Goliath” powerless in front of “Lilliput”? This case triggers a theoretical discussion about the meaning of power in political science and international relations analysis. How is power discussed in this body of knowledge? Among the various approaches in the literature, one that aptly describes the situation where the "large" is powerless against the "small" is Benjamin Cohen's "power of the balance of payment."

A Study of Media Evolution and its Integral Role in Shaping Political Dynamics in the Arab World: The Case Study of Al Jazeera Network

This article delves into the transformative journey of media within the Arab world and its profound impact on shaping political dynamics. By tracing the evolution of media, this research explores the pivotal role media has played in influencing public opinion, political discourse, and governance structures. Through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing media studies, political science, and cultural analysis, the study examines the intricate interplay between media innovation and socio-political change. This study focuses on the Arab Spring as a pivotal moment in the recent history of the Arab world, investigating the transformative role of media in shaping political dynamics during these tumultuous events. By examining Al Jazeera network as a case study and offering insights into the evolving landscape of the Arab political scene and media, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between media evolution and political transformation in the region.

Naval policy of the Russian Federation: national security issues

The relevance of the research topic is due to the need to comprehend the problems of naval policy in order to solve them within the framework of the implementation of the goals of strategic planning of maritime activities of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030. The purpose of the study is a political analysis of the current problems of Russia’s naval policy, the solution of which is necessary to achieve the goals of strategic planning for the period up to 2030 in the field of maritime activities. The objectives of the study were: 1) political analysis of the latest documents of the state policy in the field of maritime activity of Russia in order to identify the most significant problems that require prompt resolution; 2) content analysis of certain provisions of the Strategy for the Development of Maritime Activities in the Russian Federation adopted until 2030; 3) analysis of the research directions of the naval policy of Russia by Russian scientists; 4) development of recommendations on possible solutions to problems of a political and legal nature that contribute to improving the effectiveness of further implementation of Russia’s naval policy for the strategic period up to 2030. The methodology of scientific research is based on the use of methods of political science and content analysis of strategic documents that determine the vector of development of modern Russian naval policy for the next decade. The research uses methods of political science and jurisprudence (in particular, legal analysis). The author substantiates the most pressing problems of Russia’s naval policy, the solution of which directly affects the results of strategic planning of maritime activities in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030. The analysis of the positions of Russian scientists and practitioners on the problem of research is carried out. The study made it possible to formulate the necessary recommendations regarding the solution of the problems of incompleteness of international legal regulation of the maritime borders of Russia with certain neighboring states as the main problems of the implementation of modern naval policy of the Russian Federation.

The Existing Ethnic Fault Lines of Pakistan: Its Impact on the Survival of State

The paper examines Pakistan's complex network of ethnic fault lines and considers their significant ramifications for the existence of the nation. Deeply ingrained ethnic conflicts have been brought about by the historical, socio-cultural, and political terrain of the country, creating serious obstacles to national unity. The study clarifies the possible risks these fault-lines may offer to the stability and unity of the Pakistani state by looking at their historical background and historical development. Ethnic conflict is fueled by a number of factors, some of which are examined in detail, including cultural differences, political marginalization, and economic inequities. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the research provides a thorough knowledge of the intricate interactions between ethnic dynamics and state survival in Pakistan by referencing political science, sociology, and historical analysis.

Building Resilience in the European Union in Times of Polycrisis and Challenges in the Cognitive Domain

This aim of this publication is to draw attention to the need to build resilience in the societies and Member States of the European Union in times of “polycrisis” and challenges in the cognitive domain. Following an analysis of global risks and hybrid threats, as well as the emergence of artificial intelligence in today's communication and security environment, certain recommendations and conclusions are drawn to enable the EU to exploit its potential to be a “multidimensional power”, overcoming non-kinetic challenges to vulnerabilities in democratic societies, citizens' minds and emotions. In this research, a range of political science analysis methods were employed. In addition, the “mind maps” technique of the British psychologist Tony Buzan was implemented by enabling the synthesis of ideas through visual representations. On the eve of the European elections in 2024, the publication draws key conclusions and recommendations for overcoming the challenges of desinformation, perception management and psychological manipulation, which undermine trust in democratic institutions and prevent decision-makers from countering them. These include: building resilience through education, media literacy, critical thinking, digital competencies, mental toughness; the ability to think not only fast but also slow; the application of exponential design to strategic thinking; multilateralism and close cooperation with NATO.

Institutional Trust as an Object of Political Science Analysis: The Measurement Problem

The problem of trust in political institutions is currently relevant and is becoming the object of research in many scientific fields, including political science. The interest of foreign and Russian researchers is not only the understanding of this phenomenon at the theoretical level, but also its empirical analysis for solving practical problems. In addition to the problem of a conceptual explanation of the concept of “institutional trust”, which has developed due to the theoretical diversity of interpretations of this phenomenon, scientists are faced with the need to choose the best way to collect and measure data (depending on the purpose of a particular study). In this paper, the author focuses on the problem of measuring institutional trust, highlights the key areas of institutional trust analysis, considers their advantages and disadvantages.

The politics of agricultural policy and nutrition: A case study of Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP).

The concept of food and nutrition policy has broadened from simply being an aspect of health policy, to policy interventions from across a wide range of sectors, but still with potentially important impact on nutritional outcomes. This wider and more complex conceptualisation involves policy with multiple objectives and stakeholder influences. Thus, it becomes particularly important to understand the dynamics of these policy processes, including policy design and implementation. To add to this literature, we apply the Kaleidoscope Model for understanding policy change in developing country contexts to the case-study of an agricultural input subsidy (AIS) programme in Malawi, the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), exploring the dynamics of the FISP policy process including nutritional impact. Over a three-month period between 2017 and 2019 we conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders at national and district levels, and focus groups with people from rural districts in Malawi. We also undertook a review of literature relating to the political economy of the FISP. We analysed the data thematically, as per the domains of the Kaleidoscope Model. The analysis across the FISP policy process including policy design and implementation highlights how stakeholders' ideas, interests and influence have shaped the evolution of FISP policy including constraints to policy improvement-and the nutritional impacts of this. This approach extends the literature on the tensions, contradictions and challenges in food and nutrition policy by examining the reasons that these occur in Malawi with the FISP. We also add to the political science and policy analysis literature on policy implementation, extending the concept of veto players to include those targeted by the policy. The findings are important for consideration by policymakers and other stakeholders seeking to address malnutrition in rural, food-insecure populations in Malawi and other low-income settings.

Revisiting Clarke and Stewart’s (1995) investigation of PM approval and vote intentions in the UK

Economic Evaluations, Prime Ministerial Approval and Governing Party Support: Rival Models Reconsidered by Harold D. Clarke and Marianne Stewart (1995) makes major contributions both substantive and methodological. Substantively, the article contributes to literatures on economic voting and the presidentialization of British politics. Methodologically, the paper is a model of how to conduct cointegration and error correction analyses between closely related political time series. In all, the authors established a long-run equilibrium between prime ministerial approval and vote intentions for the governing party. The two variables may diverge for short periods, but vote intentions will always revert back to a level that is in line with the popularity of the PM. We extend Clarke and Stewart’s data to the present day and examine how the PM-vote intention link has endured while the effects of the economy on vote intentions have varied. We also show that, while time series analysis in political science has undergone several revolutions, Clarke and Stewart’s process of conducting two-step cointegration analysis (Engle and Granger, 1987) stands up 30 years later as a blueprint for how to investigate long-run relationships with political data.

The Need to Study Political Psychology in Malaysia

This paper aims to describe political psychology and its significance in the context of Malaysian politics. Political studies in Malaysia primarily rely on political science, political sociology, and socio-political analysis. However, it is crucial to examine the political environment and issues in Malaysia from a psychological perspective. Political psychology provides insights into the thinking and behaviour of political leaders and enables an understanding of voters' behaviour. This interdisciplinary approach enriches our comprehension of politics from diverse angles. In the Malaysian context, studying political psychology will enhance our understanding of numerous variables related to political practices. The interaction between politics and psychology, particularly the impact of psychology on politics, is an intriguing subject to explore. A deeper comprehension of political psychology in Malaysia will enable leaders to better appreciate the aspirations of the people and work towards fulfilling their needs. The study of political psychology should aim to uncover the thought processes of political actors and voters alike.

Hacking Directional Dependency in Research Design for EU Studies

AbstractEU studies extend into political science, political theory, public and foreign policy analysis, and international relations. The field's diversity speaks to different ontological, epistemological and methodological traditions and research practices. How the EU is conceived as a political reality and entity (ontology) tends to shape how researchers substantiate knowledge production about EU affairs (epistemology) and the way they uncover this knowledge (methodology), alongside choosing research methods and data. We argue that a ‘directional dependency’ exists between research ontology, epistemology, methodology and design. Using a meta‐analysis, we review EU politics research, mapping out directional dependencies in research design; how the paths operate; and deviations from those paths. We explore damaging effects of the research design process, evaluating how much this trap informs research in principle or in practice. We find that while in‐principle directional traps exist, research can be trapped to in‐practice dependencies, limiting the scope of innovation in the field.

The Power of Language and the Language of Power: Sociolinguistic Methods and Social Histories of Language and Political Power in Mobutu’s Congo-Zaire (1965–1997)

AbstractThis article argues for the potential of sociolinguistic methods to write post-colonial African history using a case study of the Mobutu regime’s use of Lingala as its language of power (langue du pouvoir) in order to rule Congo-Zaire. Oral history interviews conducted in DRC from 2019 to 2021, corroborated by sociolinguistic and political science analyses from the period under study, reveal how the Mobutu regime’s use of Lingala contributed to the privatization of the Zairian state, and the fracturing of Zairian society, but also the strengthening of Zairian and later Congolese national identity.

Political Science Analysis of Criminal Behavior and Theories Obtained from Sociological Research

Political Science Analysis of Criminal Behavior and Theories Obtained from Sociological Research

Searching for coherence in a fragmented field: Temporal and keywords network analysis in political science

AbstractIn this paper, we answer the multiple calls for systematic analysis of paradigms and subdisciplines in political science—the search for coherence within a fragmented field. We collected a large dataset of over seven hundred thousand writings in political science from Web of Science since 1946. We found at least two waves of political science development, from behaviorism to new institutionalism. Political science appeared to be more fragmented than literature suggests—instead of ten subdisciplines, we found 66 islands. However, despite fragmentation, there is also a tendency for integration in contemporary political science, as revealed by co-existence of several paradigms and coherent and interconnected topics of the “canon of political science,” as revealed by the core-periphery structure of topic networks. This was the first large-scale investigation of the entire political science field, possibly due to newly developed methods of bibliometric network analysis: temporal bibliometric analysis and island methods of clustering. Methodological contribution of this work to network science is evaluation of islands method of network clustering against a hierarchical cluster analysis for its ability to remove misleading information, allowing for a more meaningful clustering of large weighted networks.

Beyond Replication: Secondary Qualitative Data Analysis in Political Science

Shared qualitative data – such as interview or focus group transcripts – can be used for secondary qualitative data analysis (SQDA). Yet, much archived qualitative data remains unused after primary analysis. Applications and guidance on how to employ SQDA are rare. We use an example application of SQDA studying informal institutions and resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa to show: First, SQDA depends on how primary researchers share ‘raw’ qualitative data and additional documentation to understand primary context. Second, deductive and inductive uses of SQDA require varying engagement with primary data. Third, current practices of participant consent often do not consider potential SQDA. Fourth, SQDA is not less time-consuming than primary data research but offers different benefits, such as expanding the comparative sample of cases or avoiding research fatigue of studied communities. Going forward, SQDA requires greater consensus on the instruments (e.g. transcripts and participant consent forms) used by researchers and further applications of hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating designs.

PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE 2023 AS A NEW POLITICAL AGENDA FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

The article provides a deep political science analysis of the main provisions of the Message of the Head of State K.K. Tokayev to the people of Kazakhstan “Economic course of a Just Kazakhstan” dated September 1, 2023. In the Message, President Tokayev reviewed the current situation in the country, outlined key areas of work for the medium term, covered all the “painful” points of public life and set before the government clear vectors for the development of our society. According to the president, the continuation of the political modernization carried out in 2022 should now be structural economic transformations. Thus, the country faces a profound restructuring of relations in the triad “citizen – business – state.” President Tokayev believes that Kazakhstan has a chance for a powerful economic breakthrough. That is why it is necessary to gradually, but firmly and decisively move to a new economic model, which is led not by abstract achievements, but by a real improvement in the lives of citizens. Three principles - fairness, inclusiveness and pragmatism – should determine the country's new economic course. The new paradigm for the economic development of Kazakhstan will be based on the effective use of our competitive advantages, as well as unlocking the potential of all key factors of production - labor, capital, resources and technology. Within the framework of the new economic policy, the practice of setting long-term ephemeral goals should be forgotten. All tasks set out in this Message must be solved within three years; for the most difficult ones, other specific deadlines will be determined. The authors of the article consider the 2023 Presidential Message to be a new political agenda for Kazakh society, in which the basis for the emerging policy will be a focus on strengthening the middle class.