European Citizens Research Articles

IRREGULAR MIGRANTS ON THE ROADS OF SERBIA

With the onset of the migrant crisis in Europe, irregular migration is becoming a significant security problem for European leaders and citizens. As a result, there has also been a change in the public opinion of European countries, because many citizens associate irregular migration with terrorism and other security problems. In line with the growing importance of irregular migration as a security problem, the research aimed to determine changes in migration trends in Serbia, that is, on the ‘Balkan route’ of migration since 2015, when the migrant crisis in Europe began. Results that can roughly indicate the profile of an irregular migrant found on the territory of the Republic of Serbia were obtained in this research, conducted between June and August 2020 on a sample of 50 irregular migrants. An irregular migrant is a person from Afghanistan, of Islamic religion, uneducated, and of a poor financial status. They want to go to Germany for money, and they cross the borders of the countries located on the ‘Balkan route’ on foot, occasionally using the services of smugglers. Additionally, they have no problems with the border police of Serbia. The conducted research can contribute to gaining new knowledge about the problem of irregular migration, primarily about the trends that are different than they were at the time of the migrant crisis in 2015. Unlike previous research, this research is unique in that it also refers to the work of the border police and the attitude of border police officers toward irregular migrants.

Agency, institutions, and welfare chauvinism: Tracing the exclusion of European Union migrant citizens from social assistance in Germany

What explains welfare chauvinistic policy reform, that is, targeted exclusion of non-citizens from welfare? Existing research suggest that contextual factors like far-right party success, perceived immigration pressures, party ideologies and institutions could spur such reform, but the processes behind reforms remain understudied. This article draws on public policy literature to call attention the critical role of agency and institutions in welfare chauvinist reform. It focuses on a law excluding migrant EU citizens from social assistance in Germany. Through process tracing and inductive reconstruction of the policy process, based on political documents, interviews, media reporting and descriptive statistics, we show that the policy proposal originated from German city administrations; that the city of Hamburg was key in pushing for exclusions; and that Hamburg’s success in doing so crucially depended on the city’s mayor. Several comparable German cities (in terms of party politics and levels of immigration) were equally concerned with ‘welfare immigration’ and complained about problem pressure, but only Hamburg had a committed mayor with the right political networks and institutional resources to lobby for welfare exclusions at the federal level.

<p>Do Sound Fiscal Imbalances Affect Social Protection Public Spending in the EU? European Citizens versus Budget Stability.</p>

This paper examines the influence of fiscal imbalances on social protection levels in 28 European countries from 2008 to 2021. The objective is to affirm fiscal policy's cyclical or countercyclical nature and its impact on these social indicators. The novelty of this study lies in placing the European citizen at the forefront of the analysis, considering the repercussions that fiscal policies implemented by various governments have on social living conditions. Robust evidence suggests that an increase in lagged public revenues correlates with expanding social coverage, while a double-lagged public expenditure and a nation's indebtedness contribute adversely. Finally, it is confirmed that social protection expenditure exhibits more pronounced fluctuations in countries adhering to stringent fiscal rules.

Women in acute forensic psychiatric care: comparison of clinical, sociodemographic, and detention-related characteristics in pretrial detention, sentence execution, and court-ordered treatment

Compared to men inmates, women display decreased prevalence of severe mental disorder but increased occurrence of substance use disorders (SUD) and higher rates of previous contacts with mental health services. The group of women in detention is highly heterogeneous according to the status of incarceration (pre-trial detention (PTD), sentence execution (SE) and court ordered treatments (COT)). Studies focusing on the comparison of sociodemographic patterns, detention-related and clinical variables between these groups are still lacking. We explored these parameters in 136 women admitted for acute psychiatric care in the sole Geneva forensic unit during a nine year period (2014–2023). Sociodemographic and detention-related data included age, nationality, marital status, presence of children, education attainment, most frequently speaking language, social support, employment before conviction and type of offenses. Clinical variables included the main ICD-10 diagnosis, presence of concomitant SUD, type of personality disorders, presence of suicidal thoughts and attempts at admission, as well as number and mean duration of stays. PTD and SE women had at least 9 years of formal education in 38.9% and 30.3% of cases. Most women in PTD (77.7%), SE (56.6%) and COT (56.2%) groups were Swiss or European citizens. The level of French knowledge was excellent in most of the cases. 43.8% of COT women had at least one child and this percentage is even higher for PTD and SE cases. The employment rate before conviction was also quite high, mainly for PTD and SE (61.1% and 60.6%) and, in a lesser degree, for COT (43.8%) women. Significant social support was present in the vast majority of women without any significant group difference. The distribution of type of offenses did not differ between the three types of detention with a predominance of physical violence, and drug trafficking. The number of stays during the period of reference was significantly higher in COT compared to both SE and PTD women. History of previous inpatient care was also significantly more frequent in COT that SE and PTD women. Adjustment and affective disorders were more often found in SE and PTD cases, these diagnoses were absent in the COT group. In contrast, a main diagnosis of psychotic disorders was found in 62.5% of COT cases compared to only 21.2% in SE and 24.1% in PTD cases. The number of stays, history of inpatient care and diagnosis of psychosis were independent predictors of COT status. In conclusion, the present data reveal the good social integration and emotional support of women needing acute psychiatric care in prison independently of the type of detention. Clinically, women in PTD and SE display more often emotional distress whereas those in COT suffer from acute psychotic symptoms with previous history of psychiatric care and multiple inpatient stays.

Towards a Golden Age of the European Citizens’ Initiative?

Towards a Golden Age of the European Citizens’ Initiative?

‘Citizenship as incorporated beyond’ – Challenging national citizen–migrant categorisations with transnational (post)colonial relations of incorporating agrifood

ABSTRACT Migrant activists in Bremen, Germany, challenge classifications of people as national citizens or migrants by highlighting the (post)colonial and capitalist relations that have contributed and continue to contribute to this citizen–migrant divide. Based on ethnographic research and using the relational–ontological tools of material semiotics, I concretise these alternative-knowledge claims by tracing two of many entanglements (1) between the EUropean border regime, the exploitation of migrant labour in the agrifood industry, and the enactment of European citizens and companies and (2) with the (post)colonial histories underpinning these exploitative relations. First, I argue that citizen bodies and migrants’ labouring bodies are intimately related in bodily, fleshy ways. Moreover, corporations that pay taxes for national states are materially related to transnational, (post)colonial migrant labour. Second, I contribute to the literature that challenges the notion of independent individual national citizens or states. Considering citizenship–migrant categorisation based on those agrifood relations, I conceptualise ‘citizenship as incorporated beyond’. This means that national citizens and body politics such as Germany have been and continue to be brought into being by incorporating (i.e. eating, embodying, forming a corporate body, black boxing), among others, (relations of) agrifood from beyond their ‘national’ bodies and borders.

“That’s just, like, your opinion” – European citizens’ ability to distinguish factual information from opinion

Abstract In the current media landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult for citizens to rely on trustworthy information, not least because reliable facts are mixed with dubious claims, unsubstantiated opinions, or outright lies. The ability to distinguish factual from other types of mediated information is becoming increasingly crucial, but we know little about how well-equipped citizens are to make these distinctions. In an original survey study conducted in ten European countries, we asked respondents whether they considered six different statements relating to the European Union to be factual or opinion statements. Our results show that citizens have considerable difficulties in correctly identifying both factual information and opinions. Next to pre-existing judgements, we identify media-related, political, and sociodemographic factors that influence categorisation accuracy. We discuss our findings in relation to citizens’ perceptions of journalistic credibility and their information literacy as well as ongoing debates about the effectiveness of fact-checkers on social media.

Cultivating a capability for empathy in the Bologna system—the shortcomings of economics and the importance of the civil

Abstract A central aim of the original Bologna Declaration in 1999 was to give the opportunity of advancement in education to every European citizen. According to the Declaration, this goal is worth achieving not simply in order to provide better-qualified workers within the European Union, rather, the aim of higher education within the European Union is understood in a holistic sense as a prerequisite for the composition of a well-functioning European civil society. How can such an ambitious goal be achieved? In this article, we propose that the core capability at stake is that of empathy which, for this reason, should be central to programmes of European higher education. Empathy is not regarded as just a property of specific individuals but as an attribute which must be ascribed to specific forms of civil intercourse. Therefore, what is needed in European higher education is the provision of a social environment for students which allows for civil-cultivation, and for processes of self-cultivation. Self-cultivation, as described here, means more than a refinement of manners; rather, it refers to the development of a civil mode for approaching others: a mode that is sensitive and self-aware at the same time, and which can be regarded as arising out of a shared European heritage interconnecting rhetoric and sociability.

EXPLORING FINANCIAL STABILITY: THE DICHOTOMY BETWEEN THE GREEK AND THE CZECH MODEL

The European Union, as a whole construct, inevitably has some notable structural differences in its various geographical areas. In this respect, we cannot overlook the fact that the financial stability of European citizens differs from one European country to another, with some European citizens having greater financial stability in their own households and others being more exposed to financial risks. Whatever our view of financial stability is, we must consider that it must be quantified, and in this way, we will see two completely opposite models in the European area: the Czech model and the Greek model, or rather one based on the minimal state and the other based on a welfare state. Our aim is, therefore, first to establish an aggregate indicator to quantify financial stability in the various countries of the European Union, and then to understand why there are such differences at European level, especially between Greece and the Czech Republic.

Exploring the role of mobility in fostering the internationalization of teacher education – with a special focus on Europeanness

We are witnessing how significant changes are increasingly impacting our lives, future generations and society as a whole in a constantly evolving world. As a reflection of society and a place of formal education, schools provide guidance for tomorrow’s European citizens and prepare students for future challenges, even if they cannot be predicted. Teachers play a crucial role in facilitating learning, which is closely linked to personal and social development, particularly in the context of a future European society. Therefore, mobility in Teacher Education and beyond is essential to ensure high quality within the profession and to meet the expectation that teachers will become European role models. Improving the recognition of professional qualifications and detailed competences is crucial for sustainable mobility in all its dimensions. This paper aims to stimulate discussion on these issues.

Methods of foreign students from Europe and Latin America recruiting on the example of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia

This article considers the ways of international students recruiting in Russian universities using as an example the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba. As a leading university in the fields of working with international students RUDN University uses a variety of ways to attract students from Europe and Latin America. The aim of the work is to identify commonalities and differences in working with international students from Europe and Latin America, taking into account the peculiarities, level of economic and social development of the regions, their native languages and planned field of studies among applicants. The methodology used in the article is a comparative analysis of the methods of recruiting European and Latin American citizens to study at the RUDN University. In addition, the comparison uses the real practice of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba in recruiting international citizens from Europe and Latin America. The results of consideration show the effectiveness of the RUDN University methods used in the recruiting of European and Latin American students, as well as usefulness in their further implementation. The novelty lies in the comparison of the methods of international applicants recruiting from two regions – Europe and Latin America – for studies to RUDN University. The author concludes that it is advisable to operate Russian language centers, profile classes, resource centers, hold Open Olympiads to recruit talented young people to study at the RUDN University. It is also possible to continue working with recruiting companies and participation in international fairs. The possibility of introducing existing practices not only into the Russian, but also into the global educational space is being considered.

Impact of reduced sonic boom exposure on psychophysical and cognitive performance for simulated booms presented in a realistic indoor environment

This study aimed to quantify, in situations representative of the daily life of European citizens, the effects of sonic boom exposure on human responses, in the case of a new generation of supersonic commercial aircraft that should emit a reduced (compared to the past generation like Concorde) but perceivable boom while flying overland. Two reduced boom simulators were affixed to the bedrooms’ windows of a house located on our university campus. The simulators were used to study indoor the participants’ responses to realistic “outdoor” booms. Testing took place in both the living room and kitchen because the booms caused different intensities of rattle noise in those two rooms. Participants performed various tasks (communication, working memory, drawing, valence evaluation), took three mandatory rests and filled in various questionnaires about the annoyance caused by the booms and their mood. This paper focuses on the psychophysical and cognitive performance results. The booms resulted in delayed responses in the working memory task and in the valence evaluation task, and in a momentary slowing down in the drawing task. There was no significant effect in the communication task, even though a trend for a worsening of communication efficiency was observed. Taken together, the results suggest that reduced booms can interfere with cognitive and motor tasks by capturing attention, which can momentarily divert cognitive resources away from the task at hand. These results suggest future research directions and may lead to recommendations for future sonic boom regulations.

The EU’s Vaccine Diplomacy in the WHO

COVID-19 has posed a serious challenge for the European Union (EU) since 2020. The EU has adopted vaccine diplomacy, among other measures, to tackle this global pandemic. The EU also applied the Advance Purchase Agreements (APA) and export control for the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, and did not fully support a waiver for vaccine and medicine Intellectual Property (IP) in the 2022 WTO negotiation. This paper focuses primarily on the following core issues and questions: What is the concept of vaccine diplomacy? What are the theories, policy decisions, jurisprudence and practices of the EU’s vaccine diplomacy? What is the strategy of the EU for cooperating with the WHO and the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator (COVAX)?What is the significance, and implications of EU vaccine diplomacy? The EU firmly supports WHO multilateralism and the COVAX framework for vaccine distribution and health cooperation. The EU also actively participates in WHO negotiations for a new health treaty, to respond effectively to future pandemics. This paper also suggests some ways to resolve the problem about how the EU can become a contracting party to the new WHO health treaty. Despite the fact that some policies such as the APA, vaccine export control and IP waiver were criticized by some other countries, the EU’s vaccine diplomacy in the WHO is largely a great success. The EU vaccine diplomacy is expected to increase the EU’s soft power and normative influence in the WHO, and contribute greatly to the health of European citizens, other human beings and a new emerging international health order. APA, COVAX, COVID-19, export control, EU, International Pandemic Treaty, vaccine diplomacy, WHO, WTO waiver

Программа «Эразмус» в европейском и многополярном образовательном пространстве

This article delves into the role of the “Erasmus” Programme within the context of European and multipolar educational spaces. Recognized as a significant tool for international academic mobility, the “Erasmus” Programme serves as a catalyst for higher education cooperation between participating countries. The program has grown beyond its initial European scope, encompassing universities, youth organizations, and transnational corporations worldwide. The “Erasmus” is not only instrumental in fostering innovative approaches to education, encouraging knowledge exchange, and strengthening international partnerships, but also performs broader political functions. It contributes to socio-economic resources for European citizens, reinforces the EU's political stability, and promotes solidarity among the member states. The “Erasmus” Programme has become a unifying foundation for not only European countries but also a wide range of partner nations, making it an attractive model for regions worldwide and a successful instrument of the EU's foreign policy. The relevance of the “Erasmus” Program is enhanced from a practical point of view in the context of reforming the higher education system in Kazakhstan and closer integration with European educational models.

Politisches Vertrauen in Europa im Kontext von Mehrebenenstruktur und Polarisierung: Konzeptionelle Überlegungen

European democracy is undergoing profound change. The various crises of the past 15 years and the transformations associated with modernisation, globalisation, geopolitics and Europeanisation are threatening the trust of citizens in political actors and institutions and the legitimacy of the EU multi-level system. This goes hand in hand with the polarisation of European societies. In order to counter these developments, the problems of trust and legitimacy must be better researched. This is where the ActEU research project “Towards a new era of representative democracy. Activating European Citizens’ Trust in Times of Crises and Polarisation” comes in. This article provides an overview of the underlying conceptual considerations of the Horizon Europe project.

Social or environmental consciousness? Exploring the consumption of cooperative wines among European citizens

Although the role of wine cooperatives in supporting sustainability has been deeply analysed on the supply side, the study of consumers’ perception and behaviour when choosing these wines is still scarce. This paper analyses the attitudes, preferences and the willingness to pay (WTP) of European consumers, both when they purchase cooperative-produced wines and in their attitude to consuming these wines. Their preferences between cooperative-produced and organic wines were compared with the aim of understanding whether they prioritise the social aspects of the cooperatives or the environmentally friendly aspects of organic production. A survey among 3,295 individuals in different European countries was carried out. The data were firstly analysed by means of univariate tests to assess consumers’ heterogeneity and by a bivariate probit model to explore the drivers of attitude and behaviour; then a multinomial logit and a random parameters logit framework were adopted. We found an association between familiarity with cooperative and organic wines and thus the propensity to buy these products and a higher WTP for organic than cooperative wines. Our findings suggest that producing organic wines might be a strategy for wine cooperatives to better target the market.

European Health Data Space: A New Era in EU Health

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union (EU) put in action the plan to create a European Health Union, the structural pillar of which is the creation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). In 2022, the European Commission presented the proposal for a regulation for its creation. Its purpose is to enable European citizens to control their health data and to strengthen health research and innovation in the EU. The EHDS is a key step in the transition to digital health in the EU. Digital health is the means to enhance the resilience of healthcare systems in the EU as it will strengthen healthcare. For this reason, the "MyHealth@EU" platform is being created, which will contribute both to the transfer of primary data and to checking the validity of digital health documents. On the research and innovation side, the “HealthData@EU” platform is being developed, which will bring together a plethora of health data. The EHDS Board will play a coordinating role in the EHDS project. The policy brief concludes with the need for an immediate adoption of the proposed EHDS Regulation, which will contribute to improving healthcare provision while completing the single internal market and achieving the free circulation of health data.

Equivalent experience

I87 million European citizens have some form of disability. In an ideal world, every product should be accessible to everyone through an inclusive design process that ensures an equivalent experience for all. Designing web and mobile applications with accessibility as a priority means designing interaction systems that are "interoperable", i.e. always reliable in different contexts of use and in the presence of different methods of navigation, data entry and exchange. For this reason, the UX/UI designer must acquire specific skills in the field of web standards and thus learn the basics of HTML semantics, essential for the design of accessible web components. So don't stop at the surface, but go deeper to meet everyone's needs. The article aims to address the issue of accessibility in the design of mobile applications and websites according to current Web Standards, through the analysis of case studies and best practices, in order to delineate the role of the designer within the whole development process in relation to the other figures involved.

Making libraries accessible: The vision of Access City Award winners

For over 10 years, the Access City Award, presented by the European Commission in conjunction with the European Disability Forum, has raised awareness of and concern for the issues of people with disabilities, while continuing to promote accessibility for all European citizens. Looking at the whole palette of good practices in providing accessible environments implemented by the prizewinners, it is striking that library accessibility is not only part of them but is being established as a priority for many cities. This article presents the library accessibility activities of 20 cities that have won the Access City Award from its first iteration in 2011 to 2022 and have focused on this type of accessibility in their portfolio. It is concluded that far from being a luxury, library accessibility is now a necessary normality, and the achievements of Access City Award winners in this field are an inspiration for all cities that adopt accessibility as their mission.

Transformative Education and Experience-Based Learning for Refugee Empowerment and Peaceful Coexistence in European Society: Role-Playing and Drama Simulation Approaches

This essay underscores the significance of transformative education and experience-based learning methods. In "The Path" workshop, refugees and European citizens actively engage, sharing transformative experiences through role-playing and drama simulation. These methods serve as a powerful catalyst for social change by fostering empathy, cross-cultural understanding, and harmonious coexistence. By immersing participants in these learning experiences, the transformative potential of this educational approach becomes evident, contributing to a more informed, inclusive, and empathetic European society.