City State Research Articles

‘It’s the same path, just another direction’: Ghanaian newcomers’ strategic navigations of a German two-pillar model for secondary schooling

ABSTRACT The different school forms within Germany’s tracked education system have traditionally led to different diplomas and thus future education and work prospects. Tracking has persistently disadvantaged migrant youth, who are over-represented in lower tracks. Since a 2010 reform introduced a two-pillar model in city–state Hamburg, the two remaining secondary-school forms, Gymnasium and Stadtteilschule, both offer the university-entrance qualification (Abitur) but remain socioculturally segregated. Based on 14 months of multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork (Ghana and Germany), this paper explores how Ghanaian newcomers who want to obtain the Abitur strategically navigate Hamburg’s secondary-school system. The paper argues that the two-pillar model creates space for newcomers to consider factors beyond diploma accessibility in their educational trajectories, namely academic and sociocultural factors, thus leading to varied, and sometimes unexpected, pathways to reach their goal. Further, it demonstrates the value of youth-centric and transnational research approaches for revealing newcomers’ agency in strategically navigating their educational trajectories.

The changes in the public legal status of magistrates and state policy towards citizens in 1725-1762

Relevance. The article examines the process of changing the public legal status of city magistrates through the prism of transformations in the fields of trade and urban self-government. Since 1995, a program of state support for local self-government has been implemented in Russia. Government assistance measures for small and mediu-sized businesses are developed annually. In this regard, a retrospective analysis of the experience of the functioning of magistrates, who carried out both urban management and economic and legal protection of the trade and craft population, will improve the quality of reforms at the present stage.The purpose. To consider how the public legal status of magistrates has changed depending on state policy towards the urban populationObjectives: to analyze the main directions of the socio-economic policy of the state; to study how the competencies of magistrates and their subordination have changed depending on the existence of the Chief MagistrateMethodology. The research is based on the principles of objectivity and historicism. The scientific tools of the work consisted of the following methods of historical cognition: problem-chronological, historical-comparative, historical-genetic, historical-systemic.Results. Magistrates, established in 1720, had a wide range of competencies and were of a state nature. Along with judicial and fiscal powers, they were endowed with many administrative functions. From February 1720 to August 18, 1727, the magistrate system represented an independent structure controlled by the Chief Magistrate. From August 1727 to May 5, 1743, due to the deprivation of the Chief Magistrate of the collegium status, magistrates began to obey the voivodes and governors, which did not affect their versatility. From May 1743 to June 1762, they were again subordinate to the Chief Magistrate.Conclusion. Despite the temporary abolition of the Chief Magistrate and the subordination of magistrates to voivodes and governors, these institutions continued to combine judicial, administrative and fiscal powers.

Spatial Analysis of the Presence of Rats in three Student Housing Areas of Makassar City State Universities

Spatial Analysis of the Presence of Rats in three Student Housing Areas of Makassar City State Universities

The governing system of the Vatican City State under the Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State of 2023

ObjectivesThis article aims at characterising the current Fundamental Law ("constitution") of the Vatican City State with particular attention given to the amendments introduced by Pope Francis in 2023. The article will attempt to answer the following questions: What was the reason for the reform of the Vatican City State? What is the structure of the Vatican City State? What distinguishes the Vatican City State from other states?Material and methodsThe article will use the sources of law and available literature on the subject. Historical-legal and dogmatic-legal methods will be used.ResultsIn the article the reasons for the reform were presented. For this purpose, the origins, the concept and the specificity of the Vatican City State as guarantor of the independence and sovereignty of the Holy See were described. This was followed by a characterisation of the governing system of the Vatican City State. This issue required an in-depth analysis due to the fact that the Vatican City State, despite being an absolute monarchy in which the Sovereign enjoys full power, has specialised bodies equipped with legislative, executive and judicial functions, which they always exercise on behalf of the Pope.ConclusionsPope Francis justified the necessity of the reform by “the needs of our time”. In this context, he recalled that the Vatican State was created in 1929 as an instrument to ensure the Holy See’s independence and guarantee its sovereignty also in the international arena. It must be pointed that the structure of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State has been changed, which can also include “other members”, thus also lay persons.

Exposure/Risk Assessment of Employees in Gasoline Refueling Stations with and Without the Efficacy of Vapor Recovery Systems in Mexico

Concerns regarding the health risks associated with employe exposure to volatile chemicals during gasoline refueling necessitates rigorous investigation and effective countermeasures. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of vapor recovery systems in mitigating exposure risks during gasoline refueling. Employee exposure to volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, carbon monoxide, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was assessed at gasoline stations with and without vapor recovery systems. Three stations each from the State of Mexico and Mexico City, equipped with gasoline vapor recovery systems, were compared with three stations in Guadalajara lacking such systems. The exposure concentrations (mean ± standard deviation) to benzene in Guadalajara, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City were 45 ± 29, 24 ± 20, and 18 ± 15 μg/m3, respectively, which were significantly higher than the background atmospheric concentrations at 1.6 ± 0.56, 0.72 ± 0.083, and 0.65 ± 0.14 μg/m3, respectively. Similarly, the exposure concentrations of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes at gasoline stations were significantly higher than the background atmospheric concentrations. However, the exposure concentrations of formaldehyde and PM2.5 were similar to the background atmospheric concentrations. The excess cancer risks due to benzene exposure were estimated at 1.2–4.2 × 10−5, 0.63–2.2 × 10−5, and 0.46–1.6 × 10−5 (mean) and 0.42–1.5 × 10−4, 0.29–1.0 × 10−4, and 2.4–8.6 × 10−5 (maximum) in Guadalajara, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City, respectively. The risk to employees in gasoline stations was reduced by 47–61% in service stations with gasoline vapor recovery systems.

Graffiti in Public Spaces in the City State of Setif, Algeria

Objectives: The present study aims to discover the themes or categories that characterize graffiti writings in public spaces in the City State of Setif, Algeria. It is worth mentioning that Setif City - the state of Setif - is an eastern city in Algeria; it is near to the state where one of the researchers resides. This fact made data collection an easy task. Methods: Using photographing, the researchers collected 330 graffiti tokens from public spaces in six townships of Setif City. However, among the total number of graffiti only 191 graffiti works had writings, and thus, they were selected as the study sample. The researchers relied on the qualitative and quantitative content analyses framework for data analysis. Results: The analysis showed that graffiti in public spaces of Setif City expressed 19 communicative themes or categories, namely society, politics, resistance, peace, education, history, heritage, sports, motherland, art, personal thoughts and sentiments, expressiveness, commerce, prevention, awareness and guidance, embellishment, health, environment, and finally miscellaneousness. Moreover, the study showed that some of graffiti writings have more than one theme or communicative category. Conclusions: The study concludes that the graffiti of Setif City was used to transmit various messages about many different issues in life.

Implementation of Teacher’s Duties in the Implementation of the Independent Curriculum at the State Vocational School of Padang City`

This research is motivated by the problem that the implementation of teacher’s duties is still not optimal in the implementation of the independent curriculum at the State Vocational School in Padang city. This study aims to obtain information and describe the implementation of teacher’s duties in the implementation of the independent curriculum which is seen from several aspects including learning planning, learning implementation, assessment, processing of assessment results, reporting of learning outcomes, as well as reflection and follow-up of learning and assessment. This type of research is quantitative descriptive research. The population of this study is all teachers of Padang City State Vocational School with civil servant status totaling 635 teachers. The sample taken in this study was 112 civil servant teachers who were determined by the proportional stratified Random Sampling technique. The instrument in this study uses a Likert scale model questionnaire with five answer options that have been tested for validity and reliability. The data was processed using the mean formula. The results of this study stated that the Implementation of Teacher Duties in the Implementation of the Independent Curriculum at the State Vocational School of Padang City with an average score of 4.44 was in the good category. This shows that the implementation of teacher’s duties in the implementation of the independent curriculum at the State Vocational School in Padang City is good.

Smart city frameworks SWOT analysis: a systematic literature review

In the past decade, the concept of “smart cities” has gained popularity as a way to address and manage challenges and complexities in urban areas. Different smart city frameworks have been proposed and the term “framework” has been defined, examined and proposed in various ways, with each interpretation taking a distinct approach. From a different angle, some frameworks highlight how the smart city concept is implemented, while others concentrate on assessing the initiatives’ level of success. An additional collection of frameworks concentrated on the essential elements needed to make up a smart city. This research explicitly analyses frameworks concentrating on fundamental components to identify and suggest essential elements for developing an adaptable, sustainable smart city structure. Using a methodological approach that focused on the core elements of smart city structure, the research comprised of conducting a systematic literature review (SLR), and carrying out an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of existing frameworks. Based on the area of focus, the analysed frameworks were grouped into four categories: human-centric, techno-centric, integrated human-techno-centric and environmental-focus frameworks for easy SWOT analysis. The findings revealed that cyber-security issues pose threats to all frameworks and there are technological dependency vulnerabilities. This shows that technology is the driver/enabler of achieving smart city status. In addition, with the help of proper governance and effective management, involving citizens is key to releasing the potential for sustainable smart forms. Hence, the authors believe that technology, good governance, environmental concerns and citizens are essential components of an adaptable, sustainable smart city framework. A framework built on these crucial components is unique because it can be customised to fit any city. Management, infrastructural development and degree of public participation depend on different city configurations.

Проблемы развития наукоградов Российской Федерации

This article is devoted to the need for the development of cities with the status of a science city of the Russian Federation, whose innovative structure is aimed at creating unique scientific and technical developments and products. The paper analyzed the main indicators of science cities of the Russian Federation (funding volumes, population, etc.), and identified problems affecting the development of these territories. The author also notes that the main task for the state is the economic growth and sovereignty of the country, which can be achieved through the training of highly qualified personnel, breakthrough research and development, modern material and technical base and innovative activities. Further development of the country is possible only thanks to the return of the former image to the science cities of the Russian Federation — the development of territories with high scientific and innovative potential, with a comfortable urban environment attractive for work and life.

Demographic and Regional Labour Market Analysis of the Historic Market Towns of Greater Cumania, Hungary

The subject of my research is the study of the settlements with a rural-urban past in the Greater Cumania (Hungarian name of the region: Nagykunság). This historic small region in the Northern Great Plain region is a region with many economic and social problems. My research covers six settlements, all of which have a rural-urban past, but only five of them have city status today: Karcag, Kisújszállás Kunhegyes, Kunszentmárton and Túrkeve. Kunmadaras is a municipality. The focus of my research is on the common economic and cultural heritage of these settlements and their unique development paths. The common economic and cultural heritage is the past as a field town, and the heritage that the Kuns who founded the settlements not only had an administration independent of the county system, a patent status, but also shared a common culture. Grater Cumania as a historical region is no longer a functional unit. Starting from common foundations, the six settlements have responded differently to the challenges of the past decades. The extent to which each of them has successfully responded to the economic and social challenges they have faced is faithfully reflected in their economic and social relations. The aim of my research is, on the one hand, to review the current balance of the settlements with a rural-urban past in Greater Cumania, both individually and in comparison with each other, in order to identify future opportunities, possibilities and threats. On the other hand, my aim is also to examine what the common Greater Cumanian heritage means for the settlements that have taken different development paths and rely on different spatial relations. Can a cultural product, a brand, be built out of it?

Major Crime Trends Differ in New York City and New York State

Major Crime Trends Differ in New York City and New York State

Research on the positioning and enhancement path of marine cities in China’s internal circulation network

IntroductionChina’s marine cities have reached a critical juncture after 40 years of rapid development. In this new stage, where internal circulation is the main focus, there is a need to enhance the internal circulation capabilities of these cities and unleash their full economic potential. This paper aims to explore the positioning and improvement path of marine cities in China's internal circulation network, and fully unleash the development potential of marine cities.MethodsBased on data from 284 prefecture-level cities in China, this paper constructs the social network of China's urban internal circulation with the help of the modified gravity model, and explores the conditional configuration of the improvement of the status of marine cities in internal circulation network by using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method.Results and discussion(1) The development level of marine cities' internal circulation can be categorized into three tiers, led by Shanghai. The development gap between the 14 marine cities has gradually widened over recent years. (2) Chinese marine cities can be divided into three groups in the topological structure of China's urban internal circulation network: core, periphery, and edge, with Shanghai being the core "bridge" in the network. The traditional advantages of some northern economically strong cities in the construction of the internal circulation network have gradually been lost, and many marine cities have seen their leadership and control over the internal circulation network significantly weakened. (3) No single factor is a necessary condition for achieving a high-level status of marine cities in the internal circulation network. (4) The four conditional variables of demand side, supply side, industrial linkage and inter-regional integration have two sufficient condition configurations to enhance the status of marine cities in internal circulation network. Among them, the "industry-regional integration"-dominated configuration with the core of unblocking the bottlenecks of the internal circulation is the main path.

Respon Peserta Didik SMA Negeri Kelas X Tentang Pemanfaatan Media Pembelajaran Geografi di Kota Samarinda

Learning media is one of the learning tools that greatly influences students in the learning process and this research aims to find out students' responses regarding the learning media used in learning and to find out the use of geographic media in Samarinda City State High School. This research uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The data collection techniques used are indirect and direct communication. The data collection tools used were questionnaire sheets which were distributed and filled out online, conducting interviews with educators directly or face to face, and researchers conducting observations at 3 schools, namely SMAN 3, SMAN 8 and SMAN 12 in the city of Samarinda. The sampling technique uses purposive sampling. The data analysis techniques used in this research are data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. Based on the results of this research, it shows that students' responses to geography learning media obtained from 3 schools, namely SMAN 3 Samarinda with a total of 72 students, obtained an average percentage score of 83.48% with very good criteria, SMAN 8 Samarinda with a total of 83.48% of students. 69 people got an average percentage score of 77.84% with very good criteria and SMAN 12 Samarinda with a total of 70 students got an average percentage score 76.80% with very good criteria. From the results of this research, it can be seen that SMAN 3 Samarinda received the highest percentage score compared to SMAN 8 and SMAN 12 Samarinda. Utilization of geographic media from the results obtained from 3 schools, namely SMAN 3 Samarinda using LCD projector, PowerPoint, ClassPoint applications, maps, atlas and YouTube. SMAN 8 Samarinda LCD projector, PowerPoint, Google Classroom application, Google Earth application, Google Maps application, and YouTube. Meanwhile, SMAN 12 Samarinda uses LCD projector, PowerPoint, YouTube, maps, globe and quizizz applications. Using learning media in schools is very useful for students to understand and improve the geography learning process. (From the results obtained by student responses based on percentages via the percentage table, the average student response has good and very good criteria).

The Great League of Israel?: Historical Scepticism and the Amphictyony Hypothesis in 20th Century Biblical Studies

Abstract This paper explores the social circumstances of 20th-century Biblical Studies surrounding the popularity of the amphictyony hypothesis – comparing tribal Israel to the Greek amphictyony of city states. I argue that this theory allowed scholars to reverse-engineer the importance of the Pentateuch as an early but skewed historical source against German historical scepticism. The »Baltimore School« exemplified such efforts were mainly motivated by Protestant biblicism. The theory broke down because it relied on superficial readings of Classics scholarship and convoluted historical reconstruction.

Planning for Developing Urban Tourism Destinations (Study at the Tourism Office of Kupang City)

Tourism management in Kupang City requires significant attention from the local government due to its current low income from this sector. Given the city's promising tourism potential, it can be a vital avenue to boost local revenue, enhance the community's economy, and foster regional development. This qualitative research involved primary and secondary data sources collected via observation, interviews, and document searches with 40 informants. The data were analyzed using Creswell's (2016) methodology. Findings indicate that: (a) Both official and unofficial actors are involved in planning; (b) Economic reviews identify community mindset as a threat, economic development as an opportunity, budget constraints as a weakness, and the city's status as the provincial capital and gateway to Timor Leste as strengths; (c) Current tourism is limited to natural sites, with urban tourism development not yet optimal; (d) Goals and strategies are aligned with the city's vision and mission, requiring communication between stakeholders and the community; (e) The Kupang City Tourism Office is still developing the city tourism development plan.

Evaluating the Smart City Status and Acceptance of ISO Standards: A Case Study of Malaysian Local Authority

While most national smart city frameworks outline the urban challenges, local authorities struggle to translate the top-down plan and align the action plan with ISO 37122 indicators, including the case of Majlis Bandaraya Diraja Klang (MBDK), Malaysia. This study aims to evaluate MBDK’s smart city status and examines the acceptance of ISO standards. The quantitative survey findings indicate a positive perception of smart city status, with unanimous agreement on the importance of ISO standards. This research contributed to one of the pioneer studies evaluating the acceptance of ISO indicators in smart city development in Malaysia and beyond.

The proposal of a 15-minute city composite index through integrating GPS trajectory data-inferred urban function attraction based on the Bayesian framework

The chrono-urbanism framework suggests that urban life quality decreases with increased time spent in transportation, particularly motorized modes. The 15-min city concept, aligned with chrono-urbanism, emphasizes the importance of reaching essential urban functions within a short active travel time and has gained global attention. This study aims to develop a 15-min city composite index score (CIS) using the chrono-urbanism framework. The CIS integrates spatial accessibility to six key urban functions, providing a holistic assessment of the 15-min city status in Wuhan, China. Urban function accessibility is computed based on visitor volume inferred from GPS trajectory data using the Bayesian framework. Results reveal CIS hotspots in Hongshan, Wuchang, Jiangan, and Qingshan districts, with Hongshan having the highest concentration. However, Wuhan faces challenges in achieving comprehensive 15-min city status, as hotspots are mainly concentrated in specific areas like university towns and traditional city centers. The proposed assessment approach is applicable to accurately evaluate the 15-min status in other urban contexts using GPS trajectory data. The study's findings can assist policymakers in understanding CIS hotspot distribution and developing future planning policies to enhance the overall 15-min city status.

(Cautiously) Embracing pro-Palestinian activism in Singapore: civil society in illiberal regimes

ABSTRACT This paper explores the rise of pro-Palestine activism in Singapore. In illiberal regimes like the city–state, the political opportunities for activists to assert themselves are limited, though not non-existent. It is thus instructive to witness how the new surge of pro-Palestine activism in the country, and indeed, worldwide, has been dealt with by the government. I make the following claims. First, while the overall thrusts of Singapore’s foreign and domestic policies remain the same with regard to the Israel–Palestine conflict, especially on Singapore’s special relationship with Israel, the People’s Action Party (PAP) government has given clear concessions to the pro-Palestinian camp. Second, this balancing act is done with domestic electoral and political goals in mind. The issue has special resonance among younger Singaporeans and the Muslim community, and the government is well-aware of that. Politically, if not dealt with properly, the matter could also be a potential racial-religious fault-line, which is why political sophistication was needed to appease the various sides in society. The implication is that even in less democratic polities like Singapore, activists can make significant gains in the realm of both public opinion and policy. This study is situated within the literature on civil society-state relations.

Epizootiological monitoring and the clinical manifestation of canine chlamydiosis

Canine chlamydiosis can manifest as an asymptomatic infection or as a serious disease. The most common cause of chlamydia in dogs is psittaci. These pathogens have the potential to cause disease in pet owners. A review of scientific studies on the epidemiology of chlamydia in dogs from various countries reveals a wide range of clinical manifestations, age groups, and breeds susceptible to this disease. This study aimed to examine the distribution of chlamydia in dogs across different countries and to identify the clinical and epidemiological features of chlamydiosis in dogs in the Irpin City State Hospital of Veterinary Medicine's service area. In order to study the distribution and epizootic situation regarding canine chlamydiosis in countries around the world, a variety of sources were consulted, including the MDPI Open Access Journals website, Google Scholar, the Croatian scientific and technical journal portal Hrčak, the scientific portal ResearchGate, and the international journal Sciencedirect. An analysis of the epizootological features and clinical manifestations of chlamydiosis in 166 dogs was conducted using the logs of outpatient admission of animals for 2022 and 2023. Concurrently, the diagnosis was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in a certified laboratory in Balt, Kyiv. The findings revealed that chlamydia is present in 11.7% of the sampled dogs. Concurrently, other prevalent conditions include parainfluenza (cabin cough), which accounts for 20.8% of cases, diarrhea of various etiologies (22%), and parovoviral enteritis (17.5%). The analysis of sexual resistance to chlamydiosis demonstrated that males exhibited a lower prevalence of chlamydial infection than females. Over the past two years, the mean prevalence of chlamydia has been 13.4% higher in females than in males. A statistical analysis of the disease in 15 breeds of 85 dogs revealed that the following breeds exhibited a higher prevalence of disease: purebreds (15 heads, 17.6%), Staffordshire terriers (9 heads, 10.6%), and German shepherds (8 heads, 9.4%). The study of seasonality demonstrated that the disease reached its highest prevalence in the fall (November) and winter (February), with the majority of cases occurring in March during the spring. The majority of cases are diagnosed between December and April. The study of the clinical manifestations of the disease revealed that chlamydiosis can manifest in five distinct forms: arthritic, intestinal, genital, respiratory, and keratoconjunctival. The arthritic and keratoconjunctival forms of the disease are most frequently documented. These forms of the disease constitute over 50% of the clinical manifestation of the disease, with arthritic forms accounting for 34.1% and keratoconjunctival forms accounting for 23.5% of the total number. The age group most frequently affected by chlamydia was that of dogs between 9 months and 3 years old, comprising 57% of the total number of animals. The mean arithmetic indicators of the experimental groups of animals demonstrated that 20.09% of animals under one year of age were affected, while 63.76% of animals between one and four years of age, and 16.16% of animals aged four years and older exhibited signs of disease

The comprehensive large-scale redevelopment of Pazhou Village in Guangzhou, China: The interaction of state, market and local community

Urban villages are an important element of the urban environment in China. Often characterized by high densities, illegal construction and poor quality, the key issue of urban villages for city planners and officials is whether to try to comprehensively redevelop them or opt for gradual upgrading. This paper provides an evaluation of the comprehensive redevelopment of Pazhou Village in Guangzhou, China, after a decade and shows that under certain important conditions including good co-operation between governments, developers and village collectives, land use intensification and participatory planning, it is possible for comprehensive redevelopment to benefit the original villagers. The redevelopment was initiated by the local state, and the case study examines the dynamic interactions between the key actors and their respective roles in ensuring the success of the development. Using the theory of state entrepreneurialism, the findings highlight the leading yet subtle role of the state in Chinese cities.