Civic Action Research Articles

Зеленый кнут? Силовой фактор и неполитические протесты в российских регионах на примере экологической мобилизации

Environmental activism is one of the important forms of civic activity in all types of political regimes. But under the conditions of autocracies it has a distinct specificity, which involves a conscious distancing from politics. The tendency to avoid “politicization” is an integral component of the strategy of eco-activists, who are well aware of the risks of protest actions in an authoritarian context. Environmental protest activity is often perceived as non-political by the ruling elites, but their reaction to it varies. In search of an answer to the question about the causes of such variations the authors elaborate a theoretical model, according to which the reaction of elites to environmental activism is determined by the power potential of the heads of executive government in combination with a high level of inequality, which signals the possible risks of eco-protests turning into broad political mobilization. The model is tested on data concerning environmental protests in Russian regions. By using the method of statistical modelling, the authors come to the conclusion, that the factor of socio-economic inequality does not affect the intensity of environmental mobilization, but has a key significance as a catalyst for the coercive reaction of the authorities. In the regions with high levels of inequality, the “stick” is systematically applied to environmentalists, while in regions with relatively moderate economic stratification environmental protests remain an acceptable form of expressing discontent. At the same time, the presence of a coercive component in the political capital of regional elites plays a crucial role in reducing the eco-protest potential. In addition to that, the research indicates that regional protest activity on environmental issues in Russia is leaving the format of non-political mobilization. As a result, the authorities’ response is increasingly based on suppression, similar to other types of protests, which potentially limits the opportunities for conveying an environmental agenda.

Fields of synergy - theory and practice of cooperation between social enterprises and business

Face of social, economic, environmental challenges and proliferation of multi-crises - a development of social entrepreneurship, involvement and civic activism become very desirable. A need for interactions and cooperation between various groups of actors present in the local spaces is often seen as the contemporary paradigm. The aim of the study is to conceptualize the cooperation process between social enterprises and business. The presented results of empirical research constitute the basis for identifying potential areas of cooperation to increase the potential of social entrepreneurship. The research is based on a case study conducted in a local environment. Theoretical research was conducted using the deductive method. Empirical research methodology was used in the form of interviews and business modeling techniques. The phenomenon of cooperation was explored against the background of opportunities to develop social entrepreneurship, strengthen the potential of cooperating enterprises and achieve benefits for local communities. The result of the research is the discovery of the basic dimensions of practical and effective cooperation between social enterprises and business in the form of an analog-representational model. In the proposed research approach, mutual involvement in joint initiatives based on active involvement, lasting and interactive cooperation and sharing was considered crucial. The research covered the context of creating innovation potential, outsourcing services, implementing the common good and sharing resources. It seems that the presented approach may be universal and can be extrapolated to other regions and cultural contexts.

Becoming activists: how young athletes use visual tools for civic action and meaning-making within participatory research

How can participatory research, combined with visual methods, enable young people to grow as engaged citizens in their communities? This article introduces an innovative methodological design that draws on a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) approach with 33 young athletes aged 11 to 16 from two different educational settings. Based on both observation notes from the community profiling process and visual materials produced by the young people throughout that process, we analyze how they become activists, taking sports as the ground for mobilization and intervention in their communities. Specifically, we examine the visual activist strategies and the visual meaning-making representations that resulted from young people’s engagement in participatory research. Novel findings include the realization that young people with no previous experience in activism strongly prefer visual and performative formats of participation, often in connection with digital and online arenas. Additionally, data analyses reveal that participants particularly value collective moments of learning, negotiation, and preparation of activist actions. This article highlights the increasing prevalence of visual-oriented modes of civic engagement and the potential of participatory methodologies in fostering critical awareness, meaningful decision-making, and a sense of agency among young people.

Storypath: How Civic Advocacy Through Creating Music Empowers Civic and Political Thinking in Elementary Classrooms

This descriptive qualitative study examined how the Storypath (also known as Storyline) approach to teaching social studies involves elementary school students in action civics (authentic civic activities, self-chosen issues, ongoing reflection, decisions valued). Storypath, a project-based approach, utilizes the story structure to frame learning through an inquiry process whereby students consider an overarching question about a topic, create a relevant setting, become characters in the setting, and engage in the plot of the story (critical incidents). This Storypath engaged a class of ethnically and culturally diverse fifth graders in creating a music company (setting) dedicated to producing songs for social change. As company employees (characters), students researched issues they chose (affirming their agency in the learning process), then created songs and music videos for social impact. The arts (songs and videos) and technology (digital media) became integral to students’ efforts as they created and recorded music to share with the world. Students responded to Padlet and worksheet prompts, wrote song lyrics, and recorded music videos which all were analyzed to address this research question: What did authentic civic advocacy through creating music within the Storypath approach reveal about elementary students’ civic disciplinary knowledge, thinking, and skills? Findings revealed two overarching types of thinking: civic and political. Evidence indicates that civic thinking was justice-oriented for social well-being while political thinking was influence-oriented for strategic impact. This suggests that the Storypath implemented in this study can engage elementary school students in authentic civic advocacy within the classroom to cultivate civic and political thinking for meaningful participation in democratic life beyond the classroom.

Living, doing and learning in sport, civic and political activities: possible paths for positive youth development

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between patterns of youth participation in sports, civic and political activities, and positive youth development outcomes, including social and personal responsibility. It used cluster analysis complemented by a MANOVA and MANCOVA. A sample of 1,174 secondary vocational students (57.1% female) aged 14–19 completed an online questionnaire. Results show that different participation patterns promote different developmental outcomes; combining sports and citizenship activities enhances character, caring, and social and personal responsibility. Gender and age are significant moderating factors in the relationship between youth participation patterns and developmental outcomes, with girls scoring higher in character, caring and personal responsibility, while boys showed higher levels of competence and confidence. Older students revealed weaker competence and personal responsibility. This study emphasizes the benefits of combining different activities to promote youth development and the role of schools in promoting active, socially responsible youth. The study appeals to adapted interventions and for more research into contextual variables and long-term effects.

다문화 이해교육 커리큘럼과 모듈의 활용

This study aimed to enhance the utilization of the Korea Healthy Family Support Center’s standardized multicultural education curriculum by incorporating the needs of professional instructors and analyzing the modular curriculum to propose key topics for different target groups. Professional instructors emphasized the importance of structuring education to help individuals recognize multiculturalism, including self-awareness. They also stressed the need to base the entire lecture process on cultural diversity, sensitivity, and acceptance while emphasizing content placement and examples that promote mutual relationships, coexistence in society, and civic actions. The main target groups in the field were divided into four categories (children, adolescents, adults, including military personnel, and employees and public officials), highlighting the necessity of guidelines for efficient lecture planning. The common theme proposed was ‘Civic Action in a Multicultural Society,’ with key topics tailored to the characteristics, educational duration, and environment of each group.

Colleges as anchors of their communities: emergence and agglomeration

ABSTRACT This paper argues that colleges anchor their communities by developing knowledge and skills within their region; establishing links and exchanges outside the region; contributing to civic, political, cultural, and social activities and networks in their region; developing facilities and amenities used by the community; and, contributing to their region’s economic activity. Particularly important are colleges’ development of shared, collective or communal capacities, since these develop communities as communities, rather than individuals and organisations as discrete members of communities. We use Durkheimian sociology and critical realism to re-interpret the concept of agglomeration which we borrow from economics to trace the evolution of the concept of anchor institutions. Agglomeration is a particular type of emergence of phenomena from the interaction of components, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We argue that colleges benefit their communities through the agglomeration of activities and organisations, from which emerge distinctive characteristics of their communities. This leads to the economic, social, and cultural benefits of agglomeration or clustering of activities within a geographic area. The accumulation of knowledge and knowledgeable people in communities increases the sharing of knowledge between people and organisations, and facilitates the generation and diffusion of knowledge.

Rising Strong: Does Personal Resilience Drive Civic Engagement During Disasters?

Background: In the crucible of disasters, civic engagement emerges as a dynamic force that channels individual strength and collective willpower toward the common good. Although it has been recognized as a necessary precondition for community resilience, studies on the motivators for citizens’ activities during disasters are relatively limited. This study underscores the interplay of personal resilience, risk perception, and coping strategies in the context of emergency-oriented civic engagement. It provides a robust framework for comprehending the cognitive and emotional processes that drive individuals’ responses to threats and risks to improve knowledge about public behavior, psychological conditions, and mental health during man-made disasters. Method: an online survey was conducted with a sample of 1514 citizens in Israel. A model incorporating both moderation and mediation effects was proposed. Results: The results reveal a consistent positive relationship between personal resilience and emergency-oriented civic engagement and point to the importance of both the intervening role of risk perception and the moderating role of coping strategies. Conclusions: discuss the importance of resilience-building programs and the promotion of positive coping strategies which can empower individuals to navigate the complexities of risk perception and engage actively in civic activities during disasters.

‘Under a Just King Every Soldier Is a Citizen’: Acclaiming Military Honour and Mobilizing Civic Action in the Habsburg Monarchy during the Coalition Wars

Abstract This article highlights the regular soldier’s place in political rhetoric that urged the Habsburg Monarchy’s inhabitants to view support for the war against Revolutionary and Imperial France as a moral imperative. It establishes how military honour as a system of sociality and social disciplining, founded on contemporary ideals of virtue and natural law, promoted acts of selfless citizenship within a newly formed standing army that supported Habsburg state-building in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The article then shows how regular soldiers of the Monarchy’s army were continually represented by the government and its supporters as selfless servants of the state, eliciting acts of loyalty in different places from those untouched by mandatory wartime demands. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which the educated middle class (Bürgertum) contributed to the Habsburg war effort through decades of localized wartime philanthropy. This article argues these people were motivated to do so through social and cultural changes that made self-identifying with the conscripted poor possible. By participating in civic society in this way, a generally progressive prewar segment of the population actively placed their view of the world within the constraints of the reactionary wartime Habsburg state by meeting military exigencies.

How Civil Resistance Improves Inclusive Democracy

When do political transitions lead to greater inclusion for groups historically excluded from power? Scholars and policymakers often assume the answer is simple: a transition will result in more inclusion when it ends in democracy. Yet this answer is incomplete at best, since many democracies systematically exclude women, particular ethnic groups, or lower economic classes from power. Using data on political transitions around the world from 1945 to 2014, this study shows that a political transition’s initiating force critically shapes post-transition political inclusion. When transitions are initiated through unarmed civil resistance campaigns they achieve greater advances in inclusion relative to other types of transition. We propose three mechanisms to explain this effect: civil resistance leads to greater continued mobilization and civic activism among the historically excluded, provides greater opportunities for elites from historically excluded groups to rise to positions of leadership in new regimes, and forges more pluralistic norms of political behavior.

Formation of Civil Identity in the Educational Policy System in the Context of Transformation of the Political Space

The relevance lies in the institutionalization of education in the new subjects of the Russian Federation (DPR, LPR, Zaporizhia, Kherson regions, the Republic of Crimea, the federal city of Sevastopol), as well as the processes of re-socialization, adaptation to the socio-cultural, political, value-ideological realities of Russian society, which affects the construction of the civic identity of school youth. Understanding the processes of formation of civic identity in the educational policy system in the context of the transformation of the political space allows identifying the mechanisms of actualization and transformation of identity. Тhe experience of the post-Soviet states, as well as the processes taking place in Russia today, enables making interesting theoretical generalizations and practical recommendations.Aim and Tasks. Identification and systematization of practices, mechanisms and technologies for the formation of civil identity of schoolchildren in new subjects in the educational policy system of the Russian Federation, determination of existing problems and barriers, identification of models of civil identity formation in the context of comparing the experience of Russia and the EAEU countries.Methods. The study uses a focus group interview with senior and middle school students living in the new territories of the Russian Federation, an expert interview with representatives of institutional structures involved in the processes of political socialization and implementation of identity policy, as well as the analysis of secondary data reflecting the processes of formation of civil identity in the EAEU countries.Results. As a result, the key practices of forming the civil identity of schoolchildren in the new subjects of the Russian Federation are revealed and systematized, barriers and problems of implementing educational policy in the system of forming civil identity are identified. The authors propose recommendations for improving the model of formation of the identity of schoolchildren in the new subjects of the Russian Federation. The article shows the difference between the model of formation of Russian civil identity in the new regions and the models of formation of civil identity used in the EAEU countries.Conclusions. The study revealed the existing contradictions that arise in the process of adaptation to a new educational and value-ideological model, manifested in the assimilation of new social norms and educational standards; the difference in the level of political education and the degree of involvement in civic activity of young people was noted. It is necessary to search for effective practices and technologies that contribute to building a consistent model of civic identity formation in the basic education system of new subjects of the Russian Federation. The EAEU member states can use the practical experience of civil identity formation in the education system of new subjects of the Russian Federation to improve their own models of civil identity formation.

An assessment framework for digital participatory practices engaging youth in cultural heritage management

Digitalization offers opportunities for youth to engage in a wide range of digital-mediated civic activities, thereby fostering their digital citizenship. While embracing the potential of digital technologies, it is crucial to have a realistic understanding of the practical, ethical, and cultural considerations for implementing youth discourse in cultural heritage management and empowering youth initiatives in decision-making. Little research has focused on assessing youth digital participation in cultural heritage management for its impacts on fostering inclusivity, enhancing the levels of youth engagement, gauging the potential of digitalization, and facilitating youth initiatives. This paper fills the gap by developing an assessment framework for youth digital participation, comprising four criteria and thirty-five indicators. These indicators were validated through expert consultation and multivariate analysis and categorized into four groups based on their levels of priority. The framework provides detailed guidelines for applying these indicators across different phases of participation—envisioning, monitoring, and evaluating. Additionally, four recommendations derived from the framework provide suggestions on critical aspects of youth digital participation and guidelines to foster the impact of youth engagement in future participatory practices in cultural heritage management.

Ukrainian War Humor and Civic Activism in 2022

Abstract The 2022 war in Ukraine has produced the biggest virtual humor archive in the history of wars. We argue that Ukrainian war humor is a form of civic activism in the name of Ukraine’s sovereignty. This civic activism is defined by resistance, solidarity, vigilance, and dedication to victory. The war humor circulates locally as well as on a global stage. It expresses the government’s positions and the people’s voices and empowers those affected by this war. Ukrainian war humor documents experiences of war realities; provides moral commentaries and emotional and aesthetic interpretations; and articulates visions for the future of Ukraine as a sovereign European state.

The Influence of Political Culture on Youth Officials’ Leadership Styles and Civic Engagement

Recognizing the underlying cultural factors that influence political attitudes can aid in resolving conflicts and promoting social cohesion. This study explored the influence political culture on Youth Officials’ leadership styles and civic engagement. The study was conducted in one of the universities in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. The descriptive-correlational design was used in the study. There were 135 students who served as the respondents selected through a purposive sampling technique. The researcher-made Youth Officials Political Culture, Youth Officials’ Leadership Styles, and Youth Officials’ Civic Engagement Questionnaires were used as research instruments. Weighted Mean and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient were used as statistical tools to analyze the data gathered. Results revealed that the youth officials perceived political culture in their respective barangays was very highly participant. The youth officials’ leadership style was democratic, while their civic engagement was to a very great extent. The perceived political culture generally influenced the respondents’ leadership styles and civic engagement. Political culture holds a major factor on how the youth officials lead their constituents and engage themselves in civic activities. It is recommended that youth officials sustain their democratic practices in governance to encourage citizens to participate freely in collective political action and influence decision-making processes.

Social Media Shaping Youth’s Perception of Moroccan Female Political Leaders

This paper addresses the role of social media consumption amongst youth and its implications in shaping their perceptions of Moroccan female political leaders. Based on examining previous scholarly works, this research investigates a large body of literature including how social media platforms impacts youth’s engagement in political and civic activities. The role of social media in shaping perceptions about female political leaders is also discussed from a theoretical standpoint. Aiming to identify, the influence of a number of identified form the literature, this paper adopted a quantitative strategy utilizing a survey that was addressed to (N=309) participant targeted on both social media platforms and within university campus. Based on the descriptives, the correlation analysis and regression analysis of the data gathered, this study identified that the level of education, social media exposure, online interactions, political awareness, and cultural factors significantly influence youth’s perceptions of female political leaders. These findings highlight the factors influencing young adults’ perceptions about the Moroccan political landscape and the importance of media education and literacy to enhance critical thinking skills amongst Moroccan youth.

Voices in Education: Bolstering Social Studies Education and Revitalizing Democracy Through Action Civics

The University of Southern California (USC) Democracy Project responds to the inadequacies of traditional civics education, particularly its failure to engage marginalized students in meaningful democratic participation. Grounded in the theories of John Dewey and Paulo Freire, the project uses an action civics model to connect students with real-world issues, promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and civic responsibility. This article describes the curriculum development process, highlighting partnerships with teachers and community stakeholders and a pilot study involving 23 diverse educators. Using a mixed methods approach—including pre-surveys, classroom feedback, and artifact analysis—the pilot revealed strong alignment with civics education standards. Notably, 95% of teachers rated the curriculum highly relevant, and students showed increased engagement and leadership in addressing issues like environmental justice and reproductive rights. Action civics helped bridge equity gaps by empowering students from underserved communities to take localized civic actions, such as public campaigns and advocacy projects. This research underscores the potential of action civics to revitalize civics education. The project calls for expanding across grade levels, integrating media literacy to help students critically navigate digital spaces, and scaling the curriculum to prepare students for the complex challenges of democratic life.

The university at the crossroads of three ecologies: natural environment, culture and economy

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate a novel approach in higher education known as the ecological university. This is a university that understands both the world’s interconnection and its own interconnectedness to the world. Such a university aims to serve the world and engage in civic activity. According to this perspective, the university exists amid seven interrelated ecologies. The current study focuses on how the university could engage with three of these ecologies: the natural environment, culture, and economy. The research took place in Gaziantep, Turkey, a gateway to the Middle East. An exploratory research design employing qualitative data was utilised. The study participants included key figures from the natural environment, culture, and economy ecologies. Thirty-three participants from inside and outside the university were selected using criterion sampling and maximum variation techniques. The collected data was analysed using NVIVO 12, a qualitative data analysis tool, through content analysis. The results confirm that the university is organically interconnected to its surrounding ecologies, natural environment, culture, and economy. It also emerged that while the natural environment, culture, and economy could influence university functions and structures, universities could also use their resources to promote the improvement and well-being of each ecology.

Centering and uplifting youth voice in planning for a more resilient climate future in rural Colorado: a case study of a student resilience team asking for change

Rural communities are increasingly facing challenges from climate-related natural hazards such as drought, wildfire, and flood. These cascading hazards threaten social, emotional, physical, and economic well-being, and pose unique challenges to rural areas which may already struggle to find enough resources. Yet, rural areas are rich in social capital, creativity, and resilience, and future leaders are learning how to build agency and increase their community’s resilience in school settings. Students in Estes Park, Colorado, have experienced major climate-fueled hazards in their lifetimes, surviving the floods in 2013 and the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak wildfires in 2020. At Estes Park Middle School, the Environmental Resilience Team (ERT) is an afterschool group of students who are actively participating in promoting public awareness, mitigation, and policy-making to increase resilience to natural hazards. Supported by the Hazard, Education, Awareness, and Resilience Task Force (HEART Force) Program, a comprehensive curriculum that immerses students in the study of their community’s resilience to floods and fires, in conjunction with the Earth Force Environmental Civic Action resources, students and educators gained the tools needed to spearhead community discussions on resilience, all while striving to mitigate and minimize future risks. In this paper, we tell the story of the Environmental Resilience Team’s campaign to pass statewide legislation to implement Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Building Codes in high-risk areas. Students visited the Colorado State Capitol, met with their State Senator and Governor to lobby for the passage of the bill. This initiative builds upon years of action projects, including service projects to mitigate fire risk in vulnerable populations within the mountain town of Estes Park and build community education and awareness through the distribution of “go-bags” to community members. By including youth voice in public decision-making and planning for climate resilience, community leaders and policymakers can develop more holistic plans that include multigenerational input. This research is part of a broader study across implementations of HEART Force in several classrooms that showed that the HEART Force program helped students develop a sense of agency and grow in their understanding of community resilience.

Innovative but feeble: Civil society and political financing accountability in Uruguay

ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of civic action on enhancing accountability and combating corruption in political financing, focusing on two civil society initiatives in Uruguay. The initiatives aimed to digitize and map information on funding received by political parties and politicians in the 2009 and 2014 elections, presenting their findings through interactive online platforms. The paper engages theoretically with the literature on the dimensions of accountability and contributes to understanding the challenges faced by civil society organizations in promoting political financing accountability even in full democracies, a topic largely understudied. Findings highlight concerns beyond electoral authorities’ well-known resource constraints in detecting illicit political donations and spending in Uruguay. The paper shows that transparency is not enough to reduce corruption. We argue that for political finance accountability to be effective, it must encompass bottom-up, horizontal, and diagonal dimensions. The analysis suggests the need for complementary measures, such as digital solutions for reporting and disclosing political finance information, along with active horizontal and bottom-up oversight mechanisms. The article draws on qualitative analysis based on documentary research and 19 interviews with activists, academics, journalists, developers of the initiatives, and public officials involved in political finance regulation.

The Impact of Discourse-Based Learning on Student Civic Engagement, Polarization, and Topic Comprehension

School often serves as the first opportunity for students to learn about civics. However, current systems of civics education may not be adequately preparing students to become actively engaged citizens. Given the growing discontent and polarization in American politics, there is a need for educational solutions to stimulate civic engagement and unity. While previous studies have shown that “interactive civic activities” can increase students’ interest in American civics, less is known about the efficacy of non-partisan, discourse-based learning techniques in fostering open-mindedness and a comprehensive understanding of political issues. These prompted researchers at the Institute for Youth in Policy (YIP) to study this topic. Researchers analyzed pre- and post-workshop data from a virtual workshop (n=36) and found that discourse-based civics programs are effective in decreasing polarization levels, increasing topic comprehension, and promoting civic engagement among youth.