Members Of Civil Society Research Articles

Extravagance and misery: Hegel on the multiplication and refinement of needs

AbstractThe topic of this paper is Hegel's claim in the Philosophy of Right that, within the modern social world, human needs tend to be endlessly expanded. Unlike the role that the system of needs plays in the formation of its participants' psychological makeup and the problem of poverty and the rabble, the topic of the expansion of needs remains underdiscussed in the recent Hegel literature on the virtues and vices of civil society. My discussion of the topic aims to answer the following two sets of questions: How does it come to pass that individuals' needs are endlessly expanded in this way? And is that expansion a phenomenon to be applauded or condemned? In particular, does the endless expansion of needs aid or obstruct the realization of social members' freedom? In answer to the first question, I argue that for Hegel the endless expansion of needs results from the level of specialization and division of labor distinctive of the modern market economy, the human capacity for a certain kind of abstraction, and the desire to be recognized by other participants in the market system. In answer to the second set of questions, and despite Hegel's own apparent ambivalence, I argue on his behalf that the endless expansion of needs represents an obstacle to the realization of freedom, and is on that ground a phenomenon to be condemned, for the following two reasons: First, the endless expansion of needs increases the influence or “pressure” of desire on the members of civil society that are subject to that expansion. Second, that expansion leads to widespread frustration, understood as the inability on the part of the members of civil society to ever fully realize their ends or satisfy their desires. I end by briefly considering two Hegelian solutions to the pernicious effects of the endless expansion of needs.

L’ouverture au public du projet CIGEO

Involving the public in the governance of activities that present a high level of risk for society is an important concern. We propose to contribute to understanding public involvement and its effects by studying, at the fine-grained level of practices, the dialogue between institutional experts and members of civil society around the 'Safety Options File' for the 'CIGEO deep underground storage facility for nuclear waste in eastern France. We show that, despite the constraints resulting from the organization of expertise in the French nuclear industry, the dialogue could lead to real but limited changes. In the light of this experience, we discuss the conditions to go beyond the framework of technical dialogue between experts by developing the notion of pluralism.

CYBER CONFLICTS AND NEW PATTERNS OF POLITICAL PROPAGANDA ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE

The traditional concept of state sovereignty is shifting towards virtual reality as a result of the development of digitalization and the expansion of cyber warfare techniques and skills, particularly towards the contents of the so-called soft power that are used to attract public support. The case study of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia confirmed to us that, in the current geopolitical landscape, cyberattacks are used as a legal, low-cost strategy to debilitate the opposing side’s material and spiritual well-being. Also, this is how a new form of an asymmetric conflict emerges, which enables actors to inflict significant damage on political opponents and technologically and militarily superior enemies, with the potential for widespread impacts on the members of civil society. Fake news, misinformation, rumors, spins and various forms of unverified content are prevalent in the propaganda war between Ukraine and Russia. This paper also demonstrates how the digital revolution, with its sophisticated seduction techniques, is drawing us further into the world of algorithms, encrypted messages and social media with personalized accesses, along with the trends highlighting the growing power of smart filters controlled by artificial intelligence which determine the accuracy of information even before it is visible. Key words: national sovereignty, cyber conflict, political propaganda, Russia-Ukraine war, algorithms, artificial intelligence, new reality.

The role and activities of the public in the implementation of anti-corruption reforms

The article is devoted to an important and topical issue of legal description of the role and activities of the public in the implementation of anti-corruption reforms.
 Countering corruption has always been an important task for Ukraine. It has been proven that the public is the most interested stakeholder in the fight against corruption. It is the members of civil society who want to live in a state governed by the rule of law, where the principles of equality, publicity and transparency are truly in place. And the success of anti-corruption changes depends on the willingness and participation of every member of civil society.
 It is noted that civil society involves active participation of citizens in political processes, civil dialogue and various public initiatives. Its main goal is to protect the rights and interests of citizens, as well as to oversee the activities of government agencies and prevent possible abuses.
 The legal and numerous doctrinal definitions of the concept of “public” and its components in the context of anti-corruption reforms are analysed.
 It is substantiated that the experience of involving the public in the implementation of anti-corruption reforms can be successful only if representatives of public authorities and business are open and transparent.
 It is emphasised that citizens and civil society organisations play an important role in combating corruption, as they serve as advocates for the public interest, provide independent oversight, mobilise communities, protect whistleblowers, advocate for policy reforms and promote transparency, accountability and good governance. In particular, citizens are empowered to demand responsibility, act as whistleblowers, influence policy and elections, raise public awareness and promote ethical values. Their participation is essential for the development of transparent, accountable and corruption-free societies. Civil society organisations are also important actors in the anti-corruption fight in Ukraine. Their independent oversight, advocacy, support for whistleblowers, policy analysis and engagement with citizens contribute significantly to the promotion of transparency, accountability and good governance in the country.

Ila Hadal Walaal: A Traditional Reconciliation Model for Healing Somalia's Wounds

Reconciliation involves rebuilding relationships among people and groups in society and between the state and its citizens. The protracted conflict in Somalia had devastating effects on Somali citizens. Formulating a genuine social reconciliation model that can contribute to trauma healing, trust building, and an enabled environment for forgiveness and sharing narratives continues to pose daunting challenges to peace and state-building in Somalia. This paper provides analytical thinking by coalescing traditional Somali reconciliation approaches and modern peace-building principles. It attempts to establish a new model based on Somali cultural norms and values. The paper pinpoints the legal, institutional, and political issues that are prerequisite for any viable and successful social reconciliation. It recommends capacity development of public institutions mandated to facilitate and oversee national, regional, and local reconciliation exercises while underscoring the pivotal role of women and other members of civil society.

Strengthening Reintegration through Social Capital: Learning from Aceh, Indonesia

Following the conflict that prevailed from 1976 to 2005, a state of social disintegration persisted between former combatants of the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka - GAM (Free Aceh Movement) and the civil society in Aceh. This disintegration was typically fueled by the former GAM combatants’ militaristic and pragmatic mindsets, instability, and low economic well-being. Interestingly, former GAM combatants in Nisam Antara Subdistrict, North Aceh Regency, have managed to collaborate and coexist with local communities, exemplifying successful social reintegration that distinguishes them from their counterparts in other regions of Aceh. This article delves into the reality of social reintegration between former GAM combatants and the local populace, with a specific focus on the oil palm plantations managed by former GAM combatants. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach, and data was gathered through a combination of observations, in-depth interviews, document analyses, and focus group discussions. Key informants for this study included former GAM combatants, community and traditional leaders, plantation workers, and members of civil society. The study reveals that moral obligations within communities are guided by local wisdom, which acts as a form of social capital that fosters economic and social collaborations. Local wisdom serves as a social capital that nurtures the development of fraternity, mutual trust, cooperation, and solidarity. Moreover, it has the capacity to minimize differences and resentments, thereby promoting unity between former GAM combatants and local communities. This unity significantly contributes to the sustainability of peace in Aceh, Indonesia.

External vulnerability, local resilience, and urban-rural heterogeneity in the Marshall Islands

Popular media often positions the Marshall Islands as especially vulnerable to environmental shocks and shifts. This framing overlooks sources of vulnerability, local resilience, and within country differences. To better understand relationships between social, economic, and cultural shifts and vulnerability and resilience in the Marshall Islands, this study draws on interviews with internal migrants and members of government and civil society to investigate perceptions of vulnerability and resilience in outer islands and Majuro. Findings reveal sharp perceived differences. Participants largely tied vulnerability on outer islands to increasingly variable environmental conditions affecting natural resource-dependent livelihoods and vulnerability on Majuro to the cash economy. In both urban core and rural outer islands, participants linked vulnerability to interdependencies far beyond the Marshall Islands. By evaluating historical and external influences and spatial heterogeneity, this study supports a nuanced understanding of vulnerability and resilience within archipelagic countries critical to policy development.

Going out and going green: NGOs in the environmental governance of Global China

ABSTRACT While the roles of actors such as the state and state-owned enterprises within “Global China” elicit significant scholarly attention, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are relatively less critiqued. These members of Chinese civil society are playing an increasingly important role in the environmental governance of the country’s overseas activities. By analyzing firsthand observations and interviews and secondhand materials produced by NGOs and the Chinese government, this article traces how and why Chinese NGOs seek to “green” China’s engagement beyond its borders. First, we identify four types of Chinese NGOs with a variety of state- and non-state founders. Then, we examine how NGOs’ objectives and state policies jointly shape the way they “go out.” As both knowledge and political actors, Chinese NGOs accumulate, produce, and disseminate knowledge related to Global China’s environmental issues, across domestic and international spaces. Though the specific strategies pursued by NGOs depend on their type, overall, their alignment with Chinese state policies and interests constitutes a crucial condition for their success. This research offers new insights into Chinese non-state actors’ expanding participation in international activities. As the country’s civil organizations endeavor to exert influence both within and beyond China’s borders, the effects of their interventions on global governance may grow.

The future(s) of global governance: A scenarios exercise

AbstractPervasive uncertainty has stretched the fabric of global governance to its limit. The shape and form of future global governance is far from clear – yet we need to explore how it may play out, so that we can not only prepare for it but also overcome possible pernicious trajectories. Scenario thinking can be used to rigorously explore different possible outcomes. In this article, we present an exercise applying scenario thinking to global governance. These scenarios should help policymakers to understand which policies may or may not work in the diverse possible futures. They may also help policymakers to consider how their organisation, state, or institution could be affected if the global governance of a specific issue evolves in one direction or another. Civil society members or private companies may want to probe how robust their strategies would be in different global governance configurations. The article synthetically presents key contextual premises and uncertainties which are given as follows: four broad scenarios for the world in 2035; four corresponding scenarios for global governance; and scenarios for the global governance of four macro‐sectors: trade, security, climate change, and finance.

Contrary Perceptions of Environmental Health and the Governance of the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia.

The participation of civil society is essential for environmental health policies to be accepted. The objective of this study was to know the perceptions of government officials, members of civil society, and academics about environmental health problems and its governance in the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia. In the region, there is a strong citizens movement that defends the moorland ecosystem (páramo) as a source of drinking water for large-scale mining projects. A multi-method study was conducted, including the review of newspaper and scientific articles, a citizens survey, and interviews and focus groups with identified key stakeholders. The findings indicate that government officials prioritize their actions on issues related to air and water pollution and environmental education. In contrast, citizens prioritize water availability from the moorland ecosystem. There are some advances in the management of environmental health, mainly related to greater citizen awareness. Contrary perceptions among government officials, academics, and civil society prevent adequate prioritization of environmental health problems. Participation of civil society is absent in activities related to environmental governance. An ongoing citizens science experience engaging high school students and the academy can be the first meeting point with government officials in the pathway to improve the environmental governance in the territory. The participation of civil society in the environmental health governance must be enforced to broaden the issues of interest and prioritize the activities in short- and long-term policy planning.

‘Simply Make a Change’—Individual Commitment as a Stepping Stone for Sustainable Behaviors

In the face of climate change and other environmental issues, all relevant stakeholders, including members of civil society, should participate in the transformation towards a sustainable future. The project ‘Simply make a change’ engaged citizens (n = 101), with the help of an entirely voluntary and individual commitment approach, in a sustainable behavior they had not carried out before (e.g., plastic-free shopping or vegan nutrition). With the help of two questionnaires and subsequent interviews, participants were asked about their experiences with the commitment. The high proportion of participants who voluntarily sustained their chosen activity after the one-week trial run (78%), their rich and differentiated comments, and the formation of competencies such as mindfulness, reflectivity, and feelings of responsibility indicate that the approach was meaningful. Participants would have preferred a longer trial and perceived restrictions in daily life by behaviors with high task-difficulty (vegan nutrition), but felt confident to try out other sustainable behaviors in the future. The present data indicate that a completely voluntary self-commitment can encourage citizens to try out a new behavior and might also lower the threshold for trying other sustainable behaviors. This might contribute, step by step, to a more sustainable society.

The battle for curriculum: arrested semantics and reconciling racism with Critical Race Theory and Ethnic Studies

ABSTRACT US Republican lawmakers continue their nationwide crusade against Critical Race Theory because it unsettles the racial state. We argue that the partisan attacks on Ethnic Studies and CRT are motivated by White American fears of racial reconciliation. An honest review of our racial past and present through a critical race lens would upset the United States’ centuries-long colonial racial project, whose maintenance and containment are dependent on an enduring system of a hierarchical racial order grounded in White supremacy. Attacks on Ethnic Studies and CRT are about US political society preserving racial meaning in the US, by which safeguarding their entitled position within the racial order. The latest political tactic in educational policy to maintain White privilege is to empty meaning from racial categories, particularly the term ‘White’, through a colorblind linguistic subterfuge we call ‘arrested semantics’. As members of civil society, students and community members continue to mobilize to wrestle away political control over their education. Civil society continues to be a potent force against White supremacy, especially in the struggle for Ethnic Studies – whose curriculum is grounded in the premise that race has been the central organizing principle in US nation-state building. Indeed, US political society’s wealth-building capacity – and therefore sociopolitical and economic positioning, is predicated by the current racial order. We believe the reconciliation of racism will only occur by naming those agents who perpetuate racist policies and practices. Critical Race Theory and Ethnic Studies employ unequivocal language that can help us to identify the agents upholding White supremacy.

Compelled and constrained migration: restrictions to migration agency in the Marshall Islands.

Migration as adaptation implies agency, yet environmental and non-environmental factors and their interactions may limit the availability of adaptation options, including migration. This study investigates migration agency in the Marshall Islands, particularly the role of geographic isolation and climate change. Interviews with internal migrants living in Majuro and members of government and civil society reveal how social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors shape migration contexts. Results suggest that geographic isolation-related factors may increase likelihoods of simultaneously more compelled and more constrained moves, particularly as climate change impacts increase. Climate change-related impacts on resource-dependent livelihoods may compel migration in search of new economic opportunities. However, worsening environmental conditions may also exacerbate cost-related migration constraints by reducing the resources available to support migration.

Textuelle Infrastrukturen des Theaters. Dramaturgie als Vermittlung

Textuelle Infrastrukturen des Theaters<b>. Dramaturgie als Vermittlung</b>

Reserve Components as a Non-Military Defense Strategy to Support Defense Economic

Indonesia has large human resources and has a lot of potential if proper management and development is carried out. Human resources are the most important aspect as a determinant of the development of national defense. This potential has a positive effect with the aim of forming a reserve component as a support for national defense forces so that the formation of this reserve component can also be interpreted as a strategy. This paper aims to explain how the role of reserve components in non-military defense efforts. The method used by researchers is a qualitative method with a literature study approach. The result of this writing is that the reserve components originating from the community will return to the community, then this is considered as a soft-approach strategy to form a nationalist youth generation which will ward off threats that arise from various aspects of social life. It is hoped that the development of the strength and capability of national defense in the management of the reserve component will result in the success of the universal people’s security and defense system with a large number of civil society members becoming members of the reserve component.

Advocacy counterstrategies to tobacco industry interference in policymaking: a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature

BackgroundThere has been remarkable tobacco control progress in many places around the globe. Tobacco industry interference (TII) has been identified as the most significant barrier to further implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Civil society has been recognised as a key actor in countering TII. While TII has been extensively studied for several decades now, there is little research that focuses on counteractions to limit it and their effectiveness to do so. This scoping review seeks to map the peer-reviewed literature on civil society’s activities of countering TII in policymaking to identify common counterstrategies and assess their effectiveness.MethodsData sources: We searched Embase, IBSS, JSTOR, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science using the following terms: (“Tobacco industry” OR “Tobacco compan*”) AND. (“corporate political activity” OR “CPA” OR “lobbying” OR “interference”) AND (“advoca*” OR “counter*” OR “activi*”), without time or language restrictions. Study selection: Our selection criteria included peer-reviewed studies that were written in English, German, or Spanish that drew on primary data and/or legal and policy documents and reported at least one specific example of civil society members or organisations countering tobacco industry action-based strategies. Data extraction: Advocates’ counterstrategies were analysed inductively and countered industry strategies were analysed using the Policy Dystopia Model (PDM). Perceptions of effectiveness of countering attempts were analysed descriptively.ResultsWe found five common counterstrategies among 30 included papers covering five WHO regions; 1. Exposing industry conduct and false claims; 2. Accessing decision-makers; 3. Generating and using evidence; 4. Filing a complaint or taking legal action; 5. Mobilising coalition and potential supporters. These counterstrategies were used to work against a wide range of industry strategies, which are captured by five action-based strategies described in the PDM (Coalition Management, Information Management, Direct Access and Influence, Litigation, Reputation Management). While some studies reported the outcome of the countering activities, their impact remained largely underexplored.ConclusionThe review shows that peer-reviewed literature documenting how civil society actors counter TII is scarce. It suggests that advocates employ a range of strategies to counter TII in its different forms and use them flexibly. More work is needed to better understand the effects of their actions. This could stimulate discussions about, and facilitate learning from, past experiences and help to further enhance advocates’ capacity.

Living with type 1 diabetes in Neno, Malawi: a qualitative study of self-management and experiences in care

BackgroundThe prevalence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing in low-income countries including Malawi. In this setting, care is frequently impacted by challenges in diagnosis and management. Access to high-quality T1D care remains limited in Malawi, with fairly low availability and high cost of insulin and other supplies and diagnostics, lack of T1D knowledge, and absence of readily accessible guidelines. In the Neno district, Partners In Health established advanced care clinics at district hospitals to provide comprehensive, free care for T1D and other noncommunicable diseases. Prior to this study, experiences in care for people living with T1D (PLWT1D) at these clinics remained unexplored. Here we examine the impact of living with T1D, knowledge and self-management of, and facilitators and barriers to T1D care in Neno District, Malawi.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study utilizing behavior change theory that consisted of twenty-three semi-structured interviews conducted in Neno, Malawi in January 2021 with PLWT1D, their families, providers, and civil society members to explore the psychosocial and economic impact of living with T1D, T1D knowledge and self-management, and facilitators and barriers to accessing care. Interviews were analyzed thematically using a deductive approach.ResultsWe found that PLWT1D had good knowledge and practice of self-management activities for T1D. Key facilitators to care identified by informants included extensive patient education and availability and provision of free insulin and supplies. Significant barriers included distance from health facilities, food insecurity, and low literacy/numeracy. Informants described T1D as having a notable psychosocial and economic impact on PWLT1D and their families, notably worrying about having a lifelong condition, high transportation costs, and reduced working ability. While home visits and transport refunds helped facilitate access to the clinic, informants reported the refunds as inadequate given high transport costs faced by patients.ConclusionsT1D was found to have a significant impact on PLWT1D and their families. Our findings represent important areas of consideration in design and implementation of effective programs for treating PLWT1D in resource-limited settings. Facilitators to care identified by informants may be applicable and beneficial in similar settings, while persisting barriers represent areas for continued improvement in Neno.

It’s About the Power of Little People’: the UK Community Sponsorship Scheme, a New Space for Solidarity, Civic Engagement and Activism

The Community Sponsorship Scheme (CSS) was introduced in 2016 by the UK Government to enable members of civil society to be directly involved in helping refugees settle in the UK. The CSS is intense and time-consuming, and a lot of effort is directed at helping one family to rebuild their lives in safety. Since the introduction of the scheme, nearly 1000 refugees have been resettled across the UK. The data used in this paper was collected as part of a three-year study intended to provide an independent formative evaluation of the CSS. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 145 volunteers and 33 individuals from the wider community at five locations where refugees have been placed, this article examines how acts of solidarity, community networks and civic engagement have mobilised ordinary citizens who advocate in favour of the refugee cause. The findings support the argument that motivations to volunteer are both altruistic and egocentric, predominantly delivered by older female volunteers. The article demonstrates that volunteers involved in the CSS have played a fundamental role in bridging social capital with wider members of the host communities. It concludes that the CSS is an innovative model of refugee resettlement that is breeding a new type of volunteering that empowers British civil society.

Имплицитное выражение политической позиции в жанре политического блога

The article analyses the ways of implicit expression of the political stance of bloggers. The relevance of the topic under study is determined by the increased influence of non-institutional means of communication on political processes. Blogs, social networks, and messengers have become an important tool of communication among members of civil society, as well as platforms for expressing citizens’ positions. The expression of a blogger’s political position does not always occur directly and explicitly. The purpose of this article is to identify, describe, and analyze implicit ways of expressing a political position in a political blog. The features of the implicit expression of a political position depend, first of all, on the degree of institutionalization of the author and their professional occupation. These parameters formed the basis for the classification of authors of political blogs: official politicians; non-official political persons; journalists, political scientists as well as ordinary people. It is argued that each group of authors express a specific political position. In this respect, official politicians implicitly express patriotism, concern for the people, all this serves as a means of improving the credibility of a politician. In addition, the implicit expression of the position of the political force whose interests are represented by politicians serves as a tool for fighting during elections or referendums. Non-official politicians implicitly express oppositional views. Journalists, political scientists as well as ordinary people, can implicitly express a wide range of political beliefs – from pro-government to oppositional.

The Modality of Mulyadi Jayabaya’s Political Clan in the Lebak Local Election in 2018

This research discusses a number of strengths or capital possessed by the Mulyadi Jayabaya political clan in the electoral process at the 2018 Lebak regional head election, as well as having brought up his daughter in the 2018 regional head elections as a representation of one of the local political clans that has dominated the political-economic structure. The incumbent’s success in this electoral process has cemented the status quo among political clans. In addition, this victory cannot be denied because of the symbolic power that has been obtained by the incumbent. As stated in the study of Pierre Bourdieu (1986), who has seen that in the social arena there are always those who dominate and are dominated. Thus, to analyze the amount of capital owned by the Mulyadi Jayabaya political clan, the author uses a concept that has been conveyed by Pierre Bourdieu regarding capital, which consists of economic capital, social capital, cultural capital, and symbolic capital. This research addresses a number of capitals that are used ath the same time in an effort to maintain their power in fighting the empty column and civil society members who are members of the fight group for empty column because capital has a significant role, especially the political legacy that has been abandoned by the previous regent. As a result, incumbents and political clans build networks formally, such as with the bureaucracy, and with informal leaders, such as religious leaders, youth, and organizations, in the aftermath of clan member’s victories in the 2018 Lebak regional head election.