Political Science Research Articles

Ethnic identity centrality across the adult lifespan: Aging, cohort, and period effects among majority and minority group members.

Ethnic identity is a major area of study across many disciplines including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science. Yet, little is known about changes in ethnic identity across the adult lifespan, and whether such changes are driven by normal aging processes (aging effects), unique societal influences linked with one's formative years (cohort effects), or social changes during a specific time frame (period effects). We address these key oversights by utilizing 13 annual waves of longitudinal panel data from a nationwide random sample of both ethnic majority (N = 49,660) and Indigenous ethnic minority (N = 8,325) group members in New Zealand to examine changes in ethnic identity centrality using cohort-sequential latent growth modeling. This approach helps to identify changes in mean levels of ethnic identity centrality over time and whether such changes are driven by aging, cohort, and/or period effects. Our data reveal that, among both ethnic majority and ethnic minority individuals, changes in ethnic identity centrality were informed by a combination of normative aging processes, societal circumstances that reflected the unique historical context in which people grew to maturity, and societal changes during the 13 annual assessments of our study. Collectively, these results demonstrate for the first time that ethnic identity centrality in adulthood is subject to lifelong changes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

State co-optation as habitus: Guatemala’s elite-driven pathway to a criminal state

ABSTRACT Ideas of state co-optation and corruption feature heavily in Latin American debates as scholars examine how elite factions and organized crime networks capture institutional operations. Based on the case of Guatemala I signal shortcomings in this actor-focused literature and propose alternative ways to theorize elite formations and state trajectories. I draw on Bourdieu’s concepts of social field, habitus and capital to illustrate how Guatemalan elites have subsumed the state into an exclusive field of elite interactions that mediates the competition to control institutional processes. By tracing the evolution of electoral politics and the judicial apparatus, I maintain that state co-optation must be understood in line with a historically constituted habitus and the structure of this social field, as elites attempt to preserve dominance following the transition to formal democracy. The ensuing patterns of elite interactions have allowed for emerging illicit groups to decisively influence and ‘criminalize’ the state trajectory.

Analysing the content of sport policies: disciplinary approaches and new directions

ABSTRACT Over time, there have been various important contributions that have advanced the application of different conceptual and theoretical approaches to analysing policy processes across the field of sport. On the other hand, there remains a significant gap in relation to appraising different approaches that may be used in analysis of the particular content of sport policies. This article addresses this gap through considering four distinctive disciplinary and conceptual approaches to analysing sport policy content: (i) specific sport-orientated analytic frameworks, such as the Sport Policy Factors Leading to International Sport Success (SPLISS) and the Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI); (ii) discourse analysis approaches; (iii) political science frameworks for analysing policy design; and (iv) theories from political philosophy. Fundamental characteristics of each approach will be considered through the article, derived from a critical appraisal of their differing utilisations in sport policy research to date and the potential contributions that each may make to future analyses of sport policy content. As a result, the article offers concluding recommendations for sport policy research which encompass expanding usage of different approaches where suited to analysis of specific types of sport policies and combining approaches where their synergies would enable more substantive analysis to be undertaken.

Visualization of global research trends and future research directions of financial performance in higher education sector using bibliometric analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to undertake a bibliometric analysis of financial performance research in of higher education sector. The study examines papers over the last 2 decades and performed performance analysis, co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling and scientific mapping.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines 616 documents retrieved from the Scopus database using bibliometric analysis, performance analysis and thematic clustering. The study looked at the scientific productivity of papers, prolific authors, most influencing papers, institutions and nations, keyword cooccurrence, thematic mapping, co-citations and authorship and country collaborations. VOS viewer was employed as a tool in the research to conduct the performance analysis and thematic clustering.FindingsThis study delves into the recent advancements in financial performance research within higher education, focusing particularly on the year 2023, characterized by a peak of productivity with 46 significant articles. Notable institutions contributing substantially to this discourse include the University of Sussex (UK), and Ratio Institute Stockholm (Sweden), each referenced 227 times. The United Kingdom has emerged as a leader in financial performance research, amassing 3,850 citations from 92 publications. Key journals driving this conversation include “Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice” and “The British Journal of Political Science.” The most cited study examines the impact of business-university partnerships on innovation and financial outcomes.”Originality/valueThis is the first study that provides a performance analysis and scientific mapping of the financial performance literature in the higher education sector. In addition, this study is the initial one to do a thorough analysis and organized representation of financial performance in the higher education sector, providing an unparalleled understanding of a hitherto uninvestigated area of academic research.

Network social capital as a subject of research in education

The article contains the results of a comparative analysis of the main approaches, directions and methods for studying network social capital in the social sciences and humanities in order to identify the latest and promising scientific areas in specific scientific disciplines. The article notes the growing interest of scientists from various fields – philosophers, sociologists, political scientists, economists and lawyers, teachers and psychologists in the study of the phenomenon of network social capital as a complex and multifaceted category that generates a plurality of approaches and methods for studying its genesis, types, formation mechanisms and measurement parameters. To achieve this goal, multidisciplinary and integrated approaches to research, methods of comparative analysis and classification of information, bibliographic analysis are used. On the basis of the analysis, the essential methodological foundations of the study of network social capital are revealed, the relationship of the methods used (quantitative, qualitative and mixed) with the profile of the scientific discipline that studies network social capital is shown. It is indicated that each scientific discipline brings unique ideas and methods to the study of social capital, including qualitative and quantitative, mixed methods, network analysis, experiment, etc. The author reveals the urgent need for the integration of methodological approaches and research methods of network social capital as an independent field of research based on the synthesis of ideas, concepts and principles of polydisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity.

The use of categories and methods of natural sciences in jurisprudence and political science

The use of categories and methods of natural sciences in jurisprudence and political science

Synthesizing perspectives: Crafting an Interdisciplinary view of social media's impact on young people's mental health.

This study explores the intricate relationship between social media usage and the mental health of young individuals by leveraging the insights of 492 UK school headteachers. It adopts a novel multidisciplinary approach, integrating perspectives from psychology, sociology, education studies, political science, philosophy, media studies, linguistics, social work, anthropology, and health sciences. The application of thematic analysis, powered by ChatGPT-4, identifies a predominantly negative perspective on the impact of social media on young people, focusing on key themes across various disciplines, including mental health, identity formation, social interaction and comparison, bullying, digital literacy, and governance policies. These findings culminated in the development of the five-factor Comprehensive Digital Influence Model, suggesting five key themes (Self-Identity and Perception Formation, Social Interaction Skills and Peer Communication, Mental and Emotional Well-Being, Digital Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Information Perception, and Governance, Policy, and Cultural Influence in Digital Spaces) to focus the impacts of social media on young peoples' mental health across primary and secondary educational stages. This study not only advances academic discourse across multiple disciplines but also provides practical insights for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals, seeking to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by social media in the digital era.

Extended producer responsibility in e‐waste recycling: A secure path to a sustainable future for UAE

AbstractThe effective waste management of electrical and electronic equipment gains increasing importance in the modern world. This issue is particularly relevant for the countries of the Middle East region, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the research objectives, this study employs the method of political and legal analysis. The paper investigates the features of legal regulation and implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies in the waste management of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the UAE. At the same time, the study aims to analyze the current environmental protection policy and assess the prospects for its development. The research also determines the development directions for the profile environmental policy regarding general priorities in the field of economic development of the country. The results of the study indicate that the country's current policy and legislative regulation in the implementation of EPR are complex and meet modern challenges.

Historical Forms and Principles of Democracy

Examines the political view and historical forms of democracy, democratic values and the democratic regime. It is impossible to give a one-sided definition of democracy - one can observe its versatility in a full reflection of its essence. If we understand it from the point of view of political science, then it manifests itself as a form of state in all its manifestations. This tradition originates from ancient political thought. The methodological basis of the study is relativity, systematicity, scientific objectivity, historical, social and other principles.

The Natal coastal belt

Owing to its climatic conditions and political evolution the Natal Coastal Belt forms a distinct region within South Africa. As such, a unique set of landscapes has evolved reflecting changing agricultural patterns and rapid urban expansion. In addition it has been the meeting place of a variety of peoples each of whom has attempted to build familiar structures and pursue known activities. The result is a highly complex and diverse landscape.

Fading freedoms: democratic decline in Albania

ABSTRACT This study examines the trajectory of Albania's democracy. Despite initial relative progress in establishing a democratic route, last decade's political developments suggest a nuanced regression. They reveal a concerning shift towards electoral authoritarianism. This research uses mixed methods to analyse key democratic indicators from 2006 to 2022. It covers electoral democracy, freedom of expression, judicial independence, and deliberative democracy. Results indicate a significant decline in the level of democracy. This trend is evidenced by the increase in vote-buying and a decrease in electoral fairness. The freedom of expression and association have also diminished, with media and civil society experiencing increased constraints. Although the judicial system shows signs of stability, its effectiveness in counterbalancing political power should increase. This analysis underscores a gradual yet discernible shift in Albania’s political landscape, highlighting the risk of solidifying authoritarian structures under the guise of democratic governance.

The psychology of precarity: A critical framework.

This article presents the rationale and a new critical framework for precarity, which reflects a psychosocial concept that links structural inequities with experiences of alienation, anomie, and uncertainty. Emerging from multiple disciplines, including anthropology, cultural studies, sociology, political science, and psychology, the concept of precarity provides a conceptual scaffolding for understanding the complex causes of precarious life circumstances while also seeking to identify how people react, adapt, and resist the forces that evoke such tenuous psychosocial experiences. We present a critical conceptual framework as a nonlinear heuristic that serves to identify and organize relevant elements of precarity in a presumably infinite number of contexts and applications. The framework identifies socio-political-economic contexts, material conditions, and psychological experiences as key elements of precarity. Another essential aspect of this framework is the delineation of interrelated and nonlinear responses to precarity, which include resistance, adaptation, and resignation. We then summarize selected implications of precarity for psychological interventions, vocational and organizational psychology, and explorations and advocacy about race, gender, and other systems of inequality. Future research directions, including optimal methodologies to study precarity, conclude the article. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Navigating the digital frontier: transformative technologies reshaping public administration

We are witnessing unprecedented, swift transformations across all industries in the current era. Advancements in information and communication technology have provided us with a tremendous opportunity for change. Our research delves into the profound impacts of digital transformation, extending beyond the public sector to encompass a variety of fields. The public sector, in particular, is experiencing its own set of transformations and changes. Our research offers an in-depth analysis of digital transformation in the public sector, with an emphasis on the key technologies driving this evolution. These include artificial intelligence and machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and analytics, digital twins, robotic process automation, augmented reality, and the metaverse. We thoroughly conceptualize these technologies, assessing their relevance and impact on the public sector. Moreover, we identify the potential challenges and present diverse global examples. Our findings reveal that technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (including Generative AI, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini/Bard), IoT, cloud computing, big data and analytics, digital twins, robotic automation, and augmented reality are pivotal in enhancing or creating new value propositions. These technologies have shown remarkable efficacy in elevating the quality of services between individuals and governmental entities, reducing burdens, boosting efficiency, and profoundly transforming public administration and political science. Moreover, aligning these technologies with institutional requirements is essential for successful transformation. Nevertheless, it is noted that these technologies will also refine the competencies of human resources in public administration. Implemented practices reveal that civil servants need higher expertise and improve their skill sets compared to past benchmarks. Based on these insights, we advocate for higher education institutions and other bodies responsible for public sector human resource development to integrate more practical and theoretical technology-focused courses into their curricula. A comprehensive review of the existing literature indicates a scarcity of studies that holistically investigate these technologies and assess them through the lens of field experts, researchers, and policymakers. Our study addresses this gap and contributes significantly to understanding these technologies’ transformative potential.

The (re)production of health in climate change

To date, health in the context of climate change has mainly been considered from a biomedical perspective, whose pathogenic focus on health risks has primarily promoted curative and/or behavioral problem-solving strategies. This article therefore examines health in climate change from a perspective of Urban Public Health and political science, which has received less attention so far. The aim is to address existing constructions of health in climate change and their implications for dealing with the climate crisis, in particular regarding the design of urban environments. In doing so, it adopts a regulation-theoretical approach that allows for a theoretically grounded analysis of health in climate change, taking the triangle of nature, society and the individual as the object of research and revealing the significance of existing constructions of health—understood as a social relation—and its (re)production in climate change. This theoretical approach is extended to aspects of different spatial forms and the productions of space in social relations. The theoretical foundation makes it possible to recognize that there are understandings of health in climate change discourse that largely exclude the causes of climate change and thus make its treatment selective. As a result, broad socio-ecological transformation processes are obstructed, while the structural causes of climate change are preserved and stabilized despite their crisis character. An understanding of health that also sees health as a resource in a salutogenic sense and that strengthens the promotion of health by means of structural changes is being pushed into background. Positioning climate change as a public health issue requires a shift from curative, individual and behavioral interventions toward a focus on structural health promotion, especially through the development of health-promoting, just and climate-friendly urban environments. It also means that health must once again become more of a political issue and that existing boundaries between the private and public spheres must be questioned.

Navigating the digital frontier: transformative technologies reshaping public administration

We are witnessing unprecedented, swift transformations across all industries in the current era. Advancements in information and communication technology have provided us with a tremendous opportunity for change. Our research delves into the profound impacts of digital transformation, extending beyond the public sector to encompass a variety of fields. The public sector, in particular, is experiencing its own set of transformations and changes. Our research offers an in-depth analysis of digital transformation in the public sector, with an emphasis on the key technologies driving this evolution. These include artificial intelligence and machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and analytics, digital twins, robotic process automation, augmented reality, and the metaverse. We thoroughly conceptualize these technologies, assessing their relevance and impact on the public sector. Moreover, we identify the potential challenges and present diverse global examples. Our findings reveal that technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (including Generative AI, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini/Bard), IoT, cloud computing, big data and analytics, digital twins, robotic automation, and augmented reality are pivotal in enhancing or creating new value propositions. These technologies have shown remarkable efficacy in elevating the quality of services between individuals and governmental entities, reducing burdens, boosting efficiency, and profoundly transforming public administration and political science. Moreover, aligning these technologies with institutional requirements is essential for successful transformation. Nevertheless, it is noted that these technologies will also refine the competencies of human resources in public administration. Implemented practices reveal that civil servants need higher expertise and improve their skill sets compared to past benchmarks. Based on these insights, we advocate for higher education institutions and other bodies responsible for public sector human resource development to integrate more practical and theoretical technology-focused courses into their curricula. A comprehensive review of the existing literature indicates a scarcity of studies that holistically investigate these technologies and assess them through the lens of field experts, researchers, and policymakers. Our study addresses this gap and contributes significantly to understanding these technologies’ transformative potential.

Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement

Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement Academic experts from Baylor University and Pepperdine University explore religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement. Civic engagement has declined considerably in America since Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political scientist, visited the United States in 1831 and observed the unique tendency toward volunteerism and the role it played in American civic life and culture. He wrote extensively about the inclination of American citizens to form voluntary associations of all types, including religious, community, and political organizations that contributed to volunteerism.

The rise of Mali's ‘videomen’ as cybercombatants in global crisis ecologies

Abstract This article examines the geopolitical shifts in Mali following its rejection of western intervention and subsequent partnerships with Russia. Mali is used as a case-study to explore the role of digital connectivity within global crisis ecologies. It challenges the narrative attributing Mali's coup solely to external influences, emphasizing the agency of local actors and new digital practices. Focusing on the role of ‘videomen’ in disseminating the narratives of Yèrèwolo, Mali's foremost anti-French and pro-Russian political movement, it examines how these actors shape public perceptions of Mali's new military leaders and their international partners. Using an assemblage framework to analyse smartphones' affordances, the nuanced dynamics shaping political legitimacy are elucidated, emphasizing the performative nature of authority in the digital age. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and quantitative analysis of online content, the article highlights how smartphones empower users like videomen to influence political dynamics amid crisis and geopolitical tensions. By reconstructing past events and reclaiming patriotism, videomen strategically use the political transition to outcompete traditional media professionals. The study underscores the need for understanding how localized dynamics shape broader political developments and international relations, offering insights into similar trends in other west African nations facing military coups and increased Russian involvement.

From Gerontocratic Rule to Political Adultism: The Experiential Bias in Germany’s Aging Electoral Democracy and the Limitations of a Vote 16 Policy

Abstract Rising life expectancies and low birth rates across the Western world have heralded a profound change in the way representative democracy operates. Whereas representative democracy was politics for the young made by the old in the past, it is turning into politics for the old made by the old in the 21st century. Following Buchmeier and Vogt’s (2023. “The Aging Democracy: Demographic Effects, Political Legitimacy, and the Quest for Generational Pluralism.” Perspectives on Politics: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592723000981.) recent reflection on Japan’s status as the democracy with the oldest electorate, this article considers the case of Germany’s aging electoral democracy, using the 2021 federal election as its empirical foundation. Employing what Shapiro (2002. “Problems, Methods, and Theories in the Study of Politics, or What's Wrong with Political Science and What to Do about it.” Political Theory 30 (4): 596–619. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591702030004008.) labels a problematizing redescription, the paper demonstrates that a recharacterization of gerontocratic rule as political adultism better explains the election outcome than a characterization of gerontocratic rule as such. In doing so, it draws up an original conception of political adultism as the socially-accepted interpersonal, structural, and institutional discrimination of young and younger people in politics and distinguishes between two temporal phases as disenfranchised and enfranchised political adultism. The two-stage idea of political adultism gives voice to the structural injustice toward young people as political beings and facilitates a critical reflection on whether the policy of lowering the voting age to 16 would really be as desirable as many of its proponents believe it is. The unique contribution of this article is the formulation of a new social structure that diagnoses a distinctive experiential bias in democratic politics at a time in which the relationship between demography and democracy is coming to a head.

From Gerontocratic Rule to Political Adultism: The Experiential Bias in Germany’s Aging Electoral Democracy and the Limitations of a Vote 16 Policy

Abstract Rising life expectancies and low birth rates across the Western world have heralded a profound change in the way representative democracy operates. Whereas representative democracy was politics for the young made by the old in the past, it is turning into politics for the old made by the old in the 21st century. Following Buchmeier and Vogt’s (2023. “The Aging Democracy: Demographic Effects, Political Legitimacy, and the Quest for Generational Pluralism.” Perspectives on Politics: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592723000981.) recent reflection on Japan’s status as the democracy with the oldest electorate, this article considers the case of Germany’s aging electoral democracy, using the 2021 federal election as its empirical foundation. Employing what Shapiro (2002. “Problems, Methods, and Theories in the Study of Politics, or What's Wrong with Political Science and What to Do about it.” Political Theory 30 (4): 596–619. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591702030004008.) labels a problematizing redescription, the paper demonstrates that a recharacterization of gerontocratic rule as political adultism better explains the election outcome than a characterization of gerontocratic rule as such. In doing so, it draws up an original conception of political adultism as the socially-accepted interpersonal, structural, and institutional discrimination of young and younger people in politics and distinguishes between two temporal phases as disenfranchised and enfranchised political adultism. The two-stage idea of political adultism gives voice to the structural injustice toward young people as political beings and facilitates a critical reflection on whether the policy of lowering the voting age to 16 would really be as desirable as many of its proponents believe it is. The unique contribution of this article is the formulation of a new social structure that diagnoses a distinctive experiential bias in democratic politics at a time in which the relationship between demography and democracy is coming to a head.

The role of Baghdad Kurds in writing diaries and memories between the years 1991 - 2003

Writing diaries and memories is an educated attempt by the Kurds settled in Baghdad between the years 1991 to 2003. The Kurds settlements in Baghdad has a long historical root, their footprints can be easily seen in different fields, from the establishment of the Iraqi country in 1921 and the establishments during monarchy all the way to the foundation of the republic in 1958. Kurds have had different role in Iraq till 2003. A number of those Kurd who settled in Baghdad felt the importance of writing their diaries and memories to familiarize the new generation and to create a source for the researchers. Investigations about such a field has a historical significance due to its diverse nature. Besides, the political developments, social aspects, media, economics, education, geography, women, civil…. etc. such, diaries and memories contain significant information that can have a profound historical impact on the modern history. Monarchy era is paid more attention compared to the republican era which shows the monopoly of politicians and military elites in which (5) out of (8) of those diary and memory writers were among them. Women had a narrow space in this field and the writers depended on themselves in writing their diaries and memories.