Political Elements Research Articles

Exploring new dimensions of urban governance: The development of administrative systems in Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka) during the final decades of the Habsburg Empire (1850–1918)

Urban governance is often perceived as a concept that has emerged over the past half-century, evolving from the policy of urban government. The analysis of this shift, known as the “transformation thesis,” has been criticized by recent studies in the field, which focus on the theory of metagovernance. However, both branches of urban governance literature heavily rely on knowledge of American cities, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. There is a growing demand to broaden the temporal and geographical scope of case studies and conduct more comparative research to better understand the roots and current processes of urban governance. While the fundamental driving forces behind the emergence of modern municipal administration during the 19th century have been adequately explored, various characteristics of different geographical locations might add new dimensions and approaches to understanding urban governance. This study offers a comprehensive insight into the birth and early formation of urban governance systems in the free ports of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, namely Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka in Croatian). By analyzing legal documents and applying a mixed-method approach, this study unravels the institutional structures, electoral systems, and municipal authorities of Trieste and Fiume from the 1848 Revolution until the end of the First World War. In addition to the historical and Central European perspectives, this paper aims to explore rarely considered contextual factors of urban governance, such as legal-administrative, socio-economic, and political elements. The comparative analysis of Trieste and Fiume demonstrates that even within the same empire, a wide range of diverse influences could shape urban governance systems. Despite these varied factors and significantly different administrative contexts, surprisingly similar governance practices could also emerge.

Provider views on vasectomy: cultural, gender, and political elements of Men's decisions to seek publicly funded services

IntroductionEvidence suggests a new demand for vasectomies following the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization [597 U.S. 215 (2022), (Dobbs)]. Vasectomies are safer and more cost-effective than tubal sterilization. Understanding how to support men's use of this procedure is important to improving sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing (SRHW). This study is an exploration of health care providers' perspectives on the gender, cultural and political influences on vasectomies at Title X-funded clinics across all regions of the US.MethodsProviders or health services staff (N = 21) at Title X-funded settings currently offering vasectomy services in their own clinics or via referral were recruited using list serve and email outreach. Participants took part in one-on-one or small group interviews about vasectomy procedures, patient experiences, and trends. A thematic analysis of interview transcripts through an iterative process of reviewing, note-taking, and discussing data assessed provider views on patient cultural, gender, and political vasectomy influences.ResultsQualitative interviews yielded four themes related to participant access to services, including income challenges, language barriers, medical distrust, and societal gender roles that stressed women's responsibility for contraception. Two additional themes focused on men's fear of losing reproductive health options and desire to “step up” to do their part to prevent unplanned pregnancies.DiscussionInterviewees stressed that vasectomy was for everyone but identified sub-groups of men who still faced logistical and social access challenges to the procedure. Providers also believed that men were concerned over reproductive justice in the US and wanted to do their part to help prevent unplanned pregnancies. They thought that the Dobbs decision may mark a turning point in reproductive care that could ultimately better public health initiatives and overall SRHW by including men in the conversation. Vasectomy education, marketing—along with policy changes that ease access, can support this goal.

Documenting war in Ukrainian comics: shifting from soldiers to civilians

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of the Russian–Ukrainian war, Ukrainian comics have emerged as a potent medium for depicting the ongoing conflict. They blend informational, political, cultural, and artistic elements, contributing to a multi-dimensional media discourse. They also serve as a means of documenting the war’s reality, becoming an integral part of cultural memory. The Ukrainian documentary comic series Kiborhy (Cyborgs) and the comic magazine INKER play a significant role in this regard. When comparing the earlier Kiborhy to the more recent INKER comics, a discernible shift in narrative focus can be observed: whereas Kiborhy portray heroic Ukrainian soldiers, INKER’s narratives centre around the everyday heroism of ordinary civilians. As opposed to Kiborhy, INKER utilizes intimate storytelling, often employing first-person narratives and personal reflections to convey the emotional impact of war without presenting any explicit violence. This shift also marks a departure from dehumanizing portrayals of the enemy as seen in Kiborhy, to a more nuanced approach where the adversaries are not explicitly named in the storytelling. This transition has diversified the range of narratives and characters, enabling social commentary and transforming Ukrainian comics into a more inclusive and diverse medium.

An Enquiry Into Modes of Non-Existence

After the many symmetries (subject-object, truth-falsity, etc.) that science and technology studies (STS) has explored, one symmetry seems unaddressed: the symmetry of explaining non-existence from the same kind of causes as existence. A social-constructivist perspective that articulates the work required to bring about existence cannot uncritically take for granted that the absence of such work simply explains non-existence. Rather, some non-existences are just as much “made,” and these non-existences “could have been otherwise.” In this article, I attempt to systematize this construction of non-existence under the notion of stifling. I first explore how the production of forms of non-existence has been thematized in scholarship in STS. I take non-things, non-knowledge, and non-people as the main classes to organize the arguments. I then propose a systematic approach to the ontological work performed through stifling and, notably, the consequences for what kind of futures this renders thinkable and unthinkable. Stifling then emerges as an important dynamic through which modal power is exercised and an indispensable element of ontological politics.

Colonial fantasies of invulnerability to climate change

ABSTRACT Despite an ever-growing critical literature, vulnerability retains its place as a dominant concept in climate politics. What is less heavily researched is the concept of “invulnerability,” an idea that feminist and decolonial theory has many tools to critique. After unpacking the material and discursive elements of vulnerability politics, this article focuses on invulnerability as a concept that is an influential yet unexplored set of masculine and colonial fantasies. These fantasies – of modernity, mastery, and continentalism – are critiqued through different critical traditions, which are brought into conversation with climate politics literature. I then discuss the counternarratives of Oceanic thought, following Teresia Teaiwa’s prompt to “island the world.” I argue that this can be done through a focus on care, relationality, and a decolonial politics of resistance. I conclude that resisting the politics of vulnerability requires an engagement with critical feminist and decolonial thought to enable an imaginative piercing of the fantasies of invulnerability.

Risk of Corruption in Public Procurement in Portuguese Municipalities. How is It Related to Politics, Gender of the Mayor, and Socioeconomic Municipalities Characteristics?

This study aims to analyze the risk of corruption within public procurement processes for public works contracts at the municipal level in Portugal. Employing a quantitative methodology previously validated in some countries, corruption risk within municipal public procurement was estimated for Portuguese municipalities and an attempt was made to determine the extent to which it is related to various political elements that characterize the municipal executive board, such as the number of mandates, the status of the incumbent, decision-making in election years and other political issues. Additionally, relationships between the corruption risk and some socio-economic and demographic factors, such as the level of education (human capital), purchasing power (economic capital) and gender of the mayor were examined. Findings reveal that in public procurement at the local level, the risk of corruption implicit in public tenders is not related to maintaining political power over several terms of office and other political issues, such as the moment of elections. It is also found that the risk of corruption in public procurement is not associated with the gender of the mayor. Findings should be interpreted with caution due to challenges in adapting the methodology for Portugal, as well as the few female mayors.

Modeling water availability under climate change scenarios: a systemic approach in the metropolitan area in Morelos, México

The research investigates integrated water management with complex socio-environmental interactions in worsening climate change scenarios. The proposed methodology involves the integration of Atmosphere–Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCM) with Water Evaluation and Planning models (WEAP) to ensure water availability in the future. Two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) integrate environmental, socioeconomic, and political elements under climate change scenarios with greater rainfall variability, extreme droughts, and floods in the metropolitan area of Morelos, located in the Center of México. Water availability in this region, along with population growth, industrialization, service activities, and agriculture, depends on forest conservation in the Ravines System of Northwest Morelos (RSNM). Public policy lacks interdisciplinary socio-environmental development, which prioritizes unsustainable economic growth overexploiting aquifers and polluting rivers. Official data from national and state governments do not reflect water conditions, and aquifer statistics date back decades. The majority of the analyzed models predict a delay in the monsoon, higher temperatures, extreme climate events, depletion of groundwater, and severe water scarcity during the hot months, rendering them unable to meet the increasing demand. This research provides valuable insights into the complex socioeconomic dynamics of a region with future water scarcity, which could be useful for similar conditions in the Global South.

Research on the Reform Path of Ideological and Political Education in Tourism English Courses in Higher Vocational Education

Tourism English in higher vocational education has profound humanistic, strong professional orientation, and instrumental characteristics. Through analyzing the current situation of ideological and political teaching in Tourism English courses in higher vocational education, it is found that there are too few ideological and political elements in the curriculum, the skills teaching and ideological education are not unified, and the ideological and political education in the curriculum tends to be empty preaching. The reasons for this are the weak ideological and political awareness of teachers, the emphasis on skills in textbooks over ideological and political education, and the conservatism of teaching methods. Based on the requirements of curriculum ideological and political education and teaching reform, a teaching reform practice path is constructed from four aspects: anchoring curriculum ideological and political goals, improving teachers’ ideological and political awareness and educational ability, creating ideological and political-oriented textbook resources, and integrating ideological and political teaching methods through multiple channels throughout the entire process, in order to cultivate students with patriotism, international vision, and professional skills.

Construction of the “Micro-Ideological and Political” Model for Ideological and Political Teaching Reform in Bidding and Contract Management Courses

In the context of deepening educational reforms, the significance of ideological and political education has become increasingly prominent, emerging as a crucial aspect of enhancing students’ comprehensive qualities. To ensure the orderly progress of ideological and political education in courses, it is essential to actively promote the integration of ideological and political elements within coursework. This integration aims to align professional course education with ideological and political education, fostering a collaborative educational model. Therefore, in the teaching of bidding and contract management courses, constructing a “micro-ideological and political” teaching model has emerged as a critical component. The implementation of this model facilitates the seamless integration of bidding and contract management coursework with ideological and political education, thereby elevating the teaching quality of these courses. Additionally, it leverages the synergistic role of coursework and ideology in educating students, ultimately enhancing the quality and level of talent cultivation. Hence, this paper proposes strategies for constructing a “micro-ideological and political” model within the context of ideological and political teaching reforms in bidding and contract management courses, inviting discussion and exchange on this topic.

Research on the Construction Path of New Engineering + Curriculum Ideology and Politics

With the rapid development of science and technology and the transformation and upgrading of industry, new engineering construction has become the important direction of higher engineering education reform in our country. This research focuses on the “new engineering + curriculum ideological and political new form course construction path,” in order to meet the new requirements of talent training put forward by the development of new engineering. This paper analyzes the educational value and current situation of curriculum ideology and politics under the background of new engineering, and improves the ability of curriculum ideology and politics from the perspective of strengthening the teacher training system; optimizing curriculum ideological and political design, skillfully integrating into the ideological and political elements; and strengthening the cooperation between schools, enterprises, and family associations to enrich curriculum ideological and political resources. To build a collaborative education mechanism and form an all-round education pattern, the four aspects of the new engineering + curriculum ideological and political of the new form course construction path have been preliminarily explored, hoping to provide some references and guidance.

Integration Mechanism of Ideological and Political Education with Specialized Knowledge in the Course of Green Building Design

This paper aims to explore the integration of ideological and political education with specialized knowledge in the course of green building design. Through an analysis of the green building design course, combined with the current social development background and the need for ecological and environmental protection, the study investigates how to effectively integrate ideological and political education elements into course instruction to enhance the comprehensive quality and green design capabilities of architecture students. The paper analyzes the content and characteristics of the green building design course and proposes an integration mechanism for ideological and political education in green building design teaching, aiming to cultivate architecture talents with green design concepts and good ideological and political qualities.

Interconnected water scarcities and environmental amenities migration in rural Chile

This paper explores the repercussions of amenity migration on rural communities' access to water through a comparative analysis of three case studies in Chile. It examines the concept of rural drinking waterscapes to elucidate how access to water is dependent upon a metabolic process, wherein social, political, economic, and technical elements contribute to the construction of rural landscapes. This notion implies paying close attention to the daily practices of water access at the household level through ethnographic methods (multiplying interviews and observations), thus uncovering unregulated water habits and uses. The results underscore the pivotal role played by the State in shaping the desirability of these localities, attracting both capital and upper-class population influx. This socio-demographic shift triggers significant changes in land-use patterns, resulting in an amplified and diversified demand for water. The study identifies that water scarcity is a multifaceted issue, stemming from the intricate interplay of various scarcities occurring simultaneously across different scales. These include: 1) infrastructure scarcity, arising from households' inability to connect to the communal water network; 2) service management scarcity, induced by operational failures that reduce water pressure or increase supply interruptions; 3) economic scarcity, resulting from water organisation budget constraints or residents’ inability to meet water bills; and 4) overexploitation scarcity, emanating from the excessive consumption of groundwater resources. Notably, these different forms of scarcity are interconnected. The responses of local populations and governing committees are identified as central to this intricate chain of causation, as they can inadvertently create new scarcity scenarios and exacerbate inequalities.

The Multiple Presentation and Organic Integration of Ideological and Political Elements in the Curriculum: A Case Study of the Course “Theoretical Basis of New Energy”

The Multiple Presentation and Organic Integration of Ideological and Political Elements in the Curriculum: A Case Study of the Course “Theoretical Basis of New Energy”

Exploration and Practice of Integrating the Spirit of the Great Northern Wilderness into the Training Process of Basic Medical Graduate Students

Postgraduate education in basic medical sciences is the primary pathway for cultivating advanced scientific research talents in China’s medical field. However, with the increasing demands of medical education, the limitations of traditional educational models have gradually emerged, somewhat restricting the formation of correct values among postgraduate students in basic medical sciences. The spirit of the Great Northern Wilderness, as a crucial component of the Chinese Communist Party’s spiritual lineage, has now become a significant ideological and political element in modern teaching. By incorporating the spirit of the Great Northern Wilderness as an ideological and political element, teachers are encouraged to foster the spirit of hard work, courageous exploration, overall consideration, and selfless dedication among postgraduate students in basic medical sciences through improvements in classroom teaching methods, specialized teaching content, and situational teaching experiences. By integrating the ideological and political elements of the Great Northern Wilderness spirit into talent cultivation goals, requirements, and curriculum system construction during the training of postgraduate students in basic medical sciences at Jiamusi University, the aim is to cultivate students who can carry the spirit of hard work and courageous exploration into their future workplaces.

China–Thai Cultural Diplomacy Through the Buddhist Wat: A Case Study of the Thai Wat in Chaozhou Kaiyuan si, Guangdong

Cultural diplomacy is often regarded as a potent method to enhance the bond between nations by facilitating the interchange of cultural values and practices. Previous studies have focused chiefly on political and economic elements, neglecting the role of religious institutions in cultural diplomacy. This paper investigates the function of Wat Chaozhou Kaiyuan si in Guangdong as a means of cultural diplomacy between China and Thailand. This temple is a significant platform for cultural and religious exchanges, fostering enhanced understanding and collaboration between the two nations. Using a case study methodology, this research employed five semi-structured interviews with several individuals, including a head monk from Wat, a monk from Thailand, a monk from China, a diplomat from Thailand, and a diplomat from China. Additionally, field observations were conducted. The data were examined using NVivo through a three-step process consisting of data collection, data coding, and data interpretation. The study produced four noteworthy findings: (1) Buddhism plays a vital role in cultural diplomacy by advancing national objectives through cultural engagement. (2) Cultural diplomacy involves the act of advancing a country’s interests by means of engaging in cultural exchanges. (3) We identified the key actors involved in formal cultural diplomacy. (4) Wat Chaozhou Kaiyuan acts as both a platform for cultural diplomacy and a facilitator of foreign cultural interactions, which is discussed in this study.

Research on the Infiltration of Scientific Spirit in High School Biology Teaching Under the Background of Curriculum Ideology and Politics

Curriculum thinking and politics is an exploration of moral education reform and a strategic measure to carry out the fundamental task of cultivating people. High school is a key period for students to form correct values. In addition to ideological and political courses, other courses also need to play the function of educating people, and take courses as the carrier to provide value guidance to students in the process of knowledge imparting and ability training. High school biology is a fundamental course in natural sciences and an important carrier for cultivating students’ scientific literacy. However, through questionnaire surveys and interviews at internship schools, it was found that the infiltration of scientific spirit into high school biology teaching is not ideal. Teachers have insufficient understanding of ideological and political education in the curriculum, and they cannot fully tap into educational materials in textbooks. The methods for infiltrating scientific spirit are relatively single, making it difficult to balance ideological and political infiltration with knowledge teaching. This article selects the scientific spirit as an ideological and political element based on the needs of national development and the characteristics of the discipline, and permeates it into biology teaching. Finally, the teaching effectiveness is evaluated through various methods. The aim is to enrich the theoretical research of thinking and politics in senior biology curriculum, and to provide teaching reference for teachers to cultivate students’ scientific spirit in biology teaching. After conducting questionnaire surveys and interviews with students and teachers, the following conclusions were drawn: firstly, although the teachers and students of the school have a limited understanding of ideological and political education in the curriculum, most of them support the integration of ideological and political education into biology teaching. Secondly, some teachers still place more emphasis on imparting knowledge in their teaching and have not fully utilized the educational value of biology. The implementation of ideological and political education in biology teaching is not ideal. Thirdly, overall, the penetration of scientific spirit in biology teaching is not satisfactory and needs further strengthening. In summary, teachers need to strengthen their exploration of textbooks and deepen their understanding of teaching design in their daily teaching process, in order to continuously improve their ideological and political education for students and fully leverage the educational value of biology. Integrating scientific spirit into biology teaching is not only in line with the ideological and political concepts of the curriculum, but also in line with the core competencies of the discipline, which can better leverage the educational value of biology.

Study on the Practice of Ideological and Political Education in Foreign Trade Correspondence on Teaching in English- Taking the 7C Principleas an Example

In the new era, integrating ideological and political elements into professional courses, strengthening the shaping of students' values, and actively guiding college students to establish correct values. This article analyzes the practice of ideological and political education based on the 7C principles of foreign trade correspondence by English teaching. Starting from the advantages of ideological and political construction in foreign trade correspondence courses, the socialist core values are compared with the "7P principles" of writing in foreign trade correspondence courses. It is found that their content is consistent with the "7C principles", especially the basic moral norms of citizens, namely "patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness", which can be combined with the content of the 7C principles for teaching. During the teaching process, classroom discussion, case analysis, and vivid deduction methods can be used to effectively carry out ideological and political education on foreign trade correspondence by English teaching.

Exploration on the Excavation and Infiltration Path of Ideological and Political Elements in Wushu Teaching in Colleges and Universities

In developing Wushu teaching in colleges and universities, we should not only teach students skills and techniques, but more importantly, we should pay attention to spreading excellent Chinese traditional culture and instill core values in students. Through the infiltration of ideological and political elements in Wushu teaching, students ideological and political education can be realized, their cultural self-confidence can be enhanced, and their national identity can be enhanced. This paper first analyzes the significance of the excavation and infiltration of ideological and political elements in Wushu teaching in colleges and universities, and discusses the strategies of the infiltration of ideological and political elements in Wushu teaching, aiming at promoting the combination of ideological and political education and Wushu education and improving the overall quality of Wushu teaching.

Highlights of the theory of responsibility and liability of the people's elected representatives

The issue of the legal status of the people's elected representatives has now become extremely topical, especially starting from the fact that its content includes a legal and a political element, this has a specific impact on the institution of liability of these subjects of law. The article contains a study dedicated to the status of elected representatives of the people in order to identify the forms of legal responsibility that each category of people is liable to. As a result, the following categories of elected representatives of the people are identified: the head of state, deputies, mayors, local and district councillors, who are also liable to such forms of legal liability as: criminal, contravention, civil, disciplinary and constitutional.

EAEU Role in the Evolution of Multipolar Structure in World Politics

The global political system is undergoing a transition from a unipolar to a multipolar world. Scientific discussions are underway regarding the emergence or formation of new poles in the world, including the potential development of a pole through the integration structure of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Attention is focused on the changing conditions of the global economy and their influence on the development strategies of regional integration associations. The necessity to adapt the development strategies of the EAEU to new trends, including the shift in the economic paradigm and the reassessment of the role of integration process participants, is argued.Aim. To justify strategies and approaches to building an economic pole based on the EAEU.Tasks. Examining various theoretical approaches to the concept of multipolarity, poles, and centers of power. Investigating interpretations of global and regional leadership. Analyzing the concept of regional leadership considering the role of the EAEU as an important element of the new world political and global economic system.Methods. Comparative analysis of vectors and development strategies of regional integration associations. The civilizational approach illuminates not only the key economic and political aspects of regional leadership but also the cultural and civilizational factors of regional integration. The deductive method and synthesis allowed for the formulation of new approaches to understanding the economic component of the EAEU pole.Results. It has been established that one of the possible and most effective ways to form the economic component of the EAEU pole is to consider the formation of a new technological paradigm in the Union’s development strategy amidst the transformation and transition to a new economic paradigm.Conclusions. Framing the EAEU as an independent pole, based on the concept of changing economic paradigms, implies a rethinking or establishment of institutions based on principles of non-discrimination, mutual respect for sovereignty and national interests, as well as the establishment of mutually beneficial relations with other states. Such an approach to pole-building is a key step in transitioning to the sixth technological paradigm.