Emergence Of New Formats Research Articles

Wholeness as a fundamental category in describing the nature of personality

The concept of wholeness, which is one of the main concepts in the description of personality, is discussed. In psychology, wholeness is considered as a characteristic of personality and as a requirement for its study. In traditional approaches to understanding wholeness, it is described through the relative constancy of personality substructures, interconnected, or, in dynamic approaches, through the development of wholeness based on the connection of existing structures with the emergence of new formations. Violation of the principle of integrity in research studying individual components of personality became one of the main reasons for the crisis in personality psychology of the twentieth century. Difficulties in studying the wholeness of personality are associated, among other things, with differences in its interpretations, with the polysemy and uncertainty of the concepts that describe it, which is demonstrated by the results of the analysis of the conceptual field in scientific discourse. It is proposed to consider wholeness as a fundamental category in the description of personality, along with the categories of variability and stability. Wholeness is understood as an integral characteristic that works at different levels of the functional organization of the individual, which correlate with the contexts of the individual’s life. In accordance with the developed processual approach, integrity is a dynamic formation, the balance of which is ensured by the balance of the processes of change and stability; the content of the conjugate action of these processes is the “completion” of the stability of the individual due to the changes that occur.

LEGAL PROVISION OF INFORMATION SECURITY OF CHILDREN IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

The rapid development of social resources of Internet technologies has led to a sharp increase in the number of users of all ages, among them children, who are consumers of various, including destructive information. Today, modern global trends signal the emergence of new formats of threats and online risks. Children are active users of the global Internet, and most of them are unaware of the danger that information in the virtual space may contain. To be more precise, it is the propaganda of the consumption of alcohol, drugs, violence and cruelty, aggressive and suicidal behavior, etc. The author identified and gave characteristics of information threats, such as cyberbullying, considered the problems of child suicides that are committed through «death groups» in social networks. We have presented action plans on the part of the state, and also highlighted preventive measures to ensure the information security of the child in the global information space. The article provides examples of solving the problem of information security in the Republic of Kazakhstan based on a review of publications on this issue, as well as regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We have revealed the issues of the need for further study of the problem and the development of preventive measures aimed at preventing the occurrence of information threats and online risks. In order to prevent such offenses, conclusions are drawn about the expediency of developing measures of both social and legal orientation. The results of the study were possible measures proposed by the authors regarding the improvement of the system of legal provision of information security of children in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Философские истоки стратегии цифровой трансформации компаний

The necessity of studying the philosophical origins of the digital transformation strategy at the corporate level is considered, since this phenomenon has a direct impact on improving the quality of life, and, consequently, the economic revival of the country. The main message and relevance of the topic are due to the fact that digital transformation cannot be carried out without a well-considered strategy that allows you to identify objective opportunities for overcoming the contradictions that develop in the process of scientific and technological progress and the transformation of society. The digital transformation of companies is carried out in accordance with the development strategies of the information society, the country’s digital economy and global digital strategies. It is necessary that the public environment and business space be ready for digital transformation, as well as develop and take shape development strategies that involve radical and advanced changes in the forms of business organization. This involves studying the phenomenon of the digital transformation strategy within the framework of the historical and philosophical approach, which makes it possible to identify global socio-economic and technological transformations in order to effectively adapt to the modern modification of the economic world based on a review of the scientific works of academician Bodrunov S.D. The primary task of philosophical analysis, which consists in streamlining ideas about strategy as a science and studying the philosophical roots of the categories included in the stages of strategizing based on the research of academician Kvint V. L. The concept of digital transformation is analyzed in the context of a historically established philosophical concept. In the philosophical discourse the fundamental questions about movement and development, directly related to the possibilities and patterns of the emergence of new formats of strategies for changing digital reality, have been substantiated for a long time.

Methodology for the Study of Nationalist Discourse in a Multi-Ethnic Environment

This article reviews the main methodological approaches to the study of the discourse of nationalism in multi-ethnic societies that exist in international research practice.Aim. Purpose is to review the existing approaches to the study of nationalist discourse in modern research, their advantages and disadvantages.Tasks. Objectives are to determine what are the current methods for the study of nationalist discourse in the scientific environment, to examine the limitations of their implementation, to identify the most promising approaches, to specify what are the advantages and disadvantages of the used methodological approaches.Methods. The comparative analysis method was applied to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the methodological approaches to study the discourse of nationalism. The article also used the method of bibliographic data analysis in order to deepen the understanding of the existing methodological approaches to the study of the discourse of nationalism by searching and studying scientific materials and works of scientists.Results. The article deals with the quantitative and qualitative methods to study the nationalist discourse in multi-ethnic environment, the difficulties and limitations of the implementation of these or those methods, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Special attention was paid to the method of content analysis of social networks and blogosphere, since today the study of sentiments in social networks is gaining importance, due to the increasing breadth of audience coverage in different countries as well as the emergence of new formats of citizen participation, such as online participation.Conclusions. Today, the discourse related to nationalist sentiments is most prevalent in internet, for a number of reasons, including the speed and ease of presenting information and the horizontal connectivity. Therefore, in multi-ethnic societies, great importance should be given to scrutinising content on social media including the use of ‘hate speech’. In this regard, the paper makes recommendations for analysing the information space and strengthening work in this direction.

Философские истоки стратегии цифровой трансформации компаний

The necessity of studying the philosophical origins of the digital transformation strategy at the corporate level is considered, since this phenomenon has a direct impact on improving the quality of life, and, consequently, the economic revival of the country. The main message and relevance of the topic are due to the fact that digital transformation cannot be carried out without a well-considered strategy that allows you to identify objective opportunities for overcoming the contradictions that develop in the process of scientific and technological progress and the transformation of society. The digital transformation of companies is carried out in accordance with the development strategies of the information society, the country’s digital economy and global digital strategies. It is necessary that the public environment and business space be ready for digital transformation, as well as develop and take shape development strategies that involve radical and advanced changes in the forms of business organization. This involves studying the phenomenon of the digital transformation strategy within the framework of the historical and philosophical approach, which makes it possible to identify global socio-economic and technological transformations in order to effectively adapt to the modern modification of the economic world based on a review of the scientific works of academician Bodrunov S. D. The primary task of philosophical analysis, which consists in streamlining ideas about strategy as a science and studying the philosophical roots of the categories included in the stages of strategizing based on the research of academician Kvint V. L. The concept of digital transformation is analyzed in the context of a historically established philosophical concept. In the philosophical discourse the fundamental questions about movement and development, directly related to the possibilities and patterns of the emergence of new formats of strategies for changing digital reality, have been substantiated for a long time.

Интернет-мемы в современной коммуникации: адаптация и прагматический потенциал

The article focuses on the adaptation of memes. Internet memes are regarded as new units of communication, characterized by specific properties. Their main feature is the ability to transform based on the precedent nature of the meme and its instant distribution. The adaptive potential of internet memes leads to the emergence of new formations, expanding the range of pragmatic tasks solved through meme usage. The purpose of the article is to analyze the main directions of meme adaptation and the most productive options for transformations based on popular memes from recent years. The methodology employed includes the identification of intertextuality, analysis of speech genres, and semiotic methods involving the study of codes and their interaction within a communicative unit. Typical ways of transforming memes on the internet have been identified, such as changes in visual and/or verbal components, transformation of form and content while retaining visual or verbal markers, contamination of memes, and arbitrary transformation while maintaining thematic markers. Additionally, the stages of meme adaptation in the internet space, from the original meme to a metameme that retains minimal connections to the original unit, have been outlined. A natural outcome of adaptation is the ability of memes to transcend their primary sphere of existence and extend into the realms of media, education, art, and more.

Restructuring of Multilateralism and Inclusive Development of the SCO

Unlike the multilateral institutions of the past, formed by hegemons in accordance with their interests, the SCO multilateral format has given a new impetus to inclusive multilateral regional cooperation. In order to promote inclusive cooperation in Eurasia, the SCO member states have formulated strategic plans for cooperation in the main subregions and key areas of organization’s activities. New SCO plans to intensify cooperation take into account the principle of inclusiveness, and promote a system interests compatibility between members. Taking into consideration the relatively vague and "blurred" forms of cooperation between the member states, an increase in the SCO membership can create both new challenges and contribute to the emergence of new formats of interaction. Thus, the introduction of new forms of small multilateralism may become relevant for increasing the effectiveness of the SCO. Cooperation within the framework of new formats of small multilateralism should be established in accordance with the political preferences and readiness of the SCO Member States in order to increase the effectiveness of intra-organizational interaction. Institutional flexibility in pragmatic cooperation brings mutually beneficial results and has great potential for extending the format of such cooperation to a wide range of issues. An inclusive approach and multilateral cooperation within the framework of the SCO helps to strengthen cooperation in various fields and contribute to the creation of a democratic and fair political and economic environment. It seems that China and Russia, as the leading powers in the SCO, will be interested in promoting new formats of cooperation and reforming the regional system of interaction. The combination of classical large-scale multilateralism with small forms of multilateral cooperation within the SCO will help to deal with the current difficulties in regional governance and improve the effectiveness of the organization.

НЕФОРМАЛЬНАЯ ЗАНЯТОСТЬ В УСЛОВИЯХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ СОВРЕМЕННОГО РЫНКА ТРУДА

The subject of the study is various types of informal employment in developing, economically developed countries and in the Russian labor market. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the evolution of traditional forms of informal employment and the emergence of new formats, to identify the challenges and risks associated with them. In the course of the study, general scientific methods, statistical processing of information, and graphic and comparative analysis were used. The information base of the study was statistical data and materials from international organizations (UN, ILO, Eurostat, OECD) and Rosstat. The results of the study show that Russia is at the beginning of the formation of platform employment and freelancing as independent segments of the labor market, and there are significant risks of precarization of these forms of employment. In the context of the evolution of the informal sector and the development of new non-standard and informal types of employment, the author concluded that the key tasks of social policy are the solution of issues of social and pension insurance, as well as the extension of labor and social guarantees to the sphere of non-standard employment. The research results can be used by federal and regional executive authorities in the development and implementation of state policy in the social and labor sphere.

Creating a digital space of socially sustainable development for food enterprises

Under modern conditions, there are new requirements for the formation of relations with consumers, partners, employees, and society. The possibilities of integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) tools and economic digitalization processes have been investigated and a new format for evaluating the activities of small and medium-sized businesses related to their level of maturity has been defined. This study formulates patterns of CSR development, proposes the use of a new concept of "digital space of social sustainable development" (DSSSD), and reports a methodological toolkit devised for determining the level of maturity of the digital space of social sustainable development (DSSSD) of food industry enterprises. The developed methodological support makes it possible to assess CSR by economic, social, and informatization criteria. The proposed CSR scorecard makes it possible to compare companies and rank them in the coordinate system of corporate social responsibility/digitalization. 17 key indicators have been identified, which are formed into three key groups. Confirmation of the effectiveness of the methodology is the execution of calculations for small and medium-sized businesses in the food industry. According to the results of the calculations, the maturity levels of eight enterprises of the food industry in Ukraine in the DSSSD space were determined. The analysis made it possible to determine that four enterprises are at the initial level of DSSSD (zone 1 Digital Descriptive), two enterprises are moving to zone 2 (Solutions Analytics Digital), and two enterprises are in a state of transition to zone 3 (Smart CIS) due to increasing the level of digitalization and the formation of an internal CSR system, which indicates their active development. This makes it possible to assert that the technique is effective and can be useful for enterprises around the world. The selected indicators are used at all enterprises of those countries that use the international accounting and reporting system. Improving the system in the areas of formation of corporate social responsibility and the introduction of digitalization of the enterprise makes it possible to optimize the information systems of enterprises, automate management procedures, and create new communication channels with consumers and beneficiaries. This will contribute to the development of a systemic socio-economic effect of business, care for the needs of people, the development of the social climate at an enterprise, and the emergence of new formats of interaction between business, the state, and society.

Analysis of current trends in introverted design: Changing the extraverted paradigm

This research deals with the main characteristics of introverted design from the point of view of the modern perception of personality and its place in society. The main concepts of the personal classification of private and public space are highlighted, and the leading types of design focus on equal access to personal comfort. The essence, signs, and advantages of co-working as the latest model of interaction between people with different psychological types, worldviews, and cultural perceptions are revealed. The purpose of the study is to identify the main criteria for the formation of introverted design in modern space and to determine its impact on the emergence of new formats of interaction between the individual and the architectural space. This study used the method of systematic analysis of scientific papers and publications on the topic of research, the method of comparative analysis, as well as the generalization and systematization of the information obtained. The analysis of the source base on psychological aspects of design shows multi-vector and interdisciplinary approaches. There is a clear connection between design and psychology, caused by the increasing gravitation of artists towards individualization of projects, uniqueness, and maximum conformity with the needs of clients. The authors note a certain lack of clarity on the introverted design topic in scientific research specifically in the field of architecture and design: the growing actualization of the personal approach in all spheres of life requires a comprehensive and deep interdisciplinary analysis for further implementation in the design and architectural projects. The change of the extroverted paradigm focused on active communication between people, multitasking, openness, and non-zoning of space in a freer opened up new possibilities for the design and modeling of the interior. Thus, taking advantage of the achievements of psychology, sociology, and other related sciences, interior design can take into account the influence of a number of circumstances on the effectiveness of his work: the right choice of color scheme, taking into account for both the psycho-type of man and the purpose of the room and its location, increases productivity and increases the sense of harmony.

СОЦИАЛЬНО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЙ АКТИВИЗМ МОЛОДЕЖИ РОССИИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ИНФОРМАЦИОННОГО ОБЩЕСТВА

The rapid development of digital technologies and their mass application in all areas has a significant impact on the forms of the socio-political activism of young people, as well as on the formation of young people's civic and political stances. Currently, the classical institutions of civic participation are being transformed under the influence of the digital environment, which leads to the emergence of new formations, which cover increasingly broad cohorts, have specific functioning features and tools. In the study, the author considers various approaches to work and forms of socio-political activism in the modern digital environment, identifies signs of the classification of the digital institutions of civic participation, as well as the subjects of the socio-political activism of youth in information society. The very notion of the digital institution of civic participation as a form of interaction between individuals through the digital environment is defined, which is used to implement joint goals and objectives that are relevant to all community participants. The author concludes that the interaction of traditional and digital tools, their mutual supplementation will allow to realize the socio-political needs of young people at a much more effective level, which are due to both objective age and psychophysical factors and the conditions of the external environment and current political reality.

Big Data&Open Data in journalism: role, meaning, trends

New digital data formats — Big & Open Data — are transforming the modern model of professional social communication and changing the parameters of communication. The emergence of new formats of digital information, including big data, provides new ways to search, process, analyze, present and visualize it in journalism. These changes should be reflected in the texts of journalistic materials. However, there is reason to believe that the impact of large and open data on the structure of journalistic materials in the leading domestic media remains minimal. Data journalism is still in its infancy, being studied based on observation and interviewing techniques. Comprehensive studies of data sources of data journalism publications are still lacking. In leading publications, the number of materials based on open data and published on a regular basis as separate projects or in specialized sections is growing. However, despite its prevalence, this phenomenon is still controversial both among practicing journalists and academics. The practices of data journalism, which are not sufficiently systematized, are not comprehensively reflected in the scientific literature. Existing research in this area is at the intersection of different scientific fields and concepts and is interdisciplinary. However, many media outlets are already starting to work with numbers and databases, literally finding stories in them for publication. It can be stated that today a community of people is emerging who call themselves data journalists, which is significantly different from the community of experts in the field of computer journalism. This new community has more innovative ways of providing data, storytelling, and final reporting, combining the deeply analytical and critical approaches of the computer and visual journalism community.

Features of methodological activity of a modern medical university teacher

The article discusses changes in the methodological activities of a modern university teacher due to the emergence of new formats for organizing higher medical education and use of modern teaching methods in the educational process; describes the methods that allow to prepare the student for communication with a real patient and form the ability to carry out a critical analysis of problem situations; presents an analysis of the results of a study devoted to the search for new forms of professional development for a teacher working at the Almazov Center.

THE PRECONDITIONS FOR THE EMERGENCE AND DRIVERS OF MARKETPLACES DEVELOPMENT IN E-COMMERCE

The virtual environment is getting closer to the person. From an information field designed for information exchange, it is transformed into a full-fledged business environment. A significant number of business processes today are conducted via the Internet, which necessitates an alternative approach to the organization of key aspects of management. The rapid development of technology leads to the emergence of novel forms of interaction between contractors, increases their range, involves not only manufacturers and buyers but also other companies, including logistics, banking, brokerage, into the processes, which leads to increased overall business activity. Intensification of business interaction leads to the emergence of new business models. In particular, the current stage is characterized by the transition from online stores to marketplaces, which are full-fledged trading platforms where there is supply and demand. The article examines the prerequisites for the emergence of marketplaces as one of the tools of digital marketing and provides a brief description of them. Thus, the analysis of the level of Internet penetration in the world and in Ukraine confirmed the course of digitalization of society. The study of analytical reports made it possible to confirm the rapid spread of access to the network and the involvement in the virtual environment of an increasing number of users in different age groups and from different regions. Such penetration allows to take into account globalization, eliminate barriers to access, and ensure greater involvement of counter-parties in market processes taking place in the network. The analysis of e-commerce indicators has confirmed the assumption that the intensity of use of e-commerce services correlates with the level of the Internet penetration. Joint analysis of the level of the Internet penetration and e-commerce data has revealed the key characteristics of the modern user of the network as a buyer. In particular, to outline his or her behavioral and consumer preferences, note the attitude to advertising, the desired level of service and the need to ensure data confidentiality. Drawing up a portrait of the consumer allows to understand his or her network activity and take it into account in the formation of communication, sales organization and product promotion. Tracking consumer activity also permits making a modeling impact on it, pushing the buyer to certain actions from information to purchase. Assessment of the current situation in Ukraine allows to predict a corresponding increase in activity in the field of electronic sales. The various business models used in e-commerce are considered, and their functionality is depicted. The key factors that led to the emergence of marketplaces are highlighted and the impact of each of them is considered separately. The classification of marketplaces according to different classification features is given and the advantages of use are outlined. The tendency to emergence of new formats of marketplaces and expansion of their functionality is revealed, which significantly increases the possibilities of users from the position of organization of work and ensuring circulation of information flows. The main drivers of formation of marketplaces in the world and Ukraine are singled out. The vector of their development is traced.

The Impact Of Digital Economy On International Trade

This article explores the role of digitalization and related technologies in today's international trade. The global economy and digitalization in international trade are growing at a rapid pace and the digital space is becoming a key area for global trade. The impact of digitalization on international trade, the impact of changes in the structure and form of international trade, the intensification of global competition and its transition to the intangible sector; the emergence of new formats and opportunities for international business through digitization, the expansion of cross-border commerce and invisible employment, and the reduction of cross-border and internal operations in a globalized digital environment; Factors such as the rapid growth of digital commerce with companies, businesses and households, the emergence of new generation science related to the regulation of commercial relations in the transboundary virtual space, the emergence of new changes in international trade regulation have been explored.
 Keywords: digital economy, digitalization, globalization, international trade, technology, supply chain, transformation, regulation, data flow, cross-border trade.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА: СИНЕРГЕТИЧНИЙ ПІДХІД

The article attempts to outline the essence of transformation processes in Ukrainian culture. Analyzed are both positive and negative phenomena in the cultural sphere of modern Ukrainian society. The analysis of culture from the point of view of a synergistic approach, which is based on the provisions of holism, the recognition of the integrity of culture as its immanent property, is supported thanks to and despite differentiation and integration, changes in instability and stability, qualitative changes associated with the emergence of new formations and the preservation of traditional foundations in culture. It is noted that the likelihood of the emergence of new cultural forms and institutions of culture is still not guaranteed to overcome social instability. The level of chaos and risk increases in a situation of changes in the external context for the socio-cultural organism and corresponding changes in culture in society. It is substantiated that the dialectical connection between «chaos and risk», a one-sided interpretation of sociocultural instability arises from an underestimation of the capabilities of culture, many of its components, such as anthropo-socio-cultural systems that self-organize. It has been proved that socio-cultural processes of self-organization allow a certain degree of influence on them, because at one of the stages of development, the «measure of chaos» and «measure of order» are violated, due to which the spontaneity, unstructuredness of changes contribute to the formation of «false attractors» that enhance negative processes and tendencies. Comprehension of the unity of all components of the sociocultural sphere in the integral system of sociocultural reality creates the preconditions for the regulation of contradictory cultural and transformational processes. One of these mechanisms of state regulation is cultural policy. Based on a comparison of the basic principles of cultural policy of Ukraine and the countries of the European Union, it was stated that the latter approve the concepts of «public-private partnership» and «distribution of efforts» between state and non-state sources of funding for culture. One of the main tasks of cultural policy was the desire for democratization, decentralization and development of the cultural life of the population as a whole. In Ukrainian society, the processes of self-organization in culture are activated, there are manifestations of a new social order — civil society and its socio-cultural institutions, a legal state based on democratic principles.

Socio-psychological mechanisms of adaptation and integration of internal transmitted persons in the community

This article is devoted to the case study of the social and psychological adaptation and integration of internally displaced persons in the host community. Theoretical analysis of modern local and foreign studies has been performed. A theoretical analysis of contemporary domestic and foreign researches was effectuated, during which the specialities of the socio-psychological mechanisms of adaptation and integration of internally displaced were identified. It was clarified that the process of adaptation involves acceptance and adaptation to social norms, and as a result of integration, the emergence of new formations that meet the needs of individual and group development takes place. Also, there were an attempt to define the existence of distinctions of the migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons and their special aspects of adaptation. The complexity of the social and psychological adaptation of internally displaced persons lies in the fact that the result of the process should be the conformity to socially regulated behavior, interests, and values orientations of community without losing its own individuality. Research findings point to the significant potential of internally displaced persons, which can contribute to improving the adaptive capacity of the entire community, to manifest itself in the cultural, social and working life of the host party.The material presented in the article emphasizes the importance of a more careful study of the mechanisms of adaptation and integration.

РЕКРЕАЦІЯ І ДОЗВІЛЛЯ В ПАРАДИГМІ DIGITAL AGE

The purpose of the article is to identify the main directions of the transformation of the field of leisure and recreation in the context of the establishment of the Digital Age and to find out the peculiarities of the implementation of recreational practices by means of digital technology. The research methodology was determined by the necessity of using cultural, psychological and philosophical approaches for the analysis of the sphere of recreation and leisure in the context of the transition to the Digital Age, through which it is possible to outline the existing trends, indicating the emergence of new formats and types of recreational practices. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that for the first time an attempt is made to conceptualise the peculiarities of leisure and recreation practice realization by means of digital technology through critical analysis of the transformations of the sphere of leisure and recreation in the context of the establishment of the Digital Age. Conclusions. The process of techno-modification and the development of NBICS-technology with the prospect of their convergence affect not only the society but also the person themselves, changing the processes of identification, socialization and personification, creating new requirements for creativity and response to risks, changing cognitive functions and forming new demands for the functioning of the recreational-entertainment sphere, which should promote self-realization, self-improvement, development of creative abilities, etc.

Formatos novedosos del fotoperiodismo digital. Propuesta analítica basada en indicadores estructurales, formales y funcionales

Durante los últimos años se ha producido un relanzamientonotable de la fotografía en la prensa digital,tanto desde el punto de vista cuantitativo como cualitativo,que ha dado lugar al surgimiento de formatos oproductos novedosos en los cuales la imagen ostenta unprotagonismo sustantivo. El presente trabajo aborda elestudio de estas fórmulas fotoperiodísticas emergentes,con énfasis en la identificación, clasificación y descripciónsistemática de sus atributos básicos y lógica subyacente,a fin de disponer de un conocimiento actualizadode tales fórmulas e incidir en la posible mejora de susestándares de calidad. La propuesta incorpora enfoquesanalíticos hasta ahora poco o superficialmente tratados, relativos al diseño estructural, funcionalidad, usabilidad,estilismo e integración narrativa de las fotogalerías,fotohistorias y reportajes multimedia. El resultadoes la confección de un instrumento que, tomando comofundamento metodológico el análisis de contenido,conforma una ficha o libro de códigos aplicable al examenempírico de estos formatos fotográficos novedosossobre la base de datos objetivos y comprobables. Se realizala descripción de las variables, su categorización,posibles valores, cualificación de los mismos y potencialidadesde aplicación.

Towards a new public sphere for political inclusion: Mobile media and the reshaping of local governance landscapes in Sierra Leone

Political marginalization in local governance systems in Sierra Leone results in the struggle for citizens to fully participate in deliberative democracy and amplify their voices in decision-making processes. This article draws on Habermas’ theory of the public sphere to critically examine the extent to which mobile phone use alters political relations between marginalized citizens and power holders in Sierra Leone’s local governance systems. By using ethnographic data from rural and urban communities in Sierra Leone, this article shows that the mobile phone provides a useful mediated public sphere for the marginalized to negotiate political relations, inform deliberative democratic processes and remove political middlemen in local governance. The mobile phone empowers the marginalized to organize themselves and amplify their voices in local political decision-making. The article concludes by arguing that the introduction of mobile phones into the local governance systems in Sierra Leone results in the emergence of new formations of participatory public discussion and radical alterations in local political processes. However, the sustainability of these practices depends on the integration of mobile phones into a larger network of political arrangements in the country.