Idealistic Approach Research Articles

The thick description of Clifford Geertz: An anti-scientific Approach to Anthropology

In this article, I analyse the ‘thick description’ notion developed by Clifford Geertz to explore its scope and limitations. It is not my intention to refute or consider invalid the approach developed by Clifford Geertz; on the contrary, it is on his basis that I propose some corrections that are loose in his epistemological system. Some of his notions can be clarified, and others are wrong. I will discuss his (i) ontology, (ii) individualistic method, (iii) arbitrary notion of truth and (iv) the development of what a ‘thick description is’. To analyse this concept in detail, I evaluate how it is operationalised in some of the author's texts. The analysis shows its limited explanatory capacity due to its idealistic approach to the concept of culture, which overlooks other approaches in anthropology. Finally, I conceptualise thick description by adding materialistic properties to it.

López Obrador’s hyper-presidentialism: populism and autocratic legalism defying the Supreme Court and the National Electoral Institute

ABSTRACT This article analyses a growing concern with Mexico’s democracy as regards the idea of separation of powers since the takeover of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on 1 December 2018. To this end, it explores the tension between the executive’s hyper-presidentialism and independent institutions, specifically the Supreme Court and the National Electoral Institute. Drawing on the ideational approach to populism and autocratic legalism sustaining a new form of hyper-presidentialism in Mexico, the article examines five extraordinary cases revealing how the executive’s ideational aspiration, which seeks to ‘transform’ Mexico, and methods amounting to autocratic legalism fundamentally challenge the integrity and independence of said institutions: a) the so-called Zaldívar Law (named after the former Chief Justice, a last-minute amendment aiming to extend his term); b) the failed energy reform; c) the public consultation on the prosecution of former presidents; d) the recall vote; and, e) the electoral reform. The article concludes the recent election of a new Chief Justice could be seen as a revindication of the Supreme Court’s autonomy, whereas the institutional integrity of the National Electoral Institute remains contested in the unsettled electoral reform.

Dynamic climate-adaptive design: A key to realizing future-proof energy efficiency in building sector

Being vulnerable to climate change, building energy designs based on the present-time weather conditions might lose their efficiency over time and diverge from their initial designated performance. The idealistic approach to realizing lifelong energy efficiency accommodates building energy systems with not only drivers for survival from upcoming changes but also possibilities to thrive under new boundaries. Such a notion requires designers to step beyond the regular static-based building energy design mindset and move towards considering future uncertainties and variabilities due to the changing climate. In line with this need, the present study investigated the boundaries of climate change integration into building energy designs and proposed a conceptual framework that provides dynamic climate-adaptivity. Climate-adaptive designs, in any field, cannot be pictured without time-varying nature. Outlined framework encompassed such characteristic as its innate component and implemented it in a practical way suited for the building industry. A case-study building was studied based on this framework and compared with a conventional static-based energy-optimized design. Results indicated that the proposed framework has a strong potential in incorporating the variability of climate change into building energy designs and reducing energy demand by 23%, on average. Furthermore, it was concluded that static-based building energy designs are subject to losing their efficiency over time and are suboptimal in future climate boundaries.

Islamist populism? Exploring the MENA region from a comparative and empirical perspective

ABSTRACT Based on the Global Party Survey (GPS) database, this research article explores the interaction between populism and Islamism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) party systems. Drawing on the ideational approach to populism, this analysis shows that Islamist parties do not share a common populist profile. Rather, we can speak of three broad profiles according tSalamanca, Spain, Institute of Iberoamericao the three main dimensions of populism. While the Moroccan Party of Justice and Development (PJD) displays a populism dominated by people-centrism, the Rally of Algerian Hope (TAJ), the Tunisian En-Nahda (EN), and the Jordanian Islamic Action Front (IAF) profiles are dominated by anti-elitism. On the other hand, the Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) is heavily influenced by Erdogan’s leadership and its strongman impetus.

On the eve of ecological transition? The failed institutionalization of sustainable development in Italy (1992–2020)

AbstractThe National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) adopted in 2021 by the Italian government is explicitly committed to push the country towards a ‘radical ecological transition’ and sustainable development. However, the institutionalization of the paradigm of sustainable development, in Italy, is a story of a failure. The aim of this contribution is to investigate the hows and whys that may help explaining the failed institutionalization of the paradigm. By combining an ideational approach with a political system perspective, our empirical investigation analyses the initiatives promoted by Italian national governments, by covering a time span of over 20 years (1992–2020). Thick historical description and process tracing are used to provide an in-depth reconstruction of the process. Our results show that adverse combinations of factors of a cognitive, institutional and political nature have hindered the adoption of substantive policy outcomes, thus leading the institutionalization of the paradigm along a disjointed path.

Populism as Form and Content

Abstract The difficulty of defining populism is well-known. As populism lacks a fully articulated ideological foundation, it tends to assume different shapes according to context. Due to this ideological inarticulation, some scholars have rejected the so-called ideational approach to populism. They instead propose its conceptualization as a political style or discourse. This paper advances an alternative approach. We reject the opposition between stylistic and ideational approaches to populism and develop the idea that the form and the content of populism are intrinsically related. We argue that the forms populism adopts cannot be understood in merely strategic or stylistic terms: they presuppose and entail specific ideological contents. Only by tracing the relationship between populist form and content can we make sense of populism as a distinctive phenomenon and explain its ambiguous relationship with liberal democracy.

Issues of war and defense of the motherland in the catechisms of the modern Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

The article examines the provisions of the catechisms of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church regarding the war and its challenges, as well as the defense of the Motherland. A comparative analysis of relevant thematic instructions in the Catechism “Christ is our Easter” (published in 2011), the Catechism for youth “We walk with Christ” (published in 2021) and the “Catechism of the Christian Warrior” (published in 2022) was carried out. It was determined that the provisions of the UGCC's own fundamental doctrinal documents, its Catechisms, regarding the problems of war and defense of the Motherland, were formed, clarified and supplemented according to the circumstances and needs of the time. The catechism of the UGCC “Christ is our Easter” contains general Christian considerations on the subject under consideration, which are principled, establishing, and refer to how civilized peoples should conduct themselves. The catechism for youth, created in the previous years of the undeclared Russian Federation's “hybrid” war against Ukraine, covers the issues related to the war and the defense of the Motherland in a substantive way and closer to current Ukrainian realities, although it still has some idealistic approach. The Catechism of the Christian Warrior, the preparation of which was completed and the publication was carried out during the full-scale military offensive of the aggressor, is a set of thorough and competent advises for Ukrainian soldiers, where things are called by their names, and there are no provisions that can cause doubts due to experience and be problematically achievable for implementation. Therefore, it is concluded that especially this Catechism, together with and in addition to the two previous ones, is a useful and timely contribution of the UGCC to the instruction of Ukrainians during the war, and therefore to Ukraine's victory over the enemy.

The practice of ideas in gender equality policy: comparative lessons from the field

This thematic section seeks to contribute to emerging research on gender and policy that combines post-adoption and ideational approaches to address how and why ideas matter in gender equality policy implementation. In this article, the two research streams are first discussed. Next, the potential ingredients for gender transformation from current research are presented and then examined in the cases of post-adoption in Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, France and the Council of Europe in the four contributions to the thematic section. The concluding comparative assessment confirms what research has already found: the interplay between actors, ideas and institutions is crucial. Who comes forward and the ideas and political meanings those actors advance are what ultimately matter, dictated in certain policy sectors by the institutional micro-foundations of that domain. The article ends with the lessons learned from, and next steps that come out of, this thematic section.

Predictors of suicidal ideation severity among treatment-seeking young people with major depressive disorder: The role of state and trait anxiety.

Depression and suicidal ideation are closely intertwined. Yet, among young people with depression, the specific factors that contribute to changes in suicidal ideation over time are uncertain. Factors other than depressive symptom severity, such as comorbid psychopathology and personality traits, might be important contributors. Our aim was to identify contributors to fluctuations in suicidal ideation severity over a 12-week period in young people with major depressive disorder receiving cognitive behavioural therapy. Data were drawn from two 12-week randomised, placebo-controlled treatment trials. Participants (N = 283) were 15-25 years old, with moderate to severe major depressive disorder. The primary outcome measure was the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, administered at baseline and weeks 4, 8 and 12. A series of linear mixed models was conducted to examine the relationship between Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire score and demographic characteristics, comorbid psychopathology, personality traits and alcohol use. Depression and anxiety symptom severity, and trait anxiety, independently predicted higher suicidal ideation, after adjusting for the effects of time, demographics, affective instability, non-suicidal self-injury and alcohol use. Both state and trait anxiety are important longitudinal correlates of suicidal ideation in depressed young people receiving cognitive behavioural therapy, independent of depression severity. Reducing acute psychological distress, through reducing depression and anxiety symptom severity, is important, but interventions aimed at treating trait anxiety could also potentially be an effective intervention approach for suicidal ideation in young people with depression.

The idea of the museum and its implementation: On the example of the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons

The purpose of the article is to test the theoretical provisions of the idealistic approach to history developed by the author, as well as idealistic views on the museum. The author examines the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons. The article substantiates the decisive importance of ideas in the evolution of the museum of weapons, the formation of its collection. The pre-revolutionary museum collection was formed on the basis of ideas: the preservation of weapons; savings necessary in the technological process of “exemplary” products; preservation of original designs that may be useful for the production of weapons in the future; storage of various “curious” weapons. The exposition of the Tula Museum of Weapons of that time clearly carried out the monarchist idea. In 1917, the museum, given its monarchical orientation, was liquidated. In 1920, it was recreated on a new ideological basis, which was determined by the installation of the Soviet government. In the post-war period, the main idea was the participation of museums in the education of workers on revolutionary and labor traditions. The museum funds were formed, the exposition was organized, all forms of work were filled with content. The collapse of the communist worldview devalued the ideological foundations of the exposition created in 1989 on the basis of communist ideas. The purpose of the modern exposition is to generate interest in the development of weapons as an important component of the general historical process of Russian civilization. The ideas embodied in the exposition are also transmitted by all other forms of museum activity. The author believes that the history of the Tula State Museum of Weapons confirms the position of an idealistic approach to history that every museum is based on ideas that determine its goals, objectives, content of the collection, exposition and forms of work.

White Evangelicals and American Right-wing Populism

This article explores current right-wing populism as an ethical position from the perspective of many, though not all, White American evangelicals. The relevant ethics concern not only abortion or gay marriage (which, research finds, are not top vote-motivators) but views of society (who’s in, who’s not) and government (size and role). Building on ideational approaches to studying populism and incorporating historical and religio-cultural material, this article asks: What in White evangelical religious and political history and in present circumstances makes right-wing populism look to be the most ethical stance? In answer, the article explores populism as proposed solutions to the complex intersectionality of economic, way-of-life, and status-loss duress. It investigates how evangelicals, drawing in mediated ways from their religio-political history and beliefs, understand right-populist views of society and government as an ethical solution to these duresses.

Convergence of the materialistic and idealistic in the methodology of urban planning

The realities of the present require changes and development of urban methodology as a science of methods covering the entire methodological chain – from clarifying concepts, streamlining tasks and establishing characteristics of objects to methods of analysis, evaluation and justification of decisions, and urban planning design and management of urban development. The purpose of this study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the methodology of urbanism in the context of convergence (rapprochement, interconnection, interpenetration) of materialistic and idealistic approaches, and to streamline and develop methodological tools for urban planning. Urban planning activity is considered a set of purposes, criteria, priorities, and constraints. The multiplicity of purposes – strategic, tactical, regulatory, and criteria – necessitates changes in methodology, analysis and assessment of spatial situations, and justification of decisions, including the requirements of multicriteria. The design of territorial systems is oriented towards integrated development, increasing the validity and efficiency of the implementation of the concepts of their spatial organisation. The study is methodological – it emphasises the significance of improving the methodological culture and developing the urbanist’s systemic thinking (reflection, worldview), their creative potential and the set of professional knowledge, skills and abilities to implement projects and other functions of professional activity. It is extremely important in the era of large databases and the Internet, changes in planning and research practices, increased capacity and depth of information analysis, and the emergence of new techniques and procedures. Integration of new research methods should be designed to obtain new knowledge about processes and phenomena, establish regularities and increase the validity of the principles of organisation, functioning and development of urbanised systems and territories

«Комплекс Золушки» полвека спустя: современные подходы к изучению популизма и их эмпирическое применение

In recent years, the topic of populism has become one of the most popular in Political Science. At the same time, the very content of the concept of populism remains subject of scientific debates, which inevitably affects empirical studies, because it is the theoretical framework that determines the choice of specific analysis tools. The article intends to serve as a kind of navigator for those who plan to engage in an empirical study of populism, to outline the set of conceptualizations of this phenomenon that are currently used. The article considers three theoretical approaches to populism — ideational, political-strategic, and performative. The author briefly touches upon the history and content of each of these approaches, discusses their empirical application, as well as their inherent advantages and disadvantages, after which he shows in what type of research they can be productive. According to his conclusion, ideational approach is optimal for conducting cross-national studies or extensive quantitative studies within one country. Political-strategic approach could be useful when studying populism in Latin America or in countries, where parties are poorly institutionalized. Performative approach could be a better choice if the study focuses on populist interactions with the media, or on a particular case study.

Aspects Regarding the Formative-Informative Relationship in the "Pedagogue" by Clement of Alexandria

The entire work of Clement of Alexandria, but especially the work "The Pedagogue", constitutes a brilliant synthesis of Christian theological and educational thought from the end of the 2nd Christian century, but also a reference document for the subsequent stages of development of pedagogy. For the Alexandrian pedagogue, the value of faith is illustrated by the value of the education he promotes, that is why he puts the Pedagogue at the centre of his ideational approach, as an exemplary model of thought and action. The way he defines the concepts and argues the formative-informative relationship may be surprising today, but hard to dispute. The research conclusions show the fact that the formative-informative report is relevant to the extent that it is supported by the love of the Pedagogue towards those he educates, who does not hate, knows how to be gentle and persuasive even when he disapproves of a certain behavior.

Romantic fantasy and the grotesque in John Keats’s “Lamia”

The present article examines the notions of fantasy, illusion and logic in Keats’s romance Lamia (1819) from the perspective of the aesthetic and literary category of the grotesque. In his text Keats puts the grotesque to two uses. First, it serves to mark his ambiguous attitude to both reason and imagination as two exclusive modes of cognition; secondly, it records his uneasiness in relation to the romantic ideal of love. Two conflicting points of view inform and battle in the poem: one might be called Romantic, as it endorses imagination and beauty as values per se; the other invites an interrogation of the idealistic approach. Neither of these two perspectives is unequivocally applauded in the text, and the Romantic grotesque appears a perfect vehicle for expressing this incongruity.

Who Supports the Huawei 5G Ban? Advancing a Two-Level Ideational Approach in International Relations

Abstract The US allies’ decisions to ban or allow Huawei from building fifth-generation (5G) mobile broadband are significant to various actors, but their decisions have not been examined systematically. While related literatures point to relative bargaining power or domestic political constraints, I argue that strengths of pre-existing ideas, across national leader and national security institutional levels of analysis, help explain US allies’ positions. Specifically, I argue that the following three understandings are key: (1) China has aggressive intentions, (2) information and communications technology (ICT) system requires security, and (3) data privacy needs state protection. I argue that when the three key understandings are strong across national leader and national security institutional levels, the leader would likely adopt the Huawei 5G ban. On the other hand, when the three key understandings are weak across two levels, the leader would likely allow Huawei to partake in building 5G networks without tougher controls. I conduct a plausibility probe-based comparison of the decision cases of Australia and South Korea and find support for my hypotheses. The cross-national evidence calls for more attention to specific understandings—particular to action contexts—across at least two levels of analysis in explaining decisions of interest.

Data as a Resource for Designing Digitally Enhanced Consumer Packaged Goods

The incorporation of digital functionalities into consumer packaged goods (CPG) has the potential to improve our lives by supporting us in our daily practises. However, despite the increasing availability of data about their use, research is needed to explore how these data can be harnessed to create such digital enhancements. This paper explores how consumers can utilise data about interactions with CPGs to conceptualise their enhanced versions. We devised a data-inspired ideation approach, using data visualisations and design cards to facilitate the conceptualisation of enhanced CPGs. Analysing the role of data as expressed through participants’ comments and designs, we found that data served as a basis for the creation of unique concepts imbued with greater consideration for the experiences of others and attention to their own interests. Our study shows the value of empowering consumers through data to broaden and inform their contributions towards the creation of smart products.

A Brief Survey of the Historical Development of Idealistic Educational Philosophy

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to survey the historical development of the idealistic educational philosophy. Seven Idealistic educational philosophers were briefly reviewed in order to shed light on their influence on educational practices. Those eminent thinkers were Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Berkeley, Kant, Hegel, and Royce. As a classical philosophy, idealism was occasionally labeled as inflexible and traditional. A significant result of this study was that no philosophers agreed and settled on every single argument even though they all agreed on several fundamental principles. The researcher used a qualitative methodology for data collection and literature, research, research papers, books, journal articles as a method of documentation. Based on this review of seven idealistic philosophical perspectives, the researcher provided some recommendations, the most important of which was to conduct similar studies by including other idealistic philosophers, and studies that focus on their educational thought. Additionally, the researcher recommended develop learners’ thoughts and beliefs regarding the idealistic approaches, techniques, methods, and practices of teaching and learning such as dialectic, dialogue, and discussion.

PRAGMATISM IN IRAN’S FOREIGN POLICY AND RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

The South Caucasus region has been one of the key directions of Iran’s foreign policy since 1991. Iran is closely interested in the processes that take place in the region, as it has historical ties, neighborly relations and common security interests. In the first years after the countries of the region regained their independence, analysts predicted that Iran would be able to establish closer ties with Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. Such predictions were based on the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a Muslim state and prefers an ideological approach to foreign policy. However, it soon became clear that Iran’s foreign policy is undergoing a transformation. There are elements of the transition from idealism to pragmatism in the country’s foreign policy. Contrary to expectations, Iran’s relations with Christian Armenia began to develop better than with Muslim Azerbaijan. The article examines the place of pragmatism in the foreign policy of Iran in the context of relations with Armenia. At the same time, it analyzes the effectiveness of the idealist approach in the foreign policy of Armenia, as a secular state. The article suggests that, although the conceptual foundations of Iran’s foreign policy are defined by the principles of idealism, they are pragmatic in their relations with Armenia. If we look at the Iran’s policy on the Caucasus since the 1990s, we can conclude that this policy was largely realistic and pragmatic, rather than ideological. In fact, the years when the Caucasus states, including Armenia, regained their independence coincided with Iran’s withdrawal from an ideological approach to foreign policy. At that time, Iran’s new regional foreign policy was based solely on national interests due to the ongoing geopolitical processes, and the expansion of the revolution was no longer a priority.

NORMATIVE POWER POLICY IN EUROPEAN UNION-AFRİCA RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COTONOU AGREEMENT AND THE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AND ITS IMPACTS ON EMPOWERING AFRICA

This study analyzes the normative power policy of the European Union (EU) in its relationships with Africa through the Cotonou Agreement, which includes normative provisions and conditionality, and the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). The study also tries to evaluate how effective the EU's normative power policy towards the continent and these agreements developed within the framework of the normative values are in the strengthening of the region. In the study, which was conducted by using the literature review method, current articles, books, and reports on the subject have been examined. The results of the study revealed that the normative power policy of the EU in its relations with Africa has been based on a realistic strategy rather than an idealist approach, and this policy has been used to realize the EU's political and economic interests, which have been the basis of its relations with the countries in the continent where the EU has a colonial past. In other words, the study argues that the normative power used by the EU in its relations with Africa is based on the economic interests of the EU. Therefore, it has been argued that the normative power policy of the EU towards the continent, the Cotonou Agreement developed within the framework of normative values, and the EPA has not been effective in improving and developing Africa. In particular, the EU practices cannot be implemented in compliance with the normative values it has set forth as part of the economic and commercial cooperation. The promotion of the values, the strengthening, and development of the continent might be kept relatively in the second place by the Union by prioritizing its own interests in economy and commercial cooperation. In this context, considering the structure and basic needs of the continent rather than the interests of the member states in the EU's normative approach to the continent will both ensure consistency in the normative approach of the EU by preventing the interests of the Union and its member states from getting ahead of EU norms and will be extremely important in the development and strengthening of the continent.