Political Leaders Research Articles

Digital leaders: political leadership in the digital age

This paper delves into the concept of digital leadership in contemporary democracies, considering the impact of the digital age on politics and, consequently, on political leadership. In our view, with the spread of radio stations first, then televisions, and finally the web, leadership has evolved through three great stages: broadcast, telegenic and digital. The web, and social media in special, have reshaped democracies and political interactions both at macro, meso, and micro levels. With Obama as forefather and across different political ideologies, a new generation of politicians as Beppe Grillo, Justin Trudeau, Giorgia Meloni or Sanna Marin, among others, shows how leaders are adapting to a highly digitalized political environment. As we understand it, leaders with good digital media abilities need to excel in three skills –presence, interaction and engagement– and would have two main attributes: reliability and relatability. We also consider that the digitalization of leadership deepens the personalization and presidentialization phenomena in politics and under certain circumstances may provide cases of so-called hyper-leadership more frequently.

THE FIRST DECADE OF DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL: CHALLENGES, EXPERIMENTS, AND LESSONS LEARNED

The abolition of the oligarchic Rana regime in 1951 marked a significant turning point in Nepal's history, ushering in a decade of democratic experimentation. This study examines the socio-political developments during Nepal’s first democratic decade (1951–1960), focusing on the challenges, governance issues, and internal dynamics that defined this transformative period. The research explores key events, such as the revolutionary movement against the Rana regime, the Delhi Agreement, and the establishment of democracy by King Tribhuvan. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study utilizes descriptive and analytical methods, relying on secondary data sourced from historical archives, libraries, and personal collections. Analysis reveals that the lack of governance experience among political leaders and internal conflicts within the leading political party of the time undermined the stability and effectiveness of the nascent democratic system. Despite aspirations for progress, the democratic experiment faced significant setbacks, culminating in King Mahendra’s coup and the establishment of the partyless Panchayat system. By critically evaluating the successes and failures of Nepal’s first democratic decade, this study provides insights into the complexities of transitioning from autocracy to democracy and highlights the enduring lessons for Nepal’s political evolution.

Дискурсивные маркеры имиджеобразующей деятельности российских губернаторов в социальных медиа

The article analyzes discursive markers used by Russian governors to shape their digital image in social media. The authors examine how political leaders use social media to construct public opinion, enhance trust, and manage their image in the context of modern digital challenges. The study covers the content of Telegram channels of eight governors representing regions with a medium response level for June 2023. The authors highlight key discursive topics (patriotism, socio-economic aspects, interaction with citizens), analyze their frequency and usage patterns. The data obtained demonstrate significant differences in governors’ strategies. Some focus on youth policy and social stability, while others focus on the regions’ economic achievements or maintaining patriotic sentiment. At the same time, the importance of social responsibility, transparency, and interaction with the population in the digital environment is emphasized.

Mussolini’s regime: the concept of consensus in contemporary historiography

One of the pivotal issues in the study of Italian fascism pertains to the question of public consensus under Mussolini’s regime. In the article, the author presents a comprehensive examination of the international historiographic discourse pertaining to this issue, tracing its evolution from the initial works published during the dictatorship to the impassioned debates that arose with the publication of Renzo De Felice’s multi-volume history of the Fascist regime in the 1960–1980s. At the core of De Felice’s research was the examination of the phenomenon of consensus within Italian society between 1920 and 1945. This paper acknowledges the value of De Felice’s contributions but challenges the methodological principles, research methods, and the conceptualisation of fascism as a long-term political strategy, particularly the notion of “Mussolinism” as a distinct form of “left-wing totalitarianism”. De Felice’s interpretation initially posited a consensus comprising new political forces and established elite structures. However, by the mid-1930s, this consensus had acquired a mass character, effectively eliminating the necessity for recourse to violence and endowing Mussolini’s regime with a distinctive quality: “incomplete totalitarianism”. De Felice’s analysis suggests that the collapse of the Fascist regime in Italy was primarily the result of a combination of miscalculations by the military and political leadership, coupled with inherent weaknesses in the system itself, rather than being driven by the erosion of mass consent. The historiographical debate surrounding the issue of consensus has been shaped by the works of Marxist historians and left-wing democrats who have opposed De Felice’s views. Additionally, the perspectives of liberals and regime apologists have contributed to this ongoing discussion. The 1990s saw the debate continue to evolve, encompassing both local and social historical analysis.

Идеология: операционализация понятия и построение аналитической модели (часть I)

The article is devoted to the issue of operationalization of the ideology concepts as a variable in empirical researches. The range of issues in modern studies of ideology at the level of empirical observations is quite diverse: from the ideological attitudes of political activists and organizations, to psychological and genetic factors influencing individual choice in favor of any ideology. However, according to the authors, this kind of researches lack methodological coherence, since the set of indicators for interpreting ideology is often determined arbitrarily. There is a need to develop an operational concept of ideology, reflecting its key functions at different levels of existence in society: theoretical in the form of doctrines, political programs level in the activities of political leaders and organizations, as well as at the level of everyday views of individuals. Thus, the authors strive to identify the place of ideology in the system of political ideas and ideas about politics, to highlight the structural elements of ideology and their relationships in the context of various types of social practice for the subsequent development of an analytical model that allows analyzing ideological constructs both at the level of theory and at the level of individuals’ perceptions.

Community perceptions of health accountability meetings with local politicians to improve healthcare quality: a qualitative study in Western Uganda

BackgroundLack of accountability within healthcare systems contributes to suboptimal healthcare quality and ultimately poor health outcomes, especially in low-income countries. In Uganda, our research team implemented a pilot project of quarterly health accountability meetings between community members and their local political leaders to discuss healthcare needs and strategies for quality improvement. In this study, we examine the community members’ understanding and perceptions of the health accountability meetings, as well as the perceived impact of the meetings on local healthcare services and community life.MethodsWe conducted a total of 12 focus group discussions (FGDs), half with men and half with women, in November 2022 across six randomly chosen communities out of the ten communities where health accountability meetings were held. We audio taped, transcribed, and translated all FGDs into English. We collected data on demographics, understanding of the meetings, and perceived changes within healthcare services and the community from 111 participants. Two researchers analyzed the data using an inductive thematic approach, generating five themes.ResultsWe found the following themes: (1) increased inclusivity and promotion of bidirectional communication; (2) increased understanding of patient rights and practicing of collective empowerment by the community; (3) improved provider behavior; (4) enhanced relationships among politicians, community members, and healthcare providers; and (5) identified needs for future improvements.ConclusionThrough this qualitative study, we found that the community members perceived the accountability meetings as beneficial in improving the local healthcare services and community life. The study demonstrates the need to prioritize the voices of local communities in efforts to address the accountability gaps, as well as the potential for utilizing the relationship between community members and politicians to address accountability shortfalls in other governmental functions beyond healthcare.Trial registrationN/A.

The efficacy of Merit-based Recruitment in Amolatar district in Northern Uganda

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the success of merit-based recruitment in Amolatar District Local Government Administration, Uganda. Methodology: A case-study research design was adopted backed by quantitative and qualitative analysis that involved a careful and in-depth investigation of a particular unit or events under study for the purposes of generalization. It was conducted in Amolatar District. We chose this area because merit-based recruitment had failed as a result of weak decision-making processes by the district service communion and the influence-peddling by political leaders in the district. We took a sample of 60 respondents and interviewed 52 respondents living within the District Headquarters and in Amolatar Town Council. Findings: The results revealed that the success of merit-based recruitment in Local Government Administration is very essential in terms of stakeholder responsibility, enhancing citizen confidence in the local government institution, and enabling the district service commission to recruit the best human resources for the provision of quality service. Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study is central as it strengthens the merit-based recruitment model over and above other models of recruitment as well as enabling local governments to prioritize meritocracy over political patronage in every staff recruitment cycle.

The Evolution of the Image of the SCO in India’s Foreign Policy

India transitioned from observer status in 2005 to full membership in 2017. The decision to convene the 2023 Delhi Summit virtually has sparked substantive discussions. The paper analyzes the transformation of the image of the SCO within the political establishment, the expert community and the general public for the period from 2001 to 2023. Through an analysis of 2,340 publications from the Indian media, the change in narratives was determined. The study discerns the structural (quantitative and qualitative) dynamics that delineate the SCO’s depiction in the socio-political discourse. While political leaders and expert community expressed interest in the organization’s activities at an early stage, public attention has increased only since 2015. The interaction with the SCO is traditionally viewed in the context of bilateral relations with China and Pakistan. The politicians view the organization as a “balancer” in relations with the United States, assessing the SCO as a tool for increasing India’s presence in Eurasia.

After Afghanistan: U.S. Military Policy in the Middle East

In the context of the reduction of the American military presence in the Middle East in recent years, official Washington is facing a weakening of its political influence in the region. At the same time, U.S. adversaries such as Iran, China, and Russia are playing an increasingly active role there. Under the current conditions, the American military and political leadership is betting, on the one hand, on the development of partnership s and alliances with Middle Eastern countries, and on the other, on the advancement of the latest means of armed conflict, including unmanned aerial, naval, and ground vehicles.

The Elitist Aspect of "The Years of Living Dangerously in Soviet Politics"

The work of the renowned Australian-American historian and Sovietologist Sheila Fitzpatrick, devoted to the study of the features and logic of political decision-making in the Soviet Union from the late 1920s to 1953, draws attention for its attempt at an objective analysis of the motives behind the actions of the "Stalin team". Unlike a significant number of ideologically driven and emotionally charged works on the Stalin era, Sheila Fitzpatrick - an honorary professor at the University of Sydney and professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, who also taught Soviet Union history at the University of Texas at Austin - searches for rational reasons behind the actions of the top Soviet political leadership. She convincingly shows that the tragic pages of Stalin's terror had not only subjective, but also significant objective real-political grounds. The historian concludes that despite the constant purges of the party apparatus, a careful analysis of the activities of I.V. Stalin's closest associates demonstrates an unexpected consistency and effectiveness, as evidenced by three decades of joint work and the ability of the "team" to manage the transition of power even after the leader’s death.

Are conspiracy beliefs a sign of flawed cognition? Reexamining the association of cognitive style and skills with conspiracy beliefs

Throughout human history, political leaders, oppositional forces, and businesspeople have frequently coordinated in secret for their own benefit and the public’s disadvantage. In these cases, conspiracy theories are capable of accurately describing our environment. However, the vast majority of research today operationalizes conspiracy theories as irrational beliefs that contradict our everyday knowledge. It is not surprising, then, that belief in implausible conspiracy theories has been associated with suboptimal information processing. To get a richer understanding of the phenomenon, we argue that researchers should have this limitation in mind when designing future studies.

On Science, Faith, Quantum Theory, and Decisions

The author explores the consequences of a new approach towards the foundation of quantum theory. The final aim of this approach has been to try to build a bridge between modern physics and other scientific disciplines, in particular statistical science. One aspect of the approach is first that arguments for a God which has arbitrarily large knowledge can be given. Secondly, that God can be seen as being perfectly rational. One of the consequences is a theory of decisions, a theory that also is valid for decisions made by political leaders. Some implications are sketched.

Political Leadership Matters: The Case of Four Successful East Asian Economies

Out of the thirteen economies that registered sustained rapid economic growth in the post-war period, only six successfully transitioned into high-income economies. Malaysia did not make the cut. The Commission on Growth and Development (CGD) identified credible leadership as a key factor behind the success of the six economies, but it had very little to say about the individual political leaders. This paper fills the gap by allowing the political leaders and their adroitness to speak for them. In particular, we focus on the mindset, acumen and demeanour of the key political leaders in building social capabilities that are crucial to rapid economic growth and development. We find that key political leaders like Okubo Toshimichi of Japan, Park Chung Hee of South Korea, Chiang Kai Shek of Taiwan and Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore rose to the external, existential threats to their peoples and paved the way for them to catch up with the developed economies by displaying and practising the mindset and behaviours of the class of transformational leadership.

The Influence of Political Dynamics on Health Policy in Indonesia

Health policy in Indonesia has experienced various significant changes in line with the political dynamics that occur at the national and local levels. Political dynamics in Indonesia are greatly influenced by various factors, such as the government system, political party ideology, interests of certain groups, and issues that develop in society. This study aims to analyze the influence of political dynamics on health policy in Indonesia, focusing on the post-reform period. The research methodology uses the literature review study method to analyze the influence of political dynamics on health policy in Indonesia. Literature review study is an effective method to collect, analyze, and synthesize information from various sources relevant to the research topic. The summary of the results of the discussion highlights the significant impact of political dynamics on health policy in Indonesia. The discussion emphasized the challenges faced due to changes in political leadership and decentralization of policy coordination. The role of political ideology, collaboration between stakeholders, and global influence in shaping health policies is essential for effective and sustainable health in Indonesia. By understanding the political dynamics that affect health policy, it is hoped that the recommendations produced from this study can make a significant contribution to future health policy improvements in Indonesia.

Gendered Backlash Depends on the Context. Reassessing Negative Campaigning Sanctions Against Female Candidates via Large-Scale Comparative Data

ABSTRACT On paper, women politicians should be punished more than men when they go negative during election campaigns. Yet, empirical evidence in this sense is surprisingly scarce, and findings offer a muddled picture. In this article, we argue that existing research has, so far, neglected to consider a fundamental intervening factor: the role of the context, and specifically the level of descriptive representation of women in politics. Using novel large-scale data for 700+ candidates having competed in 150+ elections in 94 countries worldwide, we test – and confirm – the expectation that women are especially punished for negative campaigning in countries with low descriptive representation of women in politics. This pattern does not hold in more gender-equal contexts. Additional observational evidence from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) shows that this electoral punishment is likely due to voters expressing lower likability of women candidates (compared to men) when the former go negative in countries where women are less established in political leadership positions. We suggest that inconsistent results in previous studies are likely due to the lack of comparative focus.

A personal account of the history of X-ray crystallography at the University of La Plata, Argentina.

Prompted by visionary political leaders and a flowering economy, the University of La Plata was founded in 1905, the third Argentinian university after the Universities of Cordoba (1613) and Buenos Aires (1821). Differing from the older universities, more prone to professional formation, the new university was oriented towards teaching and scientific research following western European academic tradition. Along with the university was created the Institute of Physics, the first of its kind in Latin America. To pursue the foundational plan, the university recruited distinguished German physicists, some of whom became the first directors. From the start, the institute became acquainted with Röntgen rays, their generation and use, initially for radiographic images and later in occasional diffraction studies. The first dedicated crystallographic X-ray diffraction laboratory was set up in the early 1970s, when it solved the first molecular structures. Soon the fascination brought about by a methodology that afforded the visualization of atoms, molecules and crystals lured the local and national physical chemistry communities. In close partnership with an equally oriented laboratory at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in collaboration with several physical chemistry laboratories from Argentina and the Latin American region, and also from Europe, we undertook studies on the crystal structures and physicochemical and spectroscopic properties of a wide range of materials, including inorganic, organic, bioinorganic, metal-organic, organic-metal, supramolecular, pharmaceutical, organic minerals and liquid crystals. The present essay is a personal account of the origin and development of structural X-ray crystallography at the University of La Plata and its impact on the scientific research of Argentina and Latin America.

The Succession Effect: Change Over Time in Women’s Political Leadership Styles in New Zealand

Given the worldwide pattern that women leaders are often constrained by expectations to demonstrate proof of masculinity to be considered effective, this study explores whether it is possible for these expectations—and the leadership styles they promote—to change over time. I develop a new methodological tool to measure stereotypically masculine leadership style called the Ferrous Scale and apply the Scale to the three female prime ministers of New Zealand, where I find that Ferrous scores decline with each female prime minister. I conduct interviews with the three women leaders and examine a set of hypotheses on the causal mechanisms behind the apparent erosion of the association between executive office and masculinity in New Zealand, building a theory called the Succession Effect: that a succession of female prime ministers—rather than societal gender progressiveness or partisan affiliation—was the prerequisite in New Zealand to loosen the association between executive office and masculinity.

The Effects of Foreign Elite Cues from a Dominant Neighboring Country: The Case of the United States and Mexico

ABSTRACT The attitudes that one country’s citizens hold toward a dominant neighboring country can influence the dominant country’s foreign policy, international relations, and its political leaders’ wielding of “soft power.” The dynamics of these attitudes, however, are not well understood. Where the dual-process model is often used to describe how citizens react to elite endorsements and policy-relevant information pertaining to domestic issues, its usefulness regarding attitudes on foreign leaders and policies is an open question. Do citizens react predictably to foreign leaders’ cues and foreign policy content, or is it the case that this theory is unable to explain the formation of these attitudes? Using data from a survey experiment fielded in Mexico, we argue that Mexicans’ attitudes toward specific U.S. foreign policies align with previous work, suggesting that people respond predictably to elite cues and foreign policy information. On the other hand, our data suggest that the dual-process model does not accurately describe the dynamics of Mexicans’ attitudes toward the U.S. More specifically, Mexicans’ attitudes toward the U.S. display remarkable stability such that elite cues and policy content have no discernible effects. We close with a discussion that weaves together literatures on American public opinion and international relations, ultimately arguing that theories of political behavior that have been tested extensively on the American mass public can be used, in some situations, to inform work on mass-level behavior in international relations.

Between resistance and commodification: The art and cultural labor of Telangana ‘Dhoom Dham’

In the year 2012, when the Telangana movement was at its peak, there was a debate and discussion on the ‘Role of song in achieving Telangana State’. The series of debates organized and recorded by the Telangana Resource Center provided a forum for folk artists, intellectuals and poets who were playing an integral part in the Telangana Dhoom Dham events. It was a self-reflexive moment to figure out the past, present and future of the song in the movement. The artists lamented the commodification of the song in the hands of the political leaders of the movement. This article explores the nature of this commodification and the resulting resistance through an analysis of the speeches made by the leading members of the cultural front of the Telangana movement.

Influence of Policies, Politics and Ethnicity on Implementation of Industrial Technology Education in Nigeria

This study examined the influence of policies, politics and ethnicity on implementation of industrial technology education in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain: the influence of policies on implementation of industrial technology education, the influence of politics on implementation of industrial technology education and the influence of ethnicity on implementation of industrial technology education in Nigeria. Policy has been described as an overall guide that gives the general limits and direction in which administrative action will take place. One major policy in education is the National Policy in Education (NPE). Political instability and corruption amongst political leaders were highlighted to have influence on industrial technology education. Also, ethnicity has been defined as the term for the culture of people in a given geographic region, including their language, heritage and customers. Ethnicity has been identified as a likely influencing factor for student success in the classroom. However, this study concludes that policies have great influence on industrial technology education and that political instability and corruption among political leaders affects industrial technology education. Furthermore, the study concludes that ethnicity directly or indirectly influences students in industrial technology education programme. It was recommended that the Federal Government whistle blowing policy should be strengthened to check mate fraudulent act in the educational sector to help in prosecuting every politician who embezzles fund meant for industrial technology education. This will help in ensuring that adequate facilities are provided for industrial technology education.