Promotion Of Norms Research Articles

Commitment and compromise in Danish cyber and tech diplomacy

Abstract This article explores the emergence of norm promotion strategies through an in-depth, partly autobiographical case-study spanning almost a decade of Danish cyber and tech diplomacy. The article engages the norms literature in International Relations and highlights the significance of the frequently overlooked internal negotiations that take place within the bureaucratic structures of norm entrepreneurs. Despite Denmark's favourable position and aspiration to become a norm entrepreneur in cyberspace, internal dynamics characterized by varying levels of commitment and compromise in negotiations over cyber norm promotion strategies resulted in both failed norm promotion attempts and fundamental alterations to a previously successful initiative. The article advocates for increasing analytical attention to the internal dynamics of norm entrepreneurs, positing that such examination not only offers a more nuanced perspective on the initial stages of a norm's life-cycle, but also furnishes an additional indication of a norm's robustness. Methodologically tracing the practices of civil servants as they negotiate their continuing commitment to norm-entrepreneurial strategies, particularly in response to domestic political changes or external events, provides norms scholars with valuable insight into the potential weakening or strengthening of a norm.

Being, becoming, and belonging: reconceptualizing professional identity formation in medicine.

Over the last decade, there has been a drive to emphasize professional identity formation in medical education. This shift has had important and positive implications for the education of physicians. However, the increasing recognition of longstanding structural inequalities within society and the profession has highlighted how conceptualizations of professional identity formation have also had unintended harmful consequences. These include experiences of identity threat and exclusion, and the promotion of norms and values that over-emphasize the preferences of culturally dominant groups. In this paper, the authors put forth a reconceptualization of the process of professional identity formation in medicine through the elaboration of 3 schematic representations. Evolutions in the understandings of professional identity formation, as described in this paper, include re-defining socialization as an active process involving critical engagement with professional norms, emphasizing the role of agency, and recognizing the importance of belonging or exclusion on one's sense of professional self. The authors have framed their analysis as an evidence-informed educational guide with the aim of supporting the development of identities which embrace diverse ways of being, becoming, and belonging within the profession, while simultaneously upholding the standards required for the profession to meet its obligations to patients and society.

Exclusionary Inclusion: The Unforeseen Consequences of Norm Promotion in Myanmar’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement Process

ABSTRACT What happens when the promotion of ‘inclusive peace’ creates an exclusionary negotiated settlement? Through analysing the promotion of inclusion in Myanmar's Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) negotiations that took place from 2011–15, I challenge claims in peace research that the more inclusive a peace process is, the more effective the outcome. Through discussing how the promotion of the inclusivity norm to the negotiating parties had unintended negative effects on the outcome of the process, namely excluding certain armed groups and crowding out civil society actors, I argue against assuming that integrating salient peacemaking norms always result in effective outcomes.

Climate Change Policies and Global Cooperation: Assessing the Role of International Organizations in Germany

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the climate change policies and global cooperation: assessing the role of international organizations in Germany. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: International organizations play a vital role in facilitating global cooperation on climate change policies. They serve as platforms for information exchange and coordination of initiatives, setting international standards and targets. Additionally, these organizations provide financial support and technical assistance to enhance climate resilience, particularly in developing countries. Overall, their efforts are essential for driving collective action and combating climate change on a global scale. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Complex interdependence theory, transnational advocacy networks (TANs) & regime theory may be used to anchor future studies on climate change policies and global cooperation: assessing the role of international organizations. International organizations provide technical expertise, capacity-building support, and financial assistance to enhance the implementation of climate change policies at the national and regional levels. International organizations play a vital role in shaping the global policy agenda on climate change through advocacy, norm promotion, and policy coordination.

Qualitative analysis of the factors associated with whistleblowing intentions among athletes from six European countries.

Although whistleblowing is thought to represent an effective mechanism for detecting and uncovering doping in sport, it has yet to become a widely adopted practice. Understanding the factors that encourage or discourage whistleblowing is of vital importance for the promotion of this practice and the development of pedagogical material to enhance the likelihood of whistleblowing. The current study employed a qualitative methodology to explore the personal and organisational factors that underpin intentions to blow the whistle or that may lead to engagement in whistleblowing behaviours in sport. Thirty-three competitive athletes across a range of sports took part in a semi-structured interview which sought to explore what they would do should they encounter a doping scenario. Content analysis revealed that whistleblowing is a dynamic process characterised by the interaction of a range of personal and organisational factors in determining the intention to report PED use. These factors included moral reasoning, a desire to keep the matter "in-house", perceived personal costs, institutional attitudes to doping, and social support. Analysis revealed a number of "intervening events", including a perceived lack of organisational protection (e.g., ethical leadership) within some sporting sub-cultures, which present an important obstacle to whistleblowing. The intention to report doping was underpinned by a "fairness-loyalty trade-off" which involved athletes choosing to adhere to either fairness norms (which relate to a sense that all people and groups are treated equally) or loyalty norms (which reflect preferential treatment towards an in-group) when deciding whether they would blow the whistle. The promotion of fairness norms that emphasise a group's collective interests might encourage athletes to view whistleblowing as a means of increasing group cohesiveness and effectiveness and thereby increase the likelihood of this practice.

Heterogeneous rights

This paper explores the complex landscape of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) politics in Brazil, and the country’s promotion of these human rights norms internationally. Despite Brazil’s image as a trailblazer in LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion, activists are challenged domestically by legislative hurdles and conservative movements. Brazil’s challenging domestic situation stands in stark contrast with the country’s role as a prominent advocate for SOGI norms internationally. This paper unpacks these contradictions and compares Brazil’s trajectory with those of Argentina and South Africa. A closer look at SOGI human rights norms in the Brazilian context reveals diverse pathways to human rights norm promotion. Despite setbacks, Brazil’s experience offers insights into the resilience of human rights advocacy and the potential for transformative change, advocating for a nuanced understanding of SOGI politics amidst diverse actors and contexts.

Colonial Redress and the Unintended Consequences of Global Opportunities

Abstract Research shows that the rise of political and discursive opportunities enabled by the diffusion of progressive global norms has empowered many aggrieved local actors. Drawing on colonial victims’ transnational redress movements, I add to this literature in two ways. First, rejecting the common association between global opportunities and local movement facilitation and success, I make a counterintuitive argument that the early availability of opportunities can inadvertently hamper a movement’s efficacy in achieving its goals in the long run. Second, contrary to the implicit assumption that large-scale, high-profile transnational movements should fare better than smaller, little-known ones, I demonstrate that the latter can sometimes achieve their goals more easily than the former. In making these arguments, I show that an increasing focus in the norm literature on backlash in target states against norm promotion risks neglecting the flip side of the same coin: Global normative support inadvertently undermining the efficacy of local causes it otherwise helps publicize. Empirically, I look at three Korean colonial victim groups and their divergent paths to transnational redress.

Український канал іномовлення (UATV English) як інструмент просування державних наративів

The functional characteristics of international broadcasting are determined by the goals and tasks for which it was created. The specificity of international broadcasting activity forms the following tasks: creation and promotion of a positive image of the state in the international arena; protection of a country’s own political and cultural interests; promotion of tourism (in peacetime); fight against negative information influence that affects the perception of events in the country, both by the domestic and international audience; communication of the diaspora with the homeland, learning the language and traditions; promotion of national values norms and guidelines, etc. Based on these tasks, it is appropriate to distinguish five main functions of international broadcasting: protection of national interests, propaganda, counter-propaganda, education and pedagogy, and communication functions. Basis on data on the activity of the State Enterprise “International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine”, the main functions of international broadcasting are highlighted. The results obtained during the research expand and supplement the already known facts about the specifics of the functioning of international broadcasting corporations. This study analysed the content of the UATV English State International Broadcasting channel in terms of delivering information about the events in Ukraine, protecting its national interests, countering hostile propaganda, and spreading pro-Ukrainian messages among international audiences. The purpose of this study is to explore, systematise and generalise the basic functions of UATV English Channel in order to improve and evaluate the effectiveness of the “International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine” during the challenging times of information aggression combined with the conventional warfare. Emphasis was placed on researching the peculiarities and effectiveness of the UATV English Channel with the aim of protecting national interests, countering hostile propaganda and spreading pro-Ukrainian messages in the international media space. The article presents statistics on audience reach and viewship of UATV English content on YouTube and Facebook platforms. As well as monitoring the effectiveness of different approaches to content and SEO-optimization of the materials. In addition, a content analysis of UATV English content on these platforms was conducted. All the video materials have been processed, and their classification according to four functional areas of content was presented. The analysed content was published over a period of six months, starting from February 24 (the date of the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine) to August 24, 2022 (The Independence Day of Ukraine). On average, the UATV English-speaking channel receives 8-12 million views per month on YouTube from all materials produced by the media (except YouTube Shorts and Publications). The audience growth compared to the pre-war period amounted to 3,670% in February and added 367% in March 2022, when the total audience reached almost 60 million. The growth of the audience reach indicator on the UATV English-language Facebook page from February 24, 2022, reached 9,200% and amounted to 14.3 million users. Analysis of the content for the first 6 months of the war showed that the content of the Ukrainian broadcasting was rearranged/redesigned in accordance with the realities of wartime, with several strategic changes in the approach to the content. According to the classification of four functional directions of the content defined earlier, the dominant content is the one related to the protection and promotion of national interests (36.3%), followed by information about the course of the war and events in the country (32.5%), opinion and worldview-based content (22.4%), and counter-information to Russian propaganda (8.8%). The UATV English-speaking channel performs its functions as an international broadcasting service: spreading pro-Ukrainian narratives in the world and delivering truthful information about the war in Ukraine. UATV English content effectively counters Russian war propaganda.

THE LOGIC OF EU NORMATIVE POWER IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

This research focuses on comprehending the political logic behind how the EU's normative power is manifested in its engagements within the region. It's evident that numerous studies emphasize the dual role of EU conditionality in the membership criteria for Western Balkan countries, illustrating both normative unity in foreign policy and a complex interaction between interests and norm adaptation. This highlights the intricate nature of the EU's approach in the Western Balkans. The study is grounded in the semi - realist perspective, which argues that democracy norm promotion and peace building constitutes a relevant, but secondary foreign policy aim. It aligns with scholars from various viewpoints who suggest that EU democracy promotion is more strategically motivated for enhancing national security rather than strict ideational diffusion. Instead of a Kantian cosmopolitan approach, the EU's normative power is seen resembling Hobbesian normative homogenization. We argue that striving for a normatively homogenous Europe through ideational diffusion yields varied outcomes in different regions due to distinct structural conditions and institutional practices qualitative methodology, we delve into the achievements and limits of EU normative power in the Western Balkans . The study concludes that normative ideational diffusion rarely results in uniform outcomes even within the region. Thus, during times of crisis and ongoing multidimensional challenges, resilience as norm diversity rather than normative homogenization offers more effective political power implications.

Evolution of the “digital sovereignty” concept in the EU: constants and dichotomies

The EU has recently actively discussed the concept of ‘digital (technological) sovereignty’. The goal of this article is to identify key trends in the EU’s discourse on digital sovereignty and to determine how the EU has evolved as an actor. Theoretically the article is based on critical geopolitics. A discourse analysis of the EU’s documents and speeches of its representatives was made. The analysis has demonstrated three constants which include the emphasis on values, development of the internal market and leadership aspirations. The study also identified five dichotomies: naivety - geopolitics, interdependence - dependence, openness - closeness / protectionism, market / competition - state intervention, sovereignty through rules - sovereignty through material production. It has been revealed how the EU tries to reconcile its classical power instruments (emphasis on interdependence, cooperation, universal promotion of values and norms) and greater autonomy, demanded by its perception of today’s world. Although the texts remain ambiguous, the Westphalian sovereignty dominates. It means the EU’s refusal to promote the universal values and norms, harsher order-drawing, further consolidation of its internal space, narrowing of cooperation to like-minded countries. The EU thus departs from the classical elements of its power and influence in the world. This trend is very strong in the digital sphere but is not limited to the latter.

Пропаганда бизнес-этики в России: правовые основы

Introduction. In the context of the significance of the development of the Russian economy, the culture of business communications of business entities is of particular importance. Its enhancement and stimulation are supported in every possible way by the state, and popularization of entrepreneurship and formation of a positive image of the entrepreneur among the population become the most important area of activity in achieving state goals and objectives. Though, the process of forming business ethics and legal regulation of the promotion of business ethics in the Russian legislation are still at the stage of active development. Theoretical analysis. The modern legal field primarily reflects promotion of the values of competition, promotion of social responsibility norms among entrepreneurs, promotion of legal entrepreneurship and formation of a positive image of the entrepreneur. However, most often, the legislator creates the prerequisites for the behavior desired by business in the existing legal conditions, without directly enshrining the “propaganda of business ethics”, with examples from current legislation and law enforcement practice being confirmation of that. Empirical analysis. Fragmented legal regulation of the promotion of business ethics, both at the federal and regional levels, emphasizes the lack of a systematic approach to understanding business ethics, which, in turn, may affect the effectiveness of the future formation of fair commercial practices. Result. In the legal field, business ethics should be considered as a complex, collective and still developing concept, including an attitude to the social responsibility of a business entity, corruption, healthy competition, combining elements of management ethics, corporate culture, ethics of interaction with government agencies, environmental awareness, etc. Introduction to the legal field of promoting business ethics is a natural process. Legal education remains an effective measure to promote business ethics among business entities, that pursues preventive goals, and only in conjunction with measures to support and encourage such activities at the present time, since ensuring the standards of business ethics is closely related to the absence of illegal forms of economic struggle, to building measures of economic security in the context of corporate social responsibility, rejection of corruption, etc.

Encoding Ethics to Compute Value-Aligned Norms

AbstractNorms have been widely enacted in human and agent societies to regulate individuals’ actions. However, although legislators may have ethics in mind when establishing norms, moral values are only sometimes explicitly considered. This paper advances the state of the art by providing a method for selecting the norms to enact within a society that best aligns with the moral values of such a society. Our approach to aligning norms and values is grounded in the ethics literature. Specifically, from the literature’s study of the relations between norms, actions, and values, we formally define how actions and values relate through the so-called value judgment function and how norms and values relate through the so-called norm promotion function. We show that both functions provide the means to compute value alignment for a set of norms. Moreover, we detail how to cast our decision-making problem as an optimisation problem: finding the norms that maximise value alignment. We also show how to solve our problem using off-the-shelf optimisation tools. Finally, we illustrate our approach with a specific case study on the European Value Study.

How individuals shape informal institutions: Analyzing contending norm promotion in the Global South

How individuals shape informal institutions: Analyzing contending norm promotion in the Global South

Opening the World Court to the International Community: an Empirical Analysis of Non-party Participation in the International Court of Justice

Abstract Over the last decades, the participation of State and non-State actors (NSAs) in the process of international law-making has become one of the basic features of international law. As multifunctional actors, the role of international courts and tribunals (ICTs) encompasses the protection and development of the international community. Together with ICTs’ role in the promotion, recognition and application of community interest norms, the growing participation of State and NSAs in international dispute settlement mechanisms also plays an increasingly important role in ensuring and facilitating compliance and enforcement of community interest norms. Whereas the non-party participation of State and NSAs has only very exceptionally been recognized, their influence in international dispute settlement cannot be ignored. By applying empirical research methodology for mapping the practice of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the participation of State and NSAs under the ICJ Statute and Rules of Court, this paper addresses the existing mechanisms of non-party participation in both contentious cases and advisory proceedings. There is no doubt that ICJ procedural law remains outdated and disconnected from the contemporary developments characterizing the international community nowadays. Broadening the possibilities for participation by State and NSAs would imply the recognition of the plurilateral nature of international disputes. In this context, the paper also discusses the challenges and possible alternatives for expanding participation via teleological interpretation of the ICJ Statute and potential amendments to the Rules of Court and Practice Directions.

Inclusive Growth Through Fair Trade: An Empirical Case of NGOs’ Involvement in China

Abstract As a response to imbalanced economic development across different regions, this study aims to explore how the Fair Trade nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) promote inclusive growth in areas facing insufficient institutional supports and challenging local conditions in a developing market. Through a 5-year longitudinal case study in the context of small-scale tea supply from rural China, this paper explores and identifies a set of institutional voids blocking economic growth and challenging the realisation of the Fair Trade goals. We systematically describe how the Fair Trade NGOs intervene and integrate with other actors in local supply chains. The results reveal important and complex roles the NGOs play in coping with the institutional voids to stimulate Fair Trade. From an institutional perspective, this paper finds that the Fair Trade NGOs can leverage and shape local institutions through collaboration in market structure building, norm promotion, and cognitive development to achieve inclusive growth. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the crucial roles NGOs may play in Fair Trade, inclusive growth, and poverty alleviation. They offer important and practical guidance for NGOs, small farmers, as well as relevant government agencies in their initiatives to fight poverty and achieve economic equality and inclusive growth.

Japan's smart power strategy and securing the US-led order

ABSTRACT What is Japan's strategy to secure the US-led order from the heightened China challenge? This article argues that Japan is pursuing a smart power strategy made up of two complementary strands. The first is the use of hard power resources, involving internal and external balancing measures, to assist the US and other partners and friends to secure the region's balance of power in favour of the US-led order. The second strand refers Japan's use of soft power resources to reinforce the multilateral orders in East Asia and the Indo-Pacific regions in support of the US-led order. It focuses on the promotion of norms that advocate for a regional rules-based order outlined in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy/vision. The article concludes that the smart power strategy has been successful in facilitating Japan's objective of securing the US-led order given its internal constraints and unique position between the US and China.

European Norms Trap? EU Connectivity Policies and the Case of the Global Gateway

Data cables, ports, and mobility are a rising theme in geopolitical competition, and the European Union (EU) also aims to develop a cutting-edge product for the fund-deficit connectivity market. Incapable of competing with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the quantity of investments, the EU’s 1-year-old connectivity initiative Global Gateway aims to challenge it with quality, providing more democratic, secure, equal, green, transparent, and sustainable alternatives to lower-income partners. While the BRI has been accused of creating debt traps in the same context, this article analyzes whether there is a risk of the EU’s norm-diffusing policy also having an undermining effect on partners’ agency. Based on a systematic analysis of EU policy documents and strategic communications, the article identifies three categories for the EU’s norms promotion: firstly, the support for regionalism, secondly, the prescribing of standards of connections, and thirdly, the defining of values to be applied in connectivity projects. The article argues that the EU communications reserve a limited role for the partners to participate in or to have control over the processes where values, norms, and standards of connectivity are created. The approach, unlikely to serve the EU’s declared goal of equal partnerships, is rather found to respond to the competitive international context.

Дослідження особливостей споживання слабоалкогольних напоїв (low-alcohol beverages) дітьми та підлітками в Україні та ідентифікація ризиків для здоров’я населення

Abstract. Recently, the problem of low-alcohol consumption among adolescents and young people has become especially relevant, which was confirmed by the results of global WHO research and the ESPAD project in Ukraine (2019). Aim. Study the age and gender characteristics of low-alcohol beverages among children and adolescents, identify risks and identify ways to minimize the negative impact of low-alcohol beverages on public health. Materials and Methods. The data of the WHO and the ESPAD project, separate national researches on alcohol use by teenagers are studied; analyzed the results of the long-term epidemiological study "Family and Children of Ukraine", which is part of the WHO long-term European long-term study program on parenting and childhood "ELSPAC" (European Longitudinal Study of Parenthood and Childhood). Results. According to the latest ESPAD study in Ukraine (2019), 85.7 % of all adolescents surveyed (more than 2,000 people) have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, and the share of those who have consumed alcohol in their lifetime is ten and more times amounted to 46.3 %. According to the Family and Children of Ukraine study (989 people), the youngest age when alcohol was first consumed by adolescents of both sexes was 9 years of age and younger, with adolescent girls being more active than boys in their age. The analysis of the questionnaires ("Adolescent Questionnaires 15-18 years") revealed that among the surveyed adolescents, 67.4 % (725) people drank alcohol at least once in their lives, and there were more girls (69.5 % – 370 people) than boys (65.4 % – 355 people). The highest rates among adolescent boys were recorded in the 14-year-old group: 19.0 % drank beer for the first time, 14.5 % drank wine or champagne, 9.4% drank alcohol, and 7.4% drank strong alcohol. The highest rates of adolescent girls were found in the 15-year age group: beer was consumed for the first time by 16.9%, wine or champagne – 22.4%, alcoholic cocktail – 16.9 %, spirits – 8.6 %. Analysis of the degree of involvement of adolescents in beer consumption showed that at the age of 9 years and younger 3.9% (21) boys and 5.3 % (28) girls tried beer for the first time; at the age of 14 – 19.0 % (103) boys and 14.5 % (77) girls; at the age of 15 – 16.0 % (87) boys and 16.9 % (90) girls. Thus, the first time the interviewed teenagers tried beer was at the age of 14-15. Conclusions. Consumption of low-alcohol beverages among children and adolescents in Ukraine is an acute social problem, the solution of which requires a systematic approach, which should include the formation and promotion of alcohol-free norms among young people, as well as marketing tools focus on priority consumption of soft drinks. Key Words: low alcohol drinks, adolescents, food safety.

Legal diffusion as protectionism: the case of the U.S. promotion of antitrust laws

Prior research on the global diffusion and harmonization of antitrust (competition) laws mainly focused on the motivations of countries newly adopting or reforming their national laws. This article instead inquires about the motivations of the powerful states promoting these laws internationally, primarily focusing on the United States. It finds that trade protectionist —rather than globalist— interests and ideas prompted the United States’ promotion of strong international antitrust norms in the 1990s. Analyzing Congressional documents and debates in the 1980s, it shows that American import-competing companies framed foreign industrial policies as cartelization to legitimize their demands for trade protections within the dominant framework of free markets and domestic antitrust laws. The political salience of this narrative in Congress contributed to the preparation of the 1988 Trade Laws and the 1990 trade negotiations with Japan, which formalized the United States’ preference for strong international antitrust norms during the 1990s. These findings highlight that, ironically, ‘anti-market’ reasons can also motivate ‘pro-market’ norm diffusion.

Norm Entrepreneurship with Chinese Characteristics? Constructing a ‘Green bri’

Abstract Although illiberal normative projects have become increasingly prominent internationally, ir norms research has, for a long time, focused mainly on liberal norm entrepreneurs. Through the study of the environmental norms promoted by China’s Belt and Road Initiative (bri), the so-called ‘green bri’, this contribution seeks to add to the empirical horizon of norm entrepreneurship. Drawing on insights from area studies and authoritarian regime studies, I argue that based on its domestic political system, China engages in a specific pattern of norm promotion. By shedding light on the development of ‘Green bri’ norms, I argue that these efforts are shaped by China’s internal political practice in two ways: They are informed by ‘slogan politics’, vague formulations issued by high-level figures that are filled with life and interpreted subsequently, and they highlight the agency of the Chinese state while allowing large degrees of flexibility for state-owned enterprises and their economic interests.