Opinions Of Citizens Research Articles

OLDER PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR RIGHTS

This article has allowed to identify the opinions of elderly citizens on their rights, who in this difficult period of life continue to individually face their problems and needs. Poor information of pensioners accentuates the manifestation of discrimination, isolation, and indifference toward this group of population. Although R. Moldova has a rich agenda of normative acts that must work in our society in favour of elderly citizens, social, medical, economic institutions, etc., continues the production of age segregation processes, which is felt by the interviewed seniors. To reduce the daily tensions and worries of the elderly, it is necessary to create institutions (at all levels) that would provide support, protection and insurance with the rights of older citizens, becoming the key solution to their problems.

SOCIAL CONTRADICTIONS OF SMALL TERRITORIES OF THE VOLOGDA OBLAST: ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

The relevance of the study is due to the growth of the urban population, for whom the quality of the place of residence is of paramount importance. The quality and comfort of the environment determine the competitiveness of municipalities, their sustainable development. However, small territories of Russia are characterized by the presence of pronounced social contradictions, negative processes that hinder their development. The purpose of the research stage is to create an express methodology for assessing the state of affairs in small territories in order to develop the right management strategies. The methodological component of the work is devoted to the assessment of the situation of small territories and their typologies, data on domestic assessment systems are provided. The information base of the study: official data of Rosstat, a database of indicators of municipalities, objective indicators of the Urban Environment Quality Index for 2018-2022, data on the development of small and medium-sized businesses for 2021, a sociological survey of the population of the Vologda Oblast (N = 1500; sampling error does not exceed 5%). 10 small towns of the region were selected to form the rapid assessment methodology. The Vologda Oblast municipalities with favorable and unfavorable urban environment have been identified, problem areas, including those related to demographic processes, have been identified. Objective characteristics of small towns in the region are supplemented by the opinion of citizens on the activities for their improvement and development of the urban environment. It is concluded that the indicators of the express methodology should be supplemented with studies of territories, taking into account the development of the institutional environment and the activity of local communities, the possibilities of collaboration of various actors in solving the social contradictions of small towns.

PROPAGANDA NARRATIVES AS A WEAPON OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN THE HYBRID WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

The armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, not only violated the territorial integrity of the country but also significantly impacted the media landscape not only in Ukraine but worldwide. Against the backdrop of this new reality, the role of objective information for citizens has become crucial in the fight against information warfare.Contemporary high-quality press, which shapes the opinions of both citizens and politicians, has become an integral component of society. In the conditions of the ongoing hybrid war in Eastern Europe, their task is even more crucial – not only to inform but also to shape the perception of domestic and international policies.The Russian aggression has prompted radical changes not only in the lives of Ukrainians but also in the field of journalism. Journalists working in the conditions of armed conflict face challenges that demand not only professional skill but also patriotism and a high level of responsibility. Their work has become crucial for preserving democratic values and overcoming the misinformation actively spreadingin the network. In particular, the media scene in Ukraine has taken on an important task – not only informing the world about the real events on the front but also countering Russian propaganda, which seeks to influence global opinion and distort facts.The current conflict situation between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in significant losses not only in human and material terms but also in the moral-psychological aspect for Ukraine. In order to overcome adversity, identify mistakes, and address shortcomings, it is necessary to develop an effective strategy for responding to informational influences.Considering the anticipated duration of the war, the positional nature of the conflict, and the escalating informational influence of the aggressor, an increase in the activity of the Russian Federation in the information space and a heightened level of informational threats to our state can be expected. In this new reality, where information has become as crucial a weapon as firearms, citizens and journalistscollaborate to ensure the objectivity and reliability of information. The hybrid nature of the war requires not only military action on the front but also active work in the media space.However, beyond combating internal and external propaganda, internal societal consolidation becomes crucial. Efforts towards enhancing media literacy and critical thinking among citizens play a significant role in shaping a resilient society that upholds its values and remains true to the principles of democracy.

The Influence of the Internet on the Formation of Virtual Communities and Expansion of Boundaries of Civil Society during the Large-Scale War with the Russian Federation

The purpose of the article is to study the social impact of the use of e-communications on the state of civil society of Ukraine in the conditions of a large-scale war against the Russian Federation. To achieve the goal, the author substantiated the political component of the introduction of e-communications, features, specificity and differences of territorial and virtual communities of GS, determined ways to counter the negative effects of the manipulative mechanisms of the aggressor country. The article uses statistical, comparative, monitoring methods, systemic and functional methodological approaches. The author proves that the development of e-communications is a prerequisite for changes in the activities of organizations, communities and politicians which is becoming more and more transparent and must meet the expectations of the increasingly active HS. Changes are taking place in state and non-state bodies, providing access to them, increasing transparency, increasing the opportunity for citizens to participate in the decision-making process, etc. Politics largely depends on the opinion of citizens, their communities and organizations. Political power is becoming more decentralized, and there are more and more centers of power. The Internet leads to its decentralization, to the formation of a model of a new type of democracy, thanks to convergent processes between representative and direct democracy. Citizens are getting more and more information in real time and decisions about politics and politicians are coming in real time. Support for Internet messaging technologies increases opportunities for citizens to directly participate in politics. Analysis of unifying and network features of a new type of e-democracy and other characteristics, with which it is connected – protest and anti-system movements, are transformed in the direction of "smart communities" or "smart crowds", because their actions are implemented simultaneously in virtual and real space.

A Study of the Availability and Demand of Digital Services for the Manifestation of Social and Political Activity by Citizens

In recent decades, scientists have been discussing ways of involving the population in social and political processes. Terms such as “civic participation,” “civic control,” “participation in the government of the power-poor,” etc. are widely used in scholarly discourse on this subject. The research related to social and political activities is conducted within various thematic areas based on “political participation theory” and “participatory democracy theory,” as well as on “theories of economic and digital inequalities.” According to the vast majority of scientists, increasing digitalization is known to expand the forms of participation and transform the public administration at all levels concerning joint governance and a citizen-centric approach, taking into consideration the opinion and active participation of citizens in the production and execution of policy decisions. This article presents the results of a study that investigated whether modern digital services allow citizens to participate in and influence the social and political processes taking place at various levels of government. In addition, the study demonstrates how modern digital technologies promote the maximum participation of the most socially vulnerable categories of the population, as well as how such factors as the level of digital competence, the level of income of the population, and the level of digitalization of territories limit this participation. In order to assess the modern digital forms and the use of these forms in a citizen’s interaction with the authorities, a survey of 1,200 residents of villages and towns located in the south Tyumen Region was conducted. The ways in which the residents living in the towns and villages of the Tyumen Region were able to express their civic positions were determined and the proportion of citizens using digital technologies was noted. The study also assessed the availability and demand for digital technologies by citizens to express their social and political activities, as well as the primary factors that limit their social and political participation. Moreover, this research showed that age, education, and digital competence and awareness were the main factors influencing a citizen’s propensity to use modern digital technologies for social and political activity. The hypothesis that the demand for digital services by citizens living in remote districts should be higher than that of urban residents was not confirmed. On the contrary, for a wide range of services, the assessments of demand and accessibility are higher among the residents of cities than among the residents of rural municipal districts, with the highest assessments coming from the residents of the regional capital. This fact is associated with a higher level of digital competence among citizens, a higher level of digitalization of the regional capital, as well as a higher level of income, which allows them to more actively master and use all these services. Additionally, this article is addressed to researchers interested in various aspects of social and political participation, as well as to politicians who make decisions regarding the development and implementation of new forms of digital interaction between citizens and the authorities that enable citizens to demonstrate their civic position.

Digital applications as tools for psychological adaptation of citizens to changes

As a result of the military aggression of the russian federation on the territory of Ukraine, citizens experience acute stress, other mental and emotional burdens, and psychological disorders. Digital technologies can serve as a tool to improve mental health and provide psychological support to citizens, especially for those who find it difficult to access a psychotherapist in direct contact, through the development of applications for psychological adaptation and mental balance support. The purpose of the work was to determine the availability and optimal content of mobile applications for mental health and psychological balance of citizens of Ukraine. A search and analysis of available solutions from the E-Mental-Health category (digital services for mental health) in Ukraine and other countries was conducted. An empirical study of their functions was carried out and a proposal of optimal content for mobile applications was formed as auxiliary tools for working with a specialist psychotherapist or for psychological assistance to citizens during martial law. To determine the need for such applications, a survey “My psychological state in evacuation” was conducted among respondents who are outside the country. In order to determine the most important functions among the list of the created proposal of the optimal content of the application according to the opinion of citizens, an online survey “Ukrainians and digital services” was conducted. It was mainly attended by young people who remained in the country during the military aggression. On the basis of the obtained results, the need of Ukrainian citizens, both those who remained in the country during hostilities and those who are evacuated in other countries, for mobile applications for mental health and psychological assistance to Ukrainians was empirically substantiated. Recommendations have been provided regarding the necessary features of such an application, which can be considered as a project specification for the creation or enhancement of a multifunctional E-Mental-Health app

Jacks of all trades, masters of none? Multiple-mandate holding and trust in local government

ABSTRACT Multiple-mandate holding, i.e., the holding of more than one directly elected mandate simultaneously on different government tiers, is a controversial practice with potential consequences on political trust. The research purpose of this study is thus to contribute to this line of research by exploring how the extent of this practice at the local level reflects on the opinions of ordinary citizens and their confidence in local government. The aim of this paper is therefore to examine this question utilising a vignette survey experiment carried out in Finland. The findings presented contribute to shining a light on the potential consequences of this practice for trust in the local government by exposing one way in which negative evaluations of politicians are formed.

THE LOKARNO AGREEMENTS OF 1925 ON THE PAGES OF THE SOVIET PROVINCIAL PRESS

The article is devoted to the study of the role of local print media as an important means of forming public opinion of Soviet citizens in the mid-1920s. The author traces the coverage in local newspapers of events related to the preparation of the Rhenish Guarantee Pact, the Locarno Conference and the ratification of the signed agreements. The subject of the study is the materials of local press publications of different regions of the USSR. They present various aspects of the stated topic. The author concludes that the regional newspapers of 1925 can be considered sufficiently informed and clearly stated the views of the country's leadership on the turn in international relations, which took place in the European political arena during the period in question. Local periodicals actively contributed to the formation of Soviet citizens by all possible means, both verbal and visual, ideas about the duplicity of the policy of Western countries on the preservation of peace and prevention of war.

GERMAN PUBLIC BROADCASTING MODEL: CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ASPECT

The communication rights enshrined in Part 1 of Article 5 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany — freedom of expression, freedom of informa-tion, press, broadcasting, and cinema (Kommunikationsgrundrechte) are of constitu-tive importance for German democracy, since the process of forming of public opinion, which is important for the functioning of democratic institutions, depends on the level of their guarantee. At the same time, due to the special persuasiveness of the audiovi-sual form of information presentation, broadcasting is the most significant means of influence. Public service broadcasting (öffentlich- rechtlicher Rundfunk) is central to the German broadcasting system, while the role of private broadcasters is secondary. The decisive importance of public broadcasting in shaping the political opinion of Ger-man citizens presupposes the existence of sufficient and effective constitutional and legal guarantees that exclude the instrumentalization of this institution by the state, industry, and other influential public groups. The article, taking into account the historical con-text and using examples from the legislation and practice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, analyzes these guarantees, and also describes the basic constitutional and legal principles of the functioning of the broadcasting system in Germany. As a conclusion, a set of the basic essential characteristics of the German model of public broadcasting is fixed, which might be used for further critical consideration of this institution.

The influence of social communications on the formation of public opinion of citizens during the war

With the development of information technology and the spread of social networks, communication has become more accessible and faster, and therefore, social communications are becoming an increasingly relevant and important issue for modern society. The research aims to study the current state of social communications in Ukrainian and global society, considering their transformation and identifying development trends. The research was conducted using the methods of analysis, systematisation, deduction, generalisation, and surveying. The research provides knowledge on the current state of social communications in Ukrainian and global society. Various aspects of communication processes, their transformation and development trends were studied and analysed, which allowed to understand their role and impact on modern society. The study revealed the peculiarities of social communications in different contexts, such as war, revolution, and pandemic. Particular attention was paid to the impact of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, on the formation of public opinion, cultural stereotypes, and types of users on social media. The study was conducted to investigate the social communications of Ukrainians, including their activity on social media. The study helped to establish how social communications affect the interaction of various social groups and institutions, including political processes, civic engagement, and youth culture, as well as trends in social communications. The results of the study of social communications can be used by researchers to expand knowledge in the field of communications, develop new theories and approaches, and understand modern communication processes in society.

The Problematic Issues of Jury Selection

It is known that the jury is not an institutionally separate legal entity. It functions alongside the Court of First Instance and is a special form of administration of justice. Unlike ordinary proceedings when a judge makes a decision based on the law, a jury trial relies on the opinions of ordinary citizens applying to their "inner voice" - conscience, "common sense", folk wisdom and intelligence, public morality, sense of justice. That is why jury trial is considered the highest expression of democracy. It is an interesting institution in many ways. The article reviews the problematic issues of jury selection.
 The article analyses theoretical and practical aspects of selecting non-professional judges, the preconditions of their selection, recusals and the jury composition. Legislative changes have been evaluated positively, but there are still challenges. Accordingly, the problems associated with jury selection are identified and the specific recommendations are made to prevent the process from delaying and choose independent, unbiased jurors.

Combining Revealed and Stated Preferences to design a new urban park in a metropolitan area of North-Western Italy

Inclusive and participatory decision-making is a sustainable option for governments and decision-makers to support real transformation and planning of policies and actions. Investigating and gathering the various views and opinions of stakeholders and citizens is particularly effective because it opens up a range of possibilities in co-constructing the city of the future. Among urban areas requiring planning, Urban Green Infrastructures (UGIs) represent spaces designed to improve the character of neighborhoods, as well as to increase the well-being of users. To achieve these goals, planners should adopt a design approach in which UGIs projects are shaped by local community concerns rather than by market conventions in urban design. Focusing on green recreational areas, this study employs an integrated approach combining Revealed (RP) and Stated Preferences (SP) to investigate citizens' preferences regarding urban parks. In particular, the experiment combines Travel Cost Method (TCM) and Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) for supporting a requalification project in an ex-industrial area of Turin (Italy). In this way, it was possible to understand which facilities can contribute to increasing the citizens’ well-being and the overall efficiency of the UGIs provision and maintenance. The proposed methodology represents an operational and replicable procedure to support different renewal projects in which citizens' opinions are crucial for developing long-term sustainable socio-ecological plans and actions.

DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN: ISSUES AND TRENDS

Purpose of the research is to study the level of public awareness, transparency and trust in the authorities in the framework of the state policy for the construction of a nuclear power plant.Methodology. In this work, both qualitative and quantitative research methods are applied. The study uses an online sociological survey among the population to analyze the impact of the ongoing state policy on the energy security of the country, namely the construction of nuclear power plants. In this work, an online survey based on a Google Survey was used. The survey involved 108 respondents. Also presented in the work are information materials of state institutions, information and news articles, as well as a review of international experience in the field of nuclear energy. Also, for the analysis and evaluation of external factors for developing nuclear energy, we considered PEST-analysis (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological factors).Originality / value of the research. Society plays an important role in solving the most urgent and acute political issues in the country. The awareness and opinion of citizens contributes to the development in society of a positive attitude towards the political decisions made in the state. Over the past two decades, in some countries, policies to reduce energy costs and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions have contributed to the introduction of clean energy, including nuclear energy. In Kazakhstan, the issue of energy security has always been relevant and has never been removed from the agenda. Today, despite all the eff orts of the state, problems in the energy sector are not decreasing.Findings. This paper analyses the statements of many authors who believe that the degree of public awareness depends on the transparency and informational openness of state bodies. A sociological study was used in this work in order to empirically prove the influence of these factors. The survey contains the answers of the respondents. The analysis turned out to be quite interesting. As a result, the presence of a positive relationship between the level of information provided by state institutions and the awareness of citizens has been clearly demonstrated.

Russia in public discourse and public opinion of citizens of the Italian Republic

The authors examine the social grounds for the formation of a positive image of Russia in the public opinion of Italy. The purpose of the study is to measure how the attitude of the Italians towards Russia has changed after 2022. The research is based on a secondary analysis of the representative results of sociological surveys of EU citizens and also on the authors’ analysis of political public discourse, where the source was the Italian media and the statements of political actors. The stability of the positive image of Russia in Italian public opinion is determined by the stable economic, political and cultural ties between Italy and Russia. The results of the discourse analysis of an extensive database of documents - election programs, materials from the leading social and political media in Italy and statements by Italian politicians - demonstrated a high level of interest of members of the Italian political elite in maintaining stable relations with Russia in various fields. They are representatives of the Italian populist parties among opinion makers and leaders, who influence the formation of a positive image of Russia. The attitude towards the Russian Federation in Italian public opinion has remained positive for a long period of time. The special military operation has significantly changed the perception of Russia, but the Italians still remain its sympathizers compared to citizens of other EU countries.

Poland’s Road to Membership in the European Union from the Perspective of the 20th Anniversary of the Accession Treaty

The purpose of this article is to show Poland’s path to European Union membership from the perspective of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Accession Treaty. Joining the Community was proceeded by many years of preparation and efforts. Poland had to meet many necessary requirements to finally join the ranks of the member states. The negotiations, which began on April 3, 1998, were concluded on April 16, 2003, with the signing of the Accession Treaty in Athens. In Poland, the decision was also decided by the public expressing its opinion in a referendum held on June 7–8, 2003. On July 23, 2003 the Accession Treaty was ratified, and on May 1, 2004. Poland became a member of the European Union. Poland’s entry into the European Union made it possible to take a civilizational step. Poland benefited from its presence in the EU in many dimensions, primarily political, economic and social. The benefits of Poland’s accession to the EU far outweigh the costs. This assessment is also confirmed by the opinions of citizens expressed in surveys. In June 2022, the number of supporters of Poland’s EU membership reached a record 92%.

Development of a citizen participation public service innovation model based on smart governance

This study explores an efficient approach to providing customized public services through a smart governance-based public service innovation model (SG-PSIM) that combines intelligent technology and co-creation. Multiple methodological approaches are applied to develop and evaluate the proposed SG-PSIM. Intelligent methodologies that can support the public service policy process are discussed, and the applicability of the SG-PSIM is demonstrated through four case studies. The study results showed that SG-PSIM can effectively collect the opinions of citizens in diverse ways and provide opportunities for citizens to actively participate in the development of public service policies.

Ambivalence towards historical urban development

The authors consider the consequences of the reduced control over the architectural and urban planning approval of capital construction in Russian cities. The new practice that simplifies the approval procedure will allow to reduce the costs for developers. However, without taking into account the opinion of specialists and citizens, it will provoke mass replication of unattractive cliches, aggressively erasing the traces of architectural identity. In view of the ongoing urbanization in large Russian cities, we can predict the transformation of certain historical buildings into architectural marginal formations forced out by uncontrolled development, which leads to the destruction of the integrity of perception of the cities’ architectural space and the loss of significant landscape components.

Who got what they wanted? Investigating the role of institutional agenda setting, costly policies, and status quo bias as explanations to income based unequal responsiveness

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that elected officials are more responsive to the opinions of high-income citizens than to those of middle and working-class citizens in the United States. This is often explained by the fact that economic elites make campaign contributions to political elites, leading to decision-making that aligns with the preferences of the affluent. This paper examines the opinion-policy link in Swedish politics, where campaign contributions are relatively low. Despite this, the study finds that high-income citizens still receive the most policy responsiveness. Three alternative possible explanations are discussed. Do high-income citizens receive more responsiveness because (a) they are better able to put issues on the political agenda, (b) because they are easier to satisfy and prefer ‘cheaper’ symbolic policy reforms, while low-income citizens prefer more costly policies or (c) because the status quo bias works to the advantage of high-income citizens?

プロセスと空間からみたエリア一体型リノベーションまちづくりに関する研究愛知県岡崎市籠田公園周辺地区を対象として

The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual situation of area-integrated renovation town planning in the Kagoda Park neighborhood of Okazaki City. The findings are follows, 1) the overall process of the redevelopment of public space by the government and the utilization of idle real estate by the private sector activities was clarified, 2) the redevelopment of Kagoda Park and Central Avenue created many spaces where many people can stay, based on the opinions of citizens, 3) few businesses were affected by both public space redevelopment and idle real estate utilization activities.

Chinese Media Representation of the SCO: A Study of People’s Daily and Global Times

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is one of the first international organizations in which the PRC played a key role. However, according to some researchers, over the past 20 years the Chinese leadership’s interest in this mechanism of international cooperation has decreased. This article explores the place of the SCO in Chinese foreign policy by analyzing the representation of this organization in the PRC’s media - Chinese-language publications in the newspapers People’s Daily and Global Times , which both belong to the Chinese Communist Party. Such focus allows better understanding the value of the SCO to China and its position vis-á-vis other Chinese initiatives in Central Asia. The authors use methods of quantitative and qualitative content analysis, namely counting the frequency of single words, identifying and counting the most common frames, and discussing the ways these frames are constructed. Frame analysis demonstrates that the articles focus on the achievements of the SCO in solving regional problems, while existing difficulties are ignored. The SCO is represented as an important element of China’s foreign policy, along with the Belt and Road Initiative, while the details of their interaction are not discussed. It should also be mentioned that the SCO is framed as an association of countries opposing Western hegemonism and advocating a new system of international relations. An extremely positive representation of the SCO serves legitimation of the political regime in the PRC: the articles focus on China’s role as a leader in the SCO and its successes in addressing domestic problems, such as poverty reduction and fighting the coronavirus infection. This narrative is often created by quoting the opinions of high-level foreign politicians and average citizens.