Citizen Perceptions Research Articles

Participatory Risk Governance for Seoul, South Korea’s Flood Risk Management

Risk governance is a widely used framework in natural and societal risk management research. Risks from natural hazards in urban areas call for the establishment of rigorous and participatory urban risk governance. In this study, we examined participatory risk governance (PRG) of flood risk management (FRM) in Seoul, South Korea. We conducted key informant interviews and implemented a survey with citizens, to explore perceptions of flood risks and risk management, and to examine prospects for improving PRG in Seoul. We found a gap between the perceptions of key informants and citizens. Key informants believed that citizens’ low awareness of flood risks hinders PRG. Yet our research found that citizens’ risk awareness was not low, and risk awareness may not be the main barrier to participation in PRG. Instead, we found that citizens lacked knowledge of FRM actions, and they assigned government bodies a high level of responsibility for FRM, compared to the level of responsibility that citizens assigned to themselves. Moreover, the actors involved in FRM tended not to trust each other, which implies a lack of mutual understanding. To increase the effectiveness of PRG, we suggest a polycentric governance structure anchored by a leading actor group, and active promotion of the participation of actors at multiple levels of governance. Communication between government and citizen participants, designed to foster improved understanding and recognition of one another’s roles and contributions to FRM, will enhance trust and improve the implementation of PRG in Seoul.

Linguistic representation of the concept BERLIN WALL in German eonyms

The article is devoted to the study of linguistic representation of the concept BERLIN WALL in modern German. The main goal of the article is to identify and describe eonyms (key words of the epoch) that preserve the historical memory of the Berlin Wall in modern German. The material of the study was eonyms selected from the rating lists of the linguistic action of the German Language Society (Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache e. V.) «Word of the Year» for the period from 1978 to 2020, verbalizing the concept BERLIN WALL. The application of comparative-historical and descriptive methods made it possible to identify eonyms representing the result of linguistic reflection of the most important political phenomenon in modern German history. The article provides a linguocultural analysis of the selected eonyms in synchronic and diachronic aspects. The author describes the influence of the BERLIN WALL concept on the perception of East and West German citizens of each other, analyses the linguistic reflection of changes in political and social life in Germany in the critical era after German reunification. The description of the socio-historical contexts of the emergence of eonyms as representatives of the BERLIN WALL concept allows us to characterise the existing linguistic stereotypes in the German language. The analysis highlights the eonyms and their derivatives, which appear with certain cyclicity, linking historical events with each other and characterising the dynamic development of society and language. The unfolding of the meanings projected in the eonyms allows us to identify the most significant historical events reflected in the concept of BERLIN WALL, to interpret the differences in communicative behaviour between the inhabitants of East and West Germany.

Daffawi: self-Orientalism and identity work among Palestinians in Israel

ABSTRACT This ethnographic paper explores attitudes and perceptions of Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) regarding Palestinians from the West Bank (PWB). It focuses on the semantic complex of ḍaffāwi (‘who comes from the West Bank’), which entails a combination of cultural superiority, distrust, romanticizing, and ambivalence. Treating the ḍaffāwi as a speech act and reading it as a cultural text that is rooted in PCI’s collective political unconscious, we argue that their mixed attitudes of superiority and idealization with regard to WBP, and by implication their self-Orientalism, reflect a deep sense of deadlock that characterizes their identity work, as indigenous citizens of an ethnocratic state that has been colonizing their people.

Функциональная взаимосвязь элементов политической инфраструктуры

The article delves into the functional relationship between the elements of political infrastructure, which is the entire array of tools that allow interaction between political power and civil society. On the one hand, these are tools at the disposal of political institutions (state, political parties, other institutions of political representation). These tools are specific, and the algorithms for their use are reflected in the legal framework of the state. On the other hand, this array also includes not always obvious and tangible means of influencing the consciousness, perception and behavior of citizens, which are contained in the political culture that integrates ideologies, political archetypes, and distinctive features of mentality. In addition, the new technological conditions of digitalization have become a “great challenge” both for the individual behavior of citizens and for the transformation of their interaction among themselves and with political authorities. In order to transform this challenge into an opportunity for development, political infrastructure participants should be involved in the development and evaluation of alternatives for the optimal development of territories and, consequently, the state as a whole.

The Research on The Impact of China-US "The Belt and Road" Reporting on The Perception of Indonesian Citizens

The Research on The Impact of China-US "The Belt and Road" Reporting on The Perception of Indonesian Citizens

The <i>fake news</i> during the chilean social outbreak and the role of <i>fact checking</i> against disinformation

The objective of this research is to understand the impact generated by fake news on the political perception and critical thinking of citizens who receive information through social networks during the Social Outbreak in Chile, and to assess the value of new independent fact checking media created during the same period. The methodology employs a mixed approach with an exploratory scope, involving the creation of an assessment tool used to evaluate 95 subjects from the Biobío Region, Chile who assessed and categorized a news item as true or false. The primary findings reveal that participants perceive sharing fake news as a perilous action, and they hold the belief that fake news has the potential to alter political and social ideologies. In conclusion, assessing subjects' strategies for identifying fake news allows for the development of evaluation tools that promote data verification and enhance media literacy. This becomes crucial as the criteria for verification among active social network users are often low, indicating a level of credibility in published content without thorough scrutiny of data sources or acknowledgment of the risks associated with disseminating potentially false information.

Exploratory analysis of zero waste theory to examine consumer perceptions of sustainability: A covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM)

IntroductionThe analysis of corporate and consumer sustainability practices is currently the focus of several scientific disciplines due to their environmental impact and diversity. ObjectiveThis research aims to create a hierarchy of consumer perceptions of zero waste thinking that can guide government decisions regarding university communities' sustainability efforts. To achieve the objectives of this study, Hungarian university citizens (students, faculty, staff) as potential zero waste consumers in Győr were involved in a purposive sampling approach. MethodsThis study adopted the Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) methodology to prove the hypotheses related to the 7Rs regarding Zero Waste perceptions of university citizens. The rethink element of the hierarchy was defined as the default condition for the 7 R application and therefore remained at the top of the hierarchy as an endogenous variable. ResultsThe study concluded that it is possible to adapt a business 7 R framework for consumer use, but only 5Rs can be applied. The analysis was conducted at a 90% confidence level, under which condition the independent variables together explain 87% of the variance of the rethink factor. The results show that the four constructs, namely rot (β =0.12, ρ<0.1), reduce (β =0.21, ρ<0.1), recycle (β =0.26, ρ<0.05), and reuse (β =0.43, ρ<0.05) significantly affect rethinking. Based on these regression weights, a hierarchy of importance can be established. In line with the original 7 R business concept, rethink is at the top of the hierarchy, followed by the other elements. ConclusionsThe results suggest that the zero waste attitudes of university citizens are currently limited to the 5Rs, which should require government leadership to strengthen these factors or a more consistent presence and support for the 2Rs that are missing from the established model. Governments can use the results of this research in their sustainability-related decisions.

Information on local financial reforms and cognitive processes of citizens

This study uses survey data from Kyoto citizens in Japan to examine the factors affecting citizen evaluations of local government finances. In particular, it probes whether information delivery alters citizen perceptions of government finances. In the pre-information condition. Fiindings indicate that citizens who rate performance, compliance and respect for rights, and accessibility to government information evaluate government finances more highly. The impact of information delivery formed the focus of this inquiry, and the results confirmed the learning effect of the modification of citizen perceptions after accurate financial information was received. Those who have higher or lower prior beliefs about the government are also more likely to revise their beliefs in cases of overestimation or underestimation when provided with information based on accurate fiscal indicators. In addition, when information is provided to citizens who have low accessibility to government information, they are more likely than other citizens to improve their evaluation. This study offers key directions for the exploration of the learning effects of information delivery by local governments and recommends methods for constructing desirable relationships between citizens and governments through such efforts. Points for practitioners This study elucidates the learning effects of the information provided by government officials on citizens. The finding that citizens dissatisfied with their access to government information evaluate the government more highly after receiving accurate information from the government is particularly significant. In addition, citizens focus on the performance of services provision, adherence to established rules and observance of the rights granted to them.

The Role of Community Policing in Crime Reduction: Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Kenya

Community policing, characterized by its emphasis on law enforcement-community partnerships, problem-solving strategies, and decentralized organizational structures, represents a multifaceted approach aimed at improving community well-being and reducing crime rates. This paper examines the implementation and effectiveness of community policing in different socio-political contexts, with a focus on South Africa and Kenya. Despite being a global phenomenon, community policing manifests differently across countries, necessitating a nuanced analysis of its application and outcomes. South Africa and Kenya provide intriguing case studies, showcasing both successes and challenges in community policing initiatives. While community-oriented strategies have shown promise in fostering trust between law enforcement agencies and communities, addressing socio-economic disparities, and enhancing citizen participation in crime prevention, concerns persist regarding its efficacy in contexts of poor governance and resource constraints. By evaluating crime rates, citizen perceptions of safety, and community satisfaction, this paper highlights the importance of ongoing research and tailored interventions to optimize the impact of community policing. Ultimately, community policing emerges as a transformative approach with the potential to foster safer, more resilient communities when implemented through collaborative, adaptive, and contextually sensitive strategies. Keywords: Community policing, crime reduction, South Africa, Kenya, law enforcement-community partnerships, problem-solving approach, citizen participation, socio-political context, governance, comparative analysis

‘Not ours’: Palestinian Arab students’ perceptions of the campus ethnonational climate in Israeli higher education

ABSTRACT Rooted in the campus racial climate framework by Hurtado and colleagues (1998) and utilising a qualitative-led mixed methods approach, this study explored the perceptions of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel (PAI) who are undergraduate students of their campus ethnonational climates. Focus groups (n = 19) were conducted, followed by an online survey (n = 453). The results show that PAI students perceive their campuses as foreign and often exclusionary, leading them to expend a great deal of time and energy negotiating the terms of their presence on campus. PAI students respond to the negative campus climate by forming pockets of belonging, asserting their identities and giving back to their home communities. Campuses were described as highly segregated with little contact between ethnonational groups, yet a desire to connect was strongly expressed. Variations across types of HE institutions as well as implications for practice and research are explored in the paper.

Is a sense of community based on similarity? The perception of shared values and citizens’ EU identity

ABSTRACT Does the perception of sharing values strengthen the EU citizens’ sense of belonging to the European Union? The present study uses the concept of social identity derived from social psychology to explore this question. It assumes that the perception that EU citizens share the same value orientations with each other strengthens identification with the EU’s political community. To empirically test this thesis, two-level regression models are conducted on the basis of survey data from the 2019 Eurobarometer (EB 92.3). The empirical results show that the subjective perception of being similar in terms of value orientations is positively associated with EU identity.

A Quality Perspective of Sustainable Management of Water Services: Insights of Citizens' Perceptions in Five Albanian Municipalities

This paper aims to explore citizens' perceptions of water services to inform policy-making and pressure service providers to improve efficiency and service quality using innovative solutions. Despite abundant water resource endowments, ongoing infrastructure upgrades, and technological advancements implemented for sustainable service management, the industry failed to deliver the expected results. However, more than 60% of produced water goes unbilled, service coverage disparities persist, service quality falls short of goals, and low water meter readings worsen resource utilisation and financial sustainability. As a result of poor and unsustainable social, environmental, and economic management of services, the industry witnessed a significant restructuring process, shifting from municipal to regional-level governance, overlooking citizen perceptions of water services as an element that may directly impact the sustainability and future developments of the water sector. The latter, coupled with research findings highlighting deficiencies of municipalities in Albania in local public services provision, triggered the in-depth investigation of water sector governance in Albania (from the citizens' point of view). The research sets a baseline in exploring citizens' perceptions of water services, using a representative sample-based survey in five Albanian municipalities and along five dimensions of service management: access and quality of the services, transparency and communication, satisfaction with services, value for money, and willingness to pay (WTP) for improved services. Our findings suggest a low satisfaction with water services offered by municipally-owned water utilities, primarily related to water supply duration and quality. Despite lacking trust in service improvement, WTP for improved services is positive. Received: 15 December 2023 / Accepted: 16 February 2024 / Published: 5 March 2024

The politics of COVID-19: analysis of government strategies and public perception in Nigeria

The study examined the politics of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria with a particular focus on government strategic responses and measures that curtailed the spread of the virus and the citizen's perception of the implementation of these strategies across the Nations. The federal government adopted measures to curtail the spread of the disease through the establishment of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Multi-sectored Pandemic Response Plan. The measures include economic and social welfare interventions, and healthcare strategies such as the closure of schools, and borders, the use of face masks, social distancing, lockdowns, and restrictions of travel, testing and contact tracing. The study adopted the historical method of data collection to elicit information and relevant data for the study. It was found that the efforts of the government to slow down and mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19 were greatly hindered by public negative reactions. The study observed from the findings that corruption and stiff opposition from the opposition Party against the ruling party posed severe challenges to the effective implementation of the strategies and measures put in place by the government at the Centre. On the strength of these findings, the author recommended that in future, national challenges must be viewed and tackled evenly across all the levels of government and parties not along party lines for the benefit of all. In addition, the federal must leverage public sensitization and effective communication strategy for policy achievement and management of public opinion.

Perceptions of Arabian Gulf Residents and Citizens about Physical Activity and Social Media Awareness Campaigns: A Qualitative Study.

Physical activity (PA) is crucial for preventing chronic diseases, but in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), PA levels are lower than in developed countries. The Gulf Health Council's social media PA awareness campaign responded to the public's need for discussion and motivation on this topic. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured Zoom interviews with 19 participants from GCC countries between 21 September and 21 October 2021. It aimed to explore PA barriers, facilitators, and perceptions of awareness campaigns. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Facilitators for PA included health value, self-efficacy, persistence, variety, familiar consequences, social support, behavior change techniques, time management, starting at young age, and enjoyment. Barriers encompassed outdoor restrictions, limited amenities, age and weight biases, gym-centric views, lack of proficiency, and injury risk. The study also examined social media awareness campaigns' effectiveness, identifying themes like engagement, acceptability, reach, design, presentation, and perceived outcomes. Results underscore the complexity of PA facilitators and barriers in the GCC, highlighting the need for campaigns addressing values, perceptions, social connections, and practical challenges, emphasizing the role of research and public policy in boosting PA levels.

Exploring citizen perceptions and values for a responsible society

AbstractAimsCitizens’ perceived values play a decisive role in shaping a responsive society, driving social and political attitudes and behaviors. Understanding these values, influenced by cultural, historical, and personal experiences, is essential for comprehending public perspectives on social, economic, and ecological aspects crucial for sustainable societies. This study investigates perceived values as indicators of citizens’ potential civic engagement, mainly contributing to societal development.Materials and methodsFor the purpose of this study, we analyzed 1012 cases from the European Value Survey/World Value Survey data set of the Republic of Macedonia. In addition to the exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis, we employed XGBoost regression, coupled with SHAP analysis, offering a transparent exploration of the significance of citizens’ perceived values, while emphasizing their role in motivating social responsibility and duty.ResultsWe identified 12 factors and categorized Macedonian citizens into 4 clusters. Through the SHAP feature importance method, we determined that perceptions of gender stereotypes, trust in people, civil rights, and job equality strongly influence the idea of social responsibility.ConclusionsOur findings offer pathways to promote individual accountability and increased participation in societal actions, fostering greater advocacy and policy changes for a responsible, engaged, and sustainable society.

The impact of demographic structure on citizen perceptions of school district efficiency

ABSTRACT Researchers have found that elderly white voters are less supportive of school spending if they reside in a community with a high concentration of non-white school children, a finding typically attributed to growing intergenerational and ethnic conflict between older and younger generations. We test whether white voters living in high minority areas are more likely to perceive their schools as being inefficient and find evidence of such racial mismatch consistent with the literature. One explanation is that white voters in high minority areas may believe schools are inefficient because of the correlation between minority concentration and poverty, given that it is more expensive to educate children in poverty. A second possibility is that white voters in high minority areas believe schools are inefficient because of bias, whether conscious or unconscious. We find convincing evidence of this second explanation that bias produces the racial mismatch effect for older white individuals.

Authoritarianism at School: Indoctrination Education, Political Socialisation, and Citizenship in North Korea

ABSTRACT It is well known that North Korea uses political propaganda to elicit popular support, and this article focuses on how primary and secondary schools play an essential role in conveying the regime’s messages. The article asks how this process shapes North Koreans’ perceptions towards citizenship and how their perceptions of ‘democracy’ differ from those in other parts of the world. School education, I argue, socialises North Koreans and shapes their everyday political attitudes and citizenship perceptions. This study examines 32 North Korean Socialist Moral textbooks and identifies four core regime messages embedded in these texts: Personality Cult education in relation to the Kims, promoting socialism, fostering nationalism, and cultivating communitarianism and collectivism. I propose that these regime messages positively and negatively affect perceptions of democratic citizenship. Messages that promote communitarianism can encourage North Koreans to engage in democratic politics, but messages about political leadership, nationalism, and collectivism can hamper North Koreans’ understanding of democracy and their capacity to develop democratic norms. This study has implications for research into how North Korean defectors are integrated into democratic South Korea, suggesting that these defectors’ longstanding exposure to authoritarian education in North Korea will necessarily influence how they conceive of democracy.

U.S. and Mexican college students’ perceptions of global citizenship education: a comparative case study

ABSTRACT This comparative case study sought to gain insight into the perceptions of pre-service teachers in Mexico and the United States on global citizenship education. Ten pre-service teachers from the U.S. and 11 from Mexico were purposefully selected. Data were collected using open-ended semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and discussion posts. The findings of this study identified that U.S. pre-service teachers had moderate access to citizenship education in the K-12 schools, while Mexican pre-service teachers had very limited access to citizenship education. This influenced each participant’s perception of global citizenship. However, all student participants expressed an awareness of a global society and the need for K-12 and higher education students to have access to a global citizenship curriculum. They asserted that all students need to possess a culturally sensitive global mindset that would enable them to view events through a critical and analytical lens, thereby allowing them to make decisions and advocate for changes that create a more socially just world.

How students can be effective citizens in the digital age: Establishing the Teachers' Perceptions on Digital Citizenship Scale

AbstractAs teachers are purveyors of digital citizenship and their perspectives influence classroom practice, it is important to understand teachers' views on digital citizenship. This study establishes the Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Citizenship Scale (T‐PODS) as a survey instrument for scholars to investigate educators' views on digital citizenship for their students. Drawing upon existing research, a theorized model of digital citizenship was developed and validated via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), resulting in a 14‐item four‐factor model. Factor constructs include digital ethics, participation and engagement, informed citizens and civic know‐how. As teachers' views can shift over time, particularly with the emergence of new technologies, scholars can utilize T‐PODS as they investigate educators' perceptions of digital citizenship across time and context.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Digital citizenship is crucial for modern society and involves becoming a well‐informed and responsible participant in digital spaces. A few instruments exist for measuring digital citizenship, which have focused on the behaviours and perceptions of young people, including children and university students. Teachers play an important role in helping children develop their digital citizenship skills. What this paper adds This study presents a new validated model that conceptualizes four key constructs of digital citizenship: digital ethics, participation and engagement, informed citizen and civic know‐how. It also demonstrates the relationship between these constructs and their connections to the literature. This article also establishes the Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Citizenship Scale (T‐PODS), a 14‐item survey instrument that measures teachers' perceptions of these four constructs. Implications for practice and/or policy Researchers and educators can use T‐PODS to understand teachers' perceptions of digital citizenship across time, locations and contexts. Drawing upon the four key constructs, teachers can identify and address constructs, skills and processes that are most applicable to their students and educational goals. Policymakers and curriculum developers can utilize these four constructs to develop both targeted and well‐rounded digital citizenship educational experiences.

Citizen Perceptions of Crime and Their Effect on Support for Illiberal Democratic Rule

In developing countries, perceptions of crime and actual crime victimization have been linked to less public support for democratic regimes. In countries with weak democratic institutions and limited horizontal accountability, populist presidents can exploit this situation by promoting vertical accountability. This vulnerability of democratic institutions arises because some citizens perceive strong-arm rule as a solution to the perceived increase in social violence. This study focuses on the Philippines, where president Rodrigo Duterte was elected in 2016 on a “law and order” platform centered on an extralegal war on drugs. Analyzing data from two waves of the World Values Survey, I find that perceptions of crime significantly influenced Filipino respondents’ support for authoritarian rule and reduced support for democracy based on civil liberties; the effect became more pronounced under the Duterte administration. Notably, actual crime victimization was not statistically correlated with preference for authoritarianism.