Perspective Of Citizens Research Articles

Policy Sandboxing: Empathy As An Enabler Towards Inclusive Policy-Making

Digitally-supported participatory methods are often used in policy-making to develop inclusive policies by collecting and integrating citizen's opinions. However, these methods fail to capture the complexity and nuances in citizen's needs, i.e., citizens are generally unaware of other's needs, perspectives, and experiences. Consequently, policies developed with this underlying gap tend to overlook the alignment of multistakeholder perspectives, and design policies based on the optimization of high-level demographic features. In our contribution, we propose a method to enable citizens understand other's perspectives and calibrate their positions. First, we collected requirements and design principles to develop our approach by involving stakeholders and experts in policymaking in a series of workshops. Then, we conducted a crowdsourcing study with 420 participants to compare the effect of different text and images, on people's initial and final motivations and their willingness to change opinions. We observed that both influence participant's opinion change, however, the effect is more pronounced for textual modality. Finally, we discuss overarching implications of designing with empathy to mediate alignment of citizen's perspectives.

Awareness of Officials and People About the Content of the People's Mobilization Work of the Government in Dong Nai Province

This article aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the awareness of both officials and the public regarding the government's people's mobilization work (PMW) in Dong Nai province today. People's mobilization efforts have garnered significant attention from multiple sectors, yet it is crucial to examine the perspectives of both government officials and ordinary citizens. The research focuses on identifying the levels of awareness, understanding, and engagement of these groups in relation to the government's PMW policies and strategies. By doing so, the study will delve into how effectively these efforts have been communicated, understood, and applied by both officials who implement policies and the public who are the target of these efforts. In addition, the article explores the challenges and successes of PMW in the province, aiming to pinpoint areas where improvements are needed to enhance collaboration between the government and the people. By offering a multidimensional perspective, the study contributes to the academic discourse on PMW while addressing practical issues surrounding the implementation of these strategies. The findings are expected to not only shed light on the current state of public awareness but also to provide policymakers with insights to refine their approach, thereby strengthening the relationship between government efforts and public participation in Dong Nai province.

The added value of including citizen perspectives in a transition management process towards climate neutrality. Insights from an experience in the Swiss Alps

When citizens do not feel included in transition processes, implementation can become very difficult. Hence, we used a survey to include the perspective of citizens in one such transition process towards climate neutrality in the Swiss Alps, and analysed how this enhanced its legitimacy.Initiatives that foster transformative change often adopt a transdisciplinary approach by involving stakeholders from various sectors of society. Although transdisciplinary projects often emphasize a representative selection, it does not change the fact that a few stakeholders might develop visions, strategies, and policies that could affect many. A legitimate and transparent process is vital to ensure public acceptance and a successful implementation. In this study, we explore how citizens can be involved in transition management initiatives, based on a transition process towards climate neutrality in the Swiss Alps. Here, local citizens evaluated the vision developed by selected stakeholders, as well as the legitimacy of the process. The results were incorporated into workshops with the stakeholders. Based on the survey and interviews with stakeholders, we evaluate whether and how citizens’ views informed the transition process. Overall, citizens supported the vision developed by the stakeholders. The latter, in turn, highly valued the citizens’ perspectives, but were unsure about how to best integrate them. We conclude that the inclusion of citizens at an early stage can increase the legitimacy and transparency of transition processes.

Citizen’s perspective on pandemic preparedness

Abstract In the aftermath of COVID-19, pandemic preparedness has become a key concern for governments and public health institutes across the world. As policymakers and scientist grapple with the lessons learned and implications for pandemic preparedness, it is also imperative to take the perspectives of citizens into account. To explore the perceptions and expectations regarding pandemic preparedness, the Behavioural Unit of RIVM conducted a qualitative follow-up study amongst a representative sample of Dutch citizens. At different locations in the Netherlands focus groups were organized with diverse participants. The topic guide was based on an analysis of a previously administered pandemic preparedness questionnaire and theoretical framework, also presented in the current workshop. Topics included risk perceptions, trust in government and other institutions versus self-reliance and the role of media and communication. Furthermore, pandemic preparedness was contrasted with other forms of disaster and crisis management. During the presentation the latest results are shared, and we will discuss possible policy recommendations and how the general public can be involved to develop a better understanding of their needs with respect to preparedness.

Barriers to Developing a Citizen-Centric Smart City in China: From the Perspective of Citizens’ Sense of Gain

ABSTRACT Identifying barriers aligned with the development objectives and their interrelationships in Citizen-Centric Smart City (CCSC) is pivotal for devising tailored developmental strategies. Hence, this article aims to conduct a comprehensive exploration of these elements, with a specific focus on citizens’ sense of gain (CSG), a crucial component of citizen-centricity. The study conceptualizes the CCSC development objectives and identifies 20 barriers that align with them by employing a literature review and the Delphi method. Besides, the barriers are analyzed by adopting the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL)-Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM)-Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) method. The study reveals that CCSC in China should focus on making CSG more comprehensive and sustainable in five dimensions decomposed from the objectives, “Lack of departments to interface with citizens’ feedback” is identified as the barrier with the highest causality and centrality, and “Lack of guiding framework and policy system for CCSC” is a fundamental barrier to the China’s CCSC development. By identifying the critical barriers and suggesting practical solutions, this study can help policymakers and practitioners worldwide to prioritize their efforts towards creating more sustainable and CCSCs.

Perspectives of international experts and the Danish citizens on the ‘relevant knowledge’ that citizens need for making informed choices about participation in cancer screening: Qualitative study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the perspectives of international experts and Danish citizens on relevant knowledge about population-based breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening. MethodsThis was a qualitative interview study with focus group interviews with experts and Danish citizens eligible for breast, colorectal and/or cervical cancer screening. Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was conducted. ResultsParticipants were nine international experts from Germany, Canada, the USA, Sweden, the Netherlands and Australia, and 54 citizens from Denmark. Most citizens had 'adequate' or 'problematic' levels of health literacy. Themes that experts and citizens agreed on were: knowledge about the disease and symptoms, practical information about screening, benefits of screening, the option of non-participation and the importance of having numeric information of possible screening outcomes. Experts agreed on the importance of knowledge about the harms of screening, but only a minority of citizens considered this important. ConclusionsThe experts and citizens disagreed on the relevance of knowledge about harms of screening and agreed on other relevant knowledge. Practice implicationsWhat experts and citizens find important may not align when making informed decisions. Therefore, experts and citizens needs to be involved when developing questionnaires.

ASEAN, and Indonesia’s Rising Influence In The Region

When one looks at the world map, Indonesia is not really visible in a very obvious manner, due to it being an archipelago, scattered over thousands of islands in South East Asia. However, when one reads into it, they realize that it is actually the fourth most populous country on earth, and holds quite a bit of diplomatic power as well. Indonesia is one of the founding members of ASEAN, the Association of South-East Asian Nations. ASEAN houses major natural resources, a huge chunk of Earth’s population, and together, the 10 ASEAN member states form one of the busiest trade routes in the world. To keep it simple, ASEAN is a really important organisation, and Indonesia, being one of the founding members, as well as the largest country in it, acts as the de-facto leader. Unfortunately, Indonesia is prone to many natural disasters due to its unfortunate geographic location, smack in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Recent major disasters have weakened Indonesia’s position, and many countries now do not consider Indonesia as the de-facto leader of ASEAN. This research focuses on Indonesia’s rise and fall as the undisputed leader of ASEAN, and what the future holds in store for Indonesia. To conduct this research, numerous research papers have been referred to and cited, as well as fresh information has been collected on a primary data basis. The primary data is collected by interviewing 15 Indonesian citizens, as well as senior officials at the Consulate General of Indonesia, Mumbai. Thus, the research presents the observations derived from interviewing two sides, the perspective of the Indonesian citizens, as well as the perspective of the Indonesian government. The research aims to answer some questions such as if Indonesia is prepared to tackle the current and future issues arising in ASEAN, being the leader. The research goes a step further to figure out if the Pacific Ring of Fire affects the geopolitics of Indonesia, and finally, the research looks at if the Indonesian government, and their people, the citizens look eye to eye? All of the interviews of the Indonesian citizens have been conducted virtually via Google Forms, and a meeting at the Consulate was set up in Mumbai to get the government’s perspective.

DIGITIZATION DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN HUNTING MANAGEMENT IN HUNGARY

In the course of my scientific research so far, I have investigated many areas of professional administration from the point of view of how information communication devices (especially smartphones and drones) can improve and make the administration of the area more efficient. Of these, hunting management stands out for me and is particularly important, which is the main focus of this study. There are several reasons for this. On the one hand, I hunt myself, and as a senior official of the county's hunting civil organizations, I have a broader knowledge and network of contacts about the background of the area's administration and operating rules than the general citizen's perspective. On the other hand, in this area, I came to the formulation of a research result, which I hope will be able to be put into practice in the future, to convince the legislator of its raison d'etre. There are many opinions regarding what hunting can be considered: a leisure activity, a form of sport, or a way of life. I myself am a supporter of the latter definition, since we are talking about a complex activity that cannot be grasped solely from the aspect of one characteristic. Accordingly, the regulation of hunting is also a complex area of law covering several branches of law, which includes elements of civil law, criminal law and, of course, administrative law, but can also be approached from an environmental law point of view.[1] I believe that this fact also clearly shows that it is useful and by now even expected that the authorities can carry out better administrative processes in relation to the administration of the area with the help of the best possible technical support. In the following, I would like to support the applicability of drones and smartphones, especially by presenting the concept of the e-register of hunting

Citizens’ Perception of Digital Public Services: A Case Study among Romanian Citizens

Digital transformation has become a topic of interest since public institutions digitalize their processes to improve efficiency, while citizens wish to solve their issues through online platforms. Even if this topic is a priority, the Digital Economy and Society Index reveals that digital public services from UE are under 30% development and implementation. This paper presents the current research made on digital public services and the perspective of Romanian citizens on the adoption of these platforms. The authors conduct bibliometric research to highlight the current progress and concerns. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis is made to determine the perception of Romanian citizens on digital public services and the factors that influence their decision to use them instead of traditional methods. According to the bibliometric analysis, 23 countries showed a raised interest for digital public services after 2020, which was a crucial moment that pushed digitalization among public institutions. Although Romanian citizens are aware of the benefits brought by digital public services, they encounter issues in terms of lack of information and technical support, knowledge, data security, and the complexity of these platforms. Therefore, the government should implement an integrated approach that considers cultural values as well as reliable and accessible digital solutions.

Determinants of the Credibility of the Police Force from the Perspective of Citizens’ Complaints about the Police Service

Determinants of the Credibility of the Police Force from the Perspective of Citizens’ Complaints about the Police Service

Toward an assessment of the relevance of proposed public policy in contemporary African society: A retrospective review of Kenya's now‐defunct building bridges initiative, with special reference to post‐election violence

AbstractWhereas competing interests characterize the African public policy sphere today, the lens of mass‐elite differences has hardly been employed to study electoral violence. Accordingly, this article juxtaposes the lived experiences of ordinary Kenyan citizens, obtained through focus groups, with the content of the now‐defunct Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a comprehensive set of public policy changes proposed by Kenya's political protagonists Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga in 2017. It poses the following broad question: did the BBI proposals truly intersect with the opinions and lived experiences of the masses? I find that various factors, including the lack of electoral and judicial integrity, and a winner‐takes‐all democratic system, are responsible for post‐election violence according to citizens. A comparative analysis of citizen perspectives and the BBI Report reveals considerable congruence in the understanding of the causes of post‐election violence. The study partly concludes that African leaders should continue to engage in policy entrepreneurship.Related ArticlesHodzi, Obert. 2020. “African Political Elites and the Making(s) of the China Model in Africa.” Politics & Policy 48(5): 887–987. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12380.Kouladoum, Jean‐Claude. 2023. “The Role of Freedom of Communication in Modulating the Effect of Political Participation on Electoral Outcome in Africa.” Politics & Policy 51(4): 588–613. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12539.Onyango, Gedion. 2024. “DHR‐PA—Democracy and Human Rights in Public Administration in Africa.” Politics & Policy 52(2): 426–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12584.

The contributions of the Iranian health‐care system in the crisismanship of COVID‐19: A qualitative study

AbstractThis study aims to comprehend the contributions of Iran's health‐care system (HCS) in the “crisismanship” of the coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic from the perspectives of citizens, policy makers, managers, and public sector employees. The primary question is what have been the contributions of Iran's HCS in the crisismanship of COVID‐19? The study was designed and conducted using a qualitative strategy. It is reported that three core contributions were made: (1) the leadership of “a whole of crisis governance,” (2) the leading “a whole of crisis management,” and (3) conducting “a whole of operational activities during the COVID‐19.” Through this empirical study, we hope to fill a gap by examining the leadership contributions of the Iranian HCS in fighting COVID‐19. The findings of this study can provide researchers and thinkers with insights into policy and strategy making in times of crises such as those surrounding COVID‐19.Related ArticlesKasseeah, Harshana, and Susan Opp. 2023. “Wicked policy problems and COVID‐19 in small island developing states: The cases of Mauritius and Seychelles.” Politics & Policy 51(6): 1008–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12565.Onyango, Gedion, and Japheth Otieno Ondiek. 2022. “Open Innovation during the COVID‐19 Pandemic Policy Responses in South Africa and Kenya.” Politics & Policy 50(5): 1008–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12490.Vince, Joanna. 2023. “A Creeping Crisis When an Urgent Crisis Arises: The Reprioritization of Plastic Pollution Issues during COVID‐19.” Politics & Policy 51(1): 26–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12512.

A spectre of democracy: are populist citizens less supportive of democracy?

In academic and public debates, populism has been portrayed both as a threat and a corrective to democracy. In the article, this debate is approached from the perspective of citizens’ attitudes and it is asked whether more populist citizens are less supportive of democracy. Using data from an original 6-country panel, robust evidence is presented that populism is indeed negatively related to democratic regime preferences. By disentangling populist attitudes, however, a more nuanced picture is offered and it is highlighted that not all forms and sub-dimensions of populism present a threat to democracy. It is primarily right-wing populism and the Manichaean outlook on society that are negatively related to diffuse support for democracy in the general public. This underlines the need for democratic societies to address the dangers of an exclusionary populism and the radical polarisation inherent in a Manichaean worldview.

Assessing Accessibility and Inclusivity in Digital India Services: A Citizen's Perspective

Assessing Accessibility and Inclusivity in Digital India Services: A Citizen's Perspective

Driving Towards Sustainable Transportation Systems: A bottom-up Traffic Modal Choices Analysis Using Responsible Management for Future Development Planning

The transportation sector wields substantial influence on society, encompassing economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Recognising environmentally conscious actions initiated by individuals, particularly at grassroots levels, fosters the development of a pro-environmental social identity. The article aims to analyse the transportation systems from a bottom-up perspective within a municipality. Consequently, three objectives are proposed for this research paper: investigate citizen behaviour regarding transportation, assess the strengths and weaknesses of communities based on citizen perspectives and generate ideas for improving transit through responsible management principles using a bottom-up approach. It has been determined that private car is the most commonly used mode of transportation. The number of cars is the only variable that influences the choice of transportation. A significant positive relationship has been identified between the number of cars and car travels, while a negative relationship has been observed between the number of cars and travels by transit, pedestrian or bicycle. In addition to this, other significant relationships were determined. Regarding the second objective, the majority of the interviewees perceive that the commune lacks any significant strengths. In terms of enhancement opportunities, respondents express a desire for improvements in pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, transit facilities and the addition of more lanes and roads.

Internet development and green economic efficiency in China: A new perspective of government's dual goal constraints and citizens' green lifestyle

AbstractThe rapid development of the information and communication technologies (ITCs) and the internet is deeply embedded in all aspects of economic life. With its high economic efficiency and significant green attributes, digitalization provides opportunities for promoting a green economy. However, the effects of digitalization and internet development on China's green economic efficiency are understudied. There is also a gap in research on how digitalization and internet development influence Chinese citizens to choose a green lifestyle from the consumer perspective. This article aims to enrich the research in this field by exploring the effects of internet development on green economic efficiency in China. The article further analyses how digitalization and internet development can encourage citizens to choose a green lifestyle. Drawing on panel data from 257 cities in China spanning the period from 2012 to 2020, this article utilizes the entropy method and the SBM‐GML model to assess the correlation between internet development and green economy efficiency. We also employ the basic regression model, system GMM model, mediation effect model and adjustment model to study the impact of internet development on urban green economic efficiency. The study found that internet development and green economic efficiency face constraints that are inherent in the government's dual economic growth and environmental goals and targets. We also found that digitalization and internet development can promote citizens' adoption of green lifestyles through the fostering of citizen environmental concern and green consumption habits. Further analysis shows that internet development has a more pronounced effect on green economic efficiency in eastern cities, large cities, non‐resource‐based cities and cities with higher economic development. These findings provide useful references for developing countries that promote urban green economic efficiency through digitalization and internet development.

An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions

In 2017, the Swedish parliament committed to making the country fossil-free by 2045, prompting an exploration of experiences and perceptions of transition in three cities hosting carbon-intensive industries – steel, cement and petrochemicals, which currently top the list of Sweden’s industrial emitters. From 2019 to 2024, a Swedish–UK research team employed conventional qualitative methods to gather insights from various stakeholders, including industry, municipal actors, and residents, supplemented by arts-based research methods for co-creating data on affective-emotional life in transition towns. This article argues that arts-based research serves as a valuable tool for accounting for and understanding affective-emotional life in frontline transition towns. The arts-based research (ABR) challenges prevailing technocratic and rational frameworks, aligning with ecofeminist Val Plumwood’s call to address the ‘ecological crisis of reason’ that serves to inhibit achieving sustainable futures. The primary value of this article lies in its contribution to the development and refinement of ABR within the context of just transition studies that I argue can help add citizen perspectives and consideration of affective-emotional life to the just transition discourse.

Opening up creative resources: towards age-friendly communities through rhizomatic thinking and doing

ABSTRACT Globally, many complex issues, like the ageing population and health inequalities, require attention. People are experimenting to combat these issues in their local contexts through bigger or smaller networks; however, much of the knowledge about these initiatives remains localised and elitist and omits the voices and perspectives of citizens. This article identifies the characteristics of a more horizontal, emergent and plural epistemology to mobilize knowledge. We used local networks building age-friendly communities in the Netherlands as a case study. With members of 110 local networks, we worked with a new methodology called dynamic knowledge synthesis to create fruitful interactions and learn with stakeholders, including older citizens, in a learning community. Four working principles helped us, namely (1) a rhizomatic design based on multiplicity, heterogeneity and non-linearity of knowledge; (2) fertile soil nurtured by the talents and wisdom of participants through participatory arts-based methods; (3) so-called ‘wicked skills’ of a forester 2.0 to facilitate learning; and (4) an ecosystem metaphor as a boundary object to understand local networks. We invite colleagues to experiment with dynamic knowledge synthesis to connect on different levels, with particular attention to the inclusion of citizens in creating sustainable local communities.

The capabilities of sports as an option for poverty reduction strategy: Citizen perspective

AbstractWhen implemented strategically, sports can address various socio‐economic challenges and contribute to improving the well‐being of individuals and communities. This study explores the perceptions of citizens on the capabilities of sports in its present state in Ghana as an option for poverty reduction strategy. The researchers combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches, methodologies and techniques in this study. The researchers made use of questionnaires and interviews to gather data for this study. The study implored the integration of data methods by using sequential approach, and the six steps of thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (2012, Thematic analysis, American Psychological Association) in the data analysis. The research recognised that participation in sports can improve one's health, give one life skills and foster a sense of community togetherness. However, given the weak foundation for sports development in Ghana, the current situation of sports in the country cannot be used as a strategy for reducing poverty.

Investigating the relation between emotional and cultural mapping by considering collective memory in Urban design from perspective of citizens (case study: Tehran, Iran)

Perception of Citizens about a city is an essential issue in urban planning. Hence, having an understanding of the people’s perception can help designers improve city planning. This study aimed to discover the emotional and cultural parameters of urban places by considering the collective memory of citizens. The main gap in the studied subjects was the lack of a combination of cultural and emotional mapping from the perspective of citizens. To fill the mentioned gap, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of engendering emotions and cultural mapping in the citizens in urban spaces. Respectively, a quantitative method was conducted through a comprehensive case study in the form of a questionnaire. Results indicated that emotional mapping is more important than cultural mapping for collective memory. Moreover, emotional parameters were substantial to female participants as cultural factors were for male respondents. Same as gender, Level of education, and age were two factors that affect cultural mapping or emotional mapping choices. Besides, pride, a sense of power, pleasure, excitement, peace, compassion, vitality, and happiness were found important emotions in this study. Our findings revealed that designing urban places based on the culture of each society has a significant role in engendering emotions and drawing the interest of citizens.