Political Change Research Articles

Проблемы факультетов архитектуры строительных вузов Дальнего Востока РСФСР (1985–1991 гг.)

This article examines the challenges involved in the establishment and functioning of architecture faculties within construction universities in the Far East of the RSFSR during the period from 1985 to 1991. Based on an analysis of governmental programs from the era of perestroika, as well as an evaluation of the situation regarding construction development and personnel policies in the region, the author interprets the relevance of introducing the “Architecture” specialty into the educational curricula of construction universities in the Far East. By 1985, practically all major higher educational institutions in Khabarovsk Krai and Primorskii Krai had faculties dedicated to preparing qualified specialists for the construction sector, especially at the Far East Polytechnical Institute (FEPI) and the Khabarovsk Polytechnical Institute (KPI). However, issues regarding personnel in the field of architecture persisted. The political transition towards perestroika exacerbated these challenges, putting the functioning of the architectural specialty at risk. Up until 1990, the optimization of construction education occurred, which included the consolidation of educational programs and a reduction in the number of students accepted into these programs. Subsequent political and economic changes, reflecting the new realities in the country’s development, also resulted in ambiguous transformations within the educational structure aimed at training construction professionals. This article provides insights into how these dynamics impacted the education of architects and the effectiveness of architectural training during a time of significant societal change.

Forecasting exchange rates after 2021 Myanmar coup: Does a parallel market exchange rate matter?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of a parallel market mechanism in forecasting the exchange rate of Myanmar Kyat (MMK) after the 2021 Myanmar coup. This paper seeks to answer how an official fixed exchange rate is influenced by a parallel market rate during the military coup. This study demonstrates both the benefit of understanding the impact of a market mechanism and the unique value of leveraging deep learning (DL).Design/methodology/approachThis study applies DL for the first time to forecast the daily official exchange rates and parallel exchange rates, covering the period January 5, 2021–August 22, 2022. This study shows the insights available from forecasting the market exchange rate of MMK in parallel markets that are sensitive to political changes for Myanmar.FindingsAfter the February 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the subsequent use of an untrusted exchange rate system in Myanmar resulted in a sharp gap between the official and the parallel exchange rates. The study shows that the actual forecasting of exchange rates is primarily a reflection of an active market mechanism rather than official exchange rates set by the monetary authorities.Originality/valueNo previous study has forecast the exchange rate of Myanmar since the latest Myanmar coup in 2021. This study contributes crucial predictions, provides a robust technique “deep learning”.

What can proper names in the Polish TV series „Rancho” tell us about „our local West”?

The paper offers a description of the names used in four seasons (1–4) of the Polish TV series “Rancho.” The analysis aims to show the mentality of the rural society that lives in Wilkowyje, its characteristics, and its views on political and social changes after Poland’s accession to the European Union. Europe is not the only symbol of the West entering this community. It is also, above all, America, embodied by the fi lm’s protagonist, a Polish woman born in New York. For the local inhabitants, the ongoing changes are puzzling and sometimes painful, which they express vocally in their assessments of the West. Due to the specifics of the fi lm language, proper names are studied in their contexts: in the dialogues between the characters and in the situations in which they find themselves. Occasionally, the interpretation of the onymes also requires a deeper look at the source (the film) from which they originated – as an audiovisual work (film editing, music, acting, visuals, colours, etc.).

Oral history methods can reveal drivers of landscape transformation: Understanding land‐use legacies with local and traditional knowledge in Central Europe

Abstract Ecosystems and landscapes shaped by the intricate relationship between people and their natural environment embody the impact of many different past land‐use practices and historical events. However, in some regions, classical historical records of landscape change do not exist or are insufficiently detailed. Local communities' ecological memory can play an important role in filling this gap by reconstructing the socio‐ecologically relevant indirect drivers and their interactions, as well as identifying vegetation characteristics that are legacies of previous land‐use practices. We studied a rapidly transforming cultural landscape in Transylvania (Romania) by conducting 144 oral history interviews covering the last 70 years (before, during and after collective farming). The interviews revealed complex interactions of indirect drivers. Country‐scale political and economic changes affected the landscape with crop outflow during the collective system (1962–1989), resulting in labour outflow to cities from the 1960s. The latter reduced the time and attention devoted to haymaking and affected population ageing. Together with other drivers, this demographic change led to a major transformation of the traditional landscape by the 2010s. We identified 47 vegetation characteristics as land‐use legacies related to grasslands and classified them into general legacy types. Our results support that there was an opportunity to innovatively revive the traditional cultural landscape after the fall of communism, when local knowledge, and willingness to manage the landscape were still present, but financial assets and government support were lacking. The indirect driver interactions led to the abandonment of traditional hay meadow management, resulting in a homogenising landscape with simplified land use dominated by sheep grazing and increasingly dependent on agricultural subsidies. We found that many vegetation characteristics of the studied species‐rich grasslands are only legacies of former land‐use activities, still known by locals but no longer applied. By creating knowledge partnerships, we can still learn about the past management and the functioning of such biodiversity‐rich cultural landscapes from the people who actively maintained them. We argue that this type of knowledge is essential to revive and adapt practices for protecting and managing species‐rich habitats across European cultural landscapes and for supporting the planning of appropriate conservation management and subsidy schemes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The Role of Machine-Readable Law Technologies in Ensuring the Stability of Public-Government Communication

The relevance of this study stems from the rapid pace of digitalization and the widespread adoption of innovative digital technologies, particularly in public administration, alongside the significant political and legal changes that have ensued. The transparency and clarity of procedures for governing interaction between citizens and the state are expected to bolster the support and approval of management decisions, thereby enhancing the stability of public-government communication. Machine-readable law technologies can serve as tools for regulating these relationships. This study aims to analyze the use of machine-readable law technologies to ensure the stability of public-government communication under modern conditions. While the advantages of these technologies in the legal field are evident, attention must be given to potential challenges and risks, such as ensuring the accessibility of legal text, maintaining transparency, and addressing personnel-related issues. This study concludes that the implementation of machine-readable law technologies must be conducted with deliberate caution, incorporating expert opinions, sociological studies, and other specialized assessments. Mechanisms of public control and oversight by the professional community must also be involved. A joint human-machine approach to governance appears most promising, as it substantially mitigates the identified risks.

Partisan habitual voters in South Korea: Employing Random Forests to understand Korean voters' electoral choices

AbstractObjectiveThis study investigates whether recent political events in South Korea, such as a presidential impeachment and changes in leadership, have caused a realignment of voters' political affiliations. We aim to determine whether political party allegiance has transitioned into a pattern of habitual voting in the last ten years.MethodsEmploying a Random Forest model based on machine learning approaches, we examined polling data from the last ten years of Korean presidential elections. Instead of relying on hypothesis‐led methods, our analysis emphasizes the intrinsic characteristics of the data to uncover crucial elements affecting voter behavior in each election.ResultsOur results reveal a considerable consistency in voting patterns over the past decade, implying that allegiance to political parties has turned into a habitual behavior. Significant factors affecting voter choices in the 2022 election were also recognized as indicators of election outcomes five and ten years prior.ConclusionThe study reveals that voter behavior in South Korea remains stable despite notable political changes, primarily influenced by habitual elements rather than substantial changes in party loyalty. This suggests that political allegiance has become ingrained as a habitual behavior for Korean voters.

Development Strategy of Islamic Civil Society Organization (CSO) In Indonesia: A Case of Al Jamiyatul Al Wasliyah

One of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia, Jamiyatul Alwasliyah, has a large identity and role in the development of Indonesia, even before Indonesia's independence. In fact there are not many researchers who pay attention to the political role of this organizational development. In reality, Jamiyatul Alwasliyah was formed with the spirit of advancing the nation and they succeeded with their development identity. This article, with a historical approach, will explain the background and political role of their development in Indonesia. This article examines some of the main political themes addressed in the NGO literature, as well as related themes in other political studies. This article analyses its development based on Islamic spirit and development strategy. It begins by examining competing theories regarding the political impact of the NGO sector. The article argues, make significant contributions of Jamiyatul Al Wasliyah as Civil Society Organization (CSO) to political life and to political change in developing countries, revealing a fertile, and hitherto neglected, research agenda.

Foreign Economic Activities of The Russian Federation: Contemporary Problems and Prospects

Modern conditions for the development of foreign economic activity of the Russian Federation are formed under the influence of many factors, including international sanctions, economic diversification, development of transport and digital infrastructure, as well as active international cooperation. In the context of global economic and political changes, the Russian Federation seeks to adapt and look for new opportunities to strengthen its position in the world market. The article identifies the features of the organization of foreign economic activity in the Russian Federation taking into account the sanctions pressure, in particular, reflects the features of the decline in foreign trade, limited access to international fi nance, difficulties in international settlements, change of trading partners, problems with technology imports, problems with logistics. The article analyzes the main problems faced by the Russian Federation in its foreign economic strategy. In the article, the author examines in detail the main problems faced by the Russian Federation in the formation of its foreign economic strategy, and within the framework of each problem, considers the prospects for its solution, taking into account the established development trends, such as: strengthening economic cooperation with Asian countries, in particular with China and India, as a strategic priority; the use of new technologies and innovations to increase the competitiveness of Russian goods in world markets; development of transport and logistics infrastructure to improve export opportunities. The article reflects the aspect of a comprehensive approach to solving current problems and implementing strategic tasks aimed at sustainable development of foreign economic activity of the Russian Federation in the long term.

Mechanization of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Guinea: Socio-technical trajectory of a rural mining site in Upper Guinea

Since the beginning of the 21st century, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in West Africa has undergone intensification and significant development due to the introduction of increasingly mechanized extraction and processing method. Mechanization generates significant transformations in the socio-technical dynamics of artisanal gold mining. In the specific context of ASGM in Upper Guinea, the article argues that small-scale innovations (ie. ‘low noise’ or ‘low technological level’ innovations) are leading to a profound socio-economic transformation of the rural environment over a long period of time. We begin by describing and analyzing the impact of the introduction of minor innovations (metal detectors, solonins and fan motors) on ASGM practices. We then examine the political, social and economic changes brought about by the adoption of these new mechanized practices, again at the rural level. Finally, we discuss the transition toward a new socio-technical regime, questioning the reshaping of local governance and its impact on new configurations of land ownership and use in rural areas.

Development of a Refugee Health Research Agenda in North America.

The lack of a cohesive, stakeholder-informed refugee health research agenda has been a barrier to promoting, funding, and conducting health research with refugee populations in North America. A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals working in refugee health in North America (N = 93) to describe major domains within the field of refugee health research and to develop refugee health research priorities. Open-ended survey questions included: (1) What research topics specific to refugee research would you like to see in an international research agenda? (2) Please describe current and important gaps that you believe exist in refugee research and why? Overarching themes focused on the need for the development of research partnerships with refugee communities that are intentional, effective, and driven by the needs of refugee communities. The survey also identified a need for best practices in creating sustainable, community-based research partnerships (effective models and evidence-based strategies) that translate across 12 domains. The refugee health research priorities for North America described in this manuscript should continue to be modified over time as political, economic, social, and medical contexts change.

What repoliticisation means and requires: Creating the climate for disagreement

This paper makes a conceptual distinction between repoliticisation and politicisation and evaluates what this means for post-foundational political geography and its collective endeavour of achieving a more egalitarian future. Post-foundational political geography is being consolidated as a distinct disciplinary subfield. Within the existing body of literature, significant attention has been directed towards depoliticisation and post-politicisation, but repoliticisation is yet to amass the same critical attention. While literature nonetheless considering repoliticisation treats it as almost synonymous with politicisation, in this paper, I argue repoliticisation is more specifically about enacting, or opening the door to, politicisations. To illustrate the case, I draw upon (auto)ethnographic, scholar-activist work, operating as a carbon accountant for the City of Manchester, UK, as part of a wider project evaluating the role experts (could) play in restricting and enabling political change. Taking post-foundational political geography's insistence that expert, technocratic modes of governance depoliticise seriously, and in mobilising this distinction between repoliticisation and politicisation, I explore what existing subjects like accountants can do to repoliticise. Doing so illustrates how repoliticisations could be triggered from within existing orders of politics and demonstrates how repoliticisation and politicisation are overlapping, related, yet distinct, concepts.

Transitional Justice in Colombia: A Systematic Literature Review

Transitional justice in Colombia has evolved, reflecting the political, social, and academic changes in the country. This study is a systematic review of the literature through articles indexed in Web of Science, applying the PRISMA protocol. Out of 3819 articles published in the last five years (2019-2024), 109 articles were selected following strict exclusion criteria. The methodology includes a quantitative analysis complemented with the visual analysis tool Posit PBC™ for bibliometric analysis in Biblioshyni. The study addresses the research question on the evolution of the main research interests in the field of Transitional Justice in Colombia. The results show that initially, analyses on transitional justice focused on documenting the atrocities of the armed conflict, with a focus on truth and reparation, grounding legal mechanisms such as the Justice and Peace Law of 2005; with the 2016 Peace Agreement, research expanded into more complex issues, including the interaction between transitional justice and development, and the importance of civil society and victim engagement. The inclusion of the gender perspective, particularly after the 2016 Peace Agreement, led to studies on how women and LGBTI+ communities were differentially affected by the conflict. In addition, recent research has focused on the comparison between the peace processes with the AUC and the FARC-EP, analyzing the differences in their transitional justice frameworks and the challenges of implementing these agreements in a context of persistent violence.

Thinking with Children: Climate Change and the Democratic Politics of Renewal and Risk

AbstractClimate change poses serious political challenges to liberal democracies arising from the problem of short-termism and the priority accorded to the vested interests of present adults over the vulnerabilities of children and future generations. This article aims to analyse the justifications, benefits, and policy implications of centring children in climate change politics in order to overcome these problems. The central argument is that ‘thinking with children’ introduces normative vantage points for tackling climate change based on taking responsibility for future harms. Such a vantage point also produces new sites of contestation shaped by adult representations of the renewal and risk embodied in children. First, we outline what “thinking with children” means for democratic politics, focussing on how child-as method approaches centre the injustices faced by children and youth and the implications for the renewal of democracy. We then analyse how this normative shift to centre children addresses the problems of vested interests and short-termism by de-naturalising present adult interests, foregrounding impacts on young people as the future demos, and giving long-term priority to the affectedness of future generations. Finally, we analyse the policy implications that thinking with children offers, using a recent landmark court case in Australia to propose independent legal standing for children in public interest cases and the introduction of Child Impact Assessments in climate policymaking.

Individual attendance data for over 30 years of international climate change talks

The international community has formally negotiated over climate change since 1991. The annual meetings that host these negotiations have seen an ever-growing number of individuals representing countries, international organizations, or non-governmental organizations. These meetings and their attendees have accordingly become the focal point of international climate change cooperation for both the international community and scholars studying climate change politics. Yet, researchers have been unable to access and analyze comprehensive attendee-level data pertaining to these negotiations in terms of attendees’ names, genders, job titles, delegations, divisions, and affiliations. In applying text-as-data techniques to attendance roster PDFs, we extract and build attendee-level datasets for all annual negotiations held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its precursor, 1991–2023. These data include original language and English-translated information on 27,470 unique delegations and 310,200 attendees over a 32-year period. Summaries and validations in turn highlight the promise of our data for the study of attendance patterns and characteristics across delegations and over time.

Bolman과 Deal의 네 가지 프레임으로 바라본 대학의 학과 통폐합 사례 연구

Objectives This study aims to analyze cases of merging and phasing out of university departments using Bolman and Deal's four-frame model, focusing on structural, human resource, political, and symbolic changes. Methods To conduct a case study on one engineering department at a private university and one arts and physical education department at a national university, a preliminary investigation was conducted through a review of relevant literature and in-depth written interviews. Based on the results of this preliminary research, Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) were carried out with with faculty, current students, teaching assistants, and alumni to supplement the data collected.. Subsequently, changes in merged and phased-out departments were analyzed according to Bolman and Deal's four frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic changes. Results In the structural frame, positive changes such as curriculum flexibility, modernization, and student choice were observed. However, issues such as ensuring choice, securing expertise, and alleviating teaching burdens remained unresolved. Additionally, initial administrative and student organization dualities created issues of belonging and highlighted the need for increased support. In the human resource frame, department consolidation expanded career choices and positively impacted new student enrollment, though initial promotional efforts were insufficient, leading to limited short-term effects. Despite increased career diversification and satisfaction through integrated education, the need for enhanced communication regarding department reorganization and feedback collection was identified. The political frame examined stakeholder position differences and resource allocation strategies for successful integration. In the symbolic frame, while the necessity of consolidating departments to address declining student populations and societal demands was emphasized, it was also confirmed that the reasons for actual consolidations are varied. Conclusions The case analysis of merging and phasing out of university departments provides an in-depth understanding of phenomena that may arise within universities during such processes and offers insights. Recommendations are provided on key considerations for universities when deciding on consolidation targets, supporting consolidated departments, and preparing for and responding to consolidations.

IDENTITY SEARCH - PERTURBATION AND SCRIMMAGE

The present endeavour is to exfoliate the status of health issues of women with new technology and the government schemes. The changing approach of society towards women has bought a new horizon where she is placed in the safe hands. The reflections of social change and cultural anthropology of gender politics is incorporated with the strong image of women today. Balancing the work and the family, is a challenge where women is ignoring her self care and facing the repercussions in her health. As women is the core support of her family and society, she needs to be well nourished. Both women in rural and urban areas, faces the health issues in different criteria and circumstances. The government measures along with NGO’s and the steps taken are multidimensional where much progress is evident in society. Women today, is a far better version compared to the last few years. The efforts have not gone in vain. Today, we can see new challenges to cope up for women and at the same time new ways to reconcile it. The anxiety and confusion of women has seen a reconstruction in its own way. The policies and the schemes’ prioritizing education has helped her to make a better choice which rebuilt the status in society.

Influence of Digital Media on Radio’s Public Discourse: A Case Study of Gagasi FM and Ukhozi FM

This article examined the effects of digital media on radio's role in public discourse and civic engagement in South Africa. The study combined a review of existing literature with empirical research using in-depth interviews with 10 participants that included radio producers and listeners from radio stations that have Zulu as their broadcast language (five radio producers from Ukhozi FM and Gagasi FM and five listeners from Durban, South Africa). Two key questions were asked: (1) How has the growth of digital media affected radio's traditional role as the most popular platform for public discussion and civic engagement in South Africa? and (2) How do audiences engage with radio programming that utilises digital media during its discussion programmes, and what factors influence their preferences for one platform over another regarding accessing public discourse and civic engagement? The article argues that while radio remains a dominant platform for public discourse and civic engagement in South Africa, its role has been transformed by the rise of digital media. These platforms have allowed for more civic engagement opportunities and expanded the scope and accessibility of public discourse in a country where such opportunities were once restricted. The study's findings have important implications for radio broadcasters, policymakers, and scholars seeking to understand the changing dynamics of the public sphere in the digital age. Overall, this study highlights the importance of considering the impact of digital media on traditional media platforms such as radio, especially in countries undergoing significant political and social change.

ALEA IACTA EST: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS IN ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE MEDIATED EDUCATION?

The 4th Industrial Revolution, or more widely known as Industry 4.0, is bringing about profound social, economic, and political changes due to the exponential rate of development of digital technologies and especially of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Against this backdrop, during the last decade, technological advancements have drastically transformed the nature of education, affecting both its content and the way it is delivered. These developments, in combination with the conditions that arose during the Covid-19 pandemic, enforcing an urgent shift to distance learning, have formulated a novel context within which all stakeholders in the field of education must be adjusted to. Artificial Intelligence refers to those systems that simulate human intelligence and perform complex tasks with the help of algorithms and neural networks, while making it possible for the system itself to learn and adapt its responses. Highlighting the advantages and realizing the potential of AI systems, research is increasingly drawing on the applications they can have in education and in the improvement of the learning process. Recent research data are quite intriguing, indicating improvement in learning outcomes, increase in productive learning time, enhancement of experiential learning and adaptation to the learners’ individualized needs. Within this context and with an eye towards the future, the present paper attempts to highlight the role of teachers and adult educators, the skills they must develop, as well as the challenges they have to tackle, so as to be able to initially comprehend, and at a second level to integrate AI applications in their teaching practice. Alea iacta est: it is evident that all previous knowledge regarding technology is no longer sufficient, with AI-mediated education requiring novel skills and competences to manage and exploit data, to collaborate effectively with systems and learners, as well as to develop appropriate educational materials.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0799/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Historical and legal aspects of corporate governance in LLCs according to the legislation of Poland and Ukraine

The article provides a detailed examination of the evolution of corporate governance in Ukraine and Poland, focusing on the development of legislation in both countries. The author analyzes the historical development of corporate structures, tracing their evolution from antiquity and the Middle Ages to the present day, highlighting key stages and changes in legal norms regulating corporate governance in Poland and Ukraine. The article begins with a review of early forms of corporate structures in ancient civilizations and tracks their development through significant historical periods in Europe. The stages of corporate governance development in Poland and Ukraine during the 19th and 20th centuries are separately examined. In Ukraine, the formation of corporate governance was constrained by the legal norms of the Russian Empire, and only with the transition to a market economy in the 1990s a significant development of corporate forms was noticed, particularly it concerned limited liability companies (LLCs). In contrast, Poland’s development of corporate law was marked by intense changes, especially after the fall of the communist regime and accession to the European Union, which facilitated the eligibility of Polish corporate law according to European standards. The author provides a detailed analysis of the key stages of legal changes in both countries, including the codification of corporate law, adaptation to European norms, and the challenges encountered at each stage. The article also explores the impact of economic and political changes on the development of corporate governance in both countries, emphasizing that although the initial stages of corporate governance development in Ukraine and Poland were somehow similar due to geographical and historical closeness, their further development differed significantly. Poland went through stages of intensive reforming and EU integration, which substantially influenced the modernization of its corporate law. Meanwhile, significant changes in corporate governance in Ukraine began only in the 1990s and continue to modern days, facing certain challenges and obstacles on the way to full integration into European legal standards. The article reveals both common and different features of the evolution of corporate law in these countries. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the impact of historical and political factors on the formation of modern corporate practices and norms in both countries. The author concludes that despite the fact that both countries started moving into corporate governance from similar foundations, their subsequent development was significantly different because of the influence of both internal and external reasons. Poland has managed to successfully adapt its legislation according to European standards, while Ukraine is still in the process of transformation. This highlights the necessity for continued reforms in Ukraine, particularly for integration into the European legal space, which is critical for ensuring the stability and transparency of corporate governance in the country.

Linguistic identity play in zones of interculturality

Ladino, the heritage language for many Sephardic Jews in Bulgaria and beyond, is often discussed in terms of language endangerment and of cultural loss for this community and humanity more widely. However, for intercultural communication specialists, especially those with a linguistic focus, the Ladino experiences of Sephardic Jews in Bulgaria, as set against the backdrop of their changing political and social realities, provide rich insights regarding the linguistic complexities of identity. Through the Ladino-framed narratives of (often elderly) members of this community, I have learned how they drew, and continue to draw, upon their diverse linguistic and cultural resources to define themselves, to articulate their various identities, and to communicate within and beyond Bulgarian society. In order to connect these insights to current discussions of interculturality, and as informed by intercultural thinking, I present the following five-zone framework: (1) the (intra-)personal, that is a zone of internal dialogue; (2) the domestic, that is a zone for the family; (3) the local, that is a zone for the Sephardic community in Bulgaria; (4) the diasporic, that is a zone for the wider Sephardic Jewish community; and (5) the international, that is the international community of Spanish-speakers. Further, the project presented here is methodologically innovative involving several languages, i.e. it was researched multilingually as well as focused on multilingual communities. /Keywords: workshop, education, interculturality, linguistic identity play