Political Decisions Research Articles

Implications of Transformation of Adult Education for Political Decisions: a Case of Latvia

Implications of Transformation of Adult Education for Political Decisions: a Case of Latvia

Social Role of the Tradition of Protest Song Tradition of Popular Music mid-20th century in the United States

Introduction. The article considers the integrating social role of the tradition of protest songs in the period 1950–1970 on the example of the United States of America. This period was characterized by a series of military conflicts against the background of geopolitical confrontation between the USSR and the USA, which was reflected in creative and sociocultural movements for peace and contributed to social and political changes in the USA. Protest music not only contributed to a positive influence on political decision-making, but also became a powerful means of expressing public opinion and feelings.Methodology and sources. The methodology and theory is based on comparative historical analysis of socio-cultural, political and historical events and facts related to the period covered. The material for the study was also made up of biographies, descriptions of events by eyewitnesses and documents of secondary analysis, telling about the social and musical impact of the phenomenon of protest songs of folk music and rock'n'roll counterculture on American society, as a reaction to the political decisions of the U.S. government to create hotbeds of military conflicts in the world.Results and discussion. The period from the late 1940s to the 1950s in the United States was marked by an acute confrontation between communism and capitalism, which was reflected in the culture and music of the time. The emergence and proliferation of protest songs, as well as other forms in the arts, occurs because of important crisis events on a global scale, or when people begin to see these events as such. Because of the impact the conflict between the two superpowers and their allies had on the world, people began to react to it in their own way. Music reacted to the events instantly and vividly. Although most protest songs were not a national success and their message was mostly appreciated by radicals, the songs united people and helped them express their discontent with what was happening.Conclusion. Folk and rock music became an integral part of life during the Cold War within the United States. Musicians and poets protested against the administration's policies, against unnecessary military conflicts, and warned against the possible destruction of the world. As a result, these genres became a powerful means of expressing public feelings, opinions, and influenced the formation of public consciousness right up to our time.

Patterns of Use and Withdrawal Syndrome in Dual Cannabis and Tobacco Users (DuCATA_GAM-CAT): Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Approximately 1 in 6 cannabis users develop a cannabis use disorder (CUD) and the odds increase to 1 in 2 for daily users. The Dual use of Cannabis and Tobacco Monitoreing through a Gamified Web app (DuCATA_GAM-CaT) project aims to identify cannabis-tobacco patterns of use and withdrawal symptoms among individuals with CUD who are attending substance abuse programs. The project uses a mixed methods approach consisting of 3 studies. First, a participatory qualitative study involves focus groups comprising individuals with CUD, clinicians, project researchers, and an expert gamification company to co-design a gamified web app. Second, a longitudinal prospective study to follow up individuals over 6 weeks with CUD attending substance abuse programs . Participants report their cannabis-tobacco usage patterns, type and frequency of tobacco use, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, psychoemotional factors, and motivation to quit both substances. Predictive analysis techniques are used to analyze clinical, demographic, psychological, and environmental data to predict the probability of achieving abstinence. Third, homogeneous focus groups to explore participants' experiences during their CUD treatment. By June 2024, the project had completed the first study, defining eligible cannabis user profiles, developed the initial web app prototype, and initiated recruitment across 10 centers, with 74 participants enrolled, aiming to reach 150 participants in total. All participants are required to provide informed consent, and their information is kept confidential and anonymized following confidentiality rules. The research team is committed to disseminating the results obtained to professional and patient groups, as well as informing public health agents, to positively influence political and social decision makers and design programmers. Additionally, we aim to prioritize the publication of the results in high-impact journals specialized in drug abuse, public health, and health care services research. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05512091; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05512091. DERR1-10.2196/58335.

Человеческий потенциал как основа совершенствования политико-административной элиты: концептуальные основы исследования

The article is devoted to the review and systematization of approaches to the analysis of human potential and human capital as the basis for the development of political and administrative elites in modern scientific discourse. It is shown that the theoretical developments of the concepts of “human potential” and “human capital” in economic science laid the substantive and conceptual foundations for the use of these categories in a broad interdisciplinary field. The article states the relevance of the concepts of “human potential” and “human” capital for understanding the effectiveness of the functioning of all components of the social system, including the political sphere. The author differentiates concepts and defines human potential as the foundation for the development of a particular industry, and human capital as a result of development; defines the features of the political science approach, which focuses on the human potential of management structures, implemented within the framework of the political process and the development of political and administrative decisions in the conditions of socio-political transformations. Raises the question of the possibility of using an interdisciplinary approach in the process of developing a conceptual model for the study of human capital as the basis for the development of the political and administrative elite in order to develop practices and technologies for its expansion.

European Academy of Neurology: First 10 years.

The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) was founded in May 2014 as the scientific society of all neurologists and all national neurological societies in Europe. The creation of EAN was based on the conscious decision of two predecessor societies (the European Federation of Neurological Societies and the European Neurological Society) to have a unique society for this continent with its 53 countries according to the World Health Organization and with the EU as the most important continental political decision level. In this report, the important milestones and the motivations of the decision-makers during the first 10 years are described. The development of the annual congress, the broad educational agenda, and the scientific groundwork including the European guidelines for the practise of neurology are described. Collaboration with and work for the national neurological societies is an important task for EAN. The political representation of neurology in Brussels and collaboration with the scientific societies of neighbouring medical disciplines and patient organizations are other major tasks on the agenda of the organization. EAN's goal is to reduce the burden of neurological diseases and to be the "home of neurology" in Europe for physicians, patients, and society. EAN communicates and interacts with its members, patients, partners, politicians, and the public through different channels. EAN is the owner of the scientifically independent European Journal of Neurology. EAN is based in Vienna, where its head office is located, but is also strongly represented in Brussels.

The importance of an informed choice of CO2-equivalence metrics for contrail avoidance

Abstract. One of the proposed ways to reduce the climate impact of civil aviation is rerouting aircraft to minimise the formation of warming contrails. As this strategy may increase fuel consumption, it would only be beneficial if the climate impact reduction from the avoided contrails exceeds the negative impact of any additional carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the rerouted flight. In this study, we calculate the surface temperature response of almost half a million flights that crossed the North Atlantic sector in 2019 and compare it to the temperature response of hypothetical rerouted flights. The climate impacts of contrails and CO2 are assessed through the perspective of CO2-equivalence metrics, represented here as nine combinations of different definitions and time horizons. We estimate that the total emitted CO2 and the persistent contrails formed will have warmed the climate by 17.2 µK in 2039, 13.7 µK in 2069, and 14.1 µK in 2119. Under an idealised scenario where 1 % additional carbon dioxide is enough to reroute all contrail-forming flights and avoid contrail formation completely, total warming would decrease by 4.9 (−28 %), 2.6 (−19 %), and 1.9 (−13 %) µK in 2039, 2069, and 2119, respectively. In most rerouting cases, the results based on the nine different CO2-equivalence metrics agree that rerouting leads to a climate benefit, assuming that contrails are avoided as predicted. But the size of that benefit is very dependent on the choice of CO2-equivalence metrics, contrail efficacy and CO2 penalty. Sources of uncertainty not considered here could also heavily influence the perceived benefit. In about 10 % of rerouting cases, the climate damage resulting from contrail avoidance indicated by CO2-equivalence metrics integrated over a 100-year time horizon is not predicted by metrics integrated over a 20-year time horizon. This study highlights, using North Atlantic flights as a case study, the implications of the choice of CO2-equivalence metrics for contrail avoidance, but the choice of metric implies a focus on a specific climate objective, which is ultimately a political decision.

When in Debt, Appoint Women? A Re-Examination of Aid, Debt, and the Inclusion of Women in African Cabinets

Abstract Are more aid-dependent and indebted countries more likely to include women in their cabinets? Several studies have suggested that such countries seek to please donors and lenders. Focusing on Africa, we test whether leaders respond to international incentives and, specifically, signal donors and lenders that they value gender equality in political decision-making. Although leaders have more direct control over the gender composition of the cabinet than the legislature, our analyses do not show that aid dependence and indebtedness result in more women in either the cabinet or the legislature. We operationalize aid dependence and indebtedness as a proportion of recipient gross national income, which we argue better reflects the aid and loan recipients’ vulnerability to external pressure. Using regression analysis techniques and multiple robustness checks to evaluate our panel data, our findings remain consistent with arguments that African states have stronger bargaining positions than the foreign aid literature has acknowledged.

Jean Le Fèvre, Disners, and the War of the Union d’Aix (1382–1388) during the Great Western Schism

The role of commensality, particularly banquets, in peace negotiations is well-known. Banquets were a part of various occasions and rites of passage, including births, knighting ceremonies, marriages, and elections/nominations. They were also an integral component of political rituals, such as when a prince embarked on travels. Notably, banquets symbolized reconciliation, marking the transition from war to peace and agreements between lords since sharing a meal together represented the act of reconciliation. In the following essay, which is based on a reading of Jean Le Fèvre’s journal, I argue that it was not just the banquet itself but the dining table that played a significant role in negotiations. Once established that disners referred to lunches, I explore how they served as chronological markers for afternoon meetings, indicating different stages of negotiations. These occasions were often used to announce important political decisions and acted as focus points for organizing petitions and negotiations. Groups engaged in discussions frequently gathered around the table to facilitate their conversations, taking advantage of the opportunities to exchange gifts and gather valuable information.

Assessing Historical Landslide Risk Management Based on Trigger Magnitude and Consequences: A Case Study from the Rokko Mountains, Kobe, Japan

AbstractLandslides are a common hazard in mountainous regions, and many countries have implemented landslide risk management to mitigate their negative impacts. Assessing the effectiveness of those measures is important to improve technical and political decision-making and to enhance the selection and implementation of effective landslide risk management strategies. Here, we assessed effectiveness in landslide risk management based on the magnitude of rainfall characteristics that triggered landslides (inducing factor) and landslide consequences in the Rokko mountains, Kobe, Japan. The number of check dams was used as an indicator of progress in landslide risk management. For fatal landslide events in 1938 and 1967, rainfall characteristics that triggered landslides were estimated using the three-layer tank model, and their magnitude was quantified by the return period (RP). We then compared these rainfall magnitudes and landslide consequences (i.e., fatalities and completely collapsed houses) between the two events. The RP of the first tank storage layer value, which indicates rainfall characteristics triggering shallow landslides, was higher at landslides in 1967 than in 1938, whereas landslide consequences were less in 1967 than in 1938. 218 units of check dams were intensively constructed by landslide risk management from 1938 to 1967 and reduced the damage from landslides in 1967 that were triggered by higher magnitude rainfall than in 1938. This study also highlighted the importance of focusing on the magnitude of the inducing factor and landslide consequences to assess the effectiveness of landslide risk management at a local scale.

‘We are ignored rather than attacked politically’. Youth participation in regional sustainability transformation in eastern Germany

ABSTRACT In the context of Germany's coal phase-out, substantial resources are allocated to transform coal regions economically and socially. This study examines the opportunities and aspirations of young people in shaping local spaces, focusing on four participatory processes in Lusatia, eastern Germany. Utilising document analysis and 17 interviews with youth service workers, participants, and politicians, the study combines Massey, Doreen. 2005. For Space. London: Sage concept of space with Cahill, Helen, and Babak Dadvand. 2018. “Re-conceptualising Youth Participation: A Framework to Inform Action.” Children and Youth Services Review 95:243–253 model for youth participation. It bridges the gap between young people's goals and motivations and the quality of participation formats, with a regional focus. Findings reveal that young people's aspirations align with adult-developed projects in transport, digital and business infrastructure, energy transition, and technology, but youth advocate for a more ambitious ecological transformation, digital solutions, and democratic decision-making. Despite well-designed participatory programmes demonstrating youth ability to contribute to transformation, their ideas are often publicly praised but rarely integrated into political decisions due to inadequate procedures. Some formats allowed youth to reposition themselves, highlighting the fluidity of power. The study calls for further research on youth participation from a spatial perspective, and emphasizes the need to better prepareyoung participants and policymakers to manage expectations and responsibilities in participatory processes.

A Common Effort: New Divisions of Labor Between Journalism and OSINT Communities on Digital Platforms

This article explores the interactions between journalistic actors and emerging open-source intelligence and investigation (OSINT) communities. It employs qualitative content analysis of discourse from two OSINT communities surrounding three events following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which received substantial coverage in news media. OSINT practices are rapidly becoming a mainstay of the contemporary political process by allowing ordinary citizens to verify information shared through digital platforms, which is traditionally the societal task assigned to journalism. In doing so, they provide a timely factual baseline for opinion formation and political decision-making. This research explores the role constellations resulting from this shift in verification duties from journalistic actors to amateur online communities on digital platforms and maps the fundamental dynamics involved in OSINT. We analyze how information is received and processed in OSINT communities, how digital platforms facilitate the fact-checking process, and how journalism and OSINT interact. Based on our findings, we develop a theoretical framework that distinguishes between the input, throughput, and output phases of OSINT. Our model contributes to a baseline understanding of the crucial and novel partnership between citizens and journalists on digital platforms.

Power to the People? How Participatory Budgets Affect Citizens’ Populist Attitudes

So-called populist citizens feel excluded from political decision-making, which in their eyes is dominated by an unresponsive political elite. While democratic innovation scholars suggest that empowering citizens in the decision-making process can affect populist sentiments, this article addresses the lack of theorization and empirical research on the mechanisms behind such effects as well as the scarcity of qualitative research regarding populist attitudes. It generates a theory that accounts for changes in participants’ populist attitudes and tests this theory in a most-likely case study. An analysis of pre–post survey data and 35 semi-structured interviews from three participatory budgeting events in the Netherlands shows that for populist citizens, the inclusion of politically marginalised groups and the empowerment of citizens can explain populist attitudes change. On the contrary, the representativeness of the participants and the ability to have deeper discussions are drivers of populist attitudes change for non-populist citizens.

How are national and global identities connected to attitudes toward the political system in Russia? The role of political decisions contributing to international isolation.

How are national and global identities connected to attitudes toward the political system in Russia? The role of political decisions contributing to international isolation.

Democratic Innovation Beyond Contestation: The Realist Case for Authorial Empowerment

AbstractLiberal democracies face the challenge of elite capture. Mounting empirical evidence indicates that a small socioeconomic elite has vastly more influence on policy outcomes than ordinary citizens. In this essay, I explore how political reformers should address this issue by harnessing insights from the realist tradition in political theory. By placing empirics front and centre, I extrapolate two normative heuristics to guide democratic innovation. First, I maintain that reformers must increase the capacity of ordinary citizens to contest elite-biased political decisions—call this editorial empowerment. Second, ordinary citizens must be vested with additional law-making capacity to offset elite bias—call this authorial empowerment. While institutional innovations to advance the editorial power of ordinary citizens have been central to the realist debate on democratic innovation, authorial empowerment has not received adequate consideration. To address this shortcoming, I explore institutional mechanisms aimed at increasing the authorial capacity of ordinary citizens and assess their alignment with the broader realist vision of a new mixed regime.

Remnants of Urbicide and Shared Heritage: Uncovering Beirut’s Liminal Political Holes

ABSTRACT The article explores the ways deliberate and large-scale destruction within the urban environment of Beirut initiates a state of liminality resulting in “political holes”– empty areas dispersed throughout the cityscape. The existence of these political holes creates a shared heritage of liminality in the post-conflict territory of Beirut. Drawing from Coward’s (2008) framing of urbicide, Casati and Varzi’s (1994) definition of the hole, and van Gennep’s (1960) and Turner’s (1969) notions of liminality, the article introduces the term “political hole” as a physical liminal spatial entity – an absence – in the urban fabric achieved through an intentional political decision to demolish shared space. Based on a study of a series of demolitions in Beirut, Lebanon, between 1983 and 1994, the article demonstrates how urbicide led to the obliteration of heritage and the appearance of political holes in the city. Using aerial view observation and walking practices, the liminal ephemeral political holes are exposed as physical traces that sit in limbo, awaiting their replacement with a new building. Through analysis, these spaces are then uncovered as a representation of a history of urbicide, embodying the shared permanent liminality that was inflicted on Beirut’s urban landscape.

The need for social equality from emerging patterns in business and costs towards environmental sustainability in a new paradigm shift

This investigation is based on a quantitative method and approach from inferential statistics. This study addresses urgent need for social equality and the desire for a sustainable business environment following emerging realities, climatic changes, and environmental issues based on a framework built on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The primary data were acquired from respondents via questionnaire administration and interviews from a random poll performed in Rome. The results of the hypothesis connecting brand image and social responsibility showed a high value of p = 1.000, exceeding the set critical limit of 0.05; thus, companies and organizations that support socially responsible practices are drivers and vanguards for promoting and entrenching social equality, trust, and mutual engagements with the stakeholders and societies from which they draw resources for their activities.Finally, relevant and novel models have been presented that unravel and unveil the templates and working frame for achieving social equality and sustainability while addressing environmental issues associated with business activities, emphasizing value -based creation, social equality, and sustainable marketing on a precept and foundational framework of social responsibility and corporate identity, or ‘CSR’. This led to key recommendations crucial to the business environment, policymakers, stakeholders, and decision-makers in politics.

YOUTH PEOPLE’S CIVIC AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AT SMAN 1 GIRI, BANYUWANGI REGENCY

This community service activity aims to increase the political and civil literacy of novice voters in preparation for the 2024 Simultaneous Elections in Indonesia. The targets of this community service activity are school students or youth who are at least 17 years old in the year the 2024 Simultaneous Election will be held. Youth were chosen as the main target because they are a group with a large proportion in the 2024 election contestation which will determine the future of democracy. As new voters, they need preparation and a deep understanding of how to participate in the political process effectively to determine the direction and policies of government. For this reason, the Public Administration Department of Universitas Airlangga will partner with the East Java Provincial Education Office which will later provide guidance to the SMAN 1 Giri, Banyuwangi Regency to hold a community service program at the school. Community service activities will involve understanding the political system, democratic processes, political issues, and the importance of active political participation. Activities will be carried out through three main stages: preparation, implementation and evaluation. The preparatory stage involves collecting and compiling relevant political and civic literacy materials. Next, the implementation stage will involve counseling, workshops and group discussions to provide in-depth understanding to novice voters. The evaluation stage will be carried out to measure the effectiveness of the program and obtain feedback from participants. It is hoped that this activity will provide a fundamental contribution in increasing the political and civil literacy of novice voters. With a better understanding of the political system, first-time voters will be able to make good political decisions, participate actively in the political process, and critically evaluate the information they receive.

Analisis Strategi Komunikasi Politik untuk Membangun Citra Politik

This study aims to analyze the political communication strategies used in building a political image. With dynamic changes in the world of politics and media, political communication strategies have become key in shaping public perceptions of political leaders and parties. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze case studies from various political contexts. Key findings highlight the importance of consistent and measurable messages, the use of social media as a key tool in delivering political messages, as well as the strategic role of narratives in influencing public opinion. In addition, identification of the right target audience and adaptation of messages according to their needs are also key elements of a successful political communication strategy. The implications of these findings can help political decision-makers and communication practitioners to be more effective in building and maintaining the desired political image. The development of a more holistic and sustainable political communication strategy can help improve the quality of political dialog, strengthen public participation, and strengthen the overall foundation of democracy.

Elite Governance, Development, and Public Safety in Nigeria

Governance defines how political actors use ethical or corrupt practices to influence mass participation in political decision-making in public affairs. This article interrogates the implications of the elite monopoly of power for development and public safety in Nigeria. We anchored the study on Pareto’s circulation of elite theory. It adopts a qualitative method to collect secondary data which are content and thematically analyzed. Results indicated that the gap between the elite and the citizenry threatens the development and public safety in Nigeria. This article concludes that elitism should not only socially engage with the citizenry, but it should also reproduce egalitarian political values and actors for inclusion in Nigeria’s democratic destiny. Drawing on the values of the conceptual lions (oselu) of Pareto to scare his conceptual foxes (ojelu) vices out of political domination through electoral re-socialization could neutralize elite conspiracy against the majority and boost the capacity of vulnerable Nigerians to initiate and implement development and public safety defenses. It suggests that a true fiscal federalism predicated on ethical reorientation in politics could reinvent Nigeria, and relieve her of the burden of underdevelopment and insecurity into which elite avarice has plunged the country.

Komunikasi Politik: Definisi dan Konsep

In a modern era filled with information upheavals and complex political dynamics, a profound understanding of political communication becomes increasingly crucial. This article outlines a brief introduction to the significance of political communication in shaping public opinion and political decisions. Its aim is to delve into the fundamental concepts and implications of political communication in contemporary society. Descriptive qualitative methods are employed to explore and analyze relevant literature and research. The research findings indicate that political communication plays a central role in shaping the political dynamics of a nation, while a deep understanding of political concepts helps address complex challenges in the political process. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of conducting effective political communication and possessing a strong grasp of political concepts to strengthen democracy and build public trust in the future.