Political Dimensions Research Articles

Plastic Resilience: Rethinking Resilience in Illness with Catherine Malabou.

Drawing on Catherine Malabou's notion of plasticity, this article argues for a conception of resilience as plastic. Resilience has proven an important concept in health care, describing how we manage life-changing illnesses. Yet, resilience is not without its critics, who suggest it neglects a political, social, or personal dimension in illness. In this article, I propose that a concept of plastic resilience can address these criticisms. On this account, success should not be based on a return to function, but rather on how actively we are involved in the formation of a new self after illness. I address some approaches that can benefit from "plastic resilience," namely, art therapy, expert companionship, and shared decision-making. In each case, I underline how we should help patients thematize and engage with their new selves, while also being constantly vigilant for how these changes might impact our current assumptions around their preferences for treatment.

Why Do People Migrate? Fresh Takes on the Foundational Question of Migration Studies

“Why do people migrate?” is a question that forms the pivot of migration studies, and migration theory in particular. But it has hardly found satisfactory answers. In this article, I reapproach the question from an array of diverse angles and provide eight responses. Some are aligned with recent theoretical developments, others unpack long-standing ideas with evolving significance, and still others are fundamentally atheoretical. Together, they show how the question can be answered, how it is being answered—even inadvertently or misleadingly—and what the implications are of answering the question in different ways. These are the responses, which each initiates a discussion: (1) For the reasons under which they are admitted as immigrants; (2) For reasons that are socially legitimate; (3) Because the sum of push and pull factors is in favor of migration; (4) Because they have the aspiration and the ability to do so; (5) Because an opportunity presents itself; (6) Either because they chose to or because they are forced to; (7) Because they see migration as either intrinsically or instrumentally valuable; (8) To lead a normal life. The discussions demonstrate how theoretical, methodological and political dimensions of migration sway the ways in which reasons for migration are understood and represented. “Why do people migrate?” is slippery as a research question, but its indeterminate nature makes it a guiding light for research that navigates a diversity of perspectives with humility and curiosity.

시민민주주의와 보편적 법체계의 발전: 헌법과 국제법을 대체하는 세계법의 수사학

The Constitution is the highest law of the country, while international law is a field of law that deals with the rights and obligations between countries. The essence of international community is of decentralized nature, in which the legal order is formed according to the principle of sovereign equality. However, there are many perspectives that approach the international community and international law from a universalistic and idealistic viewpoint. In other words, if the positivist and pseudo-oriented view of international law is the reality of international community and international law, the universalist or idealist perception of international law can be said to be their goals. It is true that those two perspectives on international community and international law are neither omnicient nor all-perceiving, but complexly intertwined. The Constitution and international law, which can be considered the two axes of public law, are closely interrelated to the formation of a modern absolute state and civic democracy. The absoluteness of state power and civic democracy are doomed to fate our present and our future. This is not only such fundamental political order, but it also has become a foundation for the development of modern and contemporary order of law. And the two dimensions of order, politics and law, are developing in a dialectical manner. Under this background, this paper aims to provide a harmonious view sprucing up the reality of public law that penetrates both of the international and domestic society within a large framework. It is for research purpose and needs an effort of work by reviewing and analyzing the essence, commonalities, and differences among various adjacent concepts of the Constitution and international law discourse. This paper first begins with a discussion by presenting the historical development of existing hard legal system that penetrates the Constitution and international law through their realistic framework. Furthermore, we look at the softness of international law, conceptual discourse on the international law and world law, international constitutionalism and constitutional theory, and a compendium of world administrative law. We look at the background for the development of these commentaries, the main topics of discussion, and their commonalities or differences. Finally we briefly diagnose and place the future of new sermons that needs to be adduced due to changes in the international community.

Monitoring climate change vulnerability in the Himalayas.

Longitudinal assessment of climate vulnerability is essential for understanding the complex factors affecting how people experience and respond to climate change. We report on the first longitudinal assessment of climate vulnerability in the Himalayan region, exploring the evolving landscape, perceptions, and experiences of communities of climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation in Kashmir over an 8-year period from 2017 to 2024. We provide the Himalayan Re-study Framework (HRF) to monitor, characterise, and conceptualise climate change in the Himalayas. Utilising mixed methods, we showcase how climate change is affecting social, economic, political, and environmental dimensions, examining how the impacts of climate change and vulnerability evolve over time, shaping and reshaping how climate risks are experienced and responded to by communities. Our analysis reveals a nuanced understanding of vulnerability, highlighting the impact on communities' livelihoods and water security, differential impacts on marginalised communities, and the gendered nature of climate change. We examine how certain sections of the population face marginalisation, discrimination, and racism, and how climate change exacerbates these challenges. Kashmir's vulnerability to climate change extends beyond environmental factors, intertwining with culture, livelihoods, social dynamics, and politics. Climate change continues to compete for attention with immediate political and socio-economic challenges, highlighting the need for integrated approaches to address both environmental and societal issues in Kashmir.

El brazo político del campo científico: la Sociedad Brasileña para el Progreso de la Ciencia durante el gobierno de Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022)

The aim of the article is to explain the political intervention of the scientific field in the context of Jair Bolsonaro's government (2018-2022) in Brazil. The article is tributary to the analytical perspective of present-tense historical sociology, based on a temporal conception as a historical category and methodological perspective. In this sense, it analyzes a) the characterization of the right-wing forces in the Bolsonarist government, the main political and economic agents that support it, and the policies promoted for the area of science and technology; b) the social and political dimensions of the organization and political action of the Brazilian scientific field, taking into account its main organization, the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (SBPC) and its demands at this juncture in the face of the reduction in funding for the area and violations of academic freedom. About sources, the participation of SBPC referents and other relevant political and economic agents in the traditional media and in non-traditional spaces, as well as periodical publications in the field of science and technology. As well as periodical publications from the field and the state; official reports and statistical data.

The Women’s Leadership: Orientation from a Legal and Islamic Sharia Perspective

Women’s leadership in the political dimension is an interesting study because even though Indonesia has substantially regulated women’s leadership, in practice women’s leadership has not been implemented optimally. This research aims to answer two legal issues, namely the legal political orientation related to women’s leadership in politics in Indonesia, as well as the perspective of Islamic law related to women’s leadership in politics in Indonesia. This research is normative legal research with a conceptual and statutory approach. The research results confirm that the problems regarding legal politics for women to hold political positions are more related to aspects of legal culture and collective understanding of society. This emphasizes that legal politics related to the role and orientation of women’s leadership in the world of politics must receive optimal understanding and awareness in society so that women get more portions and roles to occupy political positions in proportion to men’s political leadership. Apart from that, from the perspective of Islamic Sharia regarding women’s leadership in politics in Indonesia, there is actually no definite prohibition (qath’i) that prohibits women from becoming political leaders. Therefore, referring to the Maqashid Asy-Syariah aspect, it refers to the development of time and culture, especially when women also have the same opportunities to receive education so that they have the same potential to become political leaders as men.

Nepal-India Relationship: Political, Economic, and Strategic Dimensions

Nepal-India Relationship: Political, Economic, and Strategic Dimensions

The moderating effect of organizational knowledge utilization on top management team’s social capital and the innovation quality of high-tech firms

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the following issues: the mechanisms through which different types of top management team’s social capital influence the innovation quality of high-tech firms, and the moderating effect of organizational knowledge utilization on the relationship between top management team’s social capital and innovation quality in high-tech firms.Design/methodology/approachThis study categorizes top management team’s social capital into political, business and academic dimensions, investigating their impact on innovation quality in high-tech firms. Furthermore, a research model is developed with organizational knowledge utilization as the moderating variable. Data from Chinese high-tech firms between 2010 and 2019 are collected as samples for analysis.FindingsThe innovation quality of high-tech firms shows an inverted U-shaped trend as the top management team’s political capital and business capital increase. The top management team’s academic capital has a significantly positive correlation with the innovation quality of high-tech firms. Moreover, organizational knowledge utilization plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between the top management team’s social capital and innovation quality in high-tech firms.Originality/valueThis study explores the relationship among different dimensions of top management team’s social capital, innovation quality and organizational knowledge utilization. It holds significant theoretical value in enriching and refining the interactions between top management team’s social capital, knowledge management theory and innovation management theory. In addition, it offers important practical implications for firms to rationally approach top management team’s social capital, emphasize top management team configuration management and establish a comprehensive and efficient organizational knowledge utilization mechanism.

Biopolitics in "The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil", by George Saunders

In this article, I analyze George Saunders’s novella The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil (2005) from the perspective of biopolitics, following the theoretical frameworks established by Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, and Frédéric Lordon. I focus on two aspects of biopolitics: one linked to the extermination of the enemy, and the other to the manipulation of the passions of the governed. Regarding the first aspect, I discuss the strategies that Phil, the sovereign dictator in the story, uses to kill or displace the Other. In the second aspect, I study the use of desire and affect as biopolitical technologies that contribute to maintaining and reinforcing power. Finally, I examine the critical position of various characters in relation to Phil’s biopolitical regime and the political dimension of the novella itself.

Navigating Cybersecurity: Environment’s Impact on Standards Adoption and Board Involvement

ABSTRACT This study investigates cybersecurity governance dynamics within organizations, investigating the influence of supply chains, environmental factors, and stakeholder engagement. Utilizing the UK’s Cyber Security Longitudinal Survey and employing artificial neural networks and k-means cluster analysis, we explore how organizational practices and external pressures shape cybersecurity strategies. Our findings show the managerial and political dimensions of improving organizational cybersecurity, highlighting the critical role of environmental influences alongside incident perception and self-efficacy. The research shows the necessity for organizations to remain receptive to external influences and identifies supply chains as critical factor in shaping cybersecurity practices, advocating for comprehensive security protocols. We demonstrate that guidance from governing bodies is essential for aligning with industry standards. The findings suggest a range of strategies, from implementing standards to encouraging board-level integration of cybersecurity, facilitated by a combination of coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures exerted by various agents, including governments, stakeholders, and the supply chain.

The Political Determinants of Public Support for Obstruction of Supreme Court Nominees

Abstract Despite increased political attention to instances of legislative obstruction in recent years, little is known about the public’s attitudes toward these procedural techniques. I evaluate these attitudes in the context of the last two decades of nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court with three complementary analyses. In the first, nationally representative survey evidence reveals an overriding political dimension to Americans’ attitudes over the use of tactics to delay the confirmation process. The president’s copartisans express considerably higher levels of opposition to delayed consideration of a nominee than individuals politically opposed to the president. In the second and third, evidence from observational surveys and a survey experiment shows that these attitudes vary depending on the type of the obstruction under consideration, with Americans less supportive of the use of forms of obstruction that entirely preclude procedural consideration of a nominee, such as refusing to hold hearings, than more established methods that do not, like the filibuster or document requests. These findings reveal that the American public has internalized the political stakes of judicial nominations and suggest that obstruction may have electoral consequences in an era of extreme polarization.

Critical Success Factors of Electric Mobility Transition in Indonesia: A DEMATEL-Based ANP Approach

The high index of poor air quality and the increasing demand for oil fuel pose severe problems for Indonesia. The largest sector contributing to both of these issues is the transportation sector. Electric mobility offers a notable opportunity for decreasing carbon emissions within the transportation domain. Despite the Indonesian government's notable backing of this initiative, the implementation has been slow. Therefore, this study aims to identify the critical factors necessary for a successful transition to electric mobility. This study identifies the factors influencing the transition to e-mobility in the initial stage. Subsequently, these factors are validated and assessed by a panel of nine experts. In the validation phase, data processing involves the use of the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Modified Kappa methods. To assess relationships and prioritize essential success factors, the Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory-based Analytic Network Process (DEMATEL-based ANP) is applied. This study identifies six dimensions and 24 critical success factors. The political dimension emerges as the most significant, with the top five priorities being government funding, charging infrastructure, value proposition, fuel price, and charging time. The findings can be used to provide recommendations to the government or relevant stakeholders in supporting the shift to electric mobility in Indonesia.

From Learning Ecologies to a Social Ecosystem Model for Learning and Skills

The growing relevance of socio-ecological systems (SESs) thinking reflects both the challenges of an anthropogenic poly crisis and attempts to understand the complexities of societal development in an era of globalisation. The article begins by suggesting there are two related variants of SES thinking—relationships between the natural and human worlds (Variant 1) and whole social and human system analysis using metaphorical transfer and theorisation of natural ecological principles (Variant 2). This article elaborates Variant 2 through the development a social ecosystem model (SEM) applied to post-compulsory education and skills development. An exploration of the SEM is conducted through a review of the literatures on ‘Learning Ecologies’ to assess the strengths and limitations of this human ecological approach. Perceived limitations are addressed by the development of the SEM that adds a political economy dimension to the learning ecological model, which is then applied to the field of learning and skills in the English context in support of an inclusive and place-based approach to vocational education and training (VET). The article concludes by suggesting that the SEM can be further expanded by its application to transitioning to more sustainable futures, being developed by scholars of indigenous communities and populations of the Global South, that arguably brings Variant 2 of SESs thinking closer to Variant 1.

Potential Contributions of IMO Area-Based Shipping Management and Port State Jurisdiction to the Regulation of Ship-Borne Tourism in Antarctica

Given the rapid growth of ship-borne tourism in Antarctica, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) area-based management tools (ABMTs) could be a timely and effective contribution to mitigate some of the associated risks. Utilization of IMO ABMTs in Antarctic waters, which constitute high seas, raises several legal and practical issues. The central challenge is how to ensure compliance with IMO measures on the high seas, given the lack of generally accepted coastal state jurisdiction in Antarctica and shortcomings in flag state control. This article addresses these questions and analyzes port state jurisdiction as a potential mechanism to enforce IMO ABMTs in the Antarctic. The article concludes that Antarctic port states have sufficient legal arguments to justify the exercise of jurisdiction in relation to IMO ABMTs, and that significant constraints lie in the economic and political dimensions of regulation rather than in regulation itself.

The Strategic Management of Ukraine in The Ukraine vs Russia War: An Analysis Through SWOT Framework

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has significant implications for Ukraine's strategic management, presenting challenges across military, economic, and political dimensions. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of Ukraine's strategic management approach using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) framework. Ukraine's strengths include a strong national identity, support from Western allies, and a capable military, which have helped maintain its sovereignty despite Russian aggression. However, weaknesses such as economic challenges, internal political divisions, and dependence on Western support hinder its independence and strategic position. Opportunities for Ukraine lie in building stronger alliances with Western countries, overcoming economic challenges, and implementing diplomatic initiatives. These efforts can provide financial and military assistance, address economic issues, and achieve goals through negotiation. Threats to Ukraine include Russian military power, economic coercion, and political interference, which limit Ukraine's ability to achieve its objectives and make it vulnerable to regional pressures. This paper examines Ukraine's strategic position in the conflict, considering geopolitical dynamics, military capabilities, and historical context, highlighting the strategic management approach through the SWOT framework.

Towards Sustainability: Exploring Community Involvement in Tourism Development

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between community involvement and sustainable tourism outcomes in Kelardasht, Iran, through the lens of empowerment theory and canonical correlation analysis. Using Pretty's Participation Typology, the research assessed residents' perceptions of seven constructs: self-mobilization, interactive, functional, material incentives, consultation, passive, and manipulative. It also evaluated sustainable tourism indicators across economic, political, social, environmental, cultural, and technological dimensions. Findings reveal that self-mobilization positively influences economic, political, and social sustainability, while interactive participation negatively affects economic, environmental, and cultural sustainability. Participation by consultation was found to reduce technological sustainability. The results indicate that greater participation empowers communities to shape tourism development, fostering economic and social-political cohesion. However, limited interactive engagement or superficial consultation may threaten sustainable development in the community. This study offers important insights into the complex dynamics of community participation and sustainable tourism, guiding efforts to maximize benefits and minimize negative impacts.

Circular Economy for Fashion Waste in the Indian Fashion Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

Essential to human survival, textiles, and clothing have witnessed a meteoric rise in production and consumption worldwide, evolving from basic needs to everyday commodities. A more disposable consumer culture is evident in the projected global apparel demand of $2.6 trillion by 2025. However, a primary environmental concern—fashion waste—has emerged as an outcome of lifestyle changes. The fashion industry is the most wasteful consumer industry in the world, mainly due to its linear (take, make, and waste) model. Several solutions have been proposed to address the waste created by this industry, with the circular economy (CE) being considered the most appropriate choice. This study explores the challenges unique to the Indian fashion industry in adopting CE practices to handle textile waste. The study gathers insights from 22 industry stakeholders by adopting a qualitative approach. It offers challenges spanning political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) dimensions. The investigation emphasized that the most pressing challenge is economics, highlighting the emphasis on company profits, followed by technical and political challenges. The study recommends addressing these challenges through capacity building, clear guidelines, innovation, technological advancement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration platforms.

The Political Side of Social Enterprises: A Phenomenon‐Based Study of Sociocultural and Policy Advocacy

AbstractThis study explores the often‐overlooked political dimension of social enterprises, particularly their advocacy activities aimed at influencing public policy, legislation, norms, attitudes, and behaviour. While traditional management research has focused on commercial activity and the beneficiary‐oriented aspects of social enterprises, this paper considers their upstream political activity. Using a phenomenon‐based approach, we analyse original survey data from 718 social enterprises across seven countries and six problem domains to identify factors associated with their engagement in advocacy. Our findings reveal that public spending and competition in social enterprises’ problem domains, as well as their governance choices – legal form, sources of income, and collaborations – are significantly associated with advocacy activities. We propose a new theoretical framework to understand these dynamics, positioning social enterprises as key players in markets for public purpose. This research underscores the importance of recognizing the political activities of social enterprises and offers new insights for studying hybrid organizing and organizations that address complex societal challenges. By highlighting the integral role of advocacy, our study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how social enterprises drive social change, not only through direct service provision but also by shaping the broader sociopolitical environment.

Translation between Untranslatability and Appropriation

This paper delves into the complexities of translation by examining the interplay between untranslatability and appropriation. Using the theoretical frameworks of scholars such as Walter Benjamin, Jacques Derrida, and Roman Jakobson, it highlights the inherent challenges of conveying linguistic, cultural, and contextual nuances from a source text into a target language. Simultaneously, it explores the notion of translation as appropriation, guided by the critical perspectives of Lawrence Venuti, André Lefevere, and Gayatri Spivak. The analysis is contextualized through Moroccan cinema, focusing on Moumen Smihi's El Chergui (1975) and Abdelkader Lagtaa's Hubb fi al-Dar al-Baida (Love in Casablanca, 1991). These films illustrate how untranslatability and appropriation manifest in cinematic expressions, emphasizing the political, cultural, and ethical dimensions of translation.

Sid Chaplin: A Writer with a Cause

The aim of this article is to recover the radical subtext of both the life and work of Sid Chaplin by reasserting the essentially political dimensions of his writing. Chaplin devoted the whole of his career as a writer to documenting not only the decline of the coal mining industry in the north-east of Britain where he lived, but he also traced the impact this process had on the working-class communities that were dependent on the pits. In his two later novels set in the city of Newcastle, The Day of the Sardine (1961) and The Watchers and the Watched (1962), Chaplin went on to dramatize similarly troubled changes in urban working-class life in the 1950s and 60s. The article not only argues that it is this nexus of class, politics and literature that translates so convincingly into his Newcastle novels, it also claims that it is the fundamental radicalism of his own literary project that explains the problematic neglect of his work by both critics and readers.