Political Engagement Research Articles

Polish Mother and (Not) Her Children: Intersectional State-Violence against Minors in Poland

This article seeks to explain the political responsibility that Polish right-wing female politicians directly associated with the 2015–2023 Polish government and the then-ruling Law and Justice Party bear in the state-sanctioned violence against minors in the context of LGBT- and immigration-related issues. Its main assumption is that, in times of the nationalist surge that has been sweeping Poland, women using anti-LGBT and anti-immigration discourses helped to legitimize discriminatory state practices and, consequently, made a significant contribution to the enactment of white, Christian, and heteronormative identity on Polish children. Drawing upon Critical Discourse Analysis, this work examines the anti-LGBT and anti-immigration political talk by female politicians who, in their narrative strategies, adopt the position of a “Polish mother” on a mission to save a “child in danger”. Through my analysis, I aim to demonstrate that anti-LGBT and anti-immigration discourses are equally significant areas of women’s political engagement. Despite the prevalent cultural norms of caring motherhood, women do exercise their agency in political struggles as supporters of discriminatory state policies directed against minors by re-politicizing a symbolic figure of the “Polish mother”.

Trans Rights and Safety, Political Self-efficacy, and Well-Being

Abstract Introduction This mixed-methods study contributes to a growing body of research on trans political engagement by examining the interaction between trans political self-efficacy, political fatigue, and mental health. A total of 141 trans individuals completed an online mixed-methods survey assessing trans rights and safety concerns, political self-efficacy, and well-being. Methods Participants were asked to describe the reasons for their level of political engagement. Data was collected between June 2019 and August 2021, with a brief pause for COVID-19. Results Narrative analyses indicate that participants engaged with the political system due to concern for their trans rights and safety (35%), their sense of the personal (55%), communal relevance (26%), their mistrust of the political system (26%), and their political self-efficacy beliefs (26%). Though quantitative analyses indicate that participants’ well-being was significantly, positively correlated with both political security and political self-efficacy, some participants described their political engagement as being related to political fatigue (21%). Moreover, participants who reported political fatigue demonstrated significantly lower political self-efficacy than participants who did not report political fatigue. Conclusions These results suggest that trans political engagement can provide important benefits for well-being, via political self-efficacy, as well as risk factors for psychological harm, via political fatigue. Policy Implications Thus, it is recommended that social policy makers promote safe pathways for trans individuals to engage with the political system and reduce activists’ exposure to anti-trans stigma.

Allen Leeper, the Foreign Office and the Diplomacy of Air Disarmament, 1932-1934

ABSTRACT As the resident Foreign Office expert on air disarmament during the World Disarmament Conference, Allen Leeper was at the forefront of a campaign for the elimination of military aircraft as a radical bid to address German claims to equality and French demands for security. His motivations derived from a deep-seated fear that legitimising a German air force posed an unacceptable risk to European stability by provoking an all-out arms race, heightening continental tensions and raising the spectre of war. But Leeper’s sweeping solution for military aircraft, with its intertwined repercussions for civil aviation, fell victim to an increasingly truculent government in Berlin that refused to delay equality, claimed substantial increases in German military strength and boosted defence spending while surreptitiously rearming behind the scenes. In these altered circumstances, Leeper abandoned disarmament as a diplomatic tool for treating the Franco-German question and, instead, resorted to other traditional methods for ensuring continental stability. In doing so, he displayed the strengths of the ‘world leadership’ school of foreign-policy making that placed a premium on Britain’s active engagement in great power politics to uphold its position as the pre-eminent global power.

Parental political engagement and self‐efficacy: An exploratory study

AbstractPolitical engagement (PE) is associated with a sense of empowerment. PE by parents affects children's lives. This study explored parents' attitudes about inclusion of political engagement discussion in well‐child care. Because voting is an expression of empowerment, we hypothesized that voting would be related to higher parenting self‐efficacy. We administered a brief questionnaire to a convenience sample of parents/guardians at well‐child visits at an urban hospital. The questionnaire included 10 Likert scale questions touching on parenting efficacy; beliefs about political engagement; voting behaviors; and demographics. Analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, and factor analysis. Among the 70 respondents 84% were mothers; 55% self‐identified as low income; 62% self‐identified as a “person of color.” Voting in the 2020 national election was reported by 37%. Most parents (54%) said they would feel comfortable discussing voting with a doctor. Factor analysis identified two main factors: self‐efficacy and engagement. Engagement, but not self‐efficacy, was related to voting behavior. Contrary to our hypothesis, PE did not appear related to parenting self‐efficacy. Notably, more than half of parents felt comfortable discussing PE with their child's doctor. Given the critical role of parents in shaping the world their children inhabit, further exploration could prove to be of value.

Unimaginable imagination and political commitment. A survey of the introduction and presence of the literature of the Latin American boom in Sweden in 1960–1990

This study investigates the publication and reception of the Latin American boom literature in Sweden from 1960 to 1990, focusing on Julio Cortázar, Carlos Fuentes, Gabriel García Márquez and Mario Vargas Llosa. It analyses the extent of Swedish translations of their works and the type and amount of attention they received in the Swedish press. Using a bibliometric approach for the translations, and analysing press material on the authors from the evening papers Aftonbladet and Expressen, the study found that 258 of the 532 works translated from Spanish to Swedish during the investigated period were Latin American, with 52 (20%) by the feautured authors. The press material reveals that García Márquez was the most covered, especially around his 1982 Nobel Prize, and the assessment of his literature and public persona was generally positive. Fuentes received significant attention in the 1980s and was also favourably regarded. Vargas Llosa was introduced early on to the Swedish readership, but his literary work and political engagement elicited mixed reactions. Cortázar received the least press coverage, correlating with fewer translations and less public attention.

The Shift from Paradiplomacy to Protodiplomacy: A Comparative Study of Catalonia and Kurdistan

This article explored the transition from paradiplomacy to protodiplomacy in Catalonia and Kurdistan, two regions at the forefront of this shift. Protodiplomacy involves the direct participation of subnational entities in diplomatic activities akin to those of recognized nation-states, challenging traditional diplomatic hierarchies and altering the global diplomatic landscape. Catalonia has greater autonomy in matters such as governance and economy, while Kurdistan has more limited autonomy in matters such as security and governance. As such, this research showed that paradiplomacy could serve as a means to increase regional engagement in international politics. This research provided an in-depth analysis of how the South Sulawesi Provincial Government's paradiplomacy initiative impacts the export of agricultural products to Egypt. Through a comparative analysis of Catalonia and Kurdistan, this study elucidated the motivations, consequences, and challenges associated with this transition. It emphasized the significance of effective paradiplomacy practices between central and local governments. Catalonia and Iraqi Kurdistan exemplified modern paradiplomacy, showcasing their capabilities on an international stage. The research identified high Iraqi Kurdish nationalism as a key driver of the shift towards protodiplomacy in Kurdistan. It also highlighted the internal structural factors within Iraq that propelled Iraqi Kurdistan's diplomatic efforts, culminating in a referendum that marked a peak in separatist interest. This research underscored the dynamic nature of protodiplomacy, highlighting the motivations behind subnational diplomatic endeavors and the transformative implications for central-local government relations.

Reframing Women’s Rights Activism in Contemporary Russia and Vladimir Putin’s Regime

In 2012, Pussy Riots movement came to the surface of Putin’s authoritarian regime. A long with its colorful balaclavas and provocative sudden performance song ‘Mother of God Drive Putin Away’ has successfully challenged the feminist political engagement in Putin’s regime along with their potential impact in improving human rights practice in Russia. This case shows a symbiotic relationship between the feminist agenda and the opposition movement where they could strengthen each other while feminism is the foundation for addressing gender issues. The paper will be analyzed by scrutinizing the actors of the Pussy Riot movement along with the promotion of gender equality as their main agenda. Then, it will be continued by analyzing the link of the Pussy Riot case with human rights and gender politics in the current political process of Russia and Putin’s regime. The two ways the connection between the feminist agenda and the way of opposition movement posed by Pussy Riot will also be drawn. Ultimately, we will see how the case could contribute to gender and human rights advocacy, particularly women’s rights, improvement in Russia. Relying upon the feminist movement, it can be concluded that the feminist agenda of gender equality can expand women’s role in Russia and advance Human Rights advocacy in Putin’s regime. Keywords:, Gender, Pussy Riot, Russia, Women’s Right

Social Media Political Communication and Misinformation: A Case Study of the Youth in Kiambu County, Kenya

Social media in recent times has proven to be extremely persuasive in influencing the public’s opinion on political affairs. Since 2007, election campaigns have actively utilized several social media platforms in Kenya for communicating with, mobilizing, and organizing supporters. Politicians and political activists along with their parties make maximum use of it to interact and provide civic education to the public. However, few written materials are available on how Kenyan youth, particularly those who live in Kiambu County, use social media for political engagement. The objective of this research is therefore to explore patterns as well as practices characterizing social media use by young people in Kiambu County and how this affects their political involvement and discourse. This research is guided by Habermas’s Theory of the Public Sphere, which asserts that public political discourse that is free from government interference is important for creating functional democracies. Social media, which acts as a public sphere, can allow the youth to engage in political discussions and other civic activities. The research employs a descriptive research design, utilizing an online survey as the primary tool for data collection, administered via Survey Monkey. The research’s target population includes young people enrolled in institutions of higher learning in Kiambu County who use social media for communication. The sample size was determined based on the number of university students in Kiambu County. It utilized stratified random sampling on a target population of 115,330 to draw a sample of 380 youths using a Survey Monkey online sample calculator with a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. Initially, a pilot study was conducted on 10% of the sample, which is 38 respondents, to ascertain the reliability of the research instruments, eventually, from the 342 surveys sent out, 224 were completed and returned. For data analysis, Microsoft Excel was utilized in coding and organizing the data to create tables and graphs. The findings showed that X was the respondents' most used platform for political discourse. Most respondents were aware of and engaged in political discussions on social media, and believed that social media influenced their political attitudes and beliefs. Although most viewed social media as a source of civic education, they were skeptical about its reliability due to misinformation. The study concludes that many youths in Kiambu County are actively participating in political discussions online and therefore it recommends that better education should be provided to help the youth discern credible information from misinformation. Additionally, interventions should be established to curb digital crimes like cyberbullying and online fraud.

Female political discourse in the Albanian parliament in democracy and communism

This study delves into the transformation of women’s political discourse in Albania amidst significant political and technological shifts in recent decades. Its objective is to systematize the understanding of women’s political discourse within the Albanian parliament, examining its evolution across various historical-political periods and the influence of modern information processes in democratic Albania. Utilizing theoretical methodologies, the research scrutinizes political discourse as a dynamic facet of political communication, with a particular focus on its gender dimensions and its impact on political engagement. The analysis spans several eras: the communist regime, the initial formation of democracy, and the current democratic consolidation phase. It employs a comparative approach to highlight distinct and common features of women’s political discourse across these periods. The study identifies contemporary challenges in female political communication within the Albanian parliament and proposes strategies for their improvement, emphasizing the need to enhance the role of women in Albania’s socio-political sphere. Key lexemes indicative of different historical and political contexts are analyzed to understand the influence of regime shifts on political discourse. The study differentiates between the concepts of political discourse and political communication, offering nuanced insights into these areas. This material reveals the intersection of political, social, and cultural changes in Albania as seen through women’s political discourse. It demonstrates how shifts in political regimes and societal norms have redefined political communication, particularly for women, highlighting their growing involvement and impact in Albania’s political arena. The conclusions provide a comprehensive view of Albania’s evolving socio-political landscape, underlining the increasing significance of women in shaping the nation’s future.

Immigrant legalization and the redistribution of state funds: Evidence from the 1986 IRCA

We study the impact of immigrant legalization on fiscal transfers from state to local governments in the United States, exploiting variation in legal status from the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). State governments allocate more resources to IRCA counties, an allocation that is responsive to the electoral incentives of the governor. Importantly, the effect emerges prior to the enfranchisement of the IRCA migrants and we argue it is driven by the IRCA’s capacity to politically empower already legal Hispanic migrants in mixed legal status communities. The IRCA increases turnout in large Hispanic communities as well as Hispanic political engagement, without detectably triggering anti-migrant sentiment.

Location matters! Geospatial dynamics of MP responses to Covid‐19 protests in multilevel systems

AbstractIn liberal democracies, protest can serve as a trigger for necessary policy reforms, but it can also be used by a loud minority to advance political goals against the will of the majority. Focusing on such vocal protests in the context of the Covid‐19 pandemic, we investigate the following question: How does the location of protest events affect the likelihood of political engagement with the protests in a multilevel system? Combining social movement literature with studies of issue attention and rhetorical responsiveness, we analyze how German members of parliaments’ (MPs) responses vary using their tweets from the onset of the pandemic to the German federal election in September 2021. Using quantitative text analysis, we measure rhetorical responsiveness to Covid‐19 protests and apply multilevel regression analyses and difference‐in‐differences. We find that more protests lead to more attention; however, MPs respond most strongly to protests within the state they represent. Furthermore, politicians’ level within the German multilevel system affects their attention to these protests, with MPs elected at lower levels of an electoral system responding more to local protest events than MPs elected at higher levels. The results highlight the importance of the location of protests in attracting political attention.

The Role of Women in Political Participation in Cambodia: A Case Study of Svay Rieng Province

The government considers women as the backbone of Cambodia's economy and society. Despite a good sign, the female parliamentary representation in Svay Rieng fluctuated in the last three mandates (60% in 2008 and 2013, 80% in 2018, and 60% in 2023). The study aims to investigate the “socioeconomic”, “traditional-cultural”, “family”, and “personal” factors affecting gender roles in political involvement in Svay Rieng province, to assess perceptions and attitudes regarding women's political engagement. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, administering surveys to 119 participants and semi-structured interviews with 8 women actively participating in politics and leadership roles, using snowball sampling. The findings emphasize 1) Family-factors (domestic responsibilities, violence, and lack of support) hinder women's political participation the most, 2) Personal factors: limited education and self-confidence, 3) Socio-economic obstacles (the social devaluation of women, violence against women, limited outreach initiatives, and the impact of economic crises), and 4) Traditional customs, cultural norms including prescribed gender roles further contribute to the challenges faced by women in politics. Despite these obstacles, the study identifies positive perceptions and attitudes towards women's political participation. Participants underlined the need to empower women at both the national and sub-national levels, as well as fostering capacity development and extending possibilities. The recommendations include adopting gender equality legislation, increasing awareness, improving capacity-building programs, providing supportive infrastructure, engaging male allies, promoting cooperation, and assuring long-term commitment. A future study should look at additional elements that may impact women's political engagement, as well as evaluate the efficiency of existing policies for empowering women in Svay Rieng.

Cultivating Civic Engagement

In contemporary society, the concept of civic engagement appears as an essential condition for the functioning of democracy and social well-being. Civic engagement transcends simple participation in the electoral process and encompasses a wider spectrum of activities: civic and community participation, activism, and public dialogue. Thus, cultivating civic engagement is a mission, duty, and responsibility for universities, particularly for social science programs. They derive from the need to form and shape not only professionals but also responsible and involved people from a civic and social point of view. However, the mechanisms by which higher education institutions can effectively cultivate such engagement among students remain a subject of debate and investigation. This study seeks to bridge this gap by exploring the strategies used by universities to promote civic awareness among students. Methodologically, this article proposes a study on one of the most important universities in the field of social, political, and administrative sciences in Romania. By analyzing the perceptions and experiences of students, the research provides new empirical data on how educational practices influencing civic and political engagement are evolving, or, conversely, reveals institutional shortcomings in fulfilling the mission of promoting civic engagement among students. In this sense, a standardized questionnaire was distributed to the students from the political science bachelor's degree program to analyze their perceptions and experiences regarding how the study programs and the teachers' activity incorporate the component of civic and political involvement. Data analysis highlights how and if higher education programs cultivate and shape student engagement through academic programs, extracurricular activities, or community partnerships.

POLITICAL SATIRE ON SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONDING TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT'S DECISION ON VICE PRESIDENT AGE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE 2024 ELECTIONS

This research explains the political satire on Indonesian social media, focusing on the public's response to the constitutional court's decision regarding the vice president's age eligibility for the 2024 elections. Utilising Indonesia's three most prominent social media platforms, such as TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, the research aims to unravel the various techniques for crafting and delivering political satire through visual and audiovisual media. A comprehensive analysis of 40 distinct satirical pieces was conducted to identify the different techniques. These pieces were collected using digital observation techniques across the specified platforms, supplemented by searches on Google. The methodological framework for the analysis is grounded in Buijzen and Valkenburg's (2004) typology for delivering humour. Our findings unveil a rich tapestry of satirical strategies employed by Indonesian netizens. At least seven distinct techniques were identified: irony, sarcasm, parody, puns, juxtaposition, slapstick, and metaphor. Irony emerged as the most prevalently used technique, indicating its effectiveness in nuanced political critiques. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the interaction between humour and political discourse in the digital age, especially within the Indonesian context. It highlights the significance of satire as a powerful tool for political expression and engagement on social media.

Networked sustainable lifestyle activism: growth and limits of zero waste movement in urban China

ABSTRACT How do citizens express environmentalism and lead sustainable change in an authoritarian country like China, where contentious political civic actions have limited saliency? Can we re-imagine what forms of citizen action build ’environmental movement’ in this socio-political context? Based on 41 in-depth interviews and seven months of participant observations in China’s zero waste community, this article proposes networked sustainable lifestyle activism as an important form of environmental movement in China’s socio-political context. Drawing on lifestyle movement (Haenfler et al. 2012) and sustainable materialism (Schlosberg 2019) theories, I analyze the growth, characteristics, and limitations of the zero waste movement in China. It consists of sustainable lifestyle activism that adopts lifestyle change for broader sustainability, pursues anti-consumerism authentic identity and well-being as a site of change, and grows through social media and informal networks. Meanwhile, the movement goes beyond individual lifestyle change as networks of secondhand material flow and collective, non-contentious environmental actions. Difficulties to promote widespread, thorough sustainable lifestyle change and constrained political engagement are important factors that limit the movement’s effects. My research contributes to the literature on new environmental movements, theoretical discussion of environmental movements in China, and empirical understanding of civic environmental actions in this socio-political context.

The impact of digitalization on forming modern youth political leadership

Youth political engagement is a crucial aspect of modern society. In this regard, digitalization opens huge communicative and mobilization opportunities by transforming young people’s political participation into a digital format with unpredictable consequences. The article analyzes digitalization impact as a complex multi-stage process in modern world on forming youth political leadership. The essence and stages of digitalization, the consequences of digital technologies impact on society, political processes, and youth environment have been studied. The transformational impact on socialization, communicative culture and self-consciousness of youth as a fundamental basis for forming its most active part – youth political leaders – has been revealed. The authors consider how the use of digital means of communication, social networks, and digital ecosystems contributes to the activation of youth participation in political life, accelerates the process of forming youth political leaders, providing their “promotion” in the online space and supporters mobilization. Challenges and threats of digitalization faced by youth and young political leaders have been considered. The authors concluded that digitalization at the present stage is the most important condition for attracting and forming youth political leadership, but this aspect requires further study and support at the public policy level.

What’s your source? Estimating the effects of media on youth political engagement in Southeast Europe

ABSTRACT Sustainable democracy in Southeast Europe is closely tied to the level of political engagement among young people aged 14–29. In this study, we examine how different media outlets influence political participation and interest among this population. We employ survey data collected from 10 Southeast European countries to explore this relationship. Our research shows that, except for television viewing, all information sources positively impact young people’s interest in politics and inclination to participate. Digital media exerts the strongest influence, while political discussions also prove to be significant. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the effect of media sources on political engagement is more pronounced among older respondents, suggesting an age-related moderation within this population. We also observe that the quality of national media sectors, including their commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression and competitiveness, does not significantly influence the relationship between media and political involvement. We conclude that media plays a crucial role in fostering political engagement among youths in Southeast Europe.

SCHILLER’S MOTIFS IN THE IMAGE OF LENSKY IN A.S. PUSHKIN’S NOVEL EUGENE ONEGIN

When creating the image of Lensky, Pushkin combined two concepts of how Schiller was perceived in Russian culture of the 1820s: “sublime”, freedomloving, idealistic (as a figure of Sturm und Drang) and “pseudo-romantic”, elegiac, dating back to translations of Schiller’s elegies and ballads by Zhukovsky. At the same time, Pushkin himself in Eugene Onegin, obviously, does not completely separate them and does not oppose them, updating one or the other if necessary. The projection of both in the novel ranges from ironic reduction to sympathetic acceptance, which, along with their latent conflict with each other, creates a dialectical tension of Lensky’s image. It is Schiller’s motifs that give this image depth. In the draft versions, the exposition of Lensky’s image, the expressiveness and passion of his nature, rebellion and political engagement of the poet are much more strongly emphasized. But the author, while working on the text, “shifts” the image of Lensky towards a dreamy elegiac, while maintaining a recognizable Schiller appearance. The description of Lensky’s ideals moves entirely along the lines of Schiller’s philosophy and creativity. In this regard, the article for the first time examines possible reminiscences to the image of Lensky from Schiller’s poems “Die Hoffnung”, “Die Ideale”, “Die Freundschaft”, “Der Triumph der Liebe”, “Das Geheimnis der Reminiszenz. An Laura”, “Die Künstler”, “Das Glück”, “Das Ideal und das Leben”, “Der Flüchtling”. Having parodied the tradition of “dull” elegy on the example of Lensky’s dying poems, the author unexpectedly places two similar elegies as lyrical digressions. Despite the predominance of the Byron ideological and artistic context in the novel and Pushkin’s apparent irony in relation to the Schiller tradition, it represented for him a possible reference point for the development of Russian literature.

Threads of Influence: Exploring the Nexus of History, Religion, and Culture in Shaping Chinese Women's Political Engagement in Peninsula Malaysia

The multi-ethnic factor has influenced gender-based political parties and culture. Thus, we shed light on how political socialization through indicators of religion, history, and culture influences Chinese women's behavior and political involvement in Peninsular Malaysia. The political participation of Chinese women in Malaysia remains low, as evidenced by the representation of Chinese women in decision-making sectors such as the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and Parliament. We adopt a qualitative approach through intensive interview techniques with ten purposively selected participants. The primary informants interviewed include female Chinese political representatives, male politicians, academics, and NGO activists. Ultimately, we illustrate how political socialization through cultural, religious, and historical agents influences the political involvement of Chinese women in Peninsular Malaysia. The political culture of Chinese women is not static and has evolved based on contemporary changes before and after independence. The political culture of Chinese women has shifted from referencing Mainland China to survival in Malaya.

A Case Study on The Security Challenges and Counterterrorism Strategies in The India-Afghanistan Relations from 2001 To 2014

In this research paper, I have thoroughly described about the topic “A Case Study on The Security Challenges and Counterterrorism Strategies in The India-Afghanistan Relations from 2001 To 2014”. Between the years 2001 and 2014, the relationship between India and Afghanistan was marked by substantial security issues. These challenges were principally caused by terrorism and instability in Afghanistan, which were primarily fuelled by the insurgency of the Taliban. Because India is a neighboring country, it was very worried about the possible spillover consequences that may result from terrorism and unrest throughout the area. Afghanistan remained unstable and posed a continuing danger to the security of the area, even though the Taliban rule was overthrown by the invasion led by the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. India's strategy for resolving these difficulties consisted of a multi-pronged approach that included political engagement, economic cooperation, and measures to enhance the ability of Afghan security forces. The Istanbul Process and the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process are two examples of regional and international efforts that were undertaken with the intention of stabilizing Afghanistan. India had a significant part in both initiatives. Nevertheless, despite these efforts, the security situation in Afghanistan remained uncertain, and India continued to face threats from terrorist groups that were operating from inside Afghan territory. When these obstacles were present, the relationship between India and Afghanistan saw substantial alterations. These transformations included increasing collaboration and engagement, which were driven by common strategic goals. These interests included counterterrorism, energy security, and regional influence. In addition to shedding light on the difficulties and ongoing efforts that are necessary to solve these problems and promote stability in the area, the time that is being investigated provides unique insights into the security dynamics that are defining the relationship between India and Afghanistan.