Political Nature Research Articles

Modern Specialist Training Within the Context of the Problem-Based and Informational Approach (Exemplified by Teaching a Foreign Language)

Today’s challenges modern society deal with require the use of an international language to solve problems of an economic, political, scientific, academic, and sociocultural nature. The authors highlight the importance of a foreign language knowledge emphasizing its additional resources for the professional development of future specialists. The paper subject is the process of foreign language teaching within the frame of a problem-based and informational approach while training university students. The authors look at the process of foreign language mastering at different education levels and analyze the components of the discipline work programs such as “Foreign Language”, Foreign Language in Professional Sphere”, “Foreign Language for Scientific Communication”. The paper theoretical significance is presented by the analysis of the basic concepts of problem-based learning and its importance not only for the successful mastering of a foreign language, but also for the successful vocational training of future specialists who meet all the requirements of the global labor market. The authors also substantiate the relevance of foreign language training for students in the frame of the problem-based and informational approach, and also present the specifics of its implementation. The practical significance of the work is demonstrated by the series of problem-based tasks using different models of problem-based situations for teaching foreign language reading and listening. According to the researchers, such tasks can be used both for developing a foreign language communicative competence and professional qualities of future specialists who have creative thinking and are able to cope with any problems in various non-standard situations in different spheres of human activity.

Local accommodation energy efficiency in Lisbon: a red flag for tourism, indoor thermal comfort, and energy renovation targets

Abstract Climate change affects all sectors of society, and tourism is no exception. Adaptation in this sector is challenging because of its vulnerability to rapid change and uncertainties of an environmental and political nature. Local accommodation (LA) (short-term rentals) plays a key role in the Portuguese economy and is, thus, potentially a key driver of increased energy efficiency and promoting buildings decarbonization, thereby contributing both to climate change adaptation and mitigation of this sector. However, there is limited research on energy efficiency and climate change resilience in the LA sector. To address this research gap, this study focuses on four civil parishes situated in the historic center of Lisbon, Portugal. Using a multidimensional approach and cross-sectoral datasets, we assessed the energy efficiency of LA in Lisbon and explored the cost of renovation measures. This analysis exposed poor energy performance in LA buildings and a low frequency of buildings with thermal insulation or double-glazed windows. Despite this, energy performance in the LA sector was comparatively better than in the residential sector. Additionally, LA s are equipped with more heating and cooling systems than the broader residential sector. This knowledge is relevant for researchers and policymakers, contributing to developing sustainable tourism approaches and reaching the objectives outlined in energy renovation policies.

Коррупция как явление и понятие: политологический анализ

The article, based on international documents and Russian regulatory legal acts on corruption, explains and substantiates the political nature and nature of corruption. To this end, three dimensions of corruption are revealed: criminological, sociological and political science. At the same time, it is emphasized that the political science dimension is integrative: it contains both criminogenic and social dimensions. Corruption can and should be studied in economic, moral, legal, and other contexts. However, it is crucial to start from the premise that any manifestations of corruption always unfold within the coordinates of the political realm. Corruption is a political phenomenon. The article defines and characterizes the political features of corruption, offering an original perspective on corruption as a phenomenon and concept. Overall, the article attempts to elucidate the relationship between the phenomenon and concept of corruption, and how corruption impacts the institution of state power and governance.

Teaching civics for sustainability in post-authoritarian order: The challenges of developing progressive citizenship in new democracies – Lessons from Poland

Civics courses have a great significance – they are supposed to train new cohorts of citizens to engage in multiple public roles in (democratic) society. How it is done depends on a multitude of factors, and teachers’ performance and program contents are among the most important. In post-authoritarian order like Poland, civic contents of educational curricula acquire particular significance: they must lay foundation for new forms of citizenship necessary for the consolidation of democracy. In new democracies, defining development is a lot more than talking about economic or political formulas. Ideas of sustainable development belong in a package of ideas which may anchor people in progressive world order, yet they meet resistance from the traditions and mindsets inherited from the previous system (homo sovieticus). SDG Civics, that is, that part of the catalogue of Sustainable Development Goals which directly refers to political agency, becomes a set of patchwork ideas incorporated into democratic citizenship. Through the study of academic curricula, textbooks, and government policies, this paper addresses the complexity of the problem of civics education in new democracies. It sees sustainable development as a concept wrestling with pressures coming from different ideologies, institutions, actors, and visions of the future. This article should be seen as a contribution to the discussions about the political nature of sustainability.

Radio Free Europe’s Polish Broadcasting Service vis-à-vis the Millennium and Church - State Relations (1965-1966)

This article presents an analysis of selected broadcasts by Radio Free Europe’s Polish Broadcasting Service on the 1966 celebration of the Millennium of the Christianisation of Poland, against the background of the relationship between the Church and state. The source material consists of programmes available online on the Radio Liberty website and articles published in the monthly magazine Na Antenie/On Air from 1965 to 1966. The author's intention is to show the role and meaning of radio broadcasts vis-à-vis the Millennium Poloniae celebrations, which were of a religious and political nature. The radio station, under the direction of Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, defended the authority of Primate Stefan Wyszyński against communist propaganda, while serving as the only source of information for audiences in the country with respect to the Novena initiated in 1956, which culminated in the Millennium. Aside from RFE’s political objectives, the broadcasts served to counter the propaganda and the campaign against the Church and to break the media monopoly in the People’s Republic of Poland. Having a formative and integrative character, they also contributed to the preservation of the listeners’ religious identity.

The politics of beneficiary selection: A case study of Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash transfer programme

In communities of Sub-Saharan Africa, where local elites participate in the selection of households for cash transfers, there is a tendency to deviate from laid down rules for various reasons. Using qualitative data from selected districts where Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme is implemented, this study investigates the reasons why district and community elites deviate from prescribed selection processes of the LEAP programme. Drawing on the concept of competitive clientelism, the findings suggest that elites are deeply guided by political patronage to fulfil one primary goal, protecting their role in office. Such ambition is facilitated by the discretionary power accorded to elites by the local government system and socio-cultural values deeply rooted in Ghanaian society. In conclusion, the study draws out key lessons from the analysis and suggests a design of beneficiary selection frameworks that acknowledges the nature of domestic politics, institutions of power and powerful actors at the subnational level. The article also highlights the implications of the findings for the broad politics of social protection literature.

On some aspects of the WTO Jurisprudence and Dispute Settlement Mechanism

The paper first explores certain aspects of dispute resolution mechanism implemented within the World Trade Organization and then proceeds with the legal analysis of a number of legal presumptions, concepts and principles both of procedural and substantive legal nature developed and applicable within the framework of the above mentioned mechanism for resolving disputes between the WTO member-states. The Paper examines the main features that distinguish the dispute resolution mechanism used within the WTO from the GATT mechanism, which mechanism, i/e/ the one implemented within the WTO framework, is recognized to be more legal in nature in contrast to the more political nature of the GATT dispute resolution mechanism, given that under the GATT mechanism the direct negotiations had more weight in reaching the final settlement than within the WTO system, where formal juridical disciplines, as the practice of dispute settlement indicates, play far more role and has become a key element of the system. Also, certain procedural presumptions and principles applicable in the adjudication process as well as the procedure and feature characteristic for the enforcement of decisions are examined in the paper based on and with reference to the number of panel and Appellate Body decisions. Decisions delivered by panels and the Appelate Body represent a very important tool for the interpretation of the WTO law and shapes the practice of its implementation. In this regard, although it is not considered a formal source, Appelate Body and panel decisions should be considered as an important source of both procedural and substantive WTO law. The DSB practice established under the GATT/WTO law, on the one hand, defines a set of applicable procedural rules and on the other hand, develops the WTO substantive law by way of developing the criteria and rules governing the application of provisions of the WTO agreements and other sources governing rights and obligations of the member-states. Particular attention in this regard is paid to the peculiarities of the application of the principle of responsibility for lawful actions applied in the WTO jurisprudence, under the relevant WTO agreements and more specifically under the GATT, GATS, TRIPS and SCM Agreements. Also a number of procedural concepts the principles e.g. the “prima facie case”, “rational relationship” elaborated in the “Hormone” case, principle of multi-criteria assessment initially applied in «Korea - fresh, chilled and frozen meat» case and negative presumption rule applied by the panels are analysied.

Thinking politically about social work in child protection and welfare: A radical Reappropriation of the works of Hannah Arendt

This article presents a theoretical exposition of Arendtian political philosophy for child protection and welfare social work. The aim is to better understand and inform social work in the field of child protection and welfare, whilst accounting for the political context of practice. Sustaining the exposition is the view that power-laden child protection systems are ultimately socio-political through their authority to intervene in private family life. This is partly owing to the instrumental power inherent in child protection systems to exert dominance and control over service users and social groups leading to raced, gendered and classed outcomes in child welfare. To unpack the political nature of social work in child protection and welfare, a tripartite conceptual frame of private, public and social domains is derived from Arendt’s philosophical work. This is critically applied to put forward seven propositions for how social work can develop in child protection and welfare, with respect to practice in a socio-political context. Practical implications for future social work include implementing evidence-informed advocacy efforts and conducting empirical research toward preserving balance in social work attention to public and private life.

역사적 신제도주의를 통한 중소기업정책의 변화 - 경로의존과 단절적 균형을 중심으로

This study examined how small and medium-sized enterprise(SMEs) policies focused on protecting and fostering SMEs changed under the Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Lee Myung-bak governments in the 2000s through historical new institutionalism. A path-dependent institutional change appeared in that both the quantitative growth of SMEs through the Kim Dae-jung government’s venture business development policy and their qualitative growth through the Roh Moo-hyun government’s innovative SMEs development policy were promoted for the purpose of creating jobs and securing new growth engines. The policy ideas of strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs, expanding competition, and transitioning to a technology- and knowledge-intensive industrial structure influenced the actors’ choice. Under the Lee Myung-bak administration, due to the external factor of the global financial crisis, there were not many restrictions on policy ideas for actors’ selection of institution, resulting in a punctuated equilibrium in which the social policy nature was greatly weakened and the political nature was strengthened. The abolition of the collective private contract system and designation of distinct business system appeared as a form of punctuated equilibrium between the ‘protection and development’ paradigm and the ‘autonomy and competition’ paradigm. It suggests that policies need to support industries that require protection in a selective and focused manner to ensure competitiveness of SMEs. It also suggests that effectiveness through institutional change should be improved by presenting a clear single policy stance on policy ideas to be considered when changing the institution.

Separatyzmy w stosunkach międzynarodowych w Afryce

SEPARATISMS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN AFRICADespite the acceptance by African states of the principle of respect for post‑colonial borders (adopted at the Organisation of African Unity in 1964), the post-colonial period saw more than a dozen cases of separatist movements forming in Africa, seeking to create new states. In two cases, this resulted in a real change of borders – in 1993, Eritrea was created through secession from Ethiopia, and in 2011, the southern provinces of Sudan proclaimed the creation of South Sudan. Effectively, though without international legal recognition, there is Somaliland, which in 1991 proclaimed independence in the northern part of Somalia. In addition, separatist movements have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga and Kasai), Nigeria (Biafra), Tanzania (Zanzibar), Cameroon (Ambazonia), Angola (Cabinda), Senegal (Casamance), Mali (Azawad). Among the causes of each of Africa’s separatisms is a confluence of local factors of a political, ethnic or economic nature. Multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism (resulting from the artificial nature of borders), low levels of socioeconomic development and dysfunctional states generate contradictions, leading to disturbances in the stability of individual countries, and their manifestation sometimes becomes the aspirations of certain social groups to achieve – in the absence of states effectively performing their functions – political independence.

The Risk Management of COVID-19: Lessons from Financial Economics and Financial Risk Management

The United States had one of the worst outcomes in the management of COVID-19 risk, with a death rate in the 94th percentile of all countries. Setting aside the obvious politicized nature of COVID-19 public health recommendations and mandates, we argue that best practices in financial risk management provide parallels that could have served as valuable guidance. We demonstrate here that considerable signals were missed that would have required very little effort and would have been consistent with sound risk management. We also identify examples of misleading information such as that COVID-19 was particularly hard on the elderly. The data actually show that it had a much greater marginal impact on those not elderly. We show here that financial economists and risk managers have a strong knowledge base of how to process vast quantities of data to distinguish signals from noise and have much to teach the public health establishment.

Facing the (Political) Elephant in the Room: On the Depoliticisation and Re-Politicisation of Refugee Trauma Amongst Therapists in Germany

AbstractPTSD is commonly diagnosed in refugees, and since 2015 refugee mental health programmes in Germany have increased (BPtK in Bericht zur Mentalen Gesundheit Geflüchteter, 2019). Despite the vast literature on refugee trauma (Silove et al. in World Psychiatry, 16(2), 130–139, 2017), there has been little engagement with the role of therapists therein. This article addresses this lacuna by drawing on 23 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2020 and 2021 with therapists in psychosocial centres for refugees in 14 German federal states. From these interviews, it emerged that therapists occupy an ambivalent position which is characterised by a simultaneous depoliticization and repoliticization of refugee trauma. Believing that it is “so bad it is impossible to do nothing”, therapists started to engage in public political resistance, through therapeutic interactions and lobbying for change. Most therapists sought to engage in political action through a prism of detached professional neutrality. This comprises a particular conundrum since the premise of neutrality directly contravenes the practice of political action as such but also reverts to a mode of individualised medicalisation that cannot fully recognise the political nature of their client’s trauma. We propose to solve this tension through a novel German critical theoretical understanding of trauma as a form of status subordination, wherein the taken for granted presupposition of intersubjective equality is so violently breeched it results in existential disorientation and speechlessness (Matthies-Boon in Breaking intersubjectivity: A critical theory of counter-revolutionary trauma in Egypt, Rowman and Littlefield, 2022). Casting trauma in such intersubjective socio-normative terms means that therapists have the analytical tools to fully embrace their political aspirations whilst simultaneously improving the efficacy of their therapeutic interventions on an individual level.

Designing and Teaching Courses on Sex, Gender, and the Brain: Two Implementations in the Undergraduate Classroom.

Courses on the neuroscience of sex and gender can support inclusive and integrative neuroscience curricula. Developing and teaching such courses, however, can be intimidating for educators due to the subject's complexities and nuances, the increasingly politicized nature of the subject material, and the difficult conversations that the material invites. In this article we discuss how we approached the development of two undergraduate courses on sex, gender and the brain. In describing our thought process we discuss the institutional contexts for our courses and the rationale for the selected course structures, learning objectives, and content. We also describe how we fostered inclusive learning environments - particularly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - and implemented course activities and diverse assessments aligned to the course learning objectives. We hope that readers of this article can apply our insights into developing courses on sex/gender in neuroscience at their home institutions.

The prospect of ‘interstitial practice’ in the in-between spaces of Caracas

This paper delves into interstitial practice, a phenomenon unfolding in the in-between spaces, with a specific focus on Caracas, Venezuela. It explores the complex relationship between space, art, and power, comprehensively analysing interstitial practice as a flexible resource shaped by diverse interests, thus empowering its political nature and impact on immediate surroundings. Through a multi-faced methodological approach, findings suggest that the institutionalisation of this practice near vulnerable areas becomes a focal point for political sources, emphasising the community sentiment to shape a collective urban identity. This research offers a foundational reference for understanding the dynamic interplay of territory, urban interventions, and power in urban contexts and provides profound insights into the transformative potential of in-between spaces in contemporary cities.

Navigating complexity: integrating political realities into energy system modelling for effective policy in Sub-Saharan Africa

The imperative for rapid low-carbon transformations in social and economic systems has heightened reliance on systems modelling to inform decisions. Energy models are pivotal in shaping viable pathways and guiding interventions, thereby influencing policy agendas and public discourse. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, the utilization of model-based analysis for energy planning and policy remains limited, largely due to deficiencies in existing models. Research indicates that many of these models are ill-equipped to capture the context-specific challenges prevalent in African countries. Despite offering valuable insights, most models lack representation of uncertainties associated with political and governance dynamics. These findings underscore the urgent need to enhance domestic institutions’ modelling capabilities. While technical expertise is crucial, this paper contends that, given the inherently political nature of energy policy decisions, modelers must be cognizant of the political landscape in which problems are modelled and solutions are sought. We assert that energy modellers aiming to influence policies must endeavour to comprehend the underlying political economy at the intersection of energy planning and policymaking. Expanding on this premise, we delineate practical steps that modelling teams can adopt to conduct political economy analysis and grasp the factors influencing energy policymaking. By adhering to these steps, we posit that modelling teams could enhance the relevance, realism, and applicability of policy options proposed through modelling efforts.

The Colonial Era and Beyond

This paper explores the historical and cultural evolution of Korean music from the Japanese colonial period to the contemporary K-pop industry. It examines the impact of Japanese colonial policies on Korean cultural identity and how traditional Korean music served as a form of resistance. Following liberation, American influences significantly shaped the Korean music scene, leading to the emergence of K-pop. The paper discusses the role of early K-pop groups and solo acts, including their strategic entry into the Japanese market. It also highlights the political and economic tensions between Korea and Japan, exemplified by controversies involving K-pop idols. The study underscores the intertwined nature of politics, culture, and history in shaping the global success of K-pop, while also reflecting on the enduring effects of colonialism and international relations on Korean popular music.

Attuned Empathy, ‘Battlefields of Social Belonging’, and Other Reflections on Studying Those Who Perpetrate Violence

In his response, Scott Straus presents reflections on the contributions in this special issue. Straus focuses in particular on three main areas discussed in the special issue: demonstrating the value of an approach of what he calls 'attuned empathy'; highlighting the politicized nature of research on perpetrators; and innovating concepts for research in this field of inquiry.

Business and Politics in Urban Indonesia: Patrimonialism, Oligarchy and the State in Two Towns

Studies of the Indonesian political economy suggest a transformation of government-business relationship from a “patrimonial administrative” state, in which bureaucrats are dominant, to a “patrimonial oligarchic” state dominated by business actors. We examine this proposition by analysing government-business relationship in two towns: a town in Sulawesi, dominated by trade, and a town with a strong industrial base in Java. In the first, politics still approximates that of a patrimonial administrative state with a weak business sector and a dominant bureaucracy. In the second, a local business dynasty has come to power, but without promoting regularisation of state-business relationship. Despite the differences, patronage politics are similarly dominant in both locations, which we illustrate by zeroing in on the construction sector and the distribution of infrastructure projects. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for the nature of urban politics in Indonesia, underscoring the significance of patronage across a range of settings.

The role of metaphor in the corporate political strategies of health harming industries: Comparing the concept of balance in the gambling and opioid industry discourses

Scholars have identified notable similarities between the political strategies employed by health-harming industries. This includes similarities in the narratives employed by industry actors seeking to oppose public health regulations that threaten their commercial interests. This study seeks to examine the use of a specific concept – the balance metaphor – in the policy discourses of two health-harming industries. Namely, the pharmaceutical industry implicated in the prescription opioid crisis in the US, and the UK gambling industry, whose products and practices are associated with a serious, but largely neglected, series of harms. We first review research on metaphors, demonstrating how this provides additional theoretically-informed concepts with which to understand how industry discourse circumscribes the terrain of policy debates in ways amenable to commercial interests. Building from these insights, we conducted a rhetorical analysis, examining how the concept of balance is employed by different actors in distinct contexts to shape understandings of the social and policy problems associated with gambling and opioid products and to promote industry-favourable regulatory responses to these. This brings a micro-level of analysis to supplement previous meso- and macro-level scholarship in this space. We use our findings to argue that the depoliticization of the policy process and objectivization of the policy space – in ways that obscure its contingent and political nature – through discourses of balance is itself an arch political act. Examining the metaphors used in policy debates and their functions provides important insights that can be used to inform the construction of counter-narratives to industry-favourable discourses, including the creative use of novel metaphors in the service of public health goals.

Constitutional Freedom of Assembly as a Component of Deliberative Democracy

The article aims to analyse the legal regulations on the right to freedom of assembly and to show that freedom of assembly is a component of deliberative democracy. An analysis of the current legislation regulating this issue, from European standards to the national level, shows that it is a right of a political nature. Freedom of assembly is a civil liberty that allows citizens to influence the decisions of the authorities. It is also a component of a democratic state ruled by law and enables participation in social and political life.