Political Process Research Articles

Unorganized Politics: The Political Aftermath of Social Unrest in Chile

Extant theories posit that political conflict affords favorable circumstances for successful party building. However, crises do not necessarily engender the emergence of new parties with the capacity to integrate discontent. In this in-depth analysis of Chile, we show how lowering barriers to entry inadvertently precluded the development of a national political organization. We describe the nature of new political actors who emerged from the cycle of protest that erupted in October 2019. Our analysis shows that the traits of the umbrellas of lists of independents conditioned the ability of emerging actors to aggregate demands of different districts. The Chilean case illustrates how a cycle of protest can engender new, electorally successful political actors but does not assure these actors’ capacity to legitimate the political process.

A novel framework for the assessment of hydro-meteorological risks taking into account nature-based solutions

The growing exposure to hydro-meteorological hazards translates into increasing risks for people, territories, and ecosystems. The frequency of occurrence and magnitude of these hazards are expected to further increase in the next decades urging tangible decisions to reduce anthropogenic climate change and adapt to the risks to be faced. In this context, risk assessment is an essential tool for becoming aware of dangers and taking countermeasures. This paper proposes a novel predictive, yet holistic, framework that allows to take into account multiple risks classified according to six research fields, i.e. healthcare, society, ecosystem, heritage, infrastructure, and agriculture. Each contribution to the overall risk is evaluated in terms of economic losses and carbon-dioxide emissions that in turn affect adaptation ability and contribute to exacerbating climate change. Both economic losses and emissions are estimated as a cost per day to support political decision-making processes. In this regard, the framework integrates the effects of adaptation and mitigation strategies to include societal capacities to cope with hazards and respond to their potential consequences. As a guideline, this study reports a preliminary investigation of a heatwave event over a portion of Bologna Province (Italy) concluding that the current use of air-conditioning systems is not sustainable leading to a huge amount of losses. The novel framework can be adopted in future studies for selecting more cost-effective strategies as expected for Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The framework can indeed stand as a tool for estimating the local impact of NbS in the current or future climate scenarios.

Beyond ‘Infodemic’: Complexity, Knowledge and Populism in COVID-19 Crisis Governance

ABSTRACT The concept of the ‘infodemic’ has become a popular explanation for the rejection of anti-COVID-19 crisis governance measures. In this paper, we argue that infodemic is an inherent property of society under free institutions misused to pursue an epistemically vicious political epistemology. Furthermore, we provide an alternative account of political epistemology of COVID-19 governance and popular resistance to it. Namely, we argue that 1) pandemics represent a complex problem, and some level of resistance to governance which restricts liberties while informed by ongoing scientific and political learning processes is inevitable, and 2) the resistance is exacerbated by the history of technocratization of governance and the exclusionary socio-economic inequalities which condition political and epistemic deficiencies easily exploitable by the political entrepreneurs of right-wing populism, particularly under the conditions of social media which gamifies public discourse. Thus, we argue, the correct response to the cultures of rejection of anti-COVID-19 measures is to change the underlying political and economic conditions and not to limit speech or restrict franchise as the infodemic diagnosis suggests.

Uncertainty, pastoral knowledge and early warning: a review of drought management in the drylands, with insights from northern Kenya

This article explores the recent history of early warning systems in Kenya, determining key features of the entangled political, technical and conceptual processes that prefigure contemporary drought management there. In doing so, it draws out wider implications regarding drought and anticipatory action across Africa’s drylands, considering the friction between the dynamics of disaster risk management that structure formal early warning systems and those that shape pastoralist engagements with the volatile and uncertain worlds they inhabit. Surveying recent literature on pastoralism’s unique relationship with uncertainty, and associated forms of networked, relational resilience, it reflects on some of the inherent limitations of current approaches to “local knowledge” in the humanitarian sphere. In doing so, it emphasises the need for new, creative approaches to early warning and anticipatory action, which are not merely established via the external synthesis of data but are rather oriented around local pastoralist drought preparation and mitigation strategies and comprise enough flexibility to adapt to a fast-shifting terrain of challenges and possibilities.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in eParticipation: Mapping Current Research

Electronic Participation (eParticipation) enables citizens to engage in political and decision-making processes using information and communication technologies. As in many other fields, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently started to dictate some of the realities of eParticipation. As a result, an increasing number of studies are investigating the use of AI in eParticipation. The aim of this paper is to map current research on the use of AI in eParticipation. Following PRISMA methodology, the authors identified 235 relevant papers in Web of Science and Scopus and selected 46 studies for review. For analysis purposes, an analysis framework was constructed that combined eParticipation elements (namely actors, activities, effects, contextual factors, and evaluation) with AI elements (namely areas, algorithms, and algorithm evaluation). The results suggest that certain eParticipation actors and activities, as well as AI areas and algorithms, have attracted significant attention from researchers. However, many more remain largely unexplored. The findings can be of value to both academics looking for unexplored research fields and practitioners looking for empirical evidence on what works and what does not.

Democracy as Religion in the Context of the Global Governance System

Introduction. The article examines the modern understanding of democracy as a religious belief system. New technologies and globalization open up opportunities to influence all spheres of society, which makes it possible to impose ethical standards and moral ideals through political technologies and propaganda. Understanding democracy as a new kind of religion allows us to get a full-fledged view of all key elements of the current culture of the modern world, which determines the main semantic content of global revolutionary transformations. Its consideration in the spiritual dimension is an additional vector for the study of social and political processes of globalization. Taking into account the increasing of tensions in the global political arena and the deepening interdependence of all international actors, such an approach can play an important role in their analysis and forecasting. The object of study is democracy; the subject of the study is the specifics of the modern vision of democracy, democratic values and ideals as a special form of religious cult. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of democracy, its new moral values and guidelines in the context of global revolutionary transformations.Materials and methods. The methodological basis of the study was following general scientific and special methods: method of system analysis; historical-genetic method; phenomenological method; analytical method; historical method; contextual analysis and formal logical research methods.Research results. The authors analyzed the specifics of the dominant interpretation of democratic values and goals in the context of Western political culture. The main elements of the new system of beliefs, their relationship, evolution and place in the modern world are revealed. The results obtained allow us to conclude that democracy is being transformed into a special form of cult, which has the characteristic features of religious teaching.Discussion and conclusion. The ideology of people's rule has lost its original meaning, turning into a special cult that serves as an instrument of social management, without taking into account traditional cultures, the diversity of societies and states, and the national identities of peoples. Democracy as a religion without God has become an instrument of the world information agenda, exploiting faith to build a new world order.

3 - The Impact of Structural Violence on Women’s Capacity to Fully Participate at Candidate and Electoral Management Levels in Zimbabwe

This article focuses on ‘hidden’ institutional violence, also known as structural violence, and gender divisions in electoral processes in Zimbabwe. Structural violence occurs when one category of people is accorded an unequal status in relation to other categories of people. The main argument presented in the paper is that, in Zimbabwe, structural violence renders the implementation of gender equality in electoral governance nugatory. Political party structures and systems are designed and conveniently used to exclude women from political participation. The article analyses selected cases involving women’s involvement at the candidate and electoral management level. The study made use of interviews, particularly key informant interviews, and semi- structured interviews, as its main data-gathering methods. Focus group discussions were also utilised. The findings revealed that a myriad of structural and institutionalised constraints prevent women in Zimbabwe from fully participating in political and electoral processes. These institutionalised structures have a disproportionately negative impact on women’s political ambitions compared to men’s. The article concludes that promoting gender equality in the area of politics and decision-making as well as in society as a whole is a long and complex process. Any initiatives to remedy these inequalities must be strategic and long-term oriented.

Exploring Civic Engagement through Student-Led Initiatives

Civic engagement involves a collective action to address issues of the public, by promoting the quality of life through both political and non-political process. In a time where there are growing concerns over civic participation and cohesion, understanding the relationship between student-led initiatives and promoting civic engagement is very important. The study focuses on exploring civic engagement through student-led initiatives. A thorough review of literature was carried out in this study which encompass the overview of student led initiatives and civic engagement, benefits, factors influencing and challenges associated with student led initiatives with special focus on addressing societal issues. The study highlights the importance of these initiatives to students as it helps them to develop important skills which they would find useful in solving several problems in the community and society at large. The study also offers insight to educators, key community members to promote student led initiatives as it fosters a meaningful and productive civic engagement and societal change at all levels.

Decentralization Of Vietnam'S forestlands: The policy process and impact

The decentralization of land is crucial for effective production, welfare improvement, and social development. However, the formulation, outcome, and impact of land decentralization policies are influenced by political regimes, policy processes, geographical areas, and socio-economic settings. This study focuses on Vietnam's forest and forestland allocation program over the past 30 years to investigate its impact on poverty dynamics. Retrospective policy analysis and an extended random effect treatment model with longitudinal panel data collected from 53,568 plots in 12 provinces across Vietnam from 2008 to 2018 were used. The findings suggest that while the forestland allocation policy has a positive effect on poverty alleviation, it has minimal impact on the poorest household groups. Additionally, actual tree planting is more beneficial to the non-poor group, indicating a lack of incentivized policies for tree planting and inadequate consideration of the genuine livelihood needs and investment capacities of land recipients, especially poor households. Policy improvements are recommended to better align with the rationale, aims, and social expectations.

Public Education Investment, Economic Growth and Welfare: A Political Economy Analysis with Preference Heterogeneity

This study examines the politics of public education policy and its impact on economic growth and welfare under intergenerational altruism. The study considers an endogenous growth model with altruistic overlapping generations. Due to its significant role in promoting long-term economic expansion, we consider investment in public education to be an effective tool of productive government intervention. Nonetheless, public educational investment has been the subject of political disputes owing to its inherent intergenerational redistributive implications. Backed by the tendency of democratically elected governments to maintain their political power, the preferences of some particular individuals or group of individuals become more dominant in the political process of determining the level of public investment in education. In particular, governments are more concerned with the preferences of the median voter, or the current generation at large, because they, as electors, have the ability to determine the next government. This reality leads governments to exhibit a bias toward the desires of these people. As a result, such political considerations divert the economy from its optimal path of economic growth and reduce the welfare of future generations. This effect becomes more pronounced when individuals with lower levels of altruism toward their offspring assume a more influential position in the political decision-making process over the allocation of public funds for education. Our theoretical analyses demonstrate the implications for economic growth and welfare resulting from policy decisions made by democratically elected governments with inherent biases, as opposed to decisions made by an unbiased social planner.

‘Stick to the status quo’? A conjoint experiment with German adolescents on democratic designs

AbstractWhile representing the next generation of democratic citizens, research on process preferences of adolescents is in its infancy. To analyse what institutional designs adolescents favour, we conducted a conjoint experiment with a unique, representative sample of 1,970 German pupils between the age of 14–17. We find that adolescents in general are ‘status quo’– democrats, preferring a parliament (representing the central institution of the existing representative system) to alternative institutions, namely citizen forums and an assertive leader. However, support for the status quo comes with several qualifications, namely expert input, slow and considerate political processes and a final referendum. Furthermore, we find differences between subgroups, whereby dissatisfied adolescents are more open to citizen forums and an assertive leader than satisfied adolescents. By contrast, more sophisticated adolescents have stronger preferences for the parliament as the main institution. Overall, our results suggest that a major overhaul of the democratic infrastructure does not seem to be a priority for the next generation of citizens, although there is some desire for innovation, namely the ‘blending’ of representative institutions with more citizen participation.

The Bolivian pluriverse: the Comuna Group, emerging subjects, and transformative political action against neoliberalism

ABSTRACT This article reviews an important experience of pluriversal political activity in Bolivia, through the prism of the theoretical and political contributions of Grupo Comuna, a local organization of scholar activists and public intellectuals. Comuna deployed Marxist categories to examine, and intervene upon, the dilemmas of the pluriverse and the social and political challenges facing Bolivia’s original peoples (pueblos originarios). The article examines publications of the Group and original interviews with its members. Bolivian social movements were partially successful defeating neoliberalism in the country, and Morales’ administrations transformed Bolivia. These successes were achieved in and through an innovative analysis, including the recognition of the pluriversal nature of the Bolivian political process. Almost uniquely among politically engaged academics, Comuna helped to develop a programme adapted to the country’s circumstances and addressing the challenges of intervention in pluriversal activity; in doing this, they supported mass organization and mobilization, and achieved strong political impact.

Pengaruh Politik Minoritas di Indonesia dalam Pilpress 2024 (Relevansi Konsep Fairness John Rawls)

The focus of this research examines the relevance and implications of John Rawls' concept of fairness in the context of minority politics in Indonesia, especially in the 2024 presidential election. John Rawls, in his A Theory of Justice, proposes the concept of justice as fairness, which is based on two principles: the same basic freedoms for all citizens and fair equality of opportunity. This study analyzes how this concept can be applied to Indonesia's political situation, where ethnic and religious minorities are often marginalized in the political and policy-making process. Through literature analysis and public opinion survey methods, this study evaluates how the 2024 presidential election reflects Rawls' principles of justice, particularly in terms of fair treatment, distribution of opportunities, and inclusion. The findings show that the Prabowo-Gibran presidential ticket received widespread support from various religious groups, including minorities, indicating the potential for inclusivity and acceptance in the context of this election. However, the study also underlines the risk of polarization and discrimination in political campaigns, emphasizing the need to maintain plurality

STATE AND THE SOCIETY, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS OF CONTROLLED COMMUNICATION

in this article, the current state of communication in public administration consists mainly in the use of propaganda and manipulation methods and technologies for influencing society when transmitting information, in the fact that in practice feedback mechanisms, indicators, channels are used, and this is practically ignored in activities government agencies. that in the context of the globalization of the information space, the number of participants in political communication processes can increase significantly, which will lead to the definition of more competitive communication relations in the field of politics.

Kedaulatan Negara Indonesia Ditinjau dari Sisi Politik Hukum Pertahanan Negara

National defense is a crucial aspect in maintaining the sovereignty, integrity and security of a country. This discussion reviews various aspects related to national defense, from concept to implementation in law and policy in Indonesia. The research method used is normative analysis of various legal documents and expert views related to national defense. The results of the discussion highlight the importance of integrating military and non-military defense in facing various developing threats. Inter-agency coordination, including through the National Defense Council, is considered crucial in formulating effective defense policies and strategies. In a political context, national defense is seen as the result of the political process and public policy. However, there is also the concept of legal politics which is the basis for determining the laws that apply in a country. In conclusion, national defense requires clear and structured regulations and the involvement of all elements of society to maintain stability and sustainability of defense. Continuous evaluation of the country's defense system is necessary to face the dynamics of ever-growing threats. National defense is an implementation of social contract theory which involves an agreement between citizens in society to protect their rights and obligations and ensure the harmony of interests. Every citizen has the right and obligation to participate in efforts to defend the country, both physically and non-physically, in accordance with the provisions of applicable law. Awareness of the importance of national defense, especially among the younger generation, needs to be increased to ensure their role in advancing the nation is optimal

ҚОҒАМНЫҢ САЯСИ-ИДЕОЛОГИЯЛЫҚ ҮДЕРІСІН ФИЛОСОФИЯЛЫҚ ТАЛДАУ

Kazakhstan's political science is at the stage of formation. This means that their own explanatory models begin to be built, mainly in the field of the formation of a new political system and its components. There is almost no philosophical study of the problem of ideology in Kazakhstan. The article discusses the problem of philosophical analysis of political and ideological processes of modern transforming Kazakhstani society. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the subject field of ideological processes is studied in many Sciences. Philosophical analysis of the theory of ideology allows us to more clearly identify the main components of the ideological chain. The philosophical study of ideological processes in Kazakhstan reveals the importance of the formation of the national ideological process of Kazakhstan's society in the context of globalization.

The Racial Limits of Disruption: How Race and Tactics Influence Social Movement Organization Testimony before Congress, 1960–1995

Abstract Social movement theory holds that disrupting social and political processes is among the most effective tools social movement organizations (SMOs) use to motivate recognition for themselves and their constituents. Yet, recent research suggests that the political reception of disruption is not racially neutral. Black SMOs face a dilemma in that, although disruption is a powerful tool for change, the public often perceives nonviolent Black disruptive protest as violent. We investigate this bind by analyzing how nondisruptive protest, nonviolent disruption, or violence helps or hinders both Black and non-Black SMOs to gain state “acceptance” as legitimate spokes-organizations for their issues. We combine data on newspaper-reported protest events with data covering 41,545 SMO Congressional testimonies from 1462 SMOs from 35 movement families. In panel regressions, we find that Congress is generally more accepting of nondisruptive protest but that nondisruptive protest is only roughly one-tenth as effective for Black SMOs compared with non-Black SMOs. Furthermore, whereas non-Black SMOs are significantly more likely to testify after using nonviolent disruption, Black SMOs using nonviolent disruption are significantly less likely to testify before Congress. Regardless of race, violence was associated with fewer congressional testimonies. Collectively, these findings suggest that Black SMOs face a tactical bind: Black SMOs can use nondisruptive tactics that are resource-intensive and slow, or they can use nonviolent disruption that gets media attention but hinders congressional acceptance. These findings contribute to a growing literature on how racial inequality and prejudice impact the outcomes of social movements.

Advancing collaborative social outcomes through place-based solutions—aligning policy and funding systems

Abstract More collaborative and human-centered approaches to tackle social problems of entrenched disadvantage have been introduced in many countries, including Australia, but with mixed results. Traditional programs that reinforce existing political and bureaucratic processes have been seen as blockers to collaborative modes of policymaking, governance, and delivery. Drawing on collaborative governance perspectives, this paper reports new research undertaken in conjunction with a not-for-profit organization (Collaboration for Impact) involved in supporting place-based collaborative community change efforts. Research findings, based on stakeholder perspectives, highlight not only the potential benefits of a more collaborative model (i.e., placed-based and community driven) but also the significant unresolved challenges for “backbone” coordination bodies, which have recently been established to achieve more “joined-up” policy, funding, and service delivery arrangements. The paper concludes by proposing a practice-driven focus on policy and funding systems, together with implications for policy learning and program design.

A Case Study for Teaching Urban Politics: Examining Residential Racial Segregation through Historic Significance of Black Neighborhood

Moving students out of the classroom and into the community provides promising outcomes for teaching residential racial segregation and understanding of historical context of preservation. This class provides an exploratory case study of students in political science and art studio who worked in teams to develop digital stories for an historically black neighborhood in a large urban city. Through examination of archival data, conducting interviews, and experiencing places within the neighborhood, students gained insight into the politics that work to promote some history over others. Students became more aware of the importance of neighborhoods and gained an understanding of the importance of history to the lives of people living in particular communities. Students learned to work as a team, to overcome challenges of working in a community, and gained an understanding of political processes that work to hide or bury significant history of marginalized groups and neighborhoods.

A Political Economy Analysis of Social Work’s Development in China: A Social Development Perspective

This paper examines the phenomenal growth of social work in China and the complexities and challenges faced by the profession and related stakeholders in the context of neoliberal economic practice within a hierarchical top-down political system. It proposes developmental social work as a viable indigenous social work practice mode. This analysis based on a collection of academic papers and relevant government reports sheds light on the interplay between welfare developmentalism, institutional dynamics, and professional challenges in the broader sociopolitical context, not least the neoliberal co-optation of social development aligned increasingly with economic goals to the detriment of broader social and structural issues. It shows how the political parameters of the Chinese Communist Party and its pursuit of community integration and social development shaped China’s approach to social work. It sees the necessity for a system of welfare services to address socio-structural issues and the indigenization and cultural adaption of social work in China as an expressly political process. Regarding the former, the government’s strategy of outsourcing public services to accord with its agenda has resulted in a contractual relationship between social organizations, including nongovernment and social work organizations, and the state. This has limited the independence and hindered the development of a strong civil society, and curtailed social workers’ autonomy, exacerbating professional challenges relating inter alia to the low number of qualified social work practitioners, limited job opportunities outside major urban centers, high staff turnover, and poor quality services provided by those without formal social work training. To enhance professional recognition in China, the paper suggests a holistic developmental approach that involves the resolution of individual problems through investing in people, helping them to build their capacity, drawing on social capital, and capitalizing on market opportunities to promote self-reliance, thereby contributing to community and social development.