Political Realm Research Articles

Presidential Activism on Social Media: Multidimensional Analysis and Empirical Examination of Presidential Twitter Use in Europe

Since the advent of mass media, ‘going public’ has been a key tool in the strategic inventory of presidents seeking to promote their policies to politicians and the public. Over the last decade, social media has offered presidents and their office with a new platform to address the nation directly without relying on traditional media gatekeepers. Nevertheless, both ‘going public’ strategies and presidents’ use of social media have almost exclusively been researched in the context of the presidential systems. The aim of this article is to extend research and offer the first systematic study of presidential Twitter use in European semi-presidential systems. We conceptualise presidential Twitter use as a form of presidential activism that is complementary to the use of formal powers or informal attempts to influence policy. Whereas the latter are driven by institutional or partisan conflict, going public strategies and presidential Twitter use primarily address societal concerns and, hence, are motivated by contextual factors outside the core realm of party politics. Instead, we should expect social conflict and societal grievances to determine demand and supply of presidential Twitter use. We test our propositions using a new dataset of tweets by presidents in European semi-presidential systems 2010–2020.

Political Labeling on Social Media: a Netnographic Study of “SDM Rendah” in Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election on X (Twitter)

The 2024 presidential election campaign in Indonesia has produced various unique phenomena, including the emergence of the "Low Human Resources'' (SDM Rendah) label directed at the supporters of candidate pair 02 by the supporters of candidate pairs 01 and 03. The existence of this label has become a spotlight because it reflects the dynamics of politics and social interaction within the community. In conducting the netnographic research strategy in this study, the primary focus is on gaining a deep understanding of the underlying reasons for this labeling, as well as how it affects public perception and the overall political dynamics. The social media platform X was selected as the research subject due to its crucial role in facilitating communicative interaction, including the labeling process. It is expected that the results of this research can provide deeper insights into the phenomenon of labeling in the political realm on the X social media platform, as well as provide a better understanding for politicians and the public regarding the importance of using social media platforms wisely in the political context. This research also has significant academic implications in the field of communication science, particularly in the theory of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), which can contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of social media in contemporary politics. The practical implications cannot be overlooked either, especially in the efforts to raise awareness of the power and impact of social media platforms in the political context during the 2024 presidential campaign in Indonesia.

The Concept of Individuality in Ujamaa: Hermeneutical Historical and Phenomenological Aspects of Politics in Tanzania

The phenomena of politics in Tanzania show tension in individual’s freedom of speech as the product of human rationality. This study attempts to display the indispensability of historical influence of the concept of individuality in Ujamaa in the present political realm despite the fact that there is denial of the existence and influence of Ujamaa in the current politics. The hermeneutical method of the source material has been used with a systematic description of ideas in Ujamaa in the past and its interpretation and implication in the present and future. The findings show that the anthropological values in Ujamaa were over shadowed by authoritative elements in the past and so do in the current situation the condition which hinders the individual freedom of unity in diversity in the political realm, the idea which is crucial in the global and digital nation.

Reflections on the Challenges of Old-age Security and Policy Options for an Ageing Population

The global phenomenon of population aging is advancing at an unprecedented pace, particularly in China, where the accelerating aging process poses substantial challenges to the existing pension security system. The issue of elderly care has emerged as a critical topic in the realms of society, economy, and politics, impacting national sustainability and social stability. The challenges brought about by an aging society extend beyond the pressures of pension payments and insufficient elderly care services, encompassing risks related to funding sources and management, as well as concerns over the fairness of the security system. In the face of these challenges, there is an urgent need to optimize pension policies, advance pension system reforms, enhance the elderly care service system, and strengthen the coordination between social and medical security to construct a more equitable and sustainable pension security framework. Measures must be collaboratively advanced through top-level institutional design, policy execution efficiency, and societal involvement to provide robust support in addressing the challenges of aging. This paper will delve into the impact of population aging on the pension security system, analyze the current state and shortcomings of policies, and propose strategies to enhance the system's resilience, offering insights and recommendations for strengthening the pension security framework.

Therapy in turmoil: Russian psychotherapists navigate war and ethics

This ethnographic study explores how Russian psychotherapists are navigating professional ethics and politics after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysing a conversation between an instructor and students at a psychotherapy training centre in Russia, the study examines how therapists negotiate neutrality, values and therapeutic approaches in a shifting sociopolitical landscape. The author identifies four approaches to delineating the boundaries between professional practice and political engagement and explores how the boundaries between therapeutic and political realms are constantly negotiated through social interaction. These processes highlight tensions within Russian therapeutic culture and offer insights into professional subjectivity formation amid political turmoil, revealing the complex interplay between individual subjectivity, professional identity and sociopolitical structures in contemporary societies. The research contributes to anthropological understandings of professional communities as mediators between individuals and states. The study also shows how cultural norms adapt to political pressures and illuminates the role of therapeutic practices in shaping societal responses to political events in authoritarian settings.

Under the Watchful Eyes of the Supreme Leader: Iranian Politics and the Art Market

Abstract This article studies the relationship between politics and the art market. It adopts the Iranian model and analyzes how the political advancement of the Islamic Republic influenced aesthetics, art production, and the art market, to highlight how a conservatively religious model—governed by theocracy—impacts an otherwise prosperous and affluent culture. As such, this study also explores the correlation between art and moral virtues within a society. According to data, exportation of Iranian art was enjoying a far more lucrative climate the world over prior to the 1979 revolution. After the Islamic Revolution, artists, collectors, art galleries, and museums were forced to carve a confined space of existence and self-expression as a consequence of the endless limitations imposed. The political realm directly affected artists’ aesthetics, materiality, subject matter, and exposure. Artists were somewhat isolated from the global art scene, and their practice was defined by predetermined moral restrictions and boundaries. As for the art market, it became a hidden and unregulated market where the sale of artworks was muddled with money laundering and illegal exchange.

Busybodies and Quietists, Yesterday and Today: Discovering Debates about Phronēsis in Nicomachean Ethics 6.8

Abstract Nicomachean Ethics 6.8 has been interpreted in a variety of ways. One dispute involves Aristotle’s remarks about the relationship of phronēsis to politics: does Aristotle claim that phronēsis is foremost applicable to an individual’s private life, to the political realm, or to some combination of the two? Two features of this dispute make it worthy of closer attention. First, the conflict of interpretations has not been documented as such. Second, I argue this contemporary conflict is a repetition of an ancient conflict about phronēsis that was being waged in 5th/4th century Athens. Phronēsis was a contested term alongside two related terms, apragmosynē (quietism) and polypragmosynē (meddlesomeness), and the construction of lines 1141b23–1142a12 enters into this historical debate to create a productive tension between two rival views. Aristotle heightens the tension between views represented by quietists and busybodies for his own purposes. In section 1, I surface the neglected historical frame of Nicomachean Ethics 6.8. In section 2, I turn to the contemporary conflict of interpretations, showing how it repeats the historical frame in many ways, and I provide a basic taxonomy of the views typically offered. In section 3, I bring the two debates – historical and contemporary – together and offer my own view of what Aristotle is up to in the passage. I argue that centering the historical frame in this passage highlights Aristotle’s use of Isocratean-style phronēsis, while also transforming the concept by connecting it to a series of questions that go beyond Isocrates’ view, thus preparing for a later exploration of the best forms of human living.

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.

Should end-users take their clothes off inside on a cold winter's day? Sustainability pressures on district heating professionals in Denmark

This research explores how district heating (DH) sector professionals /employees experience the low-carbon energy transitions-related change processes in the Danish heat supply sector. Enquiry draws upon mixed data collected among DH employees from 148 utilities. Geels’ triple embeddedness framework conceptualizes the connections between regime-level actor experiences of niche- and landscape-level pressures, sustainability imperatives, and the associated change processes. This neo-institutionalist perspective finds that the historically stable DH regime-level institutions are being destabilised. It also reveals the tensions and change inertia associated with, for example, sunk costs, infrastructural path dependencies, and professional culture. For the DH professionals, and regime-level actors, these destabilization processes challenge what were previously core regime-level professional practices, skills and taken-for-granted standards for a job well done. Indeed, professional identity and pride may be at stake. Paradoxically, the identified DH sector norms for stable, affordable, and invisible heat supply service provision may not necessarily motivate DH end-users /customers towards more sustainable heat-use behaviours: DH end-users in Denmark have come to expect these DH community heat supply provision as taken-for-granted societal goods, and the topics of space heating and thermal comfort are increasingly dissociated from consumption-related debates within public, and political realms. This DH case study shows how landscape, regime, and actor-level socio-technical trajectories interact, and it exemplifies actor-structure relationships in situations of regime stress. Perhaps it proves an exemplary case for exploring the lock-in mechanisms, inertia, restraints, and potentials of change-processes within also other societal domains and institutional realms.

A family enterprise: The Shonubis of Ikorodu, 1919–1949

Abstract The impact of the Shonubi family on the economic and commercial interrelations between the Ikorodu district and Lagos during the colonial period is indelible. Two prominent personalities, a mother and her son, distinguished themselves in trade, commerce, agro-allied and the transportation sub-sectors of the economy by harnessing indigenous entrepreneurial ingenuity. The mother, Patricia Efun, was not only the «king of women» in the traditional political realm, but she was also indeed a leader in other dimensions. The son, Joseph Shonubi (popularly known as Owolowo), took the opportunity of his mercantile background to make a mark in the business world. However, apart from the personal and family benefits, their entrepreneurial exploits contributed to laying the foundation of post-colonial economic developments in Ikorodu and Lagos. This paper highlights the connections between family wealth and entrepreneurial exploits in the colonial Ikorodu district of the Lagos Colony. It is based on archival materials, oral interviews and newspaper reportage among others.

Political Ideology and Anthropomorphized Servant Versus Partner Brand Roles

Going beyond the realm of politics, consumers’ political ideology influences how they perceive brands portrayed in advertisements. This research examines how consumers respond to two distinct anthropomorphized brand roles (servant vs. partner). Across three experiments, we show the impact of brand roles on consumers’ willingness to purchase is contingent upon their political ideology. Politically conservative consumers manifest greater willingness to purchase servant brands over partner brands, as servant brand roles align better with their inherent beliefs of social dominance orientation, leading to temporarily heightened relaxation. In contrast, their politically liberal counterparts tend to be indifferent toward different brand roles, as they are less motivated to support social hierarchy. This research offers valuable implications for academics and industry practitioners in relation to understanding the social nature of brands and optimizing branding strategies by leveraging consumers’ political ideology.

In Defense of Central Bank Independence against its Enthusiasts

The problem of time inconsistency provides the basic economic rationale behind the independence of central banks, understood as the most suitable institutional mechanism for ensuring price stability. According to the consensus that emerged in the 1990s and the 2000s, endowing the central bank with independent decision-making authority over the use of monetary policy instruments, with a mandate for price stability, enhances the effectiveness of monetary policy and reduces the inflation volatility. It may be surprising that criticisms of the once almost sacrosanct independence arise after the Great Financial Crisis, when it is widely recognized that central banks “saved the world” from repeating the Great Depression of the 1930s. The paper is an attempt to explain the rationale why these cracks in the consensus have arisen and offers suggestions what to do about it. Independence has an economic basis that is as solid as its political foundation is fragile, because central banks are unelected power. And in the realm of economics and politics, the political economy of central banking may help us understand the evolution of the degree and the specific form of independence because of both internal and external political and economic constraints. The paper examines these issues in some detail, to contextualize the economic and non-economic threats to independence and discusses possible mitigants. Properly assessing the challenges is a prerequisite for preserving the value of this institution, which is perhaps the most important and effective institutional innovation of our time in macroeconomic policy.

Expectativas de gênero em campanhas: a incorporação do feminino na representação visual do masculino

Abstract This paper investigates the use of gender stereotypes during the primary presidential campaigns of 2022 in Brazil. Employing an interpretative visual methodology, the study analyzes 14 images that were sourced from the Instagram profiles of the two main candidates. The objective of the study is to explore the role of masculine and feminine elements within the candidates’ campaign aesthetics. We argue that feminine signifiers are discernible in the visual portrayal of both male candidates, contributing to a larger general trend in the political realm of softening authority figures.

Exploring the impact of sustainable finance on carbon emissions: Policy implications and interactions with low-carbon energy transition from China

With the increasing attention to environmental degradation and sustainable development goals, the low-carbon energy transition has emerged as a focal point in both academic and political realms. This research examines, under the framework of the Environmental Kuznets Curve, the impact of low-carbon energy transition, natural resource rents, and economic growth on environmental performance. Additionally, it delves into the regulatory role of green finance and transition finance in the nexus between low-carbon energy transition and environmental performance. The research findings reveal that the influence of low-carbon energy transition, economic growth, and natural resource rents on environmental performance exhibits distinct regional heterogeneity. The research also verifies the premise that the Environmental Kuznets Curve exists exclusively in the eastern area of China. Further investigation indicates that sustainable finance plays a crucial regulatory role in the relationship between low-carbon energy transition and environmental performance. According to these results, the paper suggests that provinces should establish dual environmental and economic goals and optimize financial policy design. Moreover, governments and enterprises should achieve sustainable development goals through means such as technological innovation, regulatory frameworks, and market mechanisms.

Post-Election Sentiment Analysis 2024 via Twitter (X) Using the Naive Bayes Classifier Algorithm

This study examines sentiment related to the topic of Twitter after the 2024 election, where the topic focused on the 2024 presidential election. Where there are a lot of public opinions and comments after the 2024 presidential election. One of them is the phenomenon when Anies-Muhaimin and Ganjar-Mahfud filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court (MK) to appeal over suspicions of fraud over the victory of the elected pair Prabowo-Gibran. By applying the Naïve Bayes Classifier algorithm to analyze public sentiment. Through data crawling, preprocessing, feature extraction, and sentiment classification, the study identified the dominant sentiment and its intensity among social media users. This methodology utilizes quantitative data analysis, using Twitter data linked to specific election-related hashtags. The findings reveal a mix of negative and positive sentiments, reflecting diverse public opinion about election results and related political developments. The accuracy of Naïve Bayes Classifier is highlighted, demonstrating its effectiveness in sentiment classification in the context of social media. This research contributes to understanding public sentiment in the political realm and improving methodological approaches in sentiment analysis using machine learning.

A geometric solution to political gerrymandering: A modified convex hull approach in ghana's democracy

In the realm of Ghanaian politics, gerrymandering is a practice that involves political leaders strategically manipulating the boundaries of voting constituencies to serve their vested interests. This research seeks to address the challenge of gerrymandering in Ghana by introducing a novel mathematical approach, a modified Convex Hull algorithm. The data were collected from the Asunafo North constituency, and the study aims to provide a practical and effective solution to promote electoral fairness, transparency, and democratic integrity in the Ghanaian political system. We develop and implement a modified Convex Hull algorithm, which provides a more accurate and relevant measure of compactness than traditional compactness metrics. The evaluated electoral constituency exhibited reduced susceptibility to gerrymandering, resulting in more equitable representation and a fairer political landscape.

Studi Mazhab Frankfurt School Jurgen Habermas Dalam Diskursus Etika Politik Indonesia

This study seeks to identify two principles in Jurgen Habermas's discourse, namely Indonesian universal political ethics and Indonesian discourse political ethics. Done by implementing a qualitative description approach with the type of literature study. Data consists of documents that include books, journals, and relevant research results. The collected data will then be understood, recorded, and phrased and then analyzed by actualizing Habermas's discourse theory which contains (Universal Ethics) and (Discourse Ethics). So that conclusions can be drawn. This study states that in universal ethics, the formulation and implementation of the principles of universal political ethics Indonesia uses the philosophy of Pancasila because it is identified as the basis of the state and ideology of the Indonesian nation. Thus, all legal doctrines and legal political mechanisms in Indonesia need to contain the values contained in Pancasila. Meanwhile, discourse ethics states that the ethical principles of Indonesian discourse are carried out with the mechanism of the concept of democracy which focuses on a discourse in a public space. Therefore, the moral principles of ethics only need to be applied in the realm of legal systems and politics (Universal Ethics) not in the realm of democracy (Discourse Ethics). Because discourse upholds the principle of freedom, there is no intervention and does not require moral verification by all participants like universal ethics.

Gender Disparities in Climate Resilience: Amplifying Voices of Women in Climate Change Issue in Indonesia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN 2023

Indonesia officially received the mandate as Chair of ASEAN from January 1 to December 31, 2023. During the post-COVID-19 pandemic, in the period 2022-2023 Indonesia received appreciation from the international community regarding the successful organization of international forums including the G-20. Indonesia's attitude is considered to remain neutral and maximize Indonesia's function as a middle-power at the level of multilateralism, amid geopolitical conflicts such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict and regional instability in the Middle East. But on the other hand, there are other issues in the realm of low politics, including the issue of climate change and women's vulnerability. As a region with a long coastline, it has a high potential risk as a chain effect of climate change. In addition, the gender disparity that is still quite high in this region is one of the factors that make women vulnerable to climate change issues, such as vulnerability in the labor, health and gender-based violence sectors. This paper focuses on seeing the extent to which Indonesia's role as chair of ASEAN in 2023 advocates the issue of climate change in a gender framework. The concept of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) which focuses on women's participation in the public sector and policy initiation is used as a framework. The expected results of this study can show the relationship between environmental issues and women's vulnerability and the imbalance between women's participation in the public sector and policy initiation. Keywords: GESI, women, climate change, ASEAN Chairmanship, Indonesia.

Artificial Intelligence and Media-politics: A Revolution in Communicative Dynamics?

This study aims to delve into communicative interactions within the realm of online politics, with a specific emphasis on the increasingly significant role of artificial intelligence (AI). In an era where digital technologies are radically transforming communication flows, the introduction of AI into political processes opens new prospects, but also presents numerous challenges. The research seeks to understand how these technologies are influencing political language and user engagement strategies, with profound repercussions on social and political dynamics. The methodology employed combines both qualitative and quantitative analysis. On the one hand, a qualitative analysis was conducted on AI-generated content within online political discussions, examining how this content influences political narratives and shape’s public opinion. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis evaluated the dynamics of engagement and interaction across various digital platforms, measuring the impact of AI on user behaviour and information dissemination. The findings of this research reveal that AI is not only transforming the language of politics but also altering the ways individuals participate in public debate. Artificial intelligences not only facilitate new forms of communication but can also influence power dynamics, either reinforcing or destabilizing existing structures. Based on these results, it is essential to balance technological innovation with the protection of democratic processes, ensuring that the use of AI is transparent, ethical, and oriented toward the common good. In conclusion, this contribution highlights the need for public debate and ongoing research on the social and political implications of AI, so that these technologies can positively contribute to the future of democracy.

Layered Environmental Discourses: Media Representations of Transnational Extractivism in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT The increase in Chinese extractive activities in Zimbabwe has created antagonism between issues related to development and the environment. The antagonism has generated conflicting perspectives in the local media. This study aims to investigate how the Zimbabwean mainstream media construct environmental discourses surrounding Chinese transnational extractive operations and represent the social impacts of extractivism at local and national levels. Critical discourse analysis was conducted to analyse news articles published within one year from two state media and two private media organisations. The findings suggest while the Promethean discourse holds a hegemonic position in state media, the discourses of limits and environmental justice coexist and compete with the Promethean discourse in private media. The state media constructs Chinese extractive activities as being socially and environmentally responsible and in harmony with Zimbabwean national developmental visions. The private media, in contrast, transforms the complex systems of transnational extractivism into a human character who collaborates with the domestic ruling class to conduct an “organised crime” in the local communities. Environmental journalism operates as a biased tool to serve the interests of dominant groups, extending media polarisation beyond the political realm and perpetuating an oversimplified dichotomy that has been cautioned against in Africa–China studies.