Political Solutions Research Articles

Disagreeing to Agree: Populism and Consensus Among Members of Parliaments and Their Voters

Populism is theoretically associated with an antagonistic interpretation of politics. Populists tend to morally delegitimize their adversaries, exhibit “bad manners” toward them, and sometimes even try to exclude them from “the people.” They are also more inclined to prioritize radical policy and institutional changes. Therefore, populism appears to be directly at odds with consensus politics. This research aims to empirically test this relationship. Using two original surveys focused on the Spanish context, we investigate the relationship between populist attitudes and the propensity to consensual political solutions, examining both citizens and their political representatives. Our results confirm that populist attitudes contribute to low support for consensual approaches toward politics among both members of parliament (MPs) and citizens, but this relationship depends on the individual’s specific dimensions of populism. Anti-systemic and moral Manichaean attitudes are associated with less consensual preferences both for MPs and citizens, whereas people-centrist and identitarian populist attitudes exhibit this negative effect only among citizens. These results provide new insights into the ramifications of populist attitudes and underscore the importance of empirically examining the concept of populism across its various dimensions.

Syrian Civil War and Its Implication on Regional Politics

Syria's strategic location at the crossroads of the Middle East, combined with its rich cultural diversity, has long made it a key player in regional politics. The ongoing Syrian war, which is in its tenth year, has serious effects on regional stability and international security. This article explains the importance of Syria's geopolitical position, its historical background and the serious impact of the war on the political region. Examining the complexity of war, its consequences, and international cooperation, this article highlights the complexity of the conflict and its profound impact on the Middle East and beyond. Religious landscape as a concept of place also adds to the complexity of the conflict. It analyzes the role of various regional and international actors, including Iran, Russia, the United States, and the European Union, in exacerbating or easing the conflict. Additionally, the article discusses the humanitarian crisis, the rise of terrorist groups and the impact of the war on neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. He emphasizes that a political solution is needed for long-term security and peace in the Middle East. Examining the war, its consequences, and international cooperation, this article sheds light on the ongoing conflict between Syria and the future of the region; It sheds light on policymakers, academics, and anyone trying to understand the complexity of this important issue.

Morality vs. Politics as a Framing Problem: How (Not) to Misunderstand the Fight Against Climate Change

AbstractThis paper is guided by two research hypotheses: (1) In contemporary public discourse, many of the most urgent political problems are predominantly framed and understood in moral terms; (2) this shift in framing has far-reaching consequences, impeding our understanding of the underlying problems and their eventual solution. The two hypotheses are demonstrated using multiple examples, with the fight against climate change serving as the main case study. The moral framing (thinking in terms of individual actions, duties and obligations, blame and personal responsibility) is shown to crowd out political considerations (focused on institutions and policy), even when such moral considerations are either out of place or immaterial. Consequently, individual actions and responsibility are shown to be overemphasized in contemporary public discourse to such an extent that the viable political solutions are often discounted or overlooked.The context of the argument offered here is provided by the realism-moralism debate on the distinction between morality and politics. The ambition of the paper is to show that, regardless of their possible deeper distinction (the “distinctively political normativity”), there is a strong pragmatic case for carefully distinguishing between ethical and political theorizing. Morality and politics provide different frames, distinct interpretive frameworks that consequently give rise to contrasting solutions. Therefore, they need to be kept apart.

Major Factors Contributing to the Failure of Digitalization in the Public Sector Organizations: An Analysis of the Federal Government of Pakistan

Pakistan is a developing country with rather traditional and outdated models of governance that does not effectively correspond to the postmodern practices of electronic and digitalized governance. A majority of initiatives aimed towards incorporation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the public sector are not satisfactorily implemented and do not bear positive impacts for improving public service. The purpose of this paper to analyze and understand the factors the contribute to the failure in implementation of the initiatives and projects aimed to incorporate ICT and digitalization in the public sector of Pakistan. The paper scrutinizes this state of affairs through interviews and survey questionnaires targeted towards high ranking officials of the public sector and associated government departments and authorities. This paper is of quantitative nature and has been facilitated through interviews, surveys and questionnaires. The findings demonstrate that despite considerable continued efforts, prevailing predicaments of inflexible red tape, paucity of financial resources, incompetence of public sector staff and unstable political scenario are factors that hinder the progress of digitalization. This is a major gap identified in this paper. Furthermore, the paper also suggests and recommends practical solutions to cope with these problems, including political solutions and recommendations for financial problems.

The United States, the 1954 Geneva conference on Indochina, and the failure of military intervention

The Geneva Conference of 1954 was supposed to reach a diplomatic solution between the states involved in the First Indochina War. However, the United States, because of its foreign policy, was not going to accept a political solution, and therefore favored multilateral military intervention called United Action. But historiography is still grappling with the question of whether the president of the United States Dwight David Eisenhower was considering sending troops, or whether it was only a threat of intervention to improve the negotiating position in Geneva. As the study shows, Eisenhower undoubtedly considered moves toward intervention.

Regional security and the role of regional players

The article examines the importance and necessity of creating a new international organization designed to take on the role of ensuring regional security. As an example, the Astana process to resolve the Syrian crisis, which was created with the participation of Russia, Iran and Turkey, is considered. Thus, the countries demonstrated the ability to take responsibility for ensuring regional security in the conflict zone. Russia, Iran and Türkiye were able to develop specifi c ways to resolve this crisis situation. Using the experience of the Astana format, such major players as Russia, Türkiye and Iran could find ways to solve other international problems. And here they may be joined by another influential world power — China. The strength of the new international security architecture will depend on these states. China has long played an important role in maintaining global stability. And here we can note the special role of mediation diplomacy, which has recently become the most striking calling card of Chinese diplomacy. Thus, in March 2023, with the participation of China, a historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran took place. In light of the recent escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli confl ict, China has published a position paper on a political solution to the crisis. The document off ers recommendations to resolve the problem, namely, a complete cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, provision of humanitarian assistance, strengthening diplomatic mediation and the search for a political settlement. The authors come to the conclusion that, taking into account the accumulated experience in fi nding ways to resolve acute regional conflicts, and by joining forces, Russia, China, Iran and Türkiye are able to create an international structure for resolving crisis situations, which will become a guarantor for ensuring international security and stability.

The grand strategy of a non-Western small state: Sri Lanka and the LTTE during 2006-2009

ABSTRACT This article examines the grand strategy of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) vs. the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during 2006–2009. It examines the conflict in terms of civil war and history, explores the concept of grand strategy, and suggests a typology of ways to bring change (Fight, Cooperate, Manipulate) along with a definition. The article argues that the grand strategic decision to Fight ended the LTTE’s insurgency, and concludes that any sustainable political solution, let alone peace, should follow military victory, not the other way around.

Dual Systems of Urban Villages: Autonomy and Informal Governance Mechanisms of Yuan Village in Guangzhou

Implementing demolition and transformation policies in urban villages is essential for effective urban governance. However, these villages possess distinctive governance models and entities that set them apart from general urban and rural communities. This study examines the autonomous “informal governance” process in Guangzhou's Yuancun urban village through a case study approach. It investigates the formation mechanisms of the “dual system”. The study underlines the significance of grassroots innovation and the Chinese Communist Party's role in attaining governance autonomy. Despite the government's aim to integrate urban villages into the urban governance system, persistent challenges arise from these unique models and entities. The Village Company plays a pivotal role in promoting stable governance through participatory practices and economic advantages. Resolving the complex issues in urban villages necessitates integrated economic, political, and social solutions. Empowering the Village Company to handle specific public affairs can facilitate the transition towards the modernization of grassroots governance.

Settling Softly: Ending War and Making Peace in Divided Societies

This paper investigates possible sociopolitical reconciliatory mechanisms to garner support for peacemaking in conflict-torn societies. Building on the Kurdish question in Turkey, associated with a four-decade-long armed conflict that has spilled over into neighboring Syria and Iraq, we identify policies and framing that can attract support for a political solution to the conflict. We highlight the need for a sociopolitical reconciliatory approach that addresses both the hopes of the warring minority and the fears of the majority. The results from an original nationwide survey indicate that minority demands can initially be addressed through a ‘soft settlement,’ lying between individual and collective rights. Our results point to the need to relax the concept of negotiated settlement, which has become the most frequent approach to ending internal armed conflicts in the post-Cold War era.

Architectures of Terror

International Relations theory, in spite of having undergone several epistemic iterations, continues to analyze urban warfare via outdated perspectives. This is exemplified in the state-centric analyses that dominate the literature on the history of Israel-Palestine. There is an overwhelming concentration on policy and belligerent behaviors and little to no consideration of anthropocentric perspectives. This results in a near-total exclusion of human suffering from discussions of the conflict and its impacts on everyday civilian life, which in turn heavily alters the socio-political foundations. The academic domains of critical theory and human geography have, however, made good progress in capturing the severity of these discourses, enabling a nuanced understanding of the manner in which conflict management takes place. This paper aims to unify these perspectives and in so doing, expand the grammar of realpolitik – identifying it as a competent domain of IR that primarily focuses on conflict and its modalities. Making use of diffractive reading and analysis, this paper showcases the impact of realpolitik from the perspective of those affected. The aim is to inject empathy into contemporary mainstream discussions that deal with complex geopolitical situations such as Israel-Palestine. To that end, post-structuralist perspectives from continental philosophy, human and critical geography and affect theory are employed. Additionally, the philosophy of realism is theorized to be the epistemic foundation of realpolitik, and is subsequently dissected. The paper concludes by arguing for interdisciplinary approaches into the existing subject matter of realpolitik, a re-evaluation of the epistemic foundations and reflections on practical novelties. Note that this paper in no way aims to suggest political solutions, legal interventions or strategic shifts, but rather interprets the methods of urban warfare used by the Israeli Defense Forces, which defies traditional operational logic.

The Politics of the Status Quo in Sri Lanka

Resistance to political change is a hallmark of Sri Lankan politics since the 1980s. Thus, the polity has been able to sturdily maintain the status quo. Linking contemporary politics with the political legacies of the 1980s, the article argues that by providing continuity to the 1978 constitution, Sri Lanka’s political system has become a hostage to the status quo. This is shown in the analysis of the functioning of democracy, and ethnic conflict and peace-making. The rise of illiberal democracy is traced to the present constitution and the centralizing tendencies of the J.R. Jayewardene regime. While some successive power-crazed leaders have nurtured illiberalism, others have undertaken a limited constitutional reform. Yet, none of them have rejected illiberalism altogether and shown commitment to a liberal constitutional order. Likewise, the debate on political solution is centred on the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. Both the government and opposition leaders have a shared interest in failing every peace initiative and denying a permanent political solution. Together they form a barrier to comprehensive political reform in the country.

Interrogating Insurgence in the South-East Nigeria: A Political Brouhaha or a Political Solution?

Interrogating Insurgence in the South-East Nigeria: A Political Brouhaha or a Political Solution?

Lessons for Israel's Gaza War In America's Strategic Blunders

AbstractLessons learned from counterterrorism operations indicate that purely military solutions are doomed to fail, and Israel is primed to repeat many of these mistakes. The comparison between America's post‐9/11 wars and the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict is not perfect: Al‐Qaeda was in Afghanistan but was not native to the country, and the transnational ISIS emerged out of the chaos in Iraq and Syria. Hamas, by contrast, represents a resistance movement indigenous to Gaza. The militant group is deeply rooted in the political and social struggle for Palestinian self‐determination, and its activities and support are motivated by desperate conditions on the ground. If Israel's assaults on Gaza in retaliation for the October 2023 Hamas bloodbath are to achieve enduring security, key questions arise, including whether the conflict will end with military occupation or political settlement. I argue that Israel should learn from the US strategic blunders in Afghanistan and Iraq. Absent a political solution, Israelis are likely to face terrorist assaults in the future. The military campaign may weaken or impair Hamas's infrastructure and power bases in Gaza, but without a plan for governance and development, Israel is likely to face the re‐emergence of a broadly based resistance movement.

Off-balance-sheet policies to the rescue: The role of statistical expertise for European public–private partnerships

Off-balance-sheet policies are an important but understudied phenomenon that emerged from a technical subtlety in the calculation of public debt statistics. Taking the case of an exemplary European off-balance-sheet policy, public–private partnerships (PPPs), this paper analyzes the technocratic processes that allow the emergence of such debt-neutral instruments. In the aftermath of the sovereign debt crisis, off-balance-sheet policies have become an important policy tool for Member States in the European Economic and Monetary Union, enabling them to strike a balance between the perceived ‘public investment gap’ and the mantra of fiscal consolidation. The case study shows how the lack of political solutions to Europe’s investment-consolidation conundrum leaves it to technical experts to find workable solutions within the existing rules. The off-balance-sheet status of PPPs came under threat in 2014 but was reaffirmed through a coordinated effort by two strange bedfellows: the European Investment Bank (EIB), a promoter of PPPs, and Eurostat, the European authority responsible for public debt and deficit indicators. I argue that Eurostat and the EIB have entered into strategic cooperation to increase each other’s room for manoeuvre, diffuse political pressure and avoid bureaucratic overload. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the role of technocrats and their expertise, which shape the mutual relations between fiscal constraints and financialized investment policies in the European investor states.

Human adaptation to heat in the context of climate change: A conceptual framework

Climate change is causing serious damage to natural and social systems, as well as having an impact on human health. Among the direct effects of climate change is the rise in global surface temperatures and the increase in the frequency, duration, intensity and severity of heat waves. In addition, understanding of the adaptation process of the exposed population remains limited, posing a challenge in accurately estimating heat-related morbidity and mortality. In this context, this study seeks to establish a conceptual framework that would make it easier to understand and organise knowledge about human adaptation to heat and the factors that may influence this process. An inductive approach based on grounded theory was used, through the analysis of case studies connecting concepts. The proposed conceptual framework is made up of five components (climate change, vulnerability, health risks of heat, axes of inequality and health outcomes), three heat-adaptation domains (physiological, cultural and political), two levels (individual and social), and the pre-existing before a heat event. The application of this conceptual framework facilitates the assistance of decision-makers in planning and implementing effective adaptation measures. Recognizing the importance of addressing heat adaptation as a health problem that calls for political solutions and social changes. Accordingly, this requires a multidisciplinary approach that would foster the participation and collaboration of multiple actors for the purpose of proposing effective measures to address the health impact of the rise in temperature.

Bright-siding stigma: Older adults' experiences at a higher weight in Atlantic Canada.

The lived experiences of higher-weight people vary; homogenous samples may fail to capture this diversity. This study develops an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of higher-weight (Body Mass Index ⩾ 30) older adults (⩾60 years of age) in a Canadian Atlantic province. Participants (n = 11) were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured interview guide twice at 2-to-3-month intervals regarding their perceived treatment in social and health situations; how positive and negative healthcare experiences affected their health, lifestyles and healthcare seeking-behaviour; and recommendations in terms of patient experiences, access and inclusion. Participants infrequently reported negative experiences; however, participants' experiences were informed by uptake of moralistic, neoliberal discourses. Thematic content analysis identified two major themes: active citizenship (participants demonstrated internalisation of the imperative for weight loss, healthy lifestyles and active ageing) and bright-siding (participants expressed that a positive attitude could prevent/help cope with stigma). Results suggest that individualistic, rather than collective, political solutions to health and stigma have been taken up by higher-weight older adults in a Canadian Atlantic province, which may hinder attempts at structural reforms addressing stigma.

Aktiivinen ikääntyminen kuntien vanhuspoliittisten ohjelmien retoriikassa

Active ageing in the rhetoric of municipal strategies for older people In this article we study how active ageing is manifested in the rhetoric of municipal strategies for older people. Active ageing has been seen as a political solution for the challenges of ageing, which makes it important to analyze it in the context of policy documents. We study these strategies by applying Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca’s new rhetoric. According to our results, active ageing can be seen as model ageing (Timonen 2016), and different features concerning activity are associated with ageing, while some features, such as fear of ageing and seeing older adults only as users of social and health services, are dissociated from ageing. The role of society is important in supporting active ageing with the help of age-friendly environment and services.

Divergent Views and Common Values: Comparing Sustainability Understandings Across News Media, Businesses, and Consumers

ABSTRACT Sustainability has become a widely used term in public discourse, yet it is connected to a variety of meanings with diverging implications for possible societal, political, and economic solutions. This study identifies and compares how sustainability is constructed by news media, businesses, and consumers to reveal gaps that may hinder mutual understanding when striving for sustainable development. A quantitative content analysis of 282 Dutch news articles, 74 business websites, and 5473 consumer responses finds that news media fails to host a variety of different sustainability understandings. While businesses and consumers appear to mainly follow a sustain-centric view and acknowledge a long-term perspective, news articles are unspecific about their understanding of sustainability or focus on the aspect of energy. The ethical value of caring potentially unifies the diverging worldviews. The article discusses the implications if mainstream news media fail to provide an arena for diverse viewpoints on sustainability. Key policy highlights In the Netherlands, sustainability understandings diverge between news media, businesses, and consumers. Yet, this variety is not reflected in news coverage on sustainability, which implies that mainstream news does not provide an adequate picture of the public debate. Environmental aspects of sustainability are overall more prominent than societal concerns, which are only addressed by businesses. Consumers and businesses acknowledge a long-term perspective on sustainability, showing the influence that political definitions of such a complex public issue can have over decades. The results pertain to the Dutch context, but the diversity of viewpoints on sustainability is expected to be observed in other Western democracies with a pluralist media system.

The Challenges faced by the Iraqi electricity sector: Reform program and proposed solutions

The electricity crisis in Iraq presents a complicated challenge that extends beyond technical, administrative, and strategic dimensions, impacting the nation's economic and political landscapes. This research explores the roots of the crisis, emphasizing the need for comprehensive planning, enhanced leadership, and coordinated efforts within the state administration. This study proposes two alternative sources of financial support to revitalize the electricity sector. Firstly, the utilization of loans from local banks provides a viable economic and political solution, reducing costs associated with importing energy and alleviating the energy deficit. The second proposal suggests establishing a development investment fund, attracting local capital investments with competitive interest rates. These funds, reinvested in high-return projects, promise to augment the Ministry's revenues, and contribute to economic growth. To illustrate the viability of the proposals presented in this paper, a 1400 MW thermal power station is examined, comparing the cost of production (kWh) when financed by local banks against the cost of importing energy or purchasing from investors. Additionally, the study advocates for a rehabilitation program to increase unforeseen capabilities through maintenance campaigns, project acceleration, and a focus on the electric power transmission sector's development. In conclusion, the implementation of these proposals offers a transformative approach to address the electricity crisis in Iraq. Beyond immediate financial benefits, these initiatives contribute to economic growth, energy sustainability, and improved GDP income. The study emphasizes the necessity of a coordinated rehabilitation program and enhanced infrastructure development to realize a more resilient and efficient electrical system.

“The Ukrainian Issue” at the G7 Summits in Conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict 2014–2022

This article is aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of the G7 policy towards Ukraine in the context of Russian invasion 2014–2022. The hypothesis formed and verified in this paper is that since the beginning of Russian expansion on Ukraine in 2014 the G7 members have called for a negotiated process and a political solution to the conflict, but it was hardly possible to quickly adopt and implement timely and adequately decisions to resolve the crisis in the region through the bonding of global and regional security mechanisms. Thus, a comfortable field for prolonging the conflict, which has developed into a full-scale war, was formed. The research methodology is based on systemic, historical, structural and political approaches to the study of the problem. Research methods are comparative analysis, content analysis, chronological and classification methods.
 This study allows us to distinguish the stages of the G7 involvement in the “Ukrainian issue” in the period of 2014–2022. During these years, the group’s policy underwent three shifts in course, influenced in large part not only by the activities of Russia, but also by policy course changes of individual G7 members. The example of the nine-year unresolved local Russian-Ukrainian conflict shows that such crisis may pose a threat not only to regional, but also to global stability and there is a strong correlation between them.