Political Tool Research Articles

China’s ‘Stadium Diplomacy’ in West Asia and North Africa: Soft-power Tool for Political and Economic Influence

China’s ‘Stadium Diplomacy’ in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) is a soft power strategy used to increase its regional political and economic influence. This strategy is part of a broader trend in which China increasingly uses soft power tools to project its global influence. Chinese companies are involved in building and funding large-scale sports facilities and stadiums used as venues for major international sports events. By investing in sports infrastructure, China can project an image of economic and technological prowess and gain access to raw materials, mineral resources, and markets while fostering closer diplomatic ties with countries in the region. Nevertheless, there are also concerns that China’s soft power efforts are being used to mask more strategic and geopolitical goals. While stadium diplomacy can be an effective soft power tool for building economic relationships and increasing influence, it must also be scrutinised and understood in the context of China’s broader strategic goals and interests.

Levelling up in a ‘decentralised’ England: place-based or ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategies?

ABSTRACT English policymaking has traditionally been centralised, assuming homogenous needs across regions and contributing to economic inequalities. The Levelling Up Agenda aims to address these disparities through a place-based approach using devolved Combined Authority (CA) organisations. Despite being the first national strategy with an extensive place-based focus, it faces criticism as a potentially centralised political tool. Concerns also exist about whether Combined Authorities can deliver regional economic development as they have centrally controlled aspects. If regional planning approaches are identical, decentralisation through Combined Authorities would essentially be futile. This paper uses a novel quantitative method with Strategic Economic Plans to determine if regional planning inhibits a place-based or ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, contributing data-driven insights to the debate regarding the efficacy of Combined Authorities. Through exploratory text analysis, hierarchical and K-means clustering, findings indicate regions adopt place-sensitive planning with varying sector priorities. A northern-southern and an inland-coastal distinction emerge, with London as an outlier. This suggests Combined Authorities are fit for purpose at this quantitative clustering level and do consider their geographical context in planning despite a devolved yet centrally controlled oxymoronic landscape. Collaborations like an inland and a coastal CA network are recommended to potentially maximise place-based growth.

Respons Generasi Z terhadap Konser Musik dalam Kampanye Politik 2024

This article explores music concerts as popular culture used for the 2024 Election political campaign in Semarang. The background of the article is that music concerts are a form of popular culture that is close to generation Z, which is being used by presidential candidate pairs for the 2024 election as a political tool to attract the sympathy of generation Z because generation Z dominates the voter list for the 2024 election. The focus of this article is on music concerts for political campaigns which was held in Semarang. Data collection in this paper applies qualitative methods. The findings in this paper show that music concerts for political campaigns have become popular culture that suits the character of generation Z. Each pair of candidates tries to attract the votes of generation Z through these music concerts. By bringing the character closer to generation Z, namely choosing bands and singers who are invited as representatives of the values ​​and identity held by generation Z. However, this causes cultural reification because generation Z does invoive to the political goals of the campaign and is more prioritize watching their favorite bands and singers. Thus, efforts to attract the votes of generation Z become ineffective because the political objectives of the campaign are sidelined by the interests of generation Z in seeking entertainment. However, popular culture, politics and generation Z are three things that are interconnected and become an important part of the 2024 political campaign. Music, which previously functioned as entertainment and art, has turned into a political stage for candidates to attract votes from Generation Z.

“The Revival of Islam”: a French view of the Islamic Revolution in Iran

In this article, the author investigates the responses of French diplomats and experts to the events occurring in Iran during 1978–1979 and their consequences. This analysis is conducted primarily in the context of the rising prominence of religious considerations in international relations. To this end, the author draws on materials from the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In France, the dual nature of these events was acknowledged. Firstly, there was a notable “re-Islamisation” of the populations in Muslim countries. In many of them, Islam became an influential factor in the formation of national identities after independence, serving to unify and stabilise communities. Secondly, French diplomats emphasised that while religion played a part in these developments, it was not the sole driving force. Rather, it was employed by local leaders as a political tool to advance their own agendas. The French experts demonstrated a tendency to overestimate the degree of Western influence on educated and wealthy sections of Muslim populations, while simultaneously underestimating the capacity of nationally oriented Islamic leaders and movements to modernise their respective countries. Furthermore, these experts also underestimated the ability of these leaders and movements to defend their right to development in accordance with their own customs and traditions. It is notable that many of the conclusions drawn by French diplomats at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s do not align with the contemporary interpretations of the French authorities. A review of the French Foreign Ministry notes from 1978 to 1979 revealed no mention of the issue of Islamic influence and its radical form in the Maghreb and the Middle East on the Muslim community in France.

Epistemic silences, subversive politics: post-disaster economic assessments as technologies of persistent coloniality and route to an emancipatory climate justice agenda in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT Economic analyses of losses and damages or post-disaster needs assessments (PDNAs) are silent about the longstanding reparatory claims related to the legacies of African enslavement, colonial violence and indigenous dispossession that compound uneven racialized geographies in the Caribbean. This paper unpacks these so-called ‘objective’ valuations drawing attention to their (neo)liberal framings, technocratic underpinnings, and historical origins in the Caribbean plantation economy. Using case studies of catastrophic hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017) and Dorian (2019) in Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas respectively, the paper exposes critical tensions, knowledge hierarchies, and contradictions embedded within empirical assessments that justify and prioritize preferred policies of powerful international development, financial and governance institutions. PDNAs under-value and neglect important community and local knowledge, solidarity practices, cultural institutions, and relational ethics in the face of climate disasters in these Caribbean islands. Taking a Black geographies and political economy approach, the paper addresses the limitations and risks associated with PDNAs, deemed political tools or technologies of climate disaster that reinforce oppression. To advance an emancipatory climate justice agenda to enable more radical reparative measures and possibilities, the paper suggests that analyses and political strategy must be grounded in people's history, cultural, ethical, and communal governance practices.

Sports as an instrument of nationalism and patriotism: a systematic literature review on the role of sports in shaping national identity in various countries

This study investigates how nationalism and patriotism are reflected in sports across various countries through a systematic literature review (SLR). Sports are often used as a tool to disseminate nationalistic and patriotic values, shape national identity, and strengthen social and cultural bonds. This study identifies and analyzes relevant literature from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases to provide a summary of current knowledge regarding the relationship between sports and nationalism/patriotism. The findings indicate that sports media plays a crucial role in propagating nationalism through the broadcasting of sports events, creating deep national narratives. Symbolism in sports also plays a role in reinforcing national identity, as seen in traditional sports in Scotland. Additionally, sports are used as a political tool to promote nationalism and political legitimacy, particularly in countries like China and South Korea, where sports heroes and naturalized players become symbols of nationalism and patriotism. The study also reveals that media shapes public perception of nationalism and patriotism through narratives that highlight athletes' achievements as a form of national sacrifice. Various theories and analytical approaches, including critical discourse analysis and necropolitical theory, are employed to understand the complex dynamics between sports and nationalism. In conclusion, sports have a multifaceted role in shaping social and cultural dynamics, as well as national identity in various countries. This research provides valuable insights for academics, policymakers, and sports practitioners in leveraging the potential of sports to promote nationalism, patriotism, and social cohesion at both national and international levels. By understanding this role, we can create a more cohesive and united society amidst increasingly complex global challenges.

Governmentality, Democracy, and Liberalism: Desire in Samrat Upadhyay’s ‘The Guru of Love’

In Samrat Upadhyay’s The Guru of Love (2003), the political and the personal intersect, with the novel as a genre exposing how they are interwoven. In the Nepali-American novelist Upadhyay’s novel, democracy and liberalism operate through the management and redirection of desires, instead of constraining them. The novel itself, as a genre, becomes the canvas for orchestrating this transformative process, engaging both characters and readers. Set against the backdrop of Nepal in the global south, The Guru of Love challenges conventional notions, suggesting that democracy’s efficacy does not hinge on industrialisation and education alone. Instead, democracy itself can serve as a potent political tool for nurturing a citizenry that favours such politics. As this novel shows, the key tenet of liberal and capitalist governance lies in the augmentation and regulation of the individual’s desires. Upadhyay’s novel is a testament to the celebration of individualism and shows the workings of capitalist and liberal deregulation as a mechanism for managing and channelling desires. It portrays how these political ideologies shape and mould the individual’s personal aspirations and society’s political paradigms.

Russia vs America cyber war: space technology mastery competition

Mastery of computers and information systems in international relations is one of the elements of a country's new power. In the context of cyber warfare, Russia and the United States are trying to modernize their technology to secure their countries in the event of an attack from the opposing party. This research aims to analyze the space technology competition carried out by two major countries, namely Russia and the United States, to achieve Great Power status in the international world. This research focuses on the technological achievements of Russia and the United States in the field of space and their implementation in the form of cyber warfare. A qualitative case study is the research method chosen by the researcher. The research stages used by researchers are divided into data collection stages and data reduction, and the next stage is that researchers conduct analysis using data reduction techniques, namely summarizing, selecting, and focusing on the things needed in this study. The results of this study show that national security priorities are number one, and especially defense priorities for the United States are no longer terrorism but great power competition. NATO is an alliance or political tool that the US relies on to achieve great power.

The Bible in Christian Nationalist Rhetoric

Christian nationalism is not a new phenomenon in American political and cultural life, nor is the invocation of the Bible in pursuit of power. This essay surveys the use of the Bible in Christian nationalist rhetoric in the United States, particularly in the context of American populism. The manner in which Donald Trump and his enablers employ the Bible as a political tool is a primary focus, particularly the comparisons to King David and Cyrus the Great. Both analogies reflect a concern with propagating a highly militant, masculine Bible in the service of White, Christian nationalism.

Femingas, una herramienta (de)construcción feminista

This research paper presents an experiential map drawn from my experience as an architect, aiming to understand the barriers, challenges, tools, and alternatives encountered in the practice of construction and spatial modification alongside women and sexual and gender dissidents. I propose a critical lens that seeks to (de)construct traditional notions formed by gender stereotypes and binary logics. Additionally, I highlight specific cases of spatial intervention to grasp the challenges faced by those of us who seek to build. I recount the first experience of the Femingas1 as the seed of a personal and political tool.

THE NATIONAL BUILDING POLICY IN KAZAKHSTAN: CIVIC OR ETHNOSOCIAL IDENTITY?

This study demonstrates how Kazakhstan, once entangled in the complex interaction between tradition and the challenges of modernity, is now actively shaping its national identity. Against the backdrop of the issues surrounding identity politics, nationalism, and post-Soviet transitional processes, this article sheds light on Kazakhstan's decisive steps in creating and exporting a unique national narrative in the realm of state-building. This narrative goes beyond simple adaptation of external models and reflects the country's growing academic and intellectual contribution to the global discourse on national identity formation. The article examines the synthesis of governmental efforts, public knowledge, and practical ideology that underpins the formation of national policy. Special attention is given to the fact that in the post-socialist space, Kazakhstan does not merely adhere to a policy of “de-Sovietization” but also redefines its policy as an expression of sovereign identity and national leadership. The study focuses primarily on the process of «Kazakhization» - a significant paradigm in the post-Soviet context. Unlike other post-Soviet narratives, which tend to criticize or deny history or use it merely as a political tool, the Kazakh approach is aimed at strengthening the multifaceted Kazakhstani identity. In this process, Kazakhstan balances between collective civic identity (Kazakhstani) and ethnonational Kazakh identity (Kazakh), reflecting a conscious departure from the rejection or opposition to the past. Instead, the country seeks to integrate and enhance its unique national essence.

KISWAHILI RADIO BROADCASTING IN KENYA: PERSPECTIVES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This research aimed to look into the falling standards of content in radio broadcasts in Kenya and the disengagement of audiences due to commercialization, regulatory pressures, and competition from vernacular and digital platforms. The objectives of this paper were to evaluate the impact of these challenges on Kiswahili radio stations, identify possibilities for enriching their content and expanding their audience bases, and strategies towards media relevance in Kenya’s dynamic landscape. A qualitative approach involving semi-structured interview guides with Kenyan leading radio producers and presenters, key informants, and listeners was employed to provide an analytical perspective on listening habits and key concerns about Kiswahili radio. Findings indicate that Kiswahili radio has played a significant role in promoting public discourse by offering a platform for people to voice their opinions concerning national matters and the cultural significance of indigenous customs and practices while creating a sense of belonging among its listeners. They act as a medium through which important messages relating to healthcare services and governance are passed across to others, including political communication tools that mobilize the masses for elections. Factors such as lack of funds, new technologies, political interference, and linguistic variety can sooner or later bring negative effects, affecting the stations’ programming quality and ability to respond to the constantly changing media environment. However, barriers encountered in this study suggest that growth in Kiswahili radio broadcasting can still be achieved through embracing digitization, diversification of revenue, upholding good journalism practices, inclusiveness of the community, geographical expansion, and regional and international outreach.

Central Government Political Intervention in the Implementation of Educational Autonomy in Indonesia

This article presents a critical analysis of the central government's political intervention in the administration of educational autonomy in Indonesia. In reference to developed countries, education is a fundamental commodity and a top priority for developing national potential in global competition. In democratic countries, it is imperative to manage the government and its related elements using a democratic system. In the context of education in Indonesia, as a democratic country, educational institutions should ideally have ample space to determine their direction in accordance with the needs and demands of the times within the framework of national educational goals. Therefore, the expectation is that the education system should be developed in a decentralized (autonomous) manner rather than centralized. However, in reality, the national education system law has become a political tool for the government to set centralized policies without considering regional situations and conditions. In this issue, the central government seems to enforce the implementation of all educational policy products, particularly in the curriculum sector. The findings of this study indicate that the national education curriculum has undergone 11 changes from 1947, 1952, 1964, 1968, 1975, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2006, 2013, and 2022 based on the central government's political policies. These curriculum changes have both positive and negative impacts on the improvement of education quality. The positive impact is that students acquire current knowledge in line with contemporary demands, while the negative impact is that teachers are confused in responding to these changes, which in turn lowers student achievement.

Political elite social listening: How Portuguese MPs perceive their own motivations to join and use Twitter/X

Most studies on political actors’ use of Twitter focus on content and social network analysis, but not on their motivations and passive usage. We applied a questionnaire to a significant sample of 94 Members of Parliament (MPs), with a quota sample sized by political party representation in Parliament, to survey their motivations to have or not a Twitter account and their uses. We concluded that MPs see Twitter mostly as a political tool unlike other social media platforms. The most common motivation to join and use Twitter is to read other politicians’ opinions which helps explain why the small Twitter adoption in Portugal does not deter its use as their peers and political elite is on the platform. That twitter elite can even be a motivator to join as their peer social capital is key to re-election in closed list-elections countries such as Portugal.

Analysis of communication media in emergency warning visuals; Indonesia Regional Election Bill: Theory and Understanding

This study examines the role of communication media, particularly in the dissemination of emergency content with a blue Garuda backdrop related to the Regional Election Bill (RUU Pilkada) in Indonesia. The primary focus of this research is to understand how communication, especially through social media, is utilized to mobilize users and generate public opinion communication. Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzes visual demonstration content spread through social media and applies theories of human communication and mediated communication to user perception and political engagement. The findings indicate that social media has become an extremely effective political communication tool, allowing information to spread rapidly and reach a broad audience. Emergency warning visuals shared on social media platforms are effective in capturing public attention, triggering mass mobilization, and stimulating political discussions across different segments of society. The study concludes that social media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and encouraging political participation concerning legislative issues such as the RUU Pilkada. The results highlight the importance of understanding communication from media communication perspectives for maintaining healthy and productive communication practices.

Transcending Religious Identity

This paper aims at exploring the evolution of religion and its relevance in contemporary society. It focuses on the journey of Sanatana Dharma, popularly known as Hinduism: how misbalance in religious and sociocultural life led it to divisive nature, and becoming a victim of hypocrisy and blind faith resulting in repulsion; how it became a strong political tool; how it affects identity of people; and why people prefer to be called humanists instead of being its followers in order to transcend their religious identity. The theories of the origin of religion have been explored along with some religious scriptures and their cultural significance in order to better understand the present relevance of religion.

Students Want to Build Anti-racist Praxis: How to Support Them in the Classroom with Grassroots Organizers

While university institutions have been legally codified as sites of free expression and academic autonomy, university administrations consistently repress student-led campus rebellion and activism against racism. With the resurgence of intersectional and transnational anti-racist and anti-war student activism across college campuses, how can sociology educators pedagogically invest in students’ desires to build anti-racist praxes within and beyond the university? Informed by experiences with mutually constructive grassroots spaces and undergraduate courses, I argue that educators of race, including but not limited to sociologists, must engage with grassroots and community organizers (especially organizers who are racially minoritized and queer, femme, and/or gender non-normative) and incorporate their learning tools for popular and political education. First, I use the example of “community agreements” to show how educators can incorporate political and popular education tools into their race courses to help their students build their anti-racist toolkits. Second, I discuss two examples of how educators can collaborate directly with working class and racially minoritized grassroots organizers and invite them into the classroom. I end with a call to support community-centered learning spaces beyond the university classroom, as it can strengthen anti-racist pedagogy. Despite academic and state repression, I highlight the long-held tradition and responsibility of educators to support their students’ anti-racist critiques and action. Continuing June Jordan’s anti-racist pedagogical legacy (along with others alike), the university can only survive through co-learning and co-building with students and grassroots organizers, especially racially minoritized ones.

Attempts at a Marxist Critique of Cancellation

Abstract This paper advances a Marxist critique of the politics of cancellation and raises concerns about the possible development of a cancel culture. Rather than delving into debates on freedom of speech, crucial though they are, this paper focuses on the pragmatics of the political tool – its goals, mechanisms, effects, and the underlying reasoning. From a Marxist perspective, it is essential to analyse cancellation and cancel culture holistically, considering their rationale, the mechanism, the objectives, and the impacts, along with their relationship to the material conditions of society. Such an analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of any historical development and argues that addressing political problems in the long term requires such a holistic approach, including the development of relevant productive forces. If cancellation evolves into a culture, it may give rise to a polity that reinforces market relations. Within the framework of historical materialism, this would be a case of the superstructure supporting the base, turning politics into a matter of private opinions, which is far from ideal. The paper concludes with some practical considerations.

Interaction of public administration and mass media in the context of digitalisation: problem statement

The article considers the current topic of interaction between public administration and mass media in the context of digitalisation. Digitalisation is defined as a glob -al trend changing socio-political reality. The concepts of “mass media” and “mass communication” are analysed in detail, and the features of their cooperation while expanding digital audience are revealed. In the realities of the 21st century, when digita lisation has a significant impact, the state transforms its functions, starting to actively interact with society and citizens, creating equal relations in the updated political system. An important link that unites information is mass media which closely cooperates with state authorities and the entire management system. Through the media, government agencies coordinate the efforts of various social groups and organisations without coercion, defining the main directions and strategies of socio-political initiatives and actions. The article highlights the use of the mass media as a political tool and a way to organise a dialogue between the state and civil society. It also analyses the influence of the mass media as the fourth branch of government. The author concludes that it is necessary to comprehensively study the problem of interaction between public administration and mass media for more effective functioning of both institutions. This means that in the context of digitalisation, there is a need to consider changes in the media sphere and develop new approaches to media policy, given modern challenges and trends.

The Politics of Ambiguous Loss: Missing Persons and Social Ecologies after Armed Conflict

Abstract This article seeks to understand how the concept of ambiguous loss can help explain why and how the issue of missing persons becomes a tool of politics, in terms of being instrumentalized to advance particular political agendas. Ambiguous loss is constructed relationally within the social systems that family members of the missing occupy and, as a result, social and political contexts play a crucial role in both defining ambiguity and in mediating the impacts of ambiguous loss. Because ambiguity is discursively and relationally constructed and meaning made from it subject to existing power relations, it is inherently political. The extreme and chronic trauma of ambiguous loss reshapes individuals’, families’ and, potentially, communities’ perspectives on events in which people have gone missing, making the trauma of ambiguous loss one that lends itself to being framed as a collective trauma with impacts for the entire group. More than this, the impacts of ambiguous loss resonate with what have been called ‘chosen traumas’, used to create group identities in the light of extreme experiences. In particular, the importance in ambiguous loss of meaning making and of the challenge of forgetting resonates with what makes collective traumas effective tools of politics.