Political Entities Research Articles

Hillforts and Cyclopean Structures of Western Azerbaijan: a Preliminary Analysis

Abstract The mountain area bordering Mesopotamia witnessed remarkable transformations to the human and cultural landscape starting from the end of the 2nd millennium. Stone hilltop structures began to spread and became the most distinct settlement form. Moreover, there was a dramatic increase in metalworking and weapons production, showing how the local social structure shifted towards militarization of society. These heavily fortified settlements have usually been labeled as “cyclopean fortresses” due to their similarity to European defensive structures. However, being built with large stones on strategic hilltops, they played different political and economic roles, and some were likely the seat of important local political entities. Fortresses from the southern Caucasus have attracted the attention of several distinguished scholars and studies, especially structures in present-day Armenia and northern Iran. This paper aims to present the evidence currently available regarding cyclopean structures in Western Azerbaijan, combining both remote sensing and soviet-era publications. A remarkable culture flourished during the Late Bronze–Early Iron Age in this area, generally known as “Hochdali-Kedabeg”.

Unveiling Regional Socio-economic Dynamics in the EB IB Southern Levant: The Case of the Gutter-Rim Bowls

Ceramic assemblages from Early Bronze IB sites in northern Israel are characterised by locally produced types of vessels. This contribution examines a specific bowl type referred to as the ‘Gutter-Rim Bowl’ (GRB), found in significant quantities in EB IB sites situated across the northern Coastal Plain, the Jezreel Valley and the central Jordan Valley. To understand the regional significance of GRBs, we have conducted a thorough analysis of their distribution and provenance by integrating existing and newly compiled databases. Petrographic results reveal a diverse range of raw materials used in the manufacturing of GRBs across most sites. Our findings suggest that the distribution pattern of GRBs is not solely dictated by practical utility, but is influenced by inter-regional relations among peer polities possibly engaged in competitive interactions. GRBs emerge as distinctive markers of local traditions tied to specific cultural and political entities, accounting for their prevalence in their respective territories. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the cultural and socio-political dynamics shaping EB IB ceramic traditions in northern Israel.

Deep Faking in a Flat Reality?

In this article, we examine surprising examples of how AI-driven political entities integrate within the public sphere. We focus on an image illustration by The Guardian that depicts the US President Joe Biden alongside three agents of The Synthetic Party (Det Syntetiske Parti, DSP) from Denmark, focusing on the theme of deepfakes and elections. We argue that The Guardian’s portrayal of Biden/DSP highlights a paradoxical shift caused by what we call a ‘deep faking’ within a ‘flat reality.’ On this basis, we venture into a conceptually transversal intersection of geometry, politics, and art by interrogating the wide flattening of political realities — a transformation conventionally characterized by a perceived move from depthful, nuanced discourse to a landscape dominated by surface-level engagements and digital simulacra. We suggest that this transformation may lead to a new political morphology, where formal democracy is altered by synthetic simulation.

Entre vozes e silêncios

The field of legal anthropology has widely debated Indigenous Peoples’ justice practices. However, the legal perspective of sexual offenses remains understudied. In this respect, this paper depicts the Arhuaco people's justice system, from the spiritual and political entities to the procedure, and sanctions, touching upon how the homogenized society influences Indigenous People’s justice in Arhuaco society. Furthermore, this work explores how the Arhuaco people resolve cases in which community members are allegedly responsible for committing sexual crimes. It also highlights some challenges connected to raising this type of offense and its lack of trust in authorities, disregard for the victim's version, and the difficulty of verifying these cases. During the fieldwork in the Arhuaco territory, the applied method follows some parameters of the procedural paradigm-legal conscience studies as an interpretive framework to understand how the Arhuaco women conceive the legal phenomenon. As a result, this study offers some insights into the Arhuaco women's perceptions of justice, specifically concerning sexual abuse cases. Such a perception is analyzed based on the Arhuaco women's political position, cultural and lineage origin, illustrating how they constantly go through inter-legality practices to claim justice for sexual offenses.

Fraud Factor Analysis Hexagon in Detecting Financial Report Fraud In Listed Companies in Indonesia: A Systematic Literature Approach

Financial reporting fraud is a significant challenge across industries, undermining stakeholder trust and the reliability of financial data. The Fraud Model Hexagon expands upon earlier models, like the Fraud Triangle and Fraud Diamond, by introducing six elements pressure, opportunity, rationalization, capability, ego, and collusion that offer a comprehensive view of the factors enabling fraud. This literature review systematically examines the model's effectiveness in detecting financial fraud within Indonesian corporations, especially those listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange or connected to political and governmental entities. Ten studies from 2018 to 2024 were analyzed, focusing on each Fraud Hexagon element's role in fostering fraud. Findings highlight that pressure, opportunity, and collusion are primary drivers of fraud in politically connected sectors, with capability and rationalization further facilitating fraud, while ego emboldens managers to act without fear of repercussions. The Fraud Hexagon provides a nuanced framework for risk assessment, prompting recommendations for stronger internal controls and ethical standards. It also serves as a valuable diagnostic tool for auditors and regulators, particularly in politically sensitive sectors. This study contributes to understanding the social and psychological dimensions of financial fraud and offers a foundation for future cross-industry research.

Assembling Differences

In the Peruvian Amazon’s lower Marañón basin, the prospect of an indigenous assembly appears unlikely: how can previously semi-nomadic groups, historically immersed in recurrent warfare, come together in a cohesive political entity? This transformation is undoubtedly a product of historical processes, greatly influenced by Western political structures and legal frameworks. However, does this shift erase the traditional conflicts among Amazonian groups? The criteria defining indigenous identity and collective action still bear traces of past hostilities, albeit reshaped by indigenous political dynamics. This article draws from the ethnography of a federation assembly to delve into the nuances between fragmentation and unity. Through the lens of assembly issues, it seeks to uncover both the ruptures and continuities defining contemporary indigenous communities.

Natural assets, changes, and variations of the socioeconomic-environmental systems along the Asian drylands belt

Abstract The amount of and changes in a country's natural assets are crucial for developing national strategic plans and policies due to their foundational role in determining the resilience of social-environmental systems (SES), especially under a changing climate. Many integrated metrics on natural assets have been proposed based on individual measures to provide insights into the state of national natural resources. This is particularly true for countries experiencing extreme environmental stresses. Drawing on longitudinal data spanning from 1980 to 2020, the objective of this study is to analyze nuanced distinctions across 23 political entities (PEs) in the dryland regions of mid-latitudinal Asia, investigating their interannual variabilities over the four-decade study period and discerning potential driving forces. We examined three key integrated measures of the SES: ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE), human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP), and human appropriation of water resources (HAWR). We found increased variability as well as spikes in extreme values in each of these three measures of SES function among the 23 PEs over the study period. Water stress played an increasing and more important role than temperature in influencing the magnitude and variations of the three measures. Our results also indicate that human interventions may help increase the efficiency of water use in this dryland region of the world.

Overview of the problems of VET education: an Attempt for Classification and Cross-Mapping the Problems from 2024: A Case study

This study systematically examines the multifaceted challenges facing vocational education and training (VET) in Bulgaria, highlighting the persistent issues that undermine the effectiveness of the system. Through a comprehensive classification of these challenges, the research identifies key areas such as inadequate funding, outdated curricula, insufficient industry linkages, and a lack of qualified teaching personnel. The analysis reveals that long-term neglect, frequent political shifts, and ineffective policy measures have contributed to a significant skills gap among graduates compared to their predecessors. It summons cores of the multi-layered long-standing problems in Vocational education in Bulgaria. Long-term neglect, frequent changes in the views of various political entities with a strong influence on vocational education, inadequate malapropos and untimely fragmented half-measures, as well as the lack of the participation of serious business and expertise in vocational education are among the many reasons for the low level of technical and professional skills of the modern graduate of a vocational high school compared to his predecessor from the time of Polytechnicism. The absence of a cohesive framework for cooperation between educational institutions and industry stakeholders exacerbates the disconnect between VET programs and labor market needs. The paper also aims to provide a structured overview of the current state of VET in Bulgaria, offering insights that can inform future policy development and strategic interventions.

The Cognitive Trap of Rousseau's "Organic Metaphor" and the Construction of U.S. Policy in Europe and Eurasia

The ideological dimension of international relations and foreign policy represents a distinct area of interaction, often situated at the intersection of political theory and philosophy. This study explores how metaphors, particularly Rousseau’s Organic Metaphor and its adaptation by Woodrow Wilson in his conceptualization of nationalism, function as powerful cognitive tools within the political sphere. These metaphors can act as "cognitive keys" that shape the perception of socio-political realities, influencing both the understanding and actions of political actors. However, while they provide a framework for understanding the internal logic of events, they also limit cognitive freedom by acting as implicit filters. This article traces the instrumental use of these metaphors in U.S. foreign policy, particularly how Wilson’s conceptualization of nationalism, derived from Rousseau’s metaphor, was utilized to reshape the ideational landscape of European politics in the 20th century and is now being applied in Eurasia. The concept of nationalism allowed for the fragmentation of competing political entities, aligning with the U.S. strategy of divide et impera to oppose integration movements. The article further examines how these strategies, which once targeted European empires, are now being employed against emerging integration unions in Eurasia, thereby highlighting the continuity of ideological tools in American foreign policy across different historical contexts.

Liberalism in Dialogue: Carl Schmitts Critique and Masao Maruyamas Defense

Abstract: Carl Schmitt criticized liberalism by asserting that it negates politics and leads to a crisis of parliamentary democracy. Through his theories on the concept of the political and sovereign decision-making, Schmitt provided a deep analysis of these issues. Masao Maruyama not only highly valued Schmitts work but also theoretically borrowed from his ideas. However, Maruyama placed individual subjectivity at the core of his analysis, using Japans traditional culture and unique historical and social context as his focus. In doing so, Masao Maruyama both supplemented and, in some aspects, refuted Schmitts critique of liberalism. For Schmitt, the survival and integrity of the political entity are paramount, necessitating a clear distinction between friends and enemies. His critique of liberalism centers not only on its moral neutrality but also on its perceived incapacity to make sovereign decisions that guarantee the preservation of the political entity. In contrast, Maruyama contended that Japanese imperialism elevated the state as the embodiment of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, thereby positioning it as a value-laden entity, creating a metaphysical order seemingly justified by the imperative of national survival. Although this might initially appear to align with Schmitts notion of the states primacy, Maruyama ultimately critiques this belief as an ideological facade, which devolved into a mere instrument of totalitarian rule.

Maternal and newborn health prioritization in Yobe State, Nigeria: analysis of stakeholders' perspective.

Maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in conflict-affected northeastern areas of Nigeria, such as Yobe State, are disproportionately higher than those in the rest of the country. There is limited evidence on the factors that influence maternal and newborn health (MNH) policymaking and implementation in this region, particularly with respect to the impact of conflict and context-specific issues. This study explores the political, economic and health system factors that drive the prioritization of MNH policies in Yobe State. The aim of this study was to elucidate the conflict-related factors influencing MNH outcomes, which could inform targeted interventions to improve MNH. The study is a descriptive case study that relies on multiple data sources and is guided by the Health Policy Analysis Triangle. We reviewed national and subnational research, technical reports and policies related to reproductive health and the MNH in Nigeria since 2010. Following stakeholder mapping, we identified and invited prospective participants in the MNH policymaking space. Nineteen stakeholders from the government, civil society and nongovernmental organizations, donor agencies, and public and private sector health providers in Yobe State participated in the semistructured in-depth interviews. Data were collected from November 2022 through January 2023 and were thematically analysed via Dedoose software. MNH services in Yobe State have received considerable attention through initiatives such as the National Midwifery Service Scheme, free MNH services, training of midwives with deployment to rural areas, and health facility renovations. The effective implementation of MNH services and policies faces challenges due to insufficient funding, and sustainability is hampered by changes in governance and political transitions. The Boko Haram insurgency exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Yobe State and disrupted MNH services due to the displacement of populations and the decline in the number of health workers. Additionally, sociocultural and religious beliefs hinder timely access to and utilization of MNH services. Although policies and guidelines for MNH services exist in the state, they are inadequately disseminated to health providers, which affects their effective implementation across facilities. Collaboration and intersectoral coordination platforms exist, but competition and rivalries among unions, political entities, and implementing agencies sometimes impede progress. Enhancing MNH services in Yobe state requires increased commitment for funding through the Northeast Development Commission rehabilitation fund; strengthening the health workforce, safety and retention plan; promoting gender inclusivity within the health sector; and addressing sociocultural barriers to women's health-seeking behaviors. Concrete, time-bound plans for policy dissemination are necessary to ensure effective service implementation.

Visible wounds of invisible repression: A perspective on the importance of investigating the biological and psychological impact of political repression.

Exposure to psychological trauma is a well-accepted risk factor for the development of mental and somatic diseases. However, chronic stressors not fulfilling the criteria of traumatic experience can have similarly adverse health consequences. While the harmful impact of chronic stressors is generally recognized among researchers, there is a lack of acknowledgment within clinical, political, and societal entities. This becomes evident in the experiences of victims of political repression in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), an authoritarian state in East Germany. Repression in the GDR included covert measures, such as "Zersetzung" (engl: disintegration), consisting of wiretapping, spreading rumors, or provoking failure in professional and social domains. It aimed to systematically undermine the psychosocial integrity of individuals, inducing anxiety, social isolation, and confusion. This article integrates findings on repression in the GDR with existing trauma and chronic stress literature. "Zersetzung" shares key features with severe psychosocial chronic stressors. Like trauma, experiencing "Zersetzung" likely dysregulated the biological stress systems, thereby predisposing victims to the health consequences they frequently experience to the present day. Certain severe chronic stressors, such as "Zersetzung," do not appear to differ in their negative health consequences from Criterion A traumatic events. Identifying the biological and psychological impact of political repression techniques is essential, not only for public acknowledgment, and proper health care of victims of GDR repression, but also for those individuals suffering from similar repression methods today. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Adapt research to the Anthropocene

Scientists measure how humans’ footprints deteriorate the global environment and our life, but neither monitoring nor technical solutions bend the curves. Homo sapiens is the dominating species of the Anthropocene. Should we re-focus research and explore potential transformation of the command centers of overexploitation: people's minds? The most important challenge for research in the Anthropocene is transformation of humans and their political and economic entities to respect the planet’s boundaries. Non-adapted research can mislead policies. On the example of two crucial risks, pollinator loss and climate change, the manuscript compares state-of-the-art research and what is needed. The examples show the necessary scope and depth of transformation. How to give more room for divergent intelligence, creativity and criticality in scientific and educational environments? The research sector must decide to either transform humans’ minds towards planetary responsible political performance or accept that AIscene might follow the Anthropocene and adapt humans to earth.

Analyzing Public Discourse on the Affordable Care Act through YouTube Comments

Abstract Introduction Social media’s pervasive role in daily life provides a unique avenue for understanding public sentiments. This study utilizes YouTube comments on an MSNBC video about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to explore public opinions on the policy and its political implications. Methods A qualitative analysis of YouTube comments on an MSNBC video was conducted. Netlytic, a scraping tool, gathered 1,949 comments. Thematic analysis, based on a coding framework derived from Semetko and Valkenburg’s frames, identified three predominant frames: Responsibility, Human Interest, and Economic Consequences. Results Of the 1949 comments posted in response to the ACA video on YouTube, 488 were analyzed. Three media frames were used to categorize the comments. Among the analyzed comments, 42% fell within the Responsibility Frame, indicating that 205 comments attributed responsibility for ACA-related issues, healthcare access, and costs to political parties, individual politicians, and government entities. The Human-Interest Frame accounted for 11% of the comments, with 53 remarks reflecting individual experiences related to healthcare access and costs. Additionally, 26% of the comments fell within the Economic Consequences Frame, signifying those 125 comments included remarks concerning the economic impacts of the ACA, such as increased healthcare access, taxes, and penalties. The remaining 21% of comments did not align with the three frames. Conclusions This study embarked on a comprehensive exploration of public discourse surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) within the context of the 2024 presidential election, utilizing YouTube comments as a rich source of qualitative data. Through a meticulous methodological approach, which included thematic framing analysis and intercoder reliability assessments, valuable insights into the diverse perspectives and sentiments expressed by social media users regarding this critical healthcare legislation were gained. Key messages • Social media allows for real-time understanding of people’s thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and ideas, as well as serves as a useful tool that fosters broad, unfiltered data/content. • Researchers conducted a qualitative analysis of public discourse on YouTube to explore the range of sentiments regarding the ACA.

Renaissance humanism and Martin Luther: The birth of nation‐states

AbstractThis article explores the interaction between Renaissance humanism and Martin Luther's Reformation in fostering the emergence of nation‐states in Europe. It argues that the emphasis on individualism, critical thinking, and a return to classical ideals during the Renaissance provided a fertile ground for Luther's challenge to the Catholic Church's authority. Luther's Reformation, with its focus on Scripture and a direct relationship between believer and God, further eroded the Church's control and transnational influence. This convergence of intellectual and religious transformations created a space for the development of distinct national identities and the consolidation of power by European monarchs. The article will examine how these movements challenged the existing political and religious order, ultimately contributing to the rise of nation‐states as the dominant political entity in Europe.

The Cost of Dancing with the Government: A Conservation of Resources Theory of Political Networking and CEO Burnout

AbstractAlthough prior research on the dark side of corporate political activity (CPA) has examined the negative impact of CPA on firms from the perspective of the macro cost of CPA (i.e., organizational loss) and the self‐interested motives of executives (i.e., personal gain), it has largely overlooked the negative repercussions of CPA for individuals intimately engaged in that process (i.e., personal loss). Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and focusing on Chief Executives Officers (CEOs) who engage in political networking (PN), we investigate how PN affects CEO burnout. We conceptualize PN as a form of relational exchanges between firms and political entities, positing that PN entails substantial resource depletion for those deeply involved, primarily due to significant ethical and moral challenges (i.e., identity threat). As PN intensifies, CEOs are compelled to allocate more time, effort and energy to navigate these escalating challenges, consequently exacerbating CEO burnout. Through the analysis of a 2‐year matched survey of CEOs and comprehensive archive data, we find robust support for our hypothesis. Furthermore, our findings suggest that CEO altruism and institutional knowledge weaken the relationship between PN and CEO burnout, indicating that individual intentions to benefit the collective and the ability to navigate such networking practices alter CEOs' perceived identity challenges. Our study contributes an individual‐level resource‐depletion perspective of CPA and cautions against the propensity of CEOs to engage in CPA driven by Machiavellian logic.

New Turkey, social policy, and a daytime talk show as a remedy: Müge Anlı as a modern Çalıkuşu

ABSTRACT ‘Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert’, which investigates unresolved criminal cases with interactive audience support, is one the most popular daytime television shows in contemporary Turkey. The neoliberal restructuring of the welfare system in New Turkey posits that providing protection and security against social risks is the sole responsibility of individuals and families. In line with this approach, the show individualizes social problems ready to be resolved by ‘Müge Abla’ (Sister Müge) and her audience. Müge Anlı's image, which conforms to the ideal modern and modest Republican woman, allows her to gain authority, trust, respect, and popularity. The show’s discourses, structure, and communicative strategies are the product of the New Turkey where ‘the sacred family’ is the central political unit and the nation is an extended, happy family reproduced through this show.

Which political entities are “Friendly” to religion? The interplay of entity, identity congruence, and Christian nationalism

Abstract How do Americans perceive the orientation of political entities toward religion? Building on group identity theories and burgeoning Christian nationalism research, I theorize Americans' perceptions of friendliness, neutrality, or unfriendliness toward religion will be contingent on the interplay between the specific entity, “identity congruence” (how partisan and ideological identities correspond to the partisan character of the entity), and Christian nationalism. Analyses of data from a large, nationally representative sample of Americans support my expectations. Both Christian nationalism and congruence on political identities predict how Americans perceive the posture of the Democratic Party, Republican Party, and Supreme Court toward religion. Yet associations differ depending on whether friendliness to religion challenges the entity's legitimacy (e.g., the Supreme Court). Interactions also show the influence of Christian nationalism and political identities on perceptions of friendliness are contingent on one another and the entity. Findings reveal how religious evaluations reflect group interests in complex ways.

Divergent Pathways in North–South Education Policy Development in Ireland in the 1920s: Exploring the Influence of the First Ministers for Education on Both Sides of the Border

ABSTRACT A long tradition of both State and religious interest and support characterised provision for education on the island of Ireland from the 1700s. Following the partition of Ireland in the 1920s, the newly created political entities of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland forged separate and distinct education policy trajectories that largely reinforced and propagated the dominant identity in each jurisdiction. This article explores and assesses the contributions of the first Ministers for Education in the Irish Free State and in Northern Ireland in the 1920s, Eoin MacNeill and Lord Londonderry, respectively. A particular emphasis is placed on their influence, impact and legacy on primary education policy development and enactment. Ultimately it could be argued that both Ministers can be characterised to a certain extent as political failures in terms of introducing and embedding education policy that aligned with their personal or political ambition and ideology.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? UK–EU Member States Bilateralism as an Enabler of Europeanisation

AbstractWhilst an extensive scholarship has questioned the role of the United Kingdom in multilateral and mini‐lateral venues, less attention has been devoted to the signature of 24 bilateral declarations between the United Kingdom and EU member states from 2021 to 2023. Bilateralism has indeed been one of the preferred UK strategies to achieve foreign policy co‐ordination with EU member states post‐Brexit. Questioning the intentionality of the United Kingdom in initiating and investing these arrangements, we find that despite the clear attempts to deEUise its foreign policy, we are also not witnessing purposes of de‐Europeanisation that would imply a repudiation of European shared values, a divergence from common priorities and an end to social encounters between UK and EU member states' officials. Instead, through a frame analysis of these declarations and interviews, we highlight that bilateralism has enabled continued Europeanisation, even though to a lesser extent in comparison with the pre‐Brexit situation. Closer relations with European capitals are thus enabling Europeanisation of UK foreign policy to persist. In other words, we conclude that whilst there has been, on the side of the United Kingdom, a repudiation of the EU as a political entity, there has been no rejection of common European values and priorities, which remain shared with EU member states.