Political Change Research Articles

Role of Institutions in Transition Economy: Case of Nepal

The Paper highlights role of institutions in transition economy. Obviously, the author confirms that Nepal is still in the transition stage where institutional and ethical norms are yet to establish though many political changes occurred in a short span of time. Nepal adopted liberal market economy for speedy economic growth enticed with robust human development. The study attempts to take measure the outcome of new political-economic regime. The objectives of the study are-(i) to assess role of government institutions on economic growth and development in Nepal and (ii) to evaluate institutional performance of Nepal in comparison to other South Asian countries. The secondary data is used for the analysis which captured the period from 2014 to 2022. The data is analysed descriptively. The deductive method is used for the generalization. The study concludes that the average inflation GDP per capita, GDP growth, and doing business are 6.12 percent, 9968.22 USD, 3.36 percent, and 60.11 respectively. Control of corruption performance of Nepal is almost negative throughout the period. Transparency coefficient is medium i.e. 3 out of 6. In the same way, voice and accountability coefficient is also very poor throughout the time Relative analysis suggests that economic variables are sound in Maldives and Bhutan and development variables are sound in Bhutan. In aggregate, Bhutan has done marvellous performance. In both parameters, economic and development, Nepal's position is not encouraging. It is recommended to the government and political parties that they need to understand the urgency of matter and reform government as well as political institutions at the earliest.

FIVE SYLLABIC POETS: ARCHITECTS OF A NEW COUNTRY

The study is devoted to the Five Syllabic Poets who were active in the early twentieth century, during the transformation of the Ottoman Empire into the Turkish Republic. This period was marked not only by important political and social changes, but also by dramatic transformations in the cultural sphere, including literature. The Five Syllabic Poets, also known as the “Five Silabists”, aimed to create a new, authentic Turkish poetry that reflected the spirit and needs of modern Turkish society. They made a significant contribution to Turkish literature, noting their approach to poetry and their desire to make it accessible to a wide audience. The Five Syllabic Poets sometimes made use of the materials of folk literature, which were used in a decorative style. The beauties of the country, the realities of Anatolia with its people and landscapes, their personal feelings, especially the national and historical. The fact that all five poets express a number of folk literature motifs in the treatment of these subjects shows their sensitivity to this issue. The poetry of these poets also reflects the impact of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s reforms on the literary process, indicating important changes in the consciousness of Turkish society during the period of transformation. The analysis of the works of the Five Syllabic Poets allows us to better understand and evaluate the historical context and cultural transformations in Turkey at the turn of the century.

The Politics of Vulnerability and the School for Peace

This paper uses the School for Peace in Israel-Palestine as an example of what it might look like to develop a global community rooted in a recognition of shared human vulnerability. Part I offers a phenomenological account of vulnerability, putting Butler’s work into dialogue with Merleau-Ponty’s concept of “intercorporeality” and phenomenology of perception. Part II argues that family systems theory offers a framework through which to articulate the nature of our shared vulnerability, allowing us to see the manners in which problems reside not “in” individuals, but within the dynamic systems of which they are a part. Part III analyzes School for Peace “encounters” in order to explore the ways in which liberatory political change occurs through shifts in the behavioral dynamics at play in the political status quo. I conclude by arguing that our political identities are most fully realized through, rather than in spite of, our inherent vulnerability.

News Innovation Under Rapid Political Change: Influence of State-Society Relations, Organizational Culture, and Critical Events

ABSTRACT Extant discussions of news media innovation have largely focused on the impact of media technologies, market forces, and audience reception. This article examines how political dynamics in transitional societies shape news media innovation. It argues that, in such contexts, news media innovation can be understood as a contingent outcome driven by changing state-society relations, mediated by organizational factors, and punctuated by critical political events. The empirical analysis focuses on Hong Kong between the year 2012 and 2022. Based on in-depth interviews with 30 journalists from online and mainstream media organizations, this article illustrates how increasing pressure on press freedom and the growth of political contention inadvertently fed into the growth of online media, though the degree of innovation exhibited by specific outlets was influenced by organizational culture. Significant political events reconfigured media innovation by bringing about unexpected market support and major shifts in the state’s media control strategies. General theoretical implications are discussed.

The “I” as Implicated Subject: Performative Confession in Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart

Confessional forms of autobiographical writing have predominated in post-apartheid South African literary studies. This paper discusses Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart, published in 1990 during drastic social and political changes in South Africa’s transition to democracy. It was one of the first and most prominent examples of this genre. Focusing on Malan’s perspective as a white Afrikaner and an “implicated subject”, this study explored how his confessional account grappled with the existential dilemma of post-apartheid Afrikaner identity. Malan simultaneously affirmed his Afrikaner identity to confront his implication in apartheid and sought to establish a legitimate place for this identity within the new multicultural society. Through a close reading of Malan’s strategic performance, this paper argues that his work offers a means of reimagining the collective self in a new community and understanding historical injustices from a multidimensional perspective. Ultimately, My Traitor’s Heart contributes to the post-apartheid project of envisioning a more inclusive psychological and topographical construction of individual and collective identity, with the implicated subject as its centre.

Feminisit Discourse in Albanian Political Communication

Objectives: According to Foucault, "... dealing with the discourse on human sexuality cannot be done without understanding the power-knowledge-pleasure relationship. The longevity of power is proportional to its ability to hide the mechanisms it uses". The facts show that, in these three decades of upheavals and political changes, even political communication in Albania has known great changes, certainly with ups and downs, different tones and colors. Feminist discourse has tried to show that every woman, who is part of politics, can get out of those "frames" that have placed and labeled her and show herself in one way or another to prove that her own room for which Virginia Ulf spoke in 1928. Methods: The discourse texts in this paper are analyzed using various concepts of contemporary criticism of (Critical) Discourse Analysis. which is a type of literary research that studies how abuse of social power, dominance and inequality are developed, reproduced and resisted within the text in the social and political context. Results: This paper, aims to examine and highlight the way in which this type of discourse, i.e. the feminist discourse, tries to establish balance in a rather difficult terrain, harsh and wild as is the political terrain related to other aspects such as power, rhetoric, dominance, etc. Conclusions: The discourse approach of women in Albanian politics has a marked orientation in highlighting their values in decision-making and making rational politics. Women in Albanian political communication are still labeled simply as beautiful images, prejudging and leaving aside their professional aspect.

Heterogeneous impacts of geopolitical risk factors on stock markets in the Middle East: A quantile regression analysis across four emerging economies

This study investigates the heterogeneous impacts of eight categories of geopolitical risk on stock market performance across different market conditions in four Middle Eastern economies: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Utilizing Quantile regression analysis and datasets spanning from September 2002 to August 2023, our findings reveal the complex and varied relationships between geopolitical risk factors and stock market performance. These results underscore the significance of comprehending specific political risk factors and their influence under various market conditions. We observe a consistent negative relationship between military buildups and stock market performance in Egypt and Israel, while other categories exhibit mixed effects. The Saudi Arabian and Turkish markets demonstrate varied sensitivity to different risks, with terrorism and war-related events significantly affecting market dynamics. Notably, all four markets consistently displayed negative reactions to terrorist activities, indicating the universally disruptive nature of such events. Understanding these dynamics assists investors and policymakers in adapting to global political changes.

Demands as the black box of discourse theory: the German integration debate, demanding a ‘leading culture’ and the mainstreaming of the far-right

ABSTRACT The recent rise of the far-right ‘Alternative für Deutschland’ (AfD) in Germany has puzzled researchers. How did demands around cultural homogeneity and the need to be protected from ‘dangerous’ immigrants become acceptable in the mainstream when previously they were not? Crucially, understanding political change is paramount for discourse theorist Ernesto Laclau, who considers ‘demands’ as pivotal for the construction of political identities. Yet, the notion is underdeveloped in his writings. I discuss the aporias in Laclau’s understanding of demands and probe how far we can take Laclau in theoretically accounting for the emergence of demands. The concepts of horizon and dislocation are most helpful in this regard. I then utilise those concepts to analyse demand emergence in the ‘Leitkultur’ (leading culture) debate. I show how the horizon on which these demands are inscripted changed over the years, with a culturalistic discourse becoming dominant. There, following a dislocatory public debate of a non-fiction bestseller by career bureaucrat Thilo Sarrazin, integration was increasingly framed as problematic and foreigners needing to shed unintegratable parts of their own culture to assimilate to a German Leitkultur. I argue that acts of mainstreaming like these allowed the AfD to make their formerly radical demands seem credible.

Education Research in ‘Interesting Times’

It is no secret to any of us that the world we live in is going through a great deal of turbulence, with the impact of COVID-19 lingering and social and political change occurring across continents [...]

Profound Love and Dialogue: Paulo Freire and Liberation Education.

Paulo Freire, Brazilian philosopher and educator, proposed an educational method for adults based on what he called "the problem posing method." This method was based on dialogue that he deemed necessary for education and was not oppressive and controlling. Freire argued that traditional educational methods were inherently oppressive because they served the interest of the elite, instituted what he called "the banking method" in hopes to turn people into better workers. In contrast to this, Freire advocated for an education that was liberating and required dialogue. Dialogue, however, could only take place with profound love. This article reflects on Freire's call for profound love and dialogue within his pedagogical framework, and its necessity for social and political change. Further, this article explores what Freire meant by profound love and dialogue, and explores how love and dialogue are applicable to current and future health literacy and health education efforts. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(3):e118-e120.].

A historical overview of experimental hydrology in China

AbstractThe history of experimental hydrology in China is important but poorly documented. Here we review 94 papers (86 of these in Chinese) from the CNKI and Web of Science websites to chronicle the history of experimental studies in China before 2000. Professor Wei‐Zu Gu—the focus of this Special Issue—factors heavily into this history. Perhaps more than any country, the experimental hydrology history of China is influenced by socioeconomic development and political change. Our analysis shows 4 main periods of development associated with (1) an early development stage before 1949, the founding year of People's Republic of China (PRC), (2) an initial period of rapid transition in experimental studies in China (1949–1965), (3) a struggling and recovering stage for during and shortly after the Cultural Revolution, from 1965 to 1978, and (4) significant progress associated with new policies for reform and opening up in China from 1978 to 2000, that included contributions of Wei‐Zu Gu and other scientists. In terms of experimental hydrological findings, two notable contributions are a mathematical description of saturation overland flow derived from streamflow and precipitation data and calculated water storage deficit in the unsaturated zone by Zhao and Zhuang (1963), several years before its process‐based ‘discovery’ in the USA (and elsewhere) and the ‘interface runoff generation law’ of Yu (1985) which was ahead of its time in understanding linking the notion of the commonality of all runoff forms. In terms of model development stemming from experimental studies, the development of the Xinanjiang Model of Zhao (1980) was a significant achievement, later partly adopted into the VIC model in the USA and the ARNO model in Europe. Finally, the Hydrohill catchment developed by Wei‐Zu Gu led the way for the rapid rise in process studies and internationalization of experimental hydrology in China. Overall, the experimental hydrological studies from 1949 to 2000 had a strong engineering focus, with many links to water conservation construction and management.

Perspectives for Primary Health Care public policy in South America.

We aim to conduct a comparative analysis of the implementation of PHC in nine South American countries. Three dimensions were highlighted from documentary sources: political commitment, leadership, and governance; care model; and engagement of communities and other stakeholders. The results indicate a formal commitment that places PHC at the center of efforts to achieve universal access. The following can be observed: revitalization processes in public subsystems, based on guaranteeing preventive, promotional, curative and rehabilitation actions; PHC as gatekeeper; emphasis on family and community; assigned population and territory; multidisciplinary teams; and, in some cases, the accent on interculturality expressed in the concept of "buen vivir" (good living). The PHC revitalization processes were affected by political changes. Between progress and setbacks, the segmentation of coverage was not overcome. The current moment seeks to recover more inclusive and broad public policies in the context of the return of the progressive and democratic fields. The dissemination of country experiences can contribute to the development of a comprehensive, integrated, and quality approach to PHC in the Region.

Corporate governance and firm performance: Evidence from political instability, political ideology, and corporate governance reforms in Pakistan

AbstractWe examine impact of corporate governance on firm performance following the implementation of the changes to the Code of Corporate Governance of Pakistan in 2012. Our sample period from 2008 to 2022 include periods of political instability and shifts in Pakistan's political landscape, providing an opportunity to examine the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanisms in enhancing accounting‐ and market‐based firm performance measures. We find significant improvements attributed to reforms in the regulatory framework surrounding corporate governance practices particularly from expanded scope and composition of boards and audit committees. This led to broader capabilities and effective controls, thus improving firm performance and investor confidence more so during periods of political instability and changes in political ideology.

Digital and Political Transformation: A Perspective on the Discourse of Iraqi Media System

This paper examines the current nature of the Iraqi media system through the lens of two significant influences: the digitalization of global media and the country’s political transformation in 2003. It discusses the important shifts in the digital environment and their reflection on the media discourse of media systems in their historical context. The concept of the media system, how historical studies of media systems evolved, and the stages of development of concepts and classifications that researchers have carried out for media systems in the world were reviewed. The paper also explored the problematic changes that are taking place in contemporary media systems due to the digital changes that have changed the close relationship between the media and political systems in societies. The analytical descriptive approach was used to gain an accurate and detailed understanding of the media system in Iraq. The paper concluded that the discourse of the media system in Iraq was simultaneously associated with digital and political transformation when political change led to an openness to the new digital environment, but the features of this system at the micro-level are linked to the determinants of the turbulent political scene in Iraq that created a plurality of conflicting discourses enriched with a unique sort of political parallelism and political conflict-related interests.

N. V. Ustryalov’s aesthetic ant etatist patriotism

The relevance of the appeal to the concept of Homeland and patriotism by N.V. Ustryalov is determined by the similarity of the scale of cultural and political changes in the country and the world at the beginning of the 20th century and today. The concept of patriotism of the thinker was formed on the basis of an analysis of a specific socio-cultural situation and the formulation of its own definitions of categories such as "Motherland" and "state". The chosen methodology for analyzing his works combines the logical and philosophical method, the method of contextual analysis, and the method of comparative studies. As a result, it is proposed to give the concept of N.V. Ustryalov the name "aesthetic and etatist patriotism" and indicate its main provisions. Homeland is an aesthetic value, the form of existence of which, the state, combines the material and the social. Of the three components of the state, according to N.V. Ustryalov, the leading role belongs to the territory. Justifying his transition to the side of the Soviet government, the thinker points out that the actions of the Bolsheviks objectively contribute to the collection of the lands of the Russian Empire, and the national culture, including the culture of various nations, is being improved. Therefore, the Soviet state can legitimately be called a form of existence of the Motherland. Patriotism has qualities of aesthetic value, because it is truly human and aimed at affirming the beautiful, the priority of creative activity. The Ustryalov’s concept of aesthetic and etatist patriotism removes the contradiction between the high spiritual content of patriotism as a shrine and the utilitarianism of everyday tasks solved by social actors and it allows you to formulate specific criteria for people’s support for the authorities.

A Theoretical Analysis of Consumer Behaviour for Voters in Ghana

This paper identifies evidence of political marketing and, more specifically, consumer-oriented political marketing to analyse the theories of consumer behaviour and identify evidence of consumer behaviour in marketing in the behaviour of Ghanaian voters. The examination used quantitative research to analyse the relationship between three elements: (1) psychology, (2) personal and (3) social to understand the theory of the relationships between campaign messages and voters’ behaviour. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey with semi-structured questionnaires administered to 7203 randomly selected respondents from participating political parties and voters in Accra, Ghana. Data received were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Findings revealed a statistically significant relationship between the behaviour of voters in Ghana and the campaign messages of political parties. This paper concludes that there are opportunities for political marketing and change in voter behaviour. Still, sufficient attention should be given to the understanding of consumer behaviour theory that recognizes the behavioural dynamic of voters in the design of effective campaign messages that are responsive to voters’ needs.

Female political discourse in the Albanian parliament in democracy and communism

This study delves into the transformation of women’s political discourse in Albania amidst significant political and technological shifts in recent decades. Its objective is to systematize the understanding of women’s political discourse within the Albanian parliament, examining its evolution across various historical-political periods and the influence of modern information processes in democratic Albania. Utilizing theoretical methodologies, the research scrutinizes political discourse as a dynamic facet of political communication, with a particular focus on its gender dimensions and its impact on political engagement. The analysis spans several eras: the communist regime, the initial formation of democracy, and the current democratic consolidation phase. It employs a comparative approach to highlight distinct and common features of women’s political discourse across these periods. The study identifies contemporary challenges in female political communication within the Albanian parliament and proposes strategies for their improvement, emphasizing the need to enhance the role of women in Albania’s socio-political sphere. Key lexemes indicative of different historical and political contexts are analyzed to understand the influence of regime shifts on political discourse. The study differentiates between the concepts of political discourse and political communication, offering nuanced insights into these areas. This material reveals the intersection of political, social, and cultural changes in Albania as seen through women’s political discourse. It demonstrates how shifts in political regimes and societal norms have redefined political communication, particularly for women, highlighting their growing involvement and impact in Albania’s political arena. The conclusions provide a comprehensive view of Albania’s evolving socio-political landscape, underlining the increasing significance of women in shaping the nation’s future.

Contemporary Self-identification as a “Tutejszy” in Southeastern Lithuania

The article raises the issue of identification as a “tutejszy” among people who live in southeastern Lithuania today. The question of how and why “tutejsi” (plural for “tutejszy”) draw identity boundaries between themselves and other people is very important due to the overall social and political changes in this region over the last century. To answer this question, qualitative field research was conducted using observation, participant observation, and in-depth interviews with the region’s inhabitants. The data analysis revealed two categories that play a role in the drawing of identity boundaries: the first relates to ethnicity and the second one relates to the value ascribed to being a “tutejszy”. Based on these two axes, the authors developed four models of “tutejszy” identification in southeastern Lithuania.

THE TRAUMA OF THE “ERASED” AND ITS EMPATHIC REPRESENTATION IN THE CONTEMPORARY SLOVENIAN NOVEL

: The article examines the reflection of Slovenian prose writers on the pressing problem of modern Slovenian society — the collective trauma associated with the fate of the “erased”, people with Yugoslav passports, who at the time of the declaration of sovereignty lived and worked in Slovenia and, due to political and bureaucratic reasons, were excluded from the register of its permanent residents. In 1992 the newly declared democratic state of the Republic of Slovenia deprived over 25,000 of these people of their citizenship status. The truth about this “inconvenient” episode was suppressed or falsified by the authorities and the media for years. Prose writers Polona Glavan and Dino Bauk in their debut novels Kakorkoli (No Matter How, 2014) and Konec. Znova (The End. Again, 2015), dedicated to the consequences of the collapse of the SFRY and fundamental political and sociocultural changes in the post-Yugoslav space, use the ethical potential of the literary word to convey the empathic experience. Both works are united not only by the subject — the fate of the “erased” and the attitude of indigenous Slovenians towards them — but also by the very sympathetic modality of the narrative, a mimetic way of coping with collective trauma through artistic expression. Through the artistic verbalization of empathy, the authors strive to convey the consequences of the traumatic experience both sides of the conflict went through and to destroy the stereotypes of its perception existing in the public consciousness. Drawing the attention of the readers to the current ethical discourse, they base their interpretations of the images of the “erased” on a sincere understanding of the trauma of outcasts, and resort to the chronotope of a multicultural space, which determines the views and actions of the characters.

The Contribution of The Old and New Order Governments to Mathla'ul Anwar

This research aims to analyze the contribution of the Old Order and New Order governments to Mathla'ul Anwar. The research method used is a literature study involving analysis of relevant primary and secondary sources. The results showed that the Old Order government provided ample space for the development of Mathla'ul Anwar, by providing support for Islamic education and social religious activities. However, under the New Order government, Mathla'ul Anwar experienced obstacles due to stricter control over religious organizations and government efforts to direct religious activities in accordance with official ideology. Despite this, Mathla'ul Anwar has survived and adapted to the changing times, showing its resilience as one of the significant Islamic organizations in Indonesia. This research provides a deeper insight into the dynamics of the relationship between the government and religious organizations in Indonesia, as well as the contribution of Mathla'ul Anwar in the context of political and social change during the Old Order and New Order periods.