Public Life Research Articles

Social problems of senior citizens as a subject area of scientific research

In the context of rapid social, economic and technological changes, the relevance of research into the social problems of the elderly is increasing, as they face numerous challenges that require deep scientific understanding and the development of adequate solutions. The main goal of the research is to analyze and systematize social problems faced by the elderly, as well as to determine the most effective approaches to solving them. To achieve this goal, an integrated approach was used, including analysis of scientific literature, classification of approaches and formulation of practical recommendations. As a result, key areas of research were defined, main trends and strategies for solving the problems of the elderly population were identified. The article examines five research approaches: a biological-sociological one, which connects the physiological and social aspects of aging; a social-dynamic one, emphasizing the influence of changing social conditions; an integration-digital one, studying the impact of technology on the lives of the elderly; a social-status one, considering the relationship between social status and quality of life; and active-adaptive one, emphasizing the active participation and adaptation of the elderly in society. These approaches present diverse perspectives and strategies for improving the lives of senior citizens. The study highlights the need for regularly updating scientific data and methods to develop effective programs and policies that help improve the quality of life of the elderly and their active participation in public life.

Концепция создания общей ценности массового спорта

Mass sports is an important socio-cultural phenomenon that influences the formation of values and behavioural attitudes in society. The study of the concept of creating a common value of mass sports is important for understanding its influence on public consciousness and the development of socio-cultural environment. The relevance of this study is due to the importance of the development of mass sports as a means of strengthening the physical and psychological health of the population, the formation of social unity and solidarity, which, in turn, allows us to talk about the creation of a common value of mass sports. The research methods included retrospective literature review, analysis and synthesis, systematization and grouping of data, mathematization in the context of frequency determination and modelling. The paper proposed a conceptual model for creating shared value in mass sports, which describes opportunities for the development of sport organizations through addressing social problems and on this basis creating economic value for organizations, local communities, and the economy of the country. The results of the study showed that the concept of creating shared value in mass sports implies not only the achievement of sports results, but also the formation of favorable sociocultural and socio-economic conditions for the development of society and the economy. An important aspect of the concept realization is the integration of mass sports into public life and the creation of conditions for equal access to sport for all groups of the population. In conclusion, it is necessary to develop mass sports and implement the concept of creating common value to ensure the health and well-being of society. The results of the study can be used to develop strategies for the development of mass sports based on joint value creation. The concept of jointly created value in mass sports is implemented at both the state and local levels of government.

Village Education in The Journal of Eğitim Hareketleri (1955-1960)

Since the first years of the Republic, various policies have been developed to enable citizens to contribute to the economic, social, and cultural life of the country. Education was seen as the most important means for the success of these policies and projects were designed to educate the villagers, who constitute most of the population. Policies developed for village education during the single-party period continued during the Democratic Party period. However, the new government produced new projects in line with its own policies and made radical changes in the institutions and organizations within the old policy. This change was felt especially in primary education, religious education, and village institutes. In the first years of the Democratic Party's rule, various media outlets emerged thanks to the freedom it provided to the press. One of these publications is The Journal of Eğitim Hareketleri, which started its publication life in 1955 by Hıfzırrahman Raşit Öymen. The Journal has tried to produce solution suggestions by addressing the problems that the Turkish education system has encountered since the first years of the Republican Era. The journal includes articles by foreign and local educators, as well as literary experts, theologians, historians, and sociologists who are experts in their fields. It is seen that The Journal of Eğitim Hareketleri also attaches importance to villages and education in villages. The Journal includes the policies implemented during the Single Party and Democrat Party periods regarding the enlightenment of the villagers and the education of the village children. In this context, the problems of village schools and village teachers and the place of village children and villagers in the Turkish education system are discussed. In this study, it was tried to reveal how the issue of education in the village was managed in The Journal of Eğitim Hareketleri during the Democratic Party period

Digitalization in the Legal Sphere of Uzbekistan

The article deals with the issues of the inevitability of digitalization processes in all spheres of public and state life, including the legal sphere. It is noted that digitalization in the legal sphere, in particular in judicial activity, has its own specifics, conditioned by the peculiarity of the implementation of justice, ensuring human rights and personal inviolability. The article analyzes the main directions of digitalization of legal activity in Uzbekistan, considers their development in certain sub-areas. The article also emphasizes that the process of digitalization, being quite complex, causes the need to develop digital consciousness and digital culture not only for civil servants, but also for the whole society.

Epidemiological study of Tinea corporis in Al-Najaf City and the possible sources of infection

Background and objectives. Tinea corporis is a common superficial fungal skin infection presenting complaints in daily practice that can lead to serious consequences caused by dermatophytes. This disease has a significant influence on public health and social life since its spread can be difficult to manage and has a high rate of recurrence. This study aims to determine the demographic characteristics and the possible source of infection with Tinea corporis in Al-Najaf City, Iraq. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 Tinea corporis patients from the 1st of April 2023 to the 31st of July 2023 in the three specialized hospitals in Al-Najaf city all these patients were subjected to a questionnaire developed by the researcher. The questionnaire includes 4 domains regarding sociodemographic characteristics, personal habits, housekeeping habits, and possible sources of infection of the participants. Results. This study found that Tinea corporis affected both males and females equally in the study sample. While the age 20-29 and 30-39-years-old were the most highly affected (20% for each), the lowest was age ≥60 years old (7.1%). The possible source was the human-related possible source (31.1%), animal-related possible source (12.1%), soil-related possible source (5.8%), and among human-related possible source the household-related possible source was of 86.4%. Conclusions. There was no domination of one gender upon the other regarding Tinea corporis infection. Tinea corporis affects post-puberty at the highest rates and the elderly at the lowest rates. The most possible source of infection was human-related and especially household-related.

THE VIRTUE OF DIVERSITY: PERCEPTIONS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA OF YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CIVIL SOCIETY REGARDING SELF-IDENTIFICATION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACTORS IN THE CONTEXT OF EU ACCESSION

The military aggression of Russia against Ukraine has provoked collective anxiety within the population of the Republic of Moldova around a potential targeting of the country, while increasing collective efficacy and nationhood. The article explores the construction of identity among young Moldovans in civil society, particularly in the context of EU accession. Moldova, as a multiethnic state, has been grappling with identity disputes since its first multiparty elections in 1994. The authors investigate ethnic identification and positioning towards international actors, aiming to understand how internal and external loyalties overlap and can emerge in building a new civic identity beyond the post-Soviet legacy. The study shows a revaluation of ethnic components and the connection with geopolitics. Before the Ukrainian war, the prolonged economic and political crises in the country, as well as the great power politics, had prompted the younger generations to be disconnected from the political, economic, and social aspects of public life. As such, they maintain a sense of social integration within their familial and friendship networks, which contributes to their sense of belonging within Moldovan society. The article examines the connection between self-identification and the geopolitical structures within the Republic of Moldova. The empirical part of the research involves 18 semi-structured interviews with Moldovan youth involved in civil society organizations, focusing on patterns of self-identification, including Pan-Romanianism, Moldovianism, Transnistrian ideology, and Gagauzian regional identity. The study also highlights the importance of pluralistic identification in which economic development is crucial in building up a consistent identification narrative.

Sylwa of Aleksander Jastkowski, a Przemyśl land judge from the second half of the 17th century

Sylvias (from the Latin silva rerum, i.e. forest of things) belong to the category of domestic books manuscript books, created in Old Polish times (17th-18th century) mainly in the noble community gentry circles. They are considered a valued source for historical and literary research due to the historical and literary research due to the variety of materials they contain, collected by their authors without a specific plan according to their tastes possibilities and needs. The author of one of the largest works of this kind was Aleksander Jastkowski (c. 1625/30– c. 1691), a nobleman from the Przemyśl land Ruthenian Voivodeship, a judge of the Przemyśl lands. His sylva entitled. ‘Compendium omnis activitatis politici et rei economicae ex variis authoribus collectae’ (National Ossolineum Library in Wroclaw, manuscript no. 3554) should be considered a typical example of this type of writing. This sylva was created successively probably for more than half a century mainly by A. Jastkowski, and was completed after his death at the beginning of the 18th century by persons unknown to us. It numbers 594 pages and contains in copies numerous materials, mostly relating to public life at the time (approx. 45% of the total manuscript), such as journalistic writings, correspondence and speeches by dignitaries state dignitaries, the Diary of the Sejm of 1652, records of the Sejmik of the Ruskie Voivodeship in Sądowa and others. In addition, it contains notes by A. Jaskowski concerning his private matters, copies of his and his family’s estate documents, extracts from his and his family’s property documents, excerpts from books he had read, and notes on various fields of knowledge (cultivation of the soil, medicine, Polish and general history, legal and constitutional subjects, etc.), literary works, and notes on the history of Poland etc.), literary works, specimens and examples of occasional letters, materials concerning the private affairs of various individuals.

THE ROLE OF RELIGIONS IN POST-SOVIET COUNTRIES AND EXAMPLES OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH STATES

It should be noted that the constitutional requirements for the regulation of freedom of religion and the issues of determining the relationship between the church and the state were not highlighted in the Soviet system. From the declaratory point of view, the constitutions of this country were partially similar to the constitutions of the West, which allowed their reception in the constitutions of national states even after the communist regime. In the communist space, the freedom of religion was considered from atheistic positions, and Ro-Gortz Luchterhandt in his work "Development of religious legislation in Eastern Europe" would say: the communist system is a state system hostile to religion. The hostility to religion began with a claim to science. This was also supported by the anti-religious and atheistic understanding of freedom of conscience. Freedom of conscience was not a legally guaranteed autonomy for each individual to choose according to custom and religious responsibility in favor of what is truly known. It rather meant freedom of conscience from religion. Because of such doctrines, religion was displaced from public life into private life.

Representation of the phraseological unit “sore spot” in a modern newspaper text

INTRODUCTION. Modern newspaper text is an area of active use of phraseological units. The purpose of the study is to analyze the use of the phraseological unit “sore spot” in modern newspaper text.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The material of this work is newspaper texts presented in the National Corpus of the Russian Language newspaper subcorpus. The following methods were used: continuous sampling method, contextual analysis, descriptive, quantitative analysis.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. It was revealed that the phraseological unit “sore spot” is used with high frequency in the newspapers “Komsomol’skaya pravda”, “Nezavisimaya gazeta”, “Trud”, “Izvestiya”, intended for the mass reader. It was determined that the use of the phraseological unit “sore spot” in newspaper texts depends on the subject of the texts. The phraseological unit is mainly used by journalists in the sections covering problems of politics, public life, business, economics, art and culture, sports.CONCLUSION. In modern newspaper text, the phraseological unit “sore spot” is a vivid means of expressiveness, expressiveness of the statement, used by journalists to increase attention to the problem being analyzed.

The interaction of spheres of public life in traditional and modern societies (using the example of the political sphere dominance)

The interaction of spheres of public life in traditional and modern societies (using the example of the political sphere dominance)

The British Broadsheet Press and the Representation of “The Mosque” in the Aftermath of Post-7/7 Britain

The role of the mosque has become increasingly vital, particularly in contemporary societies such as Britain, where both the place and status of religion in public life are constantly discussed and debated. Indeed, in the contemporary period, the role of the mosque has several dimensions, ranging from a social space, educational and cultural exchange, and community cohesion centre to a knowledge hub. In this context, this paper suggests that a mosque should be seen as an independent religious institution, although these are influenced by and responsive to governments, elites, pressure groups, public bodies, etc. Using a thematic analysis of news items in The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph over a period of two years (8 July 2005–7 July 2007), it finds that in the aftermath of 7/7, the mosque as a religious place and an institution for British Muslims is largely seen as incompatible and a threat to secular British society and that it is linked with radicalisation and terrorism. According to Quranic texts and revelations, it is indeed a fact that mosques are open to all. This is logical since God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness are for all of mankind without any distinction, which is perhaps why the mosque has been the sacred house of God Himself. This study aims to reveal the development of visible hostility in some sections of the British media and political campaigns. Moreover, it intends to trace the determination and idea of the mosque as a religious place and an institution for British Muslims rather than only a place for worship. Finally, this study will argue the role of the mosque in promoting community cohesion and mutual understanding within the Muslim and other faith communities located in Britain.

Values and Education for Values of Today's Youth

Thesis. The aim of the study is to critically reflect on the challenges and current issues of value-oriented education in relation to youth. It focuses on youth as a specific generational group, internally extremely variable, in the context of massive changes in society, especially with the increase in the importance of digital technologies and social networks in the educational process. Concept. In the published study, several perspectives on the issue overlap on the theoretical and research levels. Healthy, functioning families are at the epicentre of concern for any society that cares about its own future. One of the major problems of contemporary public life, especially after the emergence of the so-called new media, is undoubtedly the issue of raising children in a media-saturated environment. The line of thought of the study is concentrated on the responsibility for the future of the society also through the formation of the value system of the young generation, considering the potential of the family in the given context. Results and conclusion. The study captures the essence, specifics, and selected aspects of insight into value-oriented youth education in the context of contemporary society. The present analysis is based on the knowledge of several scientific disciplines and its interdisciplinary character allows to look at the mentioned issue through the prism of one's own scientific field. The conclusion of the study highlights the irreplaceable importance of values education for youth, based on the central idea that values are the fundamental pillar of any society's development. It calls for values education, which is primarily the task and responsibility of the family or parents, pointing to authenticity and the need to preserve unity of thought, word and deed in a given context. Considering the dynamically changing times with an emphasis on value pluralism, as well as the tremendous growth of digital technologies, the study is a beneficial contribution to the social science discourse on values education in relation to children and youth, especially family education, which is of fundamental, formative importance for the individual.

The Effects of Public Spaces on People’s Experiences and Satisfaction in Taif City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Public places play a central role in shaping positive and negative human experiences. They have a profound impact on people’s lives, affecting their sense of place, well-being, and overall quality of life. While public spaces have such an impact, little is known about their effects on the overall experiences of people in Saudi cities. Particularly, in Saudi Arabia, the form of public spaces has rapidly evolved and changed in recent years. Therefore, this study examined the impact of urban public spaces on people’s experiences, aiming to assess satisfaction levels within the broader context of urban life in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, it investigated the correlation between the public spaces and individuals’ perceptions and feelings toward the environment of Taif city. Taif is one of the key cities in Saudi Arabia targeted for significant improvements in quality of life as part of the 2030 vision. Therefore, it is important to study the effects on the residents there. The method used in the study involved quantitative data collected through a survey of 384 participants from Taif, which included questions measuring multiple aspects of the quality of urban public life, including the safety, walkability, social interaction, and functionality of public spaces. The results indicate that people in Taif would face a jeopardised level of satisfaction, as not all elements of the public spaces meet the desired standards. Therefore, their experiences would be impacted negatively if the noted concerns are not addressed. By identifying key urban design elements that impact people’s experiences and overall well-being, this research provides a foundation for planners and policymakers to work towards achieving the Saudi vision of creating more liveable and enduring urban environments in Saudi Arabian cities.

THE ROLE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN ADDRESSING TODAY'S GLOBAL CHALLENGES

The significance of the study is due to the crucial role that technology plays in solving many of the global problems faced by the modern world. The impact of technology in addressing these issues not only provides insight into current and future challenges, but also offers viable solutions to overcome them. Harnessing technology can create a more sustainable, just and prosperous world for all. The aim of the study is to conceptualise how digital technologies can be used to address the world's pressing global issues. The study focuses on international experience in tackling these global issues through the use of digital technologies by business leaders. Specifically, the research examines digital technologies as a powerful tool for addressing global challenges, while emphasising the need for careful and balanced implementation that takes into account environmental, social and economic factors. Study objectives include the following: (1) to study the role of digital technologies in solving modern global problems; (2) to identify ways to accelerate technological innovation in the field of environmental protection; and (3) to justify the responsibility of business leaders for environmental protection and solving modern global challenges. Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data have become an integral part of modern society and have a significant impact on solving global problems such as combating climate change. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is crucial for predicting climate change, optimising the use of resources and improving the efficiency of energy production. The study highlights the experiences of leading countries that are using technology as a key element in addressing global challenges, offering innovative solutions to problems that once seemed insurmountable. The paper concludes that the potential of modern technologies is key to addressing today's global challenges, emphasising the need to integrate innovative solutions into national policies and development strategies. The study offers recommendations for further integration of digital technologies into various spheres of public life to effectively address these issues.

Why Has Migration Research So Little Impact? Examining Knowledge Practices in Migration Policy Making and Migration Studies

Scientific and expert knowledge on migration is often disregarded in policy making and plays only a minor role in public debates - despite the massive growth and institutionalization of migration research in recent years. This article interrogates the limited impact of migration research(ers) by examining knowledge practices in both policy making and academia. We first look “outwards” at migration policy making. Revisiting and integrating the hitherto separate scholarship on knowledge use and knowledge production, we identify the main mechanisms that characterize knowledge practices of policy actors, such as individual and institutional self-preservation, issue politicization, or unequal power dynamics. We then mobilize these insights to look “inwards” at our own knowledge practices in migration studies, showing that similar mechanisms shape how migration scholars produce and use knowledge. In particular, we identify a fragmentation of migration studies into ever-more fine-grained sub-fields, each with their own knowledge practices and impact strategies - and with little dialogue across them. In fact, rather than acknowledging their complementarity, these sub-fields tend to delegitimize each other's knowledge and efforts to achieve socio-political change. We argue that such “academic tribalism” creates a self-sabotaging dynamic that undermines the field's wider credibility and impact. Ultimately, we hope that this paper empowers migration researchers to act upon this diagnosis and inspires a collective discussion on how to foster more mutually-reinforcing knowledge practices that strengthen the field's role in political debates and public life.

Legal Barriers to Women's Access to Elected Parliamentary Seats in Light of 30 Years of Multiparty Democracy in Tanzania

Abstract The year 2022 marked 30 years since Tanzania re-adopted multiparty democracy in 1992. The number of women parliamentarians has increased from 16 per cent after the multiparty elections in 1995 to 37.4 per cent after the 2020 elections. However, a significant share of women parliamentarians emanates from the special seats system, while only a small share of women hold directly elected seats. For example, in 2023, while women account for 37.4 per cent of the Parliament, only 9.8 per cent were elected from constituencies. This article studies the legal challenges facing women's access to directly elected parliamentary seats in light of 30 years of multiparty democracy in Tanzania. It finds that the legal gaps related to candidacy age, political affiliation, the applicable electoral system, governance of political parties, violence against women in political and public life, campaign financing and challenges related to the implementation of the special seats system hinder women's access to elected parliamentary seats.

Zoning of the Lower Volga Region and Formation of Territory, Okrug, District and Rural Bodies of Soviet Authority in 1928: First Stage

Introduction. The article examines the process of formation of the Lower Volga region and Soviet authorities at the level of regional, district, and rural administration at the first stage of zoning (before the liquidation of okrugs). Methods and materials. The research was carried out based on traditional methods of historical research (historical-genetic, retrospective, historical-systemic, and historical-comparative). The use of an array of unpublished archival documents stored in the State Archives of the Volgograd Region and the Documentation Center for Contemporary History of the Volgograd Region, and materials from periodicals and legislative sources of government bodies of the USSR and the RSFSR, greatly facilitated the research process. Analysis. The study is aimed at identifying the regional specifics of the zoning process and the accompanying process of formation of Soviet authorities (at the level of councils and executive committees of councils of the Lower Volga region). Results. The zoning of the Lower Volga region already at the first stage revealed a range of problems, the systematic solution of which in the future will make it possible to transform the agricultural region into the industrial center of the Volga region. In the process of reform, along with positive aspects – the reduction in cost of the management apparatus, the bringing closer to the population of Soviet authorities endowed with significant powers (district executive committees and councils) – there were also clearly negative consequences. The distance of rural councils from middle management and the consolidation of individual rural councils, on the one hand, led to the planned reduction of hardware costs but, on the other hand, excluded remote villages from active public life. Districts became the main operational unit of economic and Soviet work in the region. There were several issues to address, including the imbalance between districts with different population sizes, from small ones with just over 2,000 people to large ones with populations approaching 100,000. Additionally, there was a lack of communication between administrative units and personnel problems, which emerged as a significant hurdle in the development of district and rural Soviet administration at the second stage of zoning (in the conditions of the liquidation of okrugs).

The ordinary and the mystical? Exploring the intersections of Spirituality and Public Theology

This article starts from the premise that the ordinary is the mystical. It does so by delving into the dynamic relationship between Spirituality and Public Theology against the backdrop of Christianity’s societal roles. It explores how Christian theology extends beyond private faith to address broad societal issues. Through a critical examination of Public Theology’s distinct contributions to contemporary discussions, the article emphasises the necessity of engaging Spirituality – with its focus on the divine-human relationship into this discourse.Contribution: This synthesis aims to enrich our comprehension of Christianity’s impact on public life, advocating for a faith that actively contributes to societal transformation across diverse contexts.

Историческая наука о вкладе предпринимателей в формирование архитектурного облика городов дореволюционной Сибири

The aim of this article is to analyze the extent to which the role of entrepreneurs in the development of Siberian cities has been studied, particularly their contributions to the construction of various types of buildings in the region during the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The renewed interest in the public and everyday life of entrepreneurs has prompted scholars to delve deeper into this subject. Researchers have explored a variety of topics, including contributions to the construction and renovation of administrative and commercial-industrial buildings, as well as cultural establishments such as libraries, museums, theaters, churches, temples, gymnasiums, and universities. New facts have emerged regarding entrepreneurs’ participation in philanthropy, with studies examining the motivations behind their charitable activities. The relevance of historiographical analysis, within the framework of modern discussions, is underscored by the theory of creative entrepreneur-ship. This theory, currently developing among modern Russian entrepreneurs from both large and small-to-medium-sized businesses, highlights their contributions to the architectural development of cities, culture, the economy, and philanthropy. This research provides valuable insights into how entrepreneurs of pre-revolutionary Siberia influenced not only the physical appearance of cities but also contributed to their social and cultural advancement.

Making them pay: Comparing how environmental facts matter in two accountability contexts

This article makes the case for what we call accountability contexts as a valuable heuristic to think about how facts matter in public life, drawing attention to how different discursive and institutional contexts shape the ways in which facts can count. We examine two environmental case studies: The Territory, a documentary about the struggle of the Uru-eu-wau-wau community in Brazil to protect their land from illegal invaders, and the fact-checking organization Climate Feedback’s partnership with Facebook to flag misinformation on the platform. Popular stories about accountability hinge on using facts to change the public’s mind. In contrast, we find that publicity is only part of a much more complex picture. By analyzing factors such as appeals to relevant publics, institutional rigidity, the uses of knowledge and narrative, and the role of the state, we investigate the real, messy processes that people take part in as they seek change. Accountability contexts provide a valuable heuristic for scholars of political journalism and communication as well as a practical tool for analyzing which pathways have led to success or failure in the pursuit of accountability.