Shaping Citizens Research Articles

“It is the best Tool we have, but that doesn’t mean it’s a Good Tool”: Czech Civically Engaged Youth Actors on Tackling the Ambiguity of Using Digital Media

This paper explores the ambiguities of using digital media in youth’s civic engagement, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation of the senses of public and private, and the pivotal role of the digital context in shaping citizenship. It presents results from a thematic analysis of post-sorting interviews conducted within a Q research among civically engaged youth actors aged 13-18 (n=20) from Czechia, mapping their experiences with digital media. The study identifies six key themes that point to the ever- present balancing of the risks and opportunities in pursuing the participants’ agendas online. The results reveal a high level of online resilience and digital literacy of the participants, exposing coping strategies they adopt while navigating the online spaces. The study also reports on the transformed notion of sociality, pointing to the glocal implications for active engagement in the digital age, which allows garnering support from peer groups and communities on a transnational basis.

Viewing Violence through a Partisan Lens: How Electoral Violence Shapes Citizens' Support for Democracy

Viewing Violence through a Partisan Lens: How Electoral Violence Shapes Citizens' Support for Democracy

A social identity approach to crisis leadership.

This paper discusses the importance of a social identity approach to crisis leadership in the context of global crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasizes the interconnected relationships between leaders and followers. I highlight the role of leaders in fostering unity and shaping citizens' responses especially during crises. I discuss the nature of crises and the significant role of political leaders in guiding societal responses and suggest that crisis leadership extends beyond individual competencies and behaviours and involves a shift from individual to collective responses. With this, I introduce the social identity approach to leadership that views leadership as a social influence process and emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of 'we-ness' among followers. Following from that, crisis leadership involves leaders constructing defining features of collective identity and efficacy to address crises appropriately. However, the value of this approach depends on the careful definition of shared identity boundaries, consideration of diverse experiences within society, the evolving nature of crisis leadership over time and potential consequences of crisis leadership. The sustainability of identity leadership, the dynamics of intergroup and subgroup processes, and the complexities of various crises are identified as areas requiring further research.

Do national innovation projects shape citizens' public health behaviours?

This article investigates whether, in the context of rising nationalism, drawing attention to national innovation strategies influences public health behaviours, particularly vaccine uptake. It draws on an original two-wave panel study of United Kingdom (UK) respondents during the COVID pandemic. The survey included an experimental design, which primed respondents with a nationalist framing of COVID-19 vaccines, drawing attention to the UK's role in developing the AstraZeneca vaccine and in rapid approval and roll out of other vaccines. Our results show no significant impact of nationalist framing on vaccine willingness, even among those with nationalist or science-skeptical views. These findings suggest public health authorities should be cautious with nationalist framing, as it may be ineffective or counterproductive.

Ubiquitous processes strengthening neighbourhood communities: How neighbourhood‐related social media can foster the active involvement of citizens and build resilient communities

AbstractModern local communities are undergoing deep changes due to modern social and cultural processes and to the widespread use of ubiquitous, neighbourhood‐related social media. Indeed, the latter shape citizens' experiences in terms of both local relationships and opportunities for shared aims and behaviours. Therefore, this study endeavours to unravel the impact of neighbourhood‐related social media on users' sense of community (SoC), sense of responsible togetherness (SoRT), and perceptions of community resilience via their potential in enhancing their informal neighbouring behaviours and civic engagement. Nine hundred and sixty‐five Italian citizens (30.1% males; Mage = 22.80; SDage = 4.88) answered an online questionnaire; Structural Equation Modelling was used to run a multiple sequential mediation model having community resilience as the final outcome. The results confirm the positive relationship of such social media with users' informal neighbouring behaviours and civic engagement but show that only civic engagement mediates its relationships with SoC, SoRT, and perceptions of community resilience. Altogether, this opens interesting venues for future developments in both research and intervention fields, with reference to (a) further unravelling the intertwinement between online and local social dynamics and environments, and (b) better understanding how such intertwinement and this kind of social media could represent tools for the promotion of community building processes and of local resilience in community interventions.

Where Are the Sore Losers? Competitive Authoritarianism, Incumbent Defeat, and Electoral Trust in Zambia's 2021 Election.

How do electoral turnovers shape citizen perceptions of election quality in competitive authoritarian regimes? We argue that electoral outcomes are crucial for determining perceptions of electoral quality. While detailed evaluation of electoral trust is complex in competitive autocracies with institutional uncertainty and polarized electoral environments, turnovers send strong and unequivocal signals about election quality. Previous literature has noted a strong partisan divide in electoral trust in competitive authoritarian regimes, but turnovers can boost trust among both incumbent and opposition supporters. We test this argument in the case of Zambia's 2021 election, a case where a ruling party lost despite electoral manipulation and strong control over the Election Management Body (EMB). Empirically, we leverage the first-ever panel survey carried out during Zambian elections. Comparing trust in elections before and after the election, we find that perceived election quality increased after the 2021 electoral turnover among both losers and winners. We find that trust in elections increased the most among winning opposition supporters. Moreover, despite the outgoing president's attempt to portray the election as fraudulent, losing ruling-party supporters also increased their trust in elections after the turnover. The study has important implications for the literature on democratic consolidation and institutional trust.

Navigating the roadmap to meta-governance adoption

Purpose This study aims to investigate citizens' adoption intention towards meta-government (metaverse-based government) by proposing a dual-perspective technology acceptance model. Design/methodology/approach The validity of the proposed model was established by gathering and analysing 533 responses using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings The study findings underscore the importance of perceptions of ease of use and usefulness in fostering the intention to adopt meta-government. However, perceived cyber risk and switching costs negatively impact these perceptions. On the contrary, herd behaviour and perceived immersion positively influence perceptions of ease of use and usefulness. Originality/value This study significantly contributes to the existing literature by offering valuable insights into the factors that influence citizens' adoption of meta-government. It introduces a novel perspective on the primary factors (both enablers and barriers) shaping citizens' adoption intention of meta-government. These insights serve as a foundation for scholars, governments and policymakers to develop effective strategies for promoting meta-government adoption.

To wear or not to wear, was that the question? Understanding citizen responses to COVID‐19 crisis management in social media across Europe

AbstractThis study aims to gain qualitative insights about and compare public responses to COVID‐19 crisis management during the different pandemic phases and across three countries—Norway, Sweden and Italy. To do so, we have carried out a qualitative content analysis of a selection of 2606 tweets containing the term ‘face mask’ in Italian, Norwegian, and Swedish published between March 1, 2020 and June 31, 2022. The article combines risk society theses with social practice theory as a lens through which to examine public responses to crisis management. Analyzing the data from Norway, Sweden, and Italy, this article discusses the extent to which individualism, reflexive modernization, and cosmopolitanism account for citizen responses to authority's crisis management efforts in each of the countries during the different phases of the pandemic. Findings highlight the crucial role of socio‐cultural contexts that shape citizen responses to crisis management over time, showcasing a spectrum of attitudes ranging from scepticism and critique to trust and compliance. This comparative analysis underscores the importance of considering the dynamic interplay between criticism and support, individualism and collectivism, as well as global and local experiences in understanding diverse and situated societal responses to crisis management during a global pandemic. The article also points to social media as a meaningful arena where individuals and groups share information and participate in discussions that shape collective views, thus having a significant role in shaping citizen responses to COVID‐19 crisis management and influencing decision‐making.

Technological Citizenship in Times of Digitization: An Integrative Framework

This article introduces an integrative framework for technological citizenship, examining the impact of digitization and the active roles of citizens in shaping this impact across the private, social, and public sphere. It outlines the dual nature of digitization, offering opportunities for enhanced connectivity and efficiency while posing challenges to privacy, security, and democratic integrity. Technological citizenship is explored through the lenses of liberal, communitarian, and republican theories, highlighting the active roles of citizens in navigating the opportunities and risks presented by digital technologies across all life spheres. By operationalizing technological citizenship, the article aims to address the gap in existing literature on the active roles of citizens in the governance of digitization. The framework emphasizes empowerment and resilience as crucial capacities for citizens to actively engage with and govern digital technologies. It illuminates citizens’ active participation in shaping the digital landscape, advocating for policies that support their engagement in safeguarding private, social, and public values in the digital age. The study calls for further research into technological citizenship, emphasizing its significance in fostering a more inclusive and equitable digital society.

Examining the drivers and barriers to adoption of e-government services in Saudi Arabia

PurposeThis study investigates the factors influencing citizen attitudes toward e-government services and their effects on the adoption of e-government services in Saudi Arabia. It sheds light on the moderating role of citizen motivation in the relationship between factors influencing citizen attitudes in favor of e-government services and their adoption and usage behavior in the Saudi Arabian context. The study analyzes both the drivers propelling the uptake and the barriers impeding it.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive research design was employed in this study, which surveyed 487 respondents from Jeddah and Madina cities and the surrounding region. The research identifies key drivers, including cultural factors, digital literacy, government policy and interventions, privacy and security, technical infrastructure, support services and citizen trust, alongside barriers such as concerns about data security and digital literacy.FindingsThe findings reveal the complex interplay of these factors in shaping citizen attitudes toward e-government services and their effects on adoption in Saudi Arabia. The study indicates that citizen motivation toward e-government services moderates the relationship between, adoption and usage behavior.Originality/valueThis study contributes valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners by offering a nuanced perspective on e-government service adoption in the Saudi Arabian context. It enhances our understanding of the factors influencing citizen attitudes and their impact on e-government adoption, highlighting the importance of citizen motivation as a moderating factor in this relationship.

Dynamics of Citizen Participation in Forming Identity in Forming Citizen Identity

This research aims to investigate the dynamics of citizen participation in shaping citizenship identity through a literature review. The research method employed is a literature review, where data are obtained from previous studies encompassing various sources such as journals, books, and scholarly reports. Thematic data analysis was conducted to identify patterns, trends, and relationships between citizen participation and citizenship identity. The research findings highlight the crucial role of citizen participation in building a strong citizenship identity, while challenges such as opinion polarization and the spread of false information through social media are also identified. In conclusion, through collaborative efforts among the government, civil society, and the private sector, communities can strengthen meaningful citizen participation and reinforce the foundation of an inclusivecitizenship identity.

Who Supports Gender Quotas in Transitioning and Authoritarian States in the Middle East and North Africa?

What are the drivers of citizens’ support for electoral gender quotas in transitioning and authoritarian states? Despite extensive research examining public support for women in politics in democracies, we know little about how the public perceives them in less democratic settings. To address this shortcoming, we use original survey data from authoritarian Morocco and transitioning Tunisia – two Arab countries hailed for their progressive gender policies. We argue that in these countries where citizens lack political information, they instead rely on their assessment of the government’s performance to form attitudes toward gender quotas. Furthermore, electoral legitimacy plays an important role in shaping citizens’ support for quotas, which are closely linked to how elections and legislatures operate. The findings offer strong support for our theoretical expectations and uncover important gender differences.

The Roles of Police-Related versus Non-Police-Related Considerations in Shaping Diffused Support for the Police: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

AbstractGlobal views of the police (often termed “legitimacy”, “trust”, “satisfaction” or “support”) are frequently regarded as the product of micro-level, police-related consideration: beliefs about what the police are doing and how they are doing it. Studies taking a sociological or political perspective have revealed that views unrelated to policing, such as satisfaction with the government, may also be important predictors of global views of the police. However, police-related and non-police-related considerations are frequently not considered together as antecedents of macro-level views of the police. This study aims to illuminate the respective roles of police-related versus non-police-related considerations in shaping citizens’ diffused support for the police while utilizing the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from a panel survey carried out during the first and third peaks of the pandemic in Israel reveal that the only factor which had a direct effect on the drop in diffused support for the police was the public’s assessment of the government’s (not the police’s) performance in handling the pandemic. We conclude by calling for more sophisticated measurement and interpretation of public approval of the police and its antecedents.

Representation of the UK Parliament’s Power in the National Media: Too Weak, or Too Strong?

Abstract Representations of UK parliamentary power in the popular media have attracted little attention, despite shaping citizens’ impressions of the institution. We begin to close this gap, through a content analysis of 657 articles in the national newspapers 2013–2019—a period straddling the Brexit referendum. Pre-referendum, media representations of parliamentary power were mixed, while afterwards, as parliament exerted influence over Brexit, it was presented as more powerful. But right-leaning newspapers shifted their normative position from lamenting parliament’s weakness to criticising its strength. Parliament hence faced a lose-lose situation, with key media outlets depicting it either as dangerously weak or dangerously strong.

The role of public administration and social media educational socialization in influencing public satisfaction on population services: The mediating role of population literacy awareness

This research investigates the interplay between public administration, educational socialization on social media, population literacy awareness, and public satisfaction in the context of population services. The primary objective is understanding how these variables are interconnected and their collective impact on public satisfaction. The study employs a quantitative approach, collecting data through structured questionnaires from a randomly selected sample. Data analysis involves various statistical techniques using Smart PLS, including regression and mediation analysis. The findings reveal that public administration significantly influences population literacy awareness, underscoring the role of government agencies in shaping citizen understanding of demographic policies. While it was anticipated that population literacy awareness would mediate the relationship between public administration and educational socialization on social media for public satisfaction, this mediating effect needed to be supported. However, social media use was found to influence population literacy awareness, indirectly affecting public satisfaction directly. It highlights the potential of digital platforms to enhance citizen understanding and engagement. The implications are substantial. Governments should recognize the importance of effective communication and digital engagement in fostering an informed and satisfied citizenry. Additionally, tailored communication and education initiatives are crucial for promoting public understanding and engagement, ultimately contributing to higher levels of public satisfaction. The research's novelty lies in its exploration of the complex dynamics among these variables and its focus on the role of digital platforms in enhancing population literacy awareness. However, some limitations include the potential for context-specific findings and the need for further research in diverse settings.

From Heritage to Identity: The Role of City Authenticity in Shaping Local Community Identity and Cultural Preservation

This comprehensive study aims to investigate the role of urban heritage authenticity in shaping citizen identity, with a specific focus on historic cities. By examining the relationship between the perceived authenticity of urban heritage and citizen identity, this research sheds light on the significance of authenticity in interpreting cities' historical evolution and identity. The study employs a three-dimensional measure of urban identity, encompassing cognitive, affective, and evaluative aspects, to establish a connection between urban identity and citizen participation in local initiatives through personal and social norms. To comprehensively explore the impact of city authenticity on citizen identity formation, the research utilises a combination of survey questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. Three prominent historic cities also serve as case studies: Kampung Kauman in Surakarta, Kampung Laweyan in Surakarta, and Kampung Trusmi in Cirebon. This study contributes to our comprehensive understanding of the role of urban heritage authenticity in shaping citizen identity. The research emphasises the significance of authenticity in interpreting the historical evolution and identity of cities, showcasing its influence on citizens' perceptions, engagement in local initiatives, and overall sense of place. The case studies are practical examples of how authenticity fosters community identity and cultural heritage preservation. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for urban planners, policymakers, and community stakeholders, guiding their efforts to promote and preserve the authentic character of historic cities.

From a Babel Tower to a Common Ground. Trans-national and undisciplined dialogues about insurgent museologies and urban planning

In the search for practices that link education (in a Freirean sense) with a critical reflection upon the past aimed at empowering citizens in shaping their future deliberately, this paper aims to explore the common ground between the fields of museology and urban planning reflecting upon trans-national and undisciplined intersections. After recalling the debate about trans-disciplinarity and undiscipline as an evolutionary tendency of academic (and non-academic) discourses emerging in various contexts and fields of knowledge, authors explore the concept and practices of insurgencies. The paper presents such emerging trends aimed at making some forms of museology more open to communities and, simultaneously, some forms of community-based planning processes anchored to a rediscovery of the past as a means for reimaging the future. Authors argue that bridging insurgent forms of urban planning and museologies may contribute to opening new forms and trajectories of emancipation, grounded on a multifaceted awareness of the past and an ethos of socio-ecological justice for the now. Keywords: ecomuseums; community museums; community-based planning; landscape; territorial heritage; nouvelle muséologie

Restoring the Truth: Anchoring Effects and Debiasing Interventions on Citizen Satisfaction

Although expectations have emerged as a prominent research theme in public administration, little is known about whether and how expectations affect citizen satisfaction. We investigated the anchoring effects of expectations in shaping citizen satisfaction, utilizing a survey experiment involving 735 Chinese citizens. Specifically, we examined (1) the influence of citizens’ normative expectations of what services should be on their satisfaction levels; (2) the anchoring effects that result from numerical anchors on expectations and satisfaction; and (3) the effectiveness of debiasing education in mitigating anchoring effects. The findings reveal a negative correlation between citizens’ normative expectations and their satisfaction levels, highlighting the influence of anchoring effects on citizens’ expectations and satisfaction. Debiasing education is effective in mitigating anchoring effects on expectations but not on satisfaction. These findings integrated cognitive bias into the expectancy disconfirmation model to a better understanding of citizen satisfaction.

Democracy in and out of bureaucracy: Can participative management and public participation shape citizen satisfaction?

This study investigates the relationship between the democratic practices of public organizations and citizen satisfaction. Specifically, it explores the effects of participative management (which engages employees inside the bureaucracy) and public participation (which engages citizens outside the bureaucracy), as well as their interaction, on citizen satisfaction in the context of education. Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a worldwide assessment of educational practices and outcomes, this study finds some evidence of positive effects of participative management and public participation, as well as their interaction, on citizen satisfaction. These findings suggest that democratic practices, both inside and outside of public organizations, are not only normatively desirable but may also be practically beneficial.

How weather impacts the citizens' activity patterns in southern China? Enlightenment from large-scale mobile phone signaling data of Guangzhou

In the realm of smart cities, understanding citizens' activity patterns is essential for effective urban planning and development. Weather condition plays a crucial role in shaping citizen's activities. This study investigates the impact of weather conditions on activity patterns by examining variations in visitor numbers at three types of sites in Guangzhou, China: parks, pedestrian streets and shopping malls, representing outdoor, semi-outdoor and indoor urban environment, respectively. Mobile phone signaling data and meteorological data were collected over two months, July and January 2022, representing the typical summer and winter conditions. With hourly visitor counts for the selected locations scaling to the magnitude of millions, the dataset offers significant representativeness. Our findings underscore that, predominantly temperature, exerts a marked influence on the choice of activities among Guangzhou's populace. As temperature rose, even during the hot summer month, the total number of visitors across the three types of locations increased. However, the frequency of park visitors exhibited heightened sensitivity to meteorological variations in comparison to their counterparts in pedestrian streets and shopping malls, with park visitor numbers in winter oscillating over a six-fold range due to climatic shifts. In contrast, the trend of visitor number to pedestrian streets and shopping malls tends to be less affected by weather conditions. Notably, the impact of weather on activity patterns varied among different groups. Males appeared more attuned to external conditions than females, with their presence in parks surging more noticeably with temperature increments—a gender ratio surpassing 1.7 in summer, further accentuating in winter. This starkly contrasts the gender ratios in pedestrian streets and malls, which aligned closely with the city's overall demographic distribution. Age emerged as another differentiating factor. Younger individuals (19–29 years) demonstrated a higher adaptability to the local high-temperature weather conditions, while during the winter season, a significant decrease in the number of visitors from this group was observed as the temperature dropped. Remarkably, within a narrow temperature bracket of 27 °C to 27.5 °C, the hourly count of visitors aged 19–29 on pedestrian streets experienced a six-fold variance, ranging from just over 0.1 million to nearly 0.7 million. This suggests that factors beyond weather play a significant role in influencing the mobility choices of young adults. In contrast, the 30–39 age bracket showcased more robust correlations with weather patterns. The number of older visitors remained relatively stable and did not change significantly with weather changes, especially those aged 60 and above. Drawing on robust evidence from large-scale mobile phone signaling data, this study can inform local policy-making in smart city development.