Social Law Research Articles

Актуальные проблемы правового регулирования среднего профессионального юридического образования и пути их решения

Purpose. In the sphere of legal regulation of secondary professional legal education in Russia, there are a number of problems, which should include: problems of limited scope of application of specialists with secondary professional legal education; problems determined by contradictions between the federal state educational standards of secondary professional legal education and the Unified Qualification Directory of positions of managers, specialists and other employees ; problems of simplification of educational methodological literature for secondary professional legal education problems of the demonstration exam. Methodology: the article uses methods of dialectics, comparative jurisprudence, general theory of law and private scientific methods of educational law. Conclusions. The legal regulation of secondary professional legal education needs to be improved by solving existing problems. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate contradictions between normative legal acts, expand the scope of application of the work of specialists with secondary professional legal education, abandon the simplified presentation of normative legal material in the educational and methodological literature, correct the work programs of academic disciplines in accordance with the requirements of the demonstration exam. Scientific and practical significance. The article is aimed at optimizing both the science of educational law and social security law, and the practice of law enforcement in the implementation of federal state standards of secondary vocational education.

Advancing inclusive innovation policy in the UK’s second-tier city-regions

AbstractThe UK exhibits stark regional economic divides which have been a long running concern for policymakers. With the levelling up agenda taking shape, city-regions in the UK are developing innovation and business support policies in seeking to deliver on a range of goals from traditional productivity concerns to wider social and environmental imperatives. Drawing on interviews with key actors in the city-regions of Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow, this paper points to an emerging directional change in innovation policy, yet we show that capacities to articulate and implement an inclusive innovation approach vary widely. The uneven landscape for innovation policy within each of the city-regions, in terms of the location of innovation assets but also the varied institutional and social legacies shaping innovation policy, is also brought into view. Central to the reshaping of innovation policy in all cases, however, are agents working in networks, fashioning narratives and marshalling data in efforts to mobilise new ways of practicing innovation policy within what remains a centralised approach to sub-national economic development.

Post-Pandemic Challenges of Textile Industry Workers in India: Analysis of Social Security Laws of Select Asian Countries

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic ensued a challenging period for global health; however, the loss of livelihoods throughout the lockdown also led to a significant economic issue that warranted a reassessment of the existing socio-economic structures. Manufacturing lines were severely impeded, particularly in the Indian textile industry, the second-largest employer and labour-intensive industry. The initial lockdown did not provide manufacturers enough time to prepare for the impending catastrophe, compelling many to shut down their operations. The above circumstances highlighted the lack of resilient social security laws in India. Despite initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme and other initiatives like grain distribution to families below the poverty line, lack of economic security came to the forefront. There is a need to have a competent social security legal framework in India to ensure economic stability for all that would fall in line with the noble ideas of the framers of the Constitution as enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy, the guiding light for all state action in India. India has not ratified the International Labour Organizations Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention of 1952. The focal area of the current research would be to look into the sufficiency of the legal framework (International and National) to protect the economic interests of the workers. The authors examine the following: 1. Examine the Code on Social Security, 2020 passed by the Indian legislature interpreting it in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on textile manufacturing in India along with other steps initiated by the government for the textile industry. 2. Carry out a comparative analysis of the social security laws of other Asian countries (Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China) to carve out best practices that can be adopted in India. 3. Analyse and contrast the statistical data of the four predominant textile manufacturing and exporting economies on selected parameters.

WHAT RESEARCH TELLS US (THE SCIENCE BIT)

Gabriella Jozwiak looks more closely at a study by Anne Fitzpatrick and Ann Marie Halpenny, from the School of Social Sciences, Law and Education at Technological University Dublin, which investigated the benefits of intergenerational learning.

‘We are here to put the past behind us’: violence and welfare governmentality in Finnish family law

ABSTRACT Family justice occupies a complex space where public social (welfare) law intersects with private family law. These two legal domains bring distinct perspectives on subjects, rights, responsibilities, and entitlements. This article draws on interview data and previous research to examine welfare governmentality in family law, particularly in Finland and more broadly in the Nordic welfare states. Using intimate partner violence (IPV) as the lens of analysis, the article studies family law’s exclusionary structures that render particular forms of loss resulting from the relationship non-addressable. The rationales embedded in law, as evident through welfare governmentality, significantly impact the production of specific types of vulnerable, autonomous, gendered, and relational subjects. Moreover, these rationales shape our understanding of the law’s operations, categories, truth claims, knowledge development, and regulatory practices. Notably, family law-as-knowledge falls short in recognising violence and the subsequent losses suffered by victims within the contexts of financial settlements and child custody and access. This failure can be attributed to conceptual distinctions within family law, an overriding focus on the child’s interests, and the law’s national orientation.

Why together, why apart? An epistolary discussion about Yugoslavia and its remnants

ABSTRACT In this unusual contribution, three prominent younger scholars of the post-Yugoslav region discuss through a series of letters what was socialist Yugoslavia as political community and what came to replace it. Igor Štiks claims that every political community, past and present, is based on the citizenship argument that imposes itself as hegemonic. He explains why we are together as community in the first place, who belongs, and who is excluded. Štiks tries to understand what arguments socialist Yugoslavia was built on and what were the arguments used to subvert and finally destroy it. Ivan Đorđević responds by highlighting how the new states were built on a combination of ethnic nationalism and savage capitalism, resulting in a series of disasters. Biljana Đorđević explains the life of her post-Yugoslav generation and its sense of gloom. All three authors contrast political events with their own destinies that were determined by where (Sarajevo, Belgrade, Vranje) and when (in 1977 and 1984) they were born, and under what circumstances, personal and political, they came of age. Besides their attempts to understand Yugoslavia’s disintegration and the new post-Yugoslav reality, they reflect upon what the Yugoslav socialist legacy could mean for emancipatory movements in the twenty-first century.

Local government spending and mental health: Untangling the impacts using a dynamic modelling approach

This study investigated the impact of local government spending on mental health in England between 2013 and 2019. Guided by the “Health in All Policies" vision, which encourages the integration of health in all decision-making areas, we explored how healthcare and multiple nonmedical budgeting decisions related to population mental health. We used random curve general cross-lagged modelling to dynamically partition effects into the short-run (from t to t + 1) and long-run (from t to t + 2) impacts, account for unobserved area-level heterogeneity and reverse causality from health outcomes to financial investments, and comprehensive modelling of budget items as an interconnected system. Our findings revealed that spending in adult social care, healthcare, and law & order predicted long-term mental health gains (0.004–0.081 SDs increase for each additional 10% in expenditure). However, these sectors exhibited negative short-term impulses (0.012–0.077 SDs decrease for each additional 10% in expenditure), markedly offsetting the long-term gains. In turn, infrastructural and environmental spending related to short-run mental health gains (0.005–0.031 SDs increase for each additional 10% in expenditure), while the long-run effects were predominantly negative (0.005–0.028 SDs decrease for each additional 10% in expenditure). The frequent occurrence of short-run and long-run negative links suggested that government resources may not be effectively reaching the areas that are most in need. In the short-term, negative effects could also imply temporary disruptions to service delivery largely uncompensated by later mental health improvements. Nonetheless, some non-health spending policies, such as law & order and infrastructure, can be related to long-lasting positive mental health impacts.

Social Services, Law, and Crisis Management Curriculum Offered in Library and Information Studies

This study aimed to examine the trends in American Library Association (ALA)-accredited Library and Information Studies (LIS) master's program course offerings that facilitated societal interactions and support, specifically social services, law, soft skills, and crisis management. Results indicated that most respondents, who were LIS faculty and members of the Association of Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), believed that LIS coursework in social services, law, soft skills, and crisis management were important. Respondents also indicated how they or their departments addressed social issues (e.g., readings), and what kinds of crises a librarian should be equipped to handle (e.g., facilities management). Additionally, it was found that 41.9% of the respondents believed that a Masters and a Juris Doctorate were required to be a law librarian. Moreover, survey data limitations and implications for current and future practice are discussed.

Значение структурно-функционального анализа для формирования понятийного аппарата права социального обеспечения

The round table conference held on September 20, 2023, by the Center for Labor and Social Security Law of the Lomonosov MSU and dedicated to the problems of the conceptual framework of social security law proved that the issues related to industry-specific concepts are relevant. Such issues include the development of concept definitions and the use of special terminological framework. Opinions of leading law scholars and famous economists studying social security issues that were expressed during the round table meeting will be reflected in further publications. In this article, the author pays attention to the importance of correct and accurate understanding of not only general key and generic concepts of social security law but also the concepts of the very first level of the social security law system: specific pensions, allowances, other security types as these are the elements that develop the initial idea of social security. The concepts are analyzed from the standpoint of systematic nature of the industry and taking into account the rules of the structural and functional analysis.

Конституционная терминология в праве социального обеспечения

The article analyzes the constitutional terminology used in social security law. The concept of constitutional terminology is explained both broadly and narrowly. The specifics of the constitutional terminology creation and its’ influence on the terminology utilized in the particular branches of law are substantiated. In relation to the law of social security, the definitions of the constitutional terms such as social protection, social security, compulsory social insurance, and targeted social support are analyzed. Said terms form the basic definitions of social security law. Their content and correlation with each other, as well as their correlation with the other constitutional and subject matter terms, is significant in the context of the independence of the social security law, branch-wise. It is not always possible to define these terms with the necessary clarity based solely on the analysis of the definitive regulations of the industry-specific legislation. In addition, the social protection system is not static, its structure changes following the dynamics of social relations. Accordingly, the content of some constitutional terms is modified. As an example, the author analyzes the development of social support as one of the forms of social protection. It is concluded that the consolidation of the term ‘targeted social support’ in the text of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 2020 reflects the current trend in the social protection system and sectoral legislation development. The mutual influence of the constitutional and branch-wise terminology draws increasing attention to the issue of doctrinal support of the process of formation and development of the conceptual apparatus within the social security law.

Оценочные понятия как часть понятийного аппарата права социального обеспечения и их влияние на эффективность норм законодательства о социальном обеспечении

The article analyzes certain evaluative concepts as the most flexible and dynamically developing part of the conceptual framework of social security law to conclude that there is a need to raise the efficiency of contemporary social security law through a detailed study of functions, essence and industryspecific aspects of such concepts and inter-industry links between them.

The Blind Men and the Elephant

Abstract What is the role of the social sciences in international law? This article maps how international law interacts with the social sciences, including its concepts, findings, methods, and epistemologies. It provides a first encompassing genealogy of social science references in six renowned international law journals, including the American, Asian, European, Leiden, and Nordic Journal of International Law as well as the British International and Comparative Law Quarterly, by using a corpus linguistic approach that encompasses more than 15,000 documents from 1907 to 2022. Moreover, it explores how structural factors related to the institutionalization and funding of certain strands of social science-inspired international law scholarship have influenced regional and temporal patterns in Europe, Germany, and Australia.

Social law issues in oncology: a question of social participation

Social law issues in oncology: a question of social participation

Religious foundations of duty

It is noted that, simultaneously with the emergence and development of human society, the presence of certain general rules in regulating the behavior of members of society arises. Social life at all stages of its development required the presence of such rules with which we humans could coordinate our behavior and actions and count on a certain predictable result from such behavior or actions. At various stages of the development of society, these or other social regulators become a tool for ensuring such a need. Historically, social norms formed under the influence of requirements and patterns of development of primitive society become the first social regulator. To a greater extent, such societies normalized their focus on the duties of the individual by installing a large number of prohibitions that required members of the society to refrain from undesirable behavior.
 It is indicated that with the complication and branching of social relations in society, general social norms support the impetus for further development and are differentiated in the following form of social regulators, in particular, morality, religion, and law. In our opinion, this order of progression of the development of social regulators is correct and natural. That is, initially the individual in the first society is aware of his responsibility to this or that social association, which is engaged in the creation of moral obligations. Gradually, certain beliefs appear in the primitive society, which contribute to the emergence of religious duties, which do not exclude moral positions, but complement them and values in interaction with them. And only with the appearance of the first state entities, we can talk about introducing obligations into the legal field with their further legal consolidation. It is important to note that in the pre-state period of human development, which occupies a sufficiently long period of time, duties developed outside the law and arose in accordance with human nature, customary norms, traditions, religious dogmas or moral ideas, based on the simplest rules of interpersonal interaction. All these factors - religion, morality, customs and traditions, to a greater or lesser extent changed their role in shaping the future idea of duties, that is why we consider it necessary to investigate the foundations of the institution of duty, in particular through the prism of religious influence.

Morality, democracy, globalization, and law

The article reveals the interrelationship of such modern megatrends as globalization and democracy, which are declared a blessing in creating special opportunities for each country, social community, and individual. Globalization was initially understood as an exclusively economic phenomenon, today it covers almost all spheres of human activity, today it can be considered as multiple processes and trends in the formation of a single planetary space, which involves the integration of states and their populations in all spheres of social life (economy, public administration, politics, culture, law, morality). It is shown that globalization as "Westernization" in its modern version contributes to the spread of democratic values and institutions, prompts changes in the value-normative systems of societies and worldviews, and significantly impacts the norms of social morality and law. The features of modern globalization processes are determined by the rapid development and availability of IT technologies for the population, the mobility of modern people, and the formation of new values in postmodern society, which are associated with societal changes.
 The article proves that globalization and all the processes accompanying it can take place only in those societies that strive for it themselves. The artificial planting of democratic values, and moral and legal standards is possible under constant external support, their actual perception and implementation in life takes place with the support of the population and the authorities of each state. The bipolarity of the modern world is represented by states that accept globalization-democratic values and states that defend their own identity and traditionality. Therefore, it is important to take into account the peculiarities of modern worldview orientations of each actor (state, society) and the voluntariness of participants in globalization processes regarding the creation of supra-state structures, as well as the voluntary adoption of norms and standards in the regulation of social life.

Government 2.0: Government-Citizen Engagement through Social Media in Pakistan

This study aims to analyze how the Pakistani public engages with e-government, particularly at the local government level. The research focuses on the social media tools utilized by selected institutions, their social media management practices, institutional policies, and the impact of their initiatives. The study highlights the limited responsiveness of Pakistanis towards e-government adoption. The study shows that Pakistani government institutions are increasingly using social media platforms to engage with the public, establish connections, and receive feedback. However, certain departments need to transition to online platforms, necessitating more digital integration. Government social media administrators include CEOs, regional directors, information officers, and media officers, highlighting the complexity of public sector social media management. The study indicates that numerous social media management departments use data to highlight teamwork but have fewer senior female officers. The most commonly used social media platforms by government agencies are Facebook, official websites, and WhatsApp. Meeting citizens' expectations requires addressing issues, responding to queries, and maximizing the potential of social media. However, despite the popularity of social media, residents still prefer contacting government entities by phone and in person. Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of clear social media policies for government bodies. The study underscores the need for government institutions to adapt their social media strategies based on public preferences. The report suggests that standard operating procedures (SOPs), varied social media teams, and explicit government social media laws can help improve the situation. The study provides a reliable framework for future research and legislation on government-citizen social media engagement, although it primarily reflects government officials' viewpoints.

Briefing: An examination of social legacy using a long-term perspective

The social legacy of infrastructure is a complex concept that is not clearly understood. It can incorporate social value practices, as defined in legislation, but must also consider the intrinsic benefits of infrastructure, that is the services that infrastructure provides to allow communities to flourish and, crucially, how long that impact will last. Examination of the impact of infrastructure systems – in this case sewers – reveals that engineering solutions can over time become burdens on society that are expensive to maintain and difficult to transition away from, restricting the ability to seek better approaches. The key lesson is that the legacy of our infrastructure may be to constrain the choices open to future generations by locking them in to a path we have defined. The conclusion is that the social legacy that engineers should consider is how to avoid burdening future generations, leaving them free to seek solutions that best suit the circumstances of their time.

Criminal law and criminological characteristics of a criminal group as a special form of complicity in a crimele of the article

Relevance. Criminal group as a form of complicity improves and becomes more complicated in its structure every year through various means of communication. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that over time, a periodic review of the norms of legislation is necessary for compliance with the realities and crimes of our time. Purpose. The purpose of this research is, firstly, a general analysis of the criminal procedural features of criminal groups in order to determine the compliance of the regulations with the realities of the modern distribution of criminal groups, and secondly, the study of criminological features of a criminal group, the definition of ways to prevent and combat criminal groups. Methodology. The paper uses the method of analysis and synthesis, descriptive, statistical analysis, induction and deduction, comparison, formal legal, and system analysis methods. Aspect and intersectoral approaches were also applied. Results. The statistics of crimes committed by criminal groups involving minors, as well as the statistics of criminal groups (crimes under Articles 257-259 and 262-268 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan) for the period from February 2020 to February 2023 are considered. A classification of psychological conflicts within a criminal group is proposed. Suggestions are made to improve the investigation of crimes with this form of complicity, and the stages of prevention and detection of such are presented. The norms of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan have been studied for the features of such a form of complicity as a criminal group. A cooperation agreement has been considered as one of the ways to identify a criminal group. Conclusions. Thus, the study highlighted and analysed the criminal law and criminological features of several types of criminal groups and provided general social and criminal law recommendations for preventing this type of crime. Keywords: criminal procedural features; organized group; criminal organization; organizer�s conflict; cooperation agreement

Building an organizational legacy: four key principles for responsible leadership

PurposeIn response to the prevalent emphasis on short-term leadership, this article introduces a leadership framework that emphasizes four essential principles. These principles are aimed at promoting long-term effectiveness and sustainability in organizations centered on responsible leadership. These principles include developing long-term orientation, embracing organizational diversity, demonstrating emotional intelligence, and prioritizing ethical decision-making. These responsible leadership principles play a critical role in fostering long-term organizational success.Design/methodology/approachThis article presents a conceptual framework that organizes and structures the key concepts, ideas, and theories regarding organizational effectiveness and long term viability.FindingsFor a responsible leader to establish a lasting social legacy and foster sustainable development, it is crucial for them to cultivate a robust and viable corporate culture, built around these four leadership principles. These principles bear witness to the fact that true evidence of sustainable leadership achievement emerges only after the leader's departure. Responsible leaders, through their track record, leave behind a social legacy by nurturing long-term organizational viability. To ensure a positive and enduring legacy beyond their leadership tenure, leaders can adopt these five principles that provide a foundation for the organization to thrive well into the future.Originality/valueIn the modern context, many leaders hesitate to make tough decisions due to the prevailing focus on immediate results. Followers, stakeholders, and investors prioritize quick responses, often at the expense of long-term considerations. However, by prioritizing the implementation of these four principles, leaders can overcome the allure of immediate gratification and instead, shift their focus toward long-term success measured in years, not just months. In leadership, the legacy left behind holds greater significance than we often realize, and recognizing this importance is crucial for the future prosperity of our organizations.

How does enforcement of social insurance law minimize income gaps within firms: From a perspective of worker bargaining power

Attaining common prosperity is a fundamental necessity for Chinese modernization, and the key is to minimize the income gap at the micro level. This paper utilizes the implementation of the Social Insurance Law as an external policy shock to create a quasi-natural experiment. Based on A-share listed firms spanning 2007 to 2019, the difference-in-difference (DID) method was adopted to investigate the effects of enhanced social security collection and management on income disparity within firms. This paper reveals that implementing the Social Insurance Law can effectively narrow the income gap within firms and the impact mainly through strengthening workers' negotiating power.