Field Of Social Policy Research Articles

Introduction: ‘public information comics’

ABSTRACT This symposium article brings together distinguished scholars from the field of criminology, graphic arts, creative industries and social policy, and English to reflect on a suite of ‘educational’ or ‘public information’ comics created by the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies (SCCS), based at the University of Dundee. There are now 20-plus titles available to the public for free download and distribution on a range of subject matters relating to healthcare, law and justice, science, forensic analysis, trauma and memory studies, as well as a diverse range of literary adaptations, creative responses to literary and cultural texts, and other subjects. Each of these works relies on a strong symbiotic relationship between their authors, experts, artists, editors, and other contributors to successfully convey every story at hand. Every comic is also meticulously reviewed for accuracy – both written and visual – at each stage of creation, leading up to publication. In this article, the contributors have focused on selected titles from our ‘educational’ comics series to generate incisive analyses that will be relevant to scholars working in a broad range of fields from law, psychology, the humanities and creative arts, to healthcare and the sciences, understood broadly. In order of appearance, the contributors are Paul Long, Christopher Pizzino, Angus Nurse, and Ian Horton.

Профессиональная стратификация как социальный феномен на региональном рынке труда Хабаровского края

This scientific article studies professional stratification as a social phenomenon in the regional labor market of the Khabarovsk Territory. The author analyzes social stratification, determines its main characteristics and influence on the professional opportunities and prospects of workers in the region. The study is based on a comprehensive data analysis that includes surveys, statistics and economic indicators.The author analyzes various aspects of professional stratification such as the level of education, work experience, professional skills and qualifications, as well as social status and income. He explores the differences in access to high-paying and prestigious jobs, as well as the factors that influence the vertical and horizontal mobility of workers. The author identifies the main trends and patterns of professional stratification in the regional labor market of the Khabarovsk Territory as the result of the study. Recommendations to reduce inequality in access to professional opportunities and improvement in the situation on the labor market in the region are also offered. This article provides valuable information for researchers, practitioners and decision makers in the field of labor relations and social policy.

Inflation, wages and equality: cross-disciplinary conversations

Rising inflation and a wave of strikes during 2022 have aroused echoes of the 1970s. In this article, experts from the fields of economics, sociology and social policy consider what has changed, what remains the same, and what the lessons might be � with a notable degree of agreement. Raising wages, particularly for the lower-paid groups in the public sector, is likely to reduce poverty and has a very low risk of generating further price inflation. Giving in on pay will be costly, and may have to be funded by taxes in the short term. In the longer run the only way out of our difficulties will be more effective growth generated through improved productivity.

MECHANISM OF STATE REGULATION OF LABOR PAYMENT IN UKRAINE

The article examines the essence and significance of state regulation of wages as an important tool in the field of social and economic policy. It is noted that state intervention is aimed at ensuring fairness, stability and efficiency in the labor market. The purpose of the article is to generalize the results of research and formalize the theoretical foundations of state regulation of the organization of labor remuneration, taking into account the specifics of today's challenges and trends in the development of economic conditions. The research method is a theoretical and logical substantiation of the mechanism of state regulation of labor remuneration as a complete system aimed at ensuring justice, stability and efficiency in the field of labor. The main purpose of the functioning of the mechanism is defined as the creation of fair, efficient and sustainable conditions of remuneration, which ensure a decent standard of living for employees, contribute to social justice and the development of the labor market. The main principles (social justice, equality and protection; transparency and comparability; stimulation of productivity; flexibility and adaptability; democracy), functions (establishment of the minimum wage, protection of workers' rights, regulation of tax and social contribution systems, stimulation of the development of industries and markets, monitoring and analysis of the labor market, ensuring equal payment conditions for employees, improving social protection systems, forming effective labor standards) and the goals of state regulation, as well as its importance in ensuring decent wages and social justice. The importance of continuous improvement of the system to meet changes in society and economy is emphasized. The advantages of partnership regulation, where the state cooperates with employers and trade unions to achieve common goals, are analyzed. The conclusion indicates that state regulation of wages is necessary to support sustainable development and ensure fair and cost-effective conditions in the labor market.

MECHANISM OF STATE REGULATION OF LABOR PAYMENT IN UKRAINE

The article examines the essence and significance of state regulation of wages as an important tool in the field of social and economic policy. It is noted that state intervention is aimed at ensuring fairness, stability and efficiency in the labor market. The purpose of the article is to generalize the results of research and formalize the theoretical foundations of state regulation of the organization of labor remuneration, taking into account the specifics of today's challenges and trends in the development of economic conditions. The research method is a theoretical and logical substantiation of the mechanism of state regulation of labor remuneration as a complete system aimed at ensuring justice, stability and efficiency in the field of labor. The main purpose of the functioning of the mechanism is defined as the creation of fair, efficient and sustainable conditions of remuneration, which ensure a decent standard of living for employees, contribute to social justice and the development of the labor market. The main principles (social justice, equality and protection; transparency and comparability; stimulation of productivity; flexibility and adaptability; democracy), functions (establishment of the minimum wage, protection of workers' rights, regulation of tax and social contribution systems, stimulation of the development of industries and markets, monitoring and analysis of the labor market, ensuring equal payment conditions for employees, improving social protection systems, forming effective labor standards) and the goals of state regulation, as well as its importance in ensuring decent wages and social justice. The importance of continuous improvement of the system to meet changes in society and economy is emphasized. The advantages of partnership regulation, where the state cooperates with employers and trade unions to achieve common goals, are analyzed. The conclusion indicates that state regulation of wages is necessary to support sustainable development and ensure fair and cost-effective conditions in the labor market.

ЕДИНОЕ ПОСОБИЕ НА РЕБЕНКА В СИСТЕМЕ МЕР СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ ПОДДЕРЖКИ В СОВРЕМЕННЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ: ОЦЕНКА ВЛИЯНИЯ НА ОСНОВЕ МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ ДОХОДОВ

The subject of the study of this article is a measure of social support for low-income families with children, introduced on January 1, 2023 – a standard allowance. Since overcoming negative trends in demographic processes is the area of increased attention of the authorities, and reducing poverty in 2018 was declared one of the national goals, the relevance of studying innovations in the field of social policy aimed at low-income families with children is beyond doubt. The scientific novelty lies in the approach to assessing the potential effectiveness of the allowance, which consists of modeling various variations in the well-being of families with children depending on the level of their total income and the number of children. This approach makes it possible to draw preliminary conclusions before the statistical data becomes available (e.g., on the coverage of low-income families with allowances, changes in their average per capita income with the receipt of payments, etc.). The main results show that regardless of the number of children in the family, families in which the aggregate parents’ income is low (e.g., for Russia as a whole, the amount of such income is no more than 40% of the average nominal wage), a standard allowance does not contribute to transferring the poor families out of poverty. The identified patterns also open up such questions as the fairness of the “customization” of this system in terms of stimulating parents with many children to look for additional sources of income and higher-paying jobs (e.g., similarly to social adaptation measures that are mandatory when receiving social assistance based on a social contract) or providing the opportunity to live on allowances.

Field Research on Global Climate Change in Social Reality

This study focuses on revealing the relationship between global climate change (GCC) and the discipline of social policy on the axis of social reality. The focus of the study is qualitative research carried out within the framework of nature-based work (those who make their living from nature) in the Mediterranean climate of Turkey to make the dimensions of the GCC in social reality comprehensible. Within the scope of the study, in-depth interviews were conducted with those who have been making a living directly from nature for long enough to assess climatic changes. In line with the Interpretive Approach adopted in the research, the Constructivist Design Theory was preferred to understand the interaction between the GCC and human beings within the scope of social policy, in the ordinary course of life and in-depth. The findings show that GCC increases production costs in works directly dependent on nature. Due to the increases in production costs, GCC threatens the potential of works directly dependent on nature as a livelihood. On the one hand, this impoverishes those who work directly depending on nature. On the other hand, it interrupts the handover of this work to future generations. According to this research, which aims to explore the relationship between the phenomenon of GCC and the discipline of social policy, the impoverishing cycle caused by GCC makes it necessary for GCC to be a ‘new’ topic in the field of social policy. This cycle also makes effective social policy practices necessary in dealing with GCC. 

VOLUNTEERING: ANALYSIS OF THE REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

Volunteering as a social phenomenon has been widely discussed by scientists and specialists over the past few years. International documents proclaim the equality of citizens’ rights to participate in volunteer activities, and also emphasize the need to strengthen the volunteer movement in all countries of the world. However, there are difficulties in a single comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of “volunteering”. The article analyzes the activities of international organizations regulating volunteer work. The analysis of modern legislation after the adoption of amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation is carried out, and the possible consequences for the development of the social institution of “volunteering” in modern society are described.
 Purpose. The aim of the study is to analyze the modern comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of “volunteering”, the activities of international organizations in the development of volunteering and modern Russian legislation on volunteering.
 Methodology. The main research method was the content analysis of Russian and foreign literature on volunteering and regulatory documents (official websites of the UN, UNDP, federal authorities). To achieve the goal of the study, the methodology of system analysis was used.
 Results. The results of the work showed that volunteering is understood as a form of social service, carried out according to the free will of citizens, aimed at the disinterested provision of socially significant services at the local, national or international levels, contributing to personal growth and development of citizens (volunteers) performing this activity. The role of International Organizations is important in consolidating efforts in promoting volunteering. National governments and public institutions should work closely with voluntary organizations in setting common priorities for the development of the world. The state has recognized the importance of volunteering in its legal acts. Effective implementation of the socio-economic development of Russia is possible in partnership with civil institutions, including volunteers. Modern social challenges (pandemic COVID-19, fires, floods, etc.) reinforce and emphasize the importance of volunteering.
 Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in the field of social and youth policy.

FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SAMBO IN THE VOLUNTARY SPORTS SOCIETY “BUREVESTNIK” OF THE CHUVASH ASSR (1960–1980s)

The stages of sambo formation and development within the framework of the republican student voluntary sports society “Burevestnik” are examined. The need for this is justified by the desire to search for the most significant aspects in the development of modern student sports, which the authors understand as a condition for implementing national projects in the field of social policy and health.
 
 The article provides a brief historical reference on formation and development of the voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” in the Soviet Union and the Chuvash ASSR. Some statistical data on the participants of the All-Russian and republican championships and Cups of the voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” in the period of the 1960–1980s are presented. Distinctive features of organizing sambo competitions in the considered historical period are revealed.
 
 Based on the analysis and generalization of archival data, evolvement of sambo in the Chuvash Republican Voluntary Sports Society “Burevestnik” is associated with expansion of the competitive base of student sambo in Chuvashia and the first participation of sambo students in competitions outside the republic.
 
 It is noted that within the framework of the republican voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” student sambo is a specific social phenomenon and in its history it repeatedly changed its structural content, which, in fact, reflects the specifics of its development.
 
 At this, a number of aspects are updated, implementation of which, according to the authors, will contribute to further development of student sambo in the Chuvash Republic and, in general, will create conditions for a more complete implementation of national health projects.

Social protection of children with disabilities before the change of regime and at present

The integration of people with disabilities and the normalisation of their living conditions appear to be a key goal in today’s social approach. However, it is not enough to change the social approach alone in order to achieve integration, we need instruments which are able to support the social participation, self-determination and normalisation of people with disabilities. Such instruments can be defined as follows: a wide range of social welfare support and social services ensured by the state. It is indispensable to help, support and strengthen families which raise a child with disabilities, consequently social policy instruments should be extended to families as well. The present study aims at providing an overview of how children with disabilities and their families were supported during the socialist regime and in the subsequent period. We used a qualitative case study, for the preparation of which secondary research and document analysis were conducted. Our analysis focused on the research question whether following the change of regime there was a change of attitude in the fields of social policy which could promote the improvement of the quality of life of children with disabilities and their families. On the other hand, do the benefits and services provided by the social care system support the integration, normalisation and self-determination of children with disabilities, as well as their upbringing in a family environment? The results of our analysis show that following the change of regime a slow change guided by the modern approach to disability began, which by continuously adding an element at a time attempts to help children with disabilities and their families. A Hungarian disability strategy which would thoroughly define a social policy adapted to the needs of those concerned is badly needed.

“Deutschland ist auch Frauensache”. NPD-Frauen im Kampf für Volk und Familie 1964–2020

In this enlightening and carefully researched book, Valérie Dubslaff explores the history of the right-wing extremist Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschland (NPD) with a focus on its female members and officials. Dubslaff offers a unique insight into the various ways in which women of different generations have actively influenced the NPD’s political and ideological development during the last six decades. Throughout the book, the author presents a thorough analysis, based on an impressive number of primary sources, ranging from internal party documents, manuscripts and letters, through party programmes, leaflets, contributions in the NPD’s party newspaper, and records of right-wing extremist networks and actors in antifascist archives, to content published on NPD websites or posted on social media. Moreover, by continuously reflecting on the historical and socio-political context of the NPD women’s manoeuvring, Dubslaff makes a remarkably insightful contribution to the exploration of the postwar Federal Republic’s gender history. In the first section, ‘Women in the NPD’s Heyday (1964–1969)’, the author focuses on the role the NPD’s (few) female members played in the consolidation and foundation of the party in 1965 as well as during the party’s most successful years in the late 1960s. The NPD’s founding mothers are presented as women from the ‘Experience Generation’ (Erlebnisgeneration), who had actively supported the National Socialist regime, refused to accept the FRG’s postwar order and continued their ideological and political engagement in the NPD. Here, Dubslaff explores how the three most prominent female members strove for more influence and actively contributed to the elaboration of ideological standpoints. Among other examples, in the field of family and social policy, they promoted an ideal of the German family strongly reminiscent of the Nazi regime’s ideology. Overall, however, Dubslaff describes the political status of women in the male-dominated NPD as characterized by a double marginalization. On the one hand, they were relegated to a subordinate role in the patriarchally structured NPD, while on the other, due to their Nazi past, NPD women could not escape the party’s overall pariah status in the FRG’s political system, despite the attempt to present themselves as a constructive and constitutional opposition.

Social class and income distribution

This paper aims to analyse the relationship between household income sources and household economic welfare over a medium-term period spanning different political-economic cycles in Argentina. It bases on the convergence between social class studies and welfare regimes analysis. We used a quantitative methodological strategy based on microdata from the Permanent Household Survey (EPH for its acronym in Spanish) of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec for its acronym in Spanish), Argentina. The class scheme known as EGP/Casmin was constructed. The income sources for the different years were harmonised into labour and non-labour sources, differentiating the latter between market income and welfare income. The relationship between social class and income sources was analysed descriptively. A decomposition analysis by income sources and social class of the Gini economic inequality index was applied at the household level. Among the main conclusions of the paper, the strong dependence of households of all social classes on labour income for their social reproduction is highlighted, even in periods of strong dynamism in the field of social policies, such as the governments framed within the “progressive turn” or “pink tide”.

Trends in European Integration in the Field of Social Policy

This article traces the development of the European social policy from its minimalist role provided for in the Treaties of Rome, through the neoliberal orientation, especially in the financial crisis of 2008, to the trend towards a socio-investment perspective in response to the crisis caused by the Kovid19 pandemic. Current EU social policy applies a new approach that emphasizes the need to invest in education and training and the provision of quality social services throughout the life course of people - from early childhood to old age. It relies on the mutual enrichment of national and supranational forms of social protection.

The Impact of Oil Prices on the Macroeconomic Indicators of Kazakhstan and the Consequences for the Formation of Social Policy

The article analyzes the impact of the dynamics of oil prices on the main macroeconomic indicators of the Kazakhstani economy and the consequences of the formation of national social policy. The article applies different hypotheses about the sensitivity of macroeconomic indicators of the economy of Kazakhstan to fluctuations of oil prices, and in addition, it specifies and evaluates a system of simultaneous equations that allows to test these hypotheses. Scenarios for the reaction of the Kazakhstani economy to exogenous shocks associated with a sharp change in the level of oil prices are considered, and some measures are proposed to reduce the negative consequences of fluctuations in oil prices for the Kazakhstani economy. Finally, the article discusses some of the results of understanding the challenges and realities in the field of social policy, which are generated by the model of economic growth.

Security or Social Spending? Perceptions of Insecurity, Victimization, and Policy Priorities in Mexico and Brazil

In Latin America, deep social inequalities coexist with persistent, high-level criminal violence. Facing competing needs and budget constraints, citizens in the region have to prioritize among different policy choices. We analyze how perceptions of insecurity and crime victimization shape attitudes toward budgetary priorities in social and security policies. Our analysis relies on original data from Mexico and Brazil, two countries exhibiting increased violence at the national level, albeit with important regional variation. We find that exposure to crime takes its toll on citizens’ policy priorities. In both Mexico and Brazil, citizens who feel insecure seem to prioritize public expenditure on the police over social investment policies. Victims of criminal violence are, however, mostly indifferent as to budgetary allocations across the security and social policy fields, suggesting that their spending priorities might diverge from these two spheres of government action or give rise to policy indifference.

Social Policy in Conservative Political and Philosophic Heritage of Russian Empire

In the present article the author compares the social policy concepts of the three Russian monarchists: Lev Tikhomirov, Ivan Iliyn and Ivan Solonevitch. He analyzes the foundations of their conservative political philosophy and offers the description of the correlation between the political system and social policy. He studies their attitude towards government interference in economy and evaluates the role of self-organization and self-government in the society. The author examines their concept of justice, alongside with their attitude towards private property. He also outlines their recommendations in the field of social policy.

PROSPECTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF ESG PRINCIPLES IN THE RUSSIAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This article is devoted to the consideration of the prospects for the application of ESG principles in the Russian management system. This article discusses the basics of the concept of ESG principles, the key features of the components of this phenomenon, describes the formation of the processes of integration of ESG principles into the Russian management system. The authors pay special attention to the activities of the Moscow Exchange in relation to the formation of the Sustainable Development Sector, the purpose of which is to support and finance projects in the field of ecology, environmental protection and social policy through the issuance of securities. As a result of writing this article, conclusions have been formed regarding the prospects for the application of ESG principles in the Russian management system.

The third ethical commentary to COVID-19 (two years later) — vaccination, solidarity, and trust

The systematic monitoring of ethical contents and events related to COVID-19 pandemic, carried out over the last two years, serves to develop a multi-professional discussion on one of the most relevant platforms Russian Journal Infection and Immunity. Two previous articles consistently presented the moral context of historically established regulatory and epidemiological paradigms and the analysis of readiness/unwillingness to follow them in the real-life conditions during the epidemic crisis. The contemporary moral cross-section of the pandemic, characterized by the state of global loss of values of social unity, trust and solidarity leaves virtually no doubt about the dominant role of ethics as a criterion for resolving conflicts of interest. The point of the peak moral tension was vaccine prevention at all levels of its introduction into an effective resource for containing COVID-19. According to the authors personal and professional responsibility, based on long-term scientific research of vaccination-related ethics, embodied in the books Ethics of Infectious Pathology (2014) and Ethics of Vaccination (Criterion of Scientific and Humanitarian Breakthrough (2018), account for our interest in writing this paper. In the Third Ethical Commentary presented to the readers the two ideologically related tasks have been set. First, to consider the ethically verified canon of vaccine prevention specifically exemplified by COVID-19 pandemic. Second, to expand the scope in the discussion of the ethics role by connecting the vaccination in the context of a regional cluster, namely the CIS member states. This opportunity took place owing the long-term cooperation to create ethical evaluation system within the framework of the WHO project Forum of Ethics Committees in the Commonwealth of Independent States (FECCIS) and the practice of developing model laws in the field of social policy and human rights of the IPA CIS. The perspective focus of this work is the need for an innovative approach to develop management decisions by enlarging the interdisciplinary range and expanding the areas of responsibility of social and bioethical meaning while protecting public health in epidemic crisis.

New philanthropy, social impact and social work: insights from the Italian case

ABSTRACT The article aims to suggest two different scenarios for the transformation of social policy and social work in Italy in relation with the emergence of new trends in the philanthropic sector. Over the past two decades, a growing body of literature has pointed to the shift that philanthropy is undergoing at the global level under the influence of Venture Philanthropy and Impact Investing. Distinctive features of this ‘new philanthropy’ are the blending of the principles and tools of giving with those deriving from the market and the financial sector, as well as the role played by scientific expertise and assessment in legitimising actors and activities. Relying on document analysis, interviews and participant observation, we show how these features are taking shape in the field of social policy and social work in Italy. The promotion of social impact investing and the connected debate on social impact measurement are the most significant elements through which new philanthropic actors and principles are gaining relevance. Nevertheless, their actual capacity to transform social policy and social work is still unclear and we therefore suggest that hybridisation and desocialisation are two possible scenarios for the transformation of the social domain.

THE FUNCTIONING OF WOMEN IN A DIFFICULT LIFE SITUATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT

The aim of the article is to answer the questions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily functioning of women in a difficult life situation and what strategies they take to deal with its consequences. The article is a report from a qualitative research conducted in April 2021. The research technique used was focused group interviews, the so-called (FGI), conducted among women with features whose lives have issues that may hinder social functioning (low income and education, disability, old age, single motherhood, emigration). The conclusions from the research help to better understand the attitudes and problems of the respondents. The analysis of their statements indicates the need to take action in the field of social policy limiting to limit the negative consequences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.