Related Social Policies Research Articles

Intergenerational effects of racism on amygdala and hippocampus resting state functional connectivity

Racism is an insidious problem with far-reaching effects on the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The pervasive negative impact of racism on mental health is well documented. However, less is known about the potential downstream impacts of maternal experiences of racism on offspring neurodevelopment. This study sought to examine evidence for a biological pathway of intergenerational transmission of racism-related trauma. This study examined the effects of self-reported maternal experiences of racism on resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in n = 25 neonates (13 female, 12 male) birthed by BIPOC mothers. Amygdala and hippocampus are brain regions involved in fear, memory, and anxiety, and are central nodes in brain networks associated with trauma-related change. We used average scores on the Experiences of Racism Scale as a continuous, voxel-wise regressor in seed-based, whole-brain connectivity analysis of anatomically defined amygdala and hippocampus seed regions of interest. All analyses controlled for infant sex and gestational age at the 2-week scanning session. More maternal racism-related experiences were associated with (1) stronger right amygdala rsFC with visual cortex and thalamus; and (2) stronger hippocampus rsFC with visual cortex and a temporo-parietal network, in neonates. The results of this research have implications for understanding how maternal experiences of racism may alter neurodevelopment, and for related social policy.

New agendas and old legacies? Comparing international organisations’ proposals on health and long-term care systems in Latin America

The way in which international actors formulate proposals for reforming or establishing public social policies not only varies between different organisations but is also dependent on the policy field in question. This article compares the positions of two international organisations (IOs), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), on the two related social policy fields of health and long-term care in Latin America. We apply qualitative document analysis to reports and strategy articles published by ECLAC and PAHO between 2000 and 2015. The analysis finds that despite some similar proposals by both organisations, there are also clear differences between their positions depending on the policy areas. While both organisations see the need to establish healthcare and long-term care as a human right, they have different ideas on targeted and universal approaches. Moreover, with long-term care as a new and emerging policy field, there is still much more variation in how the IOs address the topic, while proposals on healthcare are shaped by previous debates at international and regional levels.

SOCIAL POLICY AND DIGITALISATION

Digitalisation affects almost all areas of social life, including social policy. The aim of this article is to analyse the social policy practices that are being implemented in connection with digitalisation. The article also provides an overview of the challenges faced by social policy in relation to the emergence of the information society. The following challenges are discussed: axiological, accessibility-related and challenges for the sphere of work. The opportunities and risks of digitalisation for social policy were also characterised. The article is analytical and descriptive in nature. It is based on an analysis of the academic literature and selected official documents, and on an unsystematic observation of the social debate on digitalisation.

How social norms and values shape household healthcare expenditures and resource allocation: Insights from India

We present a novel perspective on thinking about and studying healthcare spending in contexts where few health-related financial risk protection mechanisms exist and where out-of-pocket spending by households is the norm. Drawing on interviews conducted across 20 villages in two states of India, we illustrate and problematize how a complex interplay of social norms and cultural factors underpin spending decisions within households in such contexts. While our analysis draws on the fieldwork at large, we present our findings through selected narratives - stories of patients suffering from chronic breathlessness. We engage with and reveal the various ways in which social norms dynamically drive this household economy, and shape resource allocation-related decisions. We conclude that in health system contexts where out-of-pocket spending by households is the norm, it is essential to recognise the pragmatic and calculative nature of intra-household allocation of resources, and how it involves bargaining and negotiations at the intersection of social norms, economic class, caste, gender, age, and productive status. And at the same time, how all of this occurs within the economy of the family, and how it plays out differently for different members of a family is also important to recognise. Such recognition can not only help one better appreciate how this household level economy may sometimes maintain and perpetuate entrenched hierarchies and gender inequities, crucially, it can help target health related social protection policies and strategies and make them more responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable in the society and within households.

The Welsh criminal justice system: On the jagged edge By R.Jones, R.W.Jones, Cardiff: University of Wales Press. 2022. pp. 292. £24.99 (pbk); £24.99 (ebk). ISBN: 9781786839435; 9781786839442

The Welsh criminal justice system: On the jagged edge By R.Jones, R.W.Jones, Cardiff: University of Wales Press. 2022. pp. 292. £24.99 (pbk); £24.99 (ebk). ISBN: 9781786839435; 9781786839442

РАЗВИТИЕ СИСТЕМ МОТИВАЦИИ И ВОЗНАГРАЖДЕНИЯ ВЫСШЕГО РУКОВОДСТВА КОРПОРАЦИЙ

Motivation and remuneration of the top management of corporations is always in the area of special attention in both foreign and domestic research. The public believes that the high incomes of top managers are not justified and are not supported by real achievements. If the mechanisms for determining wages in Russian corporations with state participation are partially regulated, then in public joint-stock companies the issues of remuneration of top management, according to the owners, are an internal matter of the company and are not subject to regulation. The lack of regulation opens up wide opportunities for the use of various mechanisms of motivation and remuneration, which reflect the specifics of the corporation and social policy in relation to top management employees. The purpose of the study is to identify the best practices and reserves of Russian companies in matters of remuneration for the top management of a corporation. The object of the study is the remuneration of the top management of corporations. The subject of the research is the mechanisms of remuneration of top managers of companies. Research methods are applied: analysis, synthesis, generalization, modeling and classification. Main results: in order to increase the effectiveness of motivation systems, it is necessary to strengthen the long-term and strategic orientation of motivation and remuneration, reduce the share of remuneration “from what has been achieved”, and develop option programs based on preferential distribution of company shares. It is advisable in motivation systems to provide for penalties for large losses of the company that have arisen through the fault of the company’s executive management.

ПСИХОЛОГО-ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКИЕ ПРАКТИКИ ПРОФИЛАКТИКИ ДЕМЕНЦИИ В КОНТЕКСТЕ ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЯ СОЦИАЛЬНОГО ИСКЛЮЧЕНИЯ ПОЖИЛЫХ ЛЮДЕЙ

Statement of the problem. The article discusses the new accents of social policy in relation to older citizens in different countries based on the idea of social inclusion. The author highlights the main areas of socio-psychological and socio-pedagogical support of the modern elderly in the conditions of state social services. The purpose of the article is to review psychological and pedagogical practices and the results of special foreign studies that identify problems in social interaction and characteristics of the social well-being of the elderly. The methodological basis of the study includes theoretical and empirical methods: phenomenological, comparative analysis, interpretation, comparison, documentation, psychological and pedagogical diagnostics, in particular, the Montreal Cognitive Function Assessment Scale (MOCA), socio-pedagogical experiment. Research results. The authors offer the results of their own empirical research related to the identification of difficulties in cognitive development that arise in old age, and also reveal the possible content and organization of psychological and pedagogical assistance. Conclusion. The article discusses different types of practices for overcoming the social exclusion of the elderly in the context of dementia prevention, in particular, practices of socio-ecological, communicative and resource nature. The presented results of empirical studies will supplement the data on the psychological and pedagogical support of the elderly and create prerequisites for the development of effective comprehensive measures aimed at increasing the proportion of successful aging.

POLICY OF SOCIAL SECURITY OF COMBATANTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

The article examines foreign models for the formation and implementation of the social security policy for combatants. In the article, based on the analysis of foreign experience, the task of preparing recommendations for improving the domestic state social veteran policy was solved. In the course of the study, a comparative method was used, as well as structural-functional, methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, modeling, and others. The article illustrates the features of social policy in relation to combatants in countries such as Croatia, South Korea, the United States and Israel, representing veteran social policy in different regions of the planet.
 Foreign experience in the formation and implementation of the social security policy for combatants indicates a variety of models - from the creation of a separate central executive authority - to the functioning of individual units within the defense or social ministries. A joint characteristic of foreign models of veterans' social policy should be recognized as the involvement of local authorities in the implementation of meeting the social needs of combatants on the ground and the widespread introduction of public-private partnership mechanisms. We recognize as excellent characteristics the involvement of the resource potential of the state and the private sector – from concessional lending to activate veteran businesses and social adaptation – to direct financial social payments, which depends on the level of economic development of the state and the focus of social attention on this particular category of the population. This approach provided an opportunity to formulate evidence-based recommendations for improving the national veterans' social policy in two directions: 1) strengthening the institutional capacity of the central executive authority (Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine) and 2) developing a policy of local communities on social security and stimulating entrepreneurial activity of combatants actions in the prospects of research on this issue, attention is paid to the legislative support of the above-mentioned areas.

Measures of social Support and Protection of Motherhood and Childhood in the Irkutsk Region and B-MASSR (1936-1953)

The article examines the legal framework of the USSR of the period 1936-1953, regulating the sphere of family relations, the institution of marriage, motherhood and childhood. The consistent emergence of new measures of support and protection of families in the pre-war, war and post-war period in the state is analyzed. Based on the materials of regional archives and periodicals, ideas were formed about the implementation of social support measures in the Irkutsk region and the BMASSR, the main directions of social policy and the effectiveness of their implementation on the ground were determined. The author presents an analysis of the main measures to support families with children, as well as the distinctive features of the implementation of these measures in the regional aspect. The author's special contribution to the study is the analysis of unpublished sources, including archival documents and data from local newspapers covering the problems of motherhood and childhood in the region. The scientific novelty lies in the author's use of a regional source base, which allowed him to draw conclusions about the peculiarities of the implementation of social policy in relation to the Soviet family during the period under study. The conducted research allowed us to conclude that the experience of Soviet social policy has become a vivid example of how the foundation of social support measures laid down by the USSR Constitution of 1936 made it possible to create a bulwark for the further development of the country.

THE ANTI-OLIGARCHY POPULAR CONSTITUTION

THE ANTI-OLIGARCHY POPULAR CONSTITUTION

Solving the Problems of Childhood Neglect and Homelessness through the social Policy of the USSR 1936-1953 (based on the materials of the Baikal region)

The article is devoted to the study of one of the urgent problems of childhood - neglect and homelessness. The object of the study is the social policy of the USSR in 1930-1950, within the framework of which the Soviet authorities had to solve this problem and ensure the preservation of the younger generation. The subject of the study is the process of implementing social politics in the Baikal region. In particular, the author touches upon the issues of regulatory and legal support for the fight against homelessness and childhood neglect, highlights the features and difficulties of fighting in wartime. The statistical data on the region in comparison with the all-Union indicators are given, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of the activities carried out. The article emphasizes the importance of measures of the social policy of the USSR in relation to the problems of neglect and homelessness, however, the lack of consistency in the implementation of these measures, as well as the existence of problems related to the financing of children's institutions, is noted. The novelty of the research lies in bringing as a source base a wide range of unpublished materials, including archival documents, sources of personal origin, periodicals and statistics. The author comes to the conclusion that social policy in relation to childhood was not implemented effectively enough, despite the fact that it was based on ideological principles that united the population in the fight against common problems.

SOCIAL POLICIES AROUND THE MINIMUM WAGE IN ROMANIA DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS

Given the current circumstances regarding the economic difficulties and uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the study of the evolution of the minimum wage is important in order to perform a radiography on the main trends, opportunities and problems in related social policies. The first and second part of the study bring upfront the importance of public policies on the minimum wage for ensuring a decent living and motivation of employees, for creating equal opportunities or access to the necessary resources for the poor. Through secondary data analysis, the third part of the study focuses on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the changes in the minimum wages in Romania compared to other countries in the Balkans, as well as the recent evolution and correlation between the minimum wage and the present situation of employment from the labor market in Romania. The last part offers conclusions in order to clarify several problems aiming at the minimum wage policy under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the main limitations of the study was the multitude and complexity of the uncertainties related to the current pandemic context regarding the effects of the progress of the minimum wage at national and international level.

Who loses more? Identifying the relationship between hospitalization and income loss: prediction of hospitalization duration and differences of gender and employment status

BackgroundThe major determinants of health and well-being include wider socio-economic and political responses to poverty alleviation. To data, however, South Korea has no related social protection policies to replace income loss or prevent non-preferable health conditions for workers. In particular, there are several differences in social protection policies by gender or occupational groups. This study aimed to investigate how hospitalization affects income loss among workers in South Korea.MethodsThe study sample included 4876 Korean workers who responded to the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS) for all eight years from 2009 to 2016. We conducted a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis to determine the cut-off point for the length of hospitalization that corresponded to the greatest loss of income. We used panel multi-linear regression to examine the relationship between hospitalization and income loss by gender and employment arrangement.ResultsThe greatest income loss for women in non-standard employment and self-employed men was observed when the length of hospitalization was seven days or less. When they were hospitalized for more than 14 days, income loss also occurred among men in non-standard employment. In addition, when workers were hospitalized for more than 14 days, the impact of the loss of income was felt into the subsequent year.ConclusionNon-standard and self-employed workers, and even female standard workers, are typically excluded from public insurance coverage in South Korea, and social security is insufficient when they are injured. To protect workers from the vicious circle of the poverty-health trap, national social protections such as sickness benefits are needed.

The role of strategic planning documents in the implementation of state family policy and social policy in relation to orphans

The role of strategic planning documents in the implementation of state family policy and social policy in relation to orphans

СУЧАСНИ ТРЕНДИ У ПРАКТИЦІ ФІЗКУЛТУРНО-СПОРТИВНОЇ РЕАБІЛІТАЦІЇ ДІТЕ З ЦЕРЕБРАЛНИМ ПАРАЛІЧЕМ

Relevance of the research topic. The dynamics of social policy transformation in our country in recent years has been quite intense. Scientific approaches in the study of the problems of children with disabilities, their life strategies, allowed specialists to substantiate specific recommendations, methods of development of social policy in relation to persons with disabilities, the development of a dynamic system of perspective orientation of the individual, aimed at the appropriate change of persons with disabilities of their lives in this socio-cultural context. The purpose of the article is to systematize the layer of scientific knowledge on the use of modern approaches in the practice of physical culture and sports rehabilitation of children with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Methods of the research. The following research methods were used for the purpose: reconstruction, apercipation, aspectual analysis, hermeneutic analysis, critical analysis, conceptual and problem analysis. Results of the work. On the basis of the analysis of literature sources it is established that the problem of physical culture and sports rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy is characterized by the presence of a number of contradictions, which are expressed in the following the number of children with this nosology regularly increases, the main purpose of their training is the formation of vital motor skills and abilities, correction of psychomotor functions, increasing the level of development of physical qualities and working capacity in correctional and preventive classes in special educational institutions, on the one hand, and the lack of scientific developments based on the methodology of "artificial control environment" in this area on the other; there is an objective need for diagnostic, program- methodological, organizational support of physical culture and sports Conclusions.Modern scientific researches testify that development of electronic means of multimedia opens new possibilities for practice of physical culture and sports rehabilitation of children of 6-8 years old with cerebral palsy: systems of interactive graphics and animation allow in the process of analysis of images to manage their content, form, size, color and other parameters for achievement of the greatest visibility.

Восприятие города в разных группах детей – жителей мегаполиса: сравнительный анализ

The problem of interaction of preschool children with the urban environment is analyzed. The study appears to be of relevance due to its focus on children’s personal agency investigated through their perception of objects and phenomena of the social and physical space of the megalopolis. The study aims to perform a comparative analysis of how groups of children who differ in their modality and orientation of their attitude to the urban environment perceive the city. Presumably, there are differences in the perception of the megalopolis by preschool children. It is also assumed that there is correlation between the attitude of children to the city and the degree of their personal agency properties. The study involved 115 children aged 5.5 to 6.5 years old, living in full families, in two districts of Moscow (58% of them are girls, 42% of them are boys). The experts were teachers of preschool institutions attended by the respondents. Psychodiagnostic tools were used including a semi-structured interview, a drawing test "The City Where I Live", the methodology "Peculiarities of Manifestation of the Preschoolers’ Will" (R.M. Gevorkyan), the scale "autonomy" of the methodology "Typology of Subject Regulation of the Child" (S. V. Khusainova and G. S. Prygin), and a questionnaire. The results of the research demonstrate that children differ in their orientation and modality of attitude to objects and phenomena of the social, natural, objective and spatial environment of the city, and in their attitude to environmental problems of the city and orientation towards their solution. The selectivity and scope of the perception of the urban environment depends on the meaning which children attribute to these objects and phenomena, as well as on personal experience of interacting with them. The importance of the social environment of the city is associated with children’s pronounced independence and self-control; the negative modality of attitude to objects and phenomena of the social environment is associated with reduced self-control of behavior. The increased attention of children to the environmental problems of the city is due to the upbringing by grandparents. The research shows that in conditions of limited interaction with objects and phenomena of the urban environment, children compensate for the lack of experience with fantasies about a fabulous and ideal city. The results of the study can be used to identify priorities in the field of social policy in relation to children at the stage of early socialization, as well as when making decisions on optimizing the urban environment which is friendly to children.

The Relationship between Crowding and Perceived Health Risk in the COVID-19 Era

The current COVID-19 pandemic, and the related social distancing policies adopted in many countries, are deeply affecting consumers’ perceptions towards crowding. This study tries to understand in particular if the perceived human and spatial crowding might increase consumers’ health risk, with an impact on intentions to buy, and if corporate reputation can reduce such impact. As tourism and hospitality is one the sectors most susceptible to the current COVID-19 health crisis, we focus our empirical study on the cruise industry. The empirical study was conducted on a sample of cruise passengers using a structured questionnaire submitted online. Overall, 447 individuals’ responses were used for understanding such relationships by performing a regression model. The results indicate that both human and spatial crowding seem to influence people’s perceived health risk, while corporate reputation does not seem to reduce such deterring impact. The study presents several managerial implications for different service industries, as in the cruise package the customer can find many different services, from restaurant to shopping. The results, in fact, may be useful for better understanding how to cope with COVID-19.

Social policy of Russia and China: a comparative analysis of approaches to working with the elderly population

Objective. This article compares the approaches in social policy in relation to the elderly population of Russia and China, a relevant topic, since both countries at the end of the twentieth century faced the problem of population aging. At the same time, the princi-ples of working with older people in these countries have a number of similarities and significant differences that have the potential to strengthen the exchange of ex-periences. method. Interviews with specialists in the field of the application of social pol-icy in this area. The interview guide consists of three blocks, the third of which is spe-cialized for respondents by country. Block 1 (7 questions) aims at a general assessment of the situation of the elderly population in the country from the point of view of the per-ception of the elderly as a social group, their role in society, as well as a general descrip-tion of social policy in this area. Block 2 (4 questions) aims at a more detailed discussion of the problems of social policy in relation to the elderly population from the point of view of various socio-cultural groups. Block 3 (1 general and 3 special questions) is a list of social policy measures in the field of population ageing, which is offered to the expert for evaluation. Since the study aims to find ways to adapt and borrow social policy measures for each country, respondents from China will be offered Russian measures, and respondents from Russia, Chinese measures. results. The interviews con-ducted demonstrate the relevance of a possible exchange of experiences between coun-tries and enabled us to identify the areas in which such an exchange will be most effec-tive.

НОРМАТИВНО-ПРАВОВЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ СИСТЕМИ СОЦІАЛЬНИХ ПОСЛУГ В УКРАЇНІ

<p><strong><em>Purpose of the study.</em></strong><em> The purpose of our article is to determine the features of the introduction of innovations in the social services provision to the population and to clarify the possibilities of regulatory and legal support for the system of social services.</em></p><p><strong><em>Research methodology.</em></strong><em> The methodology of our research is a system of scientific principles, forms and methods of research activities, namely, the system of social services provision in Ukraine and its regulatory and legal support.</em></p><p><strong><em>Results.</em></strong><em> The article analyzes the current state of the regulatory and legal framework for the system of social services and the strategy for the development of social work in Ukraine; the problems of the evolution of the system of social protection (social services), social policy in relation to the unprotected strata of society, the modern level of innovative social protection of the population, the mechanisms of reforming the system of social services are outlined.</em></p><p><strong><em>Scientific novelty</em></strong><em> of the research results:</em><em> </em><em>identified steps to modernize the current system for the provision of social services;</em><em> </em><em>handled new working methods such as multidisciplinary team, outsourcing services;</em><em> </em><em>it was determined that the modernization of the system of providing social services in Ukraine significantly influenced the principles of implementing the country's social policy, obliging to abandon the usual subsidized nature of social security for categories of people who fell into difficult life circumstances.</em></p><p><strong><em>Practical value.</em></strong><em> The modernization of the existing infrastructure of the system for the social services provision in Ukraine and its regulatory support provides for the deinstitutionalization of the existing network, since for a significant period of time social facilities and institutions were subordinate to different ministries and departments, which led to the lack of a unified approach to their financing. Thus, expenses for inpatient institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Health are determined by the structure of the population of the corresponding administrative-territorial unit, while expenses for institutions that are under the control of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry of Education and Science are determined by the number of persons staying in these institutions or the number of people receiving services from them.</em></p><p><em>The research materials will be useful for the training of future social work specialists, because in the article the authors highlight the main state measures in the direction of strategic planning of innovative approaches to improve the efficiency of the provision of social services in Ukraine.</em></p><p><strong><em>Key</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>words:</em></strong><em> social policy, phenomena, process, reforming, system, legal provision, welfare state, social services, innovations.</em></p>

Rethinking ‘kampung’ or ‘village’ in the (re)making of Singapore and Singaporeans

‘Village’ as a metaphor, propelled by mobilizing nostalgia for the ‘rural’ as counter to urban fragmentation, has been used across nations to engender a sense of place and community in urban spaces. In Singapore, the narrative of kampung (Malay for village), rooted in restorative nostalgia, has been used repeatedly to foster living in harmony. However, it remains unclear in what ways ‘kampung’ and related social policies resonate with current citizens. The main objective of this research is to generate a grounded, interpretive lens on the term kampung to better understand its meaning and relevance in the context of urban living. A mixed methods approach comprising discourse analysis, in‐depth interviews and Q‐methodology was used to engage a diverse group of residents in generating grounded perspectives around the construct. We show ‘kampung’ is a heterogenous concept that can be understood through five analytically distinct perspectives wherein race, place, neighbouring, and personal agency vis‐à‐vis the role of government are recurring themes. The findings lend a social constructivist perspective to wider geographical debates around the urban/rural dichotomy and outline some possibilities for ‘kampung’ under present conditions.