Public Sphere Research Articles

The perception of Ukrainians about political life in the post-war period and the prospects for the spread of populism

The non-acceptance by the majority of the population of Ukraine of the idea of elections during a full-scale war is a forced prolongation of the legitimacy of existing state institutions. Ukrainians understand all the risks of such elections for the political system under martial law, agreeing to the norms of legislation and compliance with democratic procedures. At the same time, a sufficiently significant number of the population is forming, which does not share the monopolization of power during the war by one political force. Accumulation of political issues, which will be expressed in the post-war period, will become a significant challenge for the political class of Ukraine. The low level of trust in existing political parties and the growing demand for new political forces can become a favorable background for the spread of anti-elitist ideas of populism. In public opinion, there is a demand mostly for politicians from the military environment and to a lesser extent from expert and civil sectors, intelligentsia, and volunteers. Reconstruction of the post-war economy will require non-standard solutions, in particular, optimization of expenditures in the social sphere and maximum liberalization. Several innovations will not have support in the mass consciousness. In particular, Ukrainians are mostly in favor of free medicine and education, a ban on the sale of land to foreigners, and assigning responsibility for increasing people’s incomes to the state, not to the individual. The lack of financial resources after the end of the war can accelerate the growing social deprivation. The combination of these potentially conflicting attitudes with a high level of antagonism and intolerance to a different political point of view can be skilfully «warmed up» by populist forces.

Domestication theory in action: Indonesian Twitter corpus analysis during distance learning

This research aims at analyzing how COVID-19 discourse in the world of education unfolds in the Indonesian Twittersphere by separating public discourse in transition periods, large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), and imposition of emergency restrictions toward community activities (PPKM) and PPKM level 1 to 4. This research used qualitative approach and employed the Domestication Theory to provide a deeper understanding of how individuals integrate technology into their everyday lives. The dataset consisting of 3,196,627 tweets from two keywords and two hashtags was collected and analyzed using corpus linguistics techniques. This study found the emergence of the five main theme groups suggests that users have tried to make sense of and adapt to this new digital learning environment, while also expressing their frustrations and concerns. This highlights the importance of understanding how users domesticate technology and incorporate it into their social and cultural practices. The practical implications of this research include the need to address not only the technical aspects of online learning but also the psychological and social well-being of students, as they navigate this new learning environment.

Social protection strategies in relations between Ukraine and the European Union

In today’s world, social protection is becoming an increasingly important topic that combines economic, political, and social aspects. Regardless of the level of development of a country, people are constantly looking for ways to ensure their well-being and protect themselves from negative influences. Social protection strategies are of particular importance in relations between Ukraine and the European Union. Ukraine, as a sovereign state, monitors the needs of its population and tries to adapt its social system to European standards. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to analyze the current state and prospects for the development of social protection strategies in Ukraine in the context of cooperation with the European Union to identify possible areas for improving the social sphere and ensuring a high level of social protection for the Ukrainian population. The study uses a variety of methods, including analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparative legal, dialectical, and others. Considering cooperation with the European Union helps to solve socioeconomic problems and ensure a high level of social protection.

Abortion as an ethical-religious problem in Islam

The relevance of this article lies in the increasingly active public discussion among Muslims, the challenge posed by the induced termination of pregnancy by Muslims and the problems stemming from it. The increasing calls from Muslims to the spiritual authorities for clarification of this issue in various countries confirm this trend. However, a comprehensive understanding of Islamic attitudes towards induced abortion remains poorly understood. Islamic discourse permeates the entire socio- cultural facet of Muslim society. It is transforming and developing among the communities of modern Muslim countries, matching the dynamics of changes in attitudes on the issue of induced termination of pregnancy from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the ХХI century inclusive. In this regard, the purpose of this work is to describe and reveal the question about the use of abortion in the Islamic world. In the study specific “introductory” examples from the Muslim world are presented for disclosure given by those. In the course of this study, the topic of abortion as a social and medical phenomenon was briefly studied and covered through the lens of terminology, social, medical, religious and legislative factors. The process of transforming Islamic religious ethics with regard to abortion is briefly outlined. In the sequence since the beginning of Islam and the development of this religious speech in the ХХI century, the prism of the views of the Sunni and Shiitic directions, as well as the 4 Sunni theological schools, in the context of solving the problem of abortion. Examples were provided of legislative solutions to the problem of induced termination of pregnancy in some Muslim countries, Asia Minor, the Middle East, North Africa and Australia. The materials of this article contribute to the study of ethical and religious problems in Islam.

From the concept of threat to the common sense of societal threat: a qualitative inquiry of societal threats’ features / Del concepto de amenaza al significado lego de la amenaza social: un estudio cualitativo de las características de la amenaza social

The word ‘threat’ currently proliferates in the public sphere, which contributes to the large-scale information spread of societal threats of our time. However, the difference of common sense that laypeople attribute to the concepts of ‘threat’, ‘risk’ and ‘danger’ remains unclear. Therefore, this research aims to fill the social psychological knowledge gap and investigate laypeople’s common sense of ‘societal threat’. Participants ( N = 186) were asked to complete the word association task, and their narratives (N = 1,146) were analysed using two complementary research methods: the automatized methods of multidimensional analysis and the classic method of qualitative content analysis. The concept of ‘societal threat’ has been associated most frequently with specific large-scale societal issues that are tainted by uncertainty, and a range of primarily negative feelings and emotions. Additionally, the conceptually and semantically close concepts of ‘risk’ and ‘danger’ have not been associated, on the lexical basis, with the concept of ‘societal threat’. The implications for an improved systemic understanding of actual societal threats’ features and related social psychological applications are discussed.

Breaking Barriers: Women's Political Mobilization in Rural Village Head Elections

This article describes the victory of female village head candidates in village head elections as a rare occurrence, mainly due to the lack of access for women to leadership positions due to a solid patriarchal culture. However, after being elected, women proved to have the competence to lead, showing that women can become leaders at the village level. Cultural shifts, especially in Javanese culture, have allowed women to be involved in the public sphere, including in organizations such as the the Pemberdayaan dan Kesejahteraan Keluarga (PKK), Dasawisma, and others. This paper uses a qualitative approach and case studies to examine the phenomenon. Data were obtained through observation, dialogue, and in-depth interviews. The results show that women can gather and mobilize political power from multiple sources to influence voters and dominate the dynamics of village democracy. Habitus of leadership, symbolic dominance, hegemony of social institutions, and kinship became the main instruments utilized by female village head candidates. They draw on leadership experience in social solid and kinship institutions to win village head elections.

The Changing Meanings of Political Terms and Their Reflection in Dictionaries

When observing media texts, one cannot help but notice that some political terms are used with a meaning widely different from that offered by mainstream middle-size dictionaries, which generally stick to the initial, sometimes etymological senses. Corpora analysis confirms the shift in senses and divergence of use. The aim of this paper is to analyse the meaning and use of two terms ubiquitous in the public sphere: fascist/fascism and liberal/liberalism, their original meanings, and subsequent changes in meaning and use. Though the limited space available for defining terms in a general explanatory dictionary makes it extremely difficult to reflect all ideological tinges and meanings, where a frequently used political term seems to have developed stable, different, even opposite meanings, this should be reflected by introducing ideological polysemy in dictionary definitions.

"Politics Versus Policy": Qualitative Insights on Stigma and Overdose Prevention Center Policymaking in the United States.

Federal, state, and municipal governments in the United States have been reluctant to authorize overdose prevention centers (OPCs), which are evidence-based approaches for preventing overdose deaths and blood-borne pathogen transmission. From July 2022 to February 2023, we explored how stigma manifests in OPC policymaking by conducting in-depth interviews with 17 advocates, legislators, service providers, and researchers involved with OPC advocacy and policymaking in Rhode Island, California, Pennsylvania, and New York. We found that although jurisdictions differed in their OPC policymaking experiences, stigma manifested throughout the process, from planning to authorization. Participants described OPCs as a tool for destigmatizing overdose and substance use, yet confronted institutionalized stigma and discriminatory attitudes toward people who use drugs (PWUD) and harm reduction from multiple sources (eg, politicians, media, and members of the public). Opposition toward OPCs and harm reduction approaches more broadly intersected with public discourse on crime, homelessness, and public disorder. Employed stigma-mitigation strategies included humanizing PWUD, publicizing the benefits of OPCs to the wider community, and strategically engaging media. These findings illustrate the importance of understanding stigma at different stages of the policymaking process to better facilitate authorization and eventual implementation of OPCs in the United States.

Restorative justice and disciplinary administrative law: The case of the Brazilian state

AbstractIn Brazil, conflicts involving public servants are governed by the standards of disciplinary administrative law, which is inspired by the retributive criminal law model. However, new possibilities (for instance, restorative justice [RJ] applications) may positively contribute to the settling of controversies. This article aims to describe the restorative justice approach within the administrative disciplinary context of the Executive Branch of the State of Goiás. The study has a qualitative nature and is characterized by exploratory‐descriptive research. The method consists of a case study carried out in the Comptroller General of the State. The results point to a state move toward the adoption of consensual dispute resolution methods in the public sphere aimed particularly at public servants, with initiatives conducted by the Office of the State Controller General of Goiás (CGE), such as pilot projects consisting of: restorative circles and the institution of Law No. 21.631/2022 (labor mediation). Specifically with respect to disciplinary offenses, RJ is not instituted, but it is one of the motivators for the materialization of RJ measures in the workplace. The present study involving the theme of RJ and Disciplinary Administrative Law is unprecedented in Brazil. Motivators were identified for the implementation of restorative practices in the workplace and the identification of the process needed to change states to implement the characteristics of a restorative paradigm, culminating in the institution of mediation processes and other RJ interventions.

Vulnerabilities of water-energy and food nexus in cities of digital era

The edifice of civilization stands on water-energy-food nexus, speech, trading management and complexity. This paper, presents a mini review of these issues which are the foundations of civilization, and discusses their role in social prosperity. Recent year public discussion emerges that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) could strike cities due to natural or artificial reasons therefore, we attempt to describe the impact of an EMP from the viewpoint of civil engineering. To do so, we analyze the fundamental parts of civilization in present, their roles, and their functions. Analysis estimates that an EMP will not regress cities of developed world to the 1970s or even in the Middle Ages, but rather before the agrarian era. It is noted that while the developed world will be more vulnerable, the least developed countries, could exhibit more resilience. Additionally, this paper considers the way societies and cities could demonstrate more resilience, framing the need for further research such as: technological adaptation; study and simulations of related scenarios; design of water-energy-food nexus for survival clusters; resilience measures for money, economy, communications, and trading. As we have a very small timeframe of data (less than 200 years) of the appearance and the effects of EMP, we have to study it, even if the wish is that we will never confront it. It seems unreasonable for our narcissistic and wonderful civilization to behave like ostrich hiding its’ head in the sand in order to be hidden by this threat.

The Environmental Impact of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Health

We have methodically scrutinized the pervasive electromagnetic fields (EMF) prevalent in modern society for their potential health hazards. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), resulting biological effects, present recommendations, population characteristics, and public opinion. The main aim of this research is to give a comprehensive explanation of the subject. The data collection process encompassed gathering EMF exposure levels in different settings, analyzing experimental studies on biological impacts, consolidating existing standards, investigating demographic discrepancies, and evaluating public perception through surveys. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics to summarize the findings and inferential statistics to evaluate the relationships between variables. EMF exposure levels differed among various locations, with metropolitan areas and industrial facilities demonstrating elevated amounts. Studies in real life have shown that electromagnetic fields (EMF) can have many effects on living things, including increased oxidative stress, changed gene expression, and messed up biological cycles. Different organizations had varying guidelines, which were based on different risk assessment approaches. There were differences in the demographic groups regarding their exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and their levels of awareness. Children and teenagers had more exposure to EMF, whereas younger individuals showed higher levels of awareness but variable degrees of concern. Public opinion differed among age groups, with younger people relying more on online sources for information. This study offers significant insights into the complex correlation between electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure and human health. The results emphasize the necessity of focused evaluation of risks and implementation of measures to reduce them, standardization of standards, and customized communication campaigns to tackle demographic differences in awareness and apprehension. This research contributes new findings to the existing body of knowledge, facilitating public discussions, influencing governmental decisions, and fostering a healthier and more informed society.

Under the Image of Urban Identity and Non-mainstream Cities under the New Media

With the diversified development of media and media platforms, city brand building has entered a new stage, and some cities have achieved remarkable development results, while some cities with large development space in natural resources, humanities and culture have failed to achieve development leaps. In this paper, the city with beautiful urban environment, rich resources and good development conditions is positioned as "non-mainstream city". This paper aims to explore the recognition degree of "non-mainstream cities" with development potential in people's minds, and take Taiyuan City of Shanxi Province as one of such cities to understand and analyze their development status, the audience's cognition degree of brand positioning of these cities and the shortcomings of current development through questionnaires and other means, and propose corresponding solutions from the aspect of media communication. Guide such cities to improve the visibility and recognition of cities by clarifying brand positioning, making full use of their natural resources and historical and cultural resources to explore urban characteristics, strengthening the integration of culture and tourism, and improving communication strategies, and at the same time improve the quality and efficiency of urban brand construction. Through the influence of media platforms, increase the exposure of these potential cities in the public sphere, extend the urban characteristics and reach a wider audience, realize the three-dimensional communication of the city brand image, help the formation of a good urban spirit and the prosperity and development of a variety of cities, and provide guidelines for more cities in brand construction. This article has certain reference value for the media communication strategy, the perfection of government functions, the construction of social spiritual culture and material civilization, and the coordinated development of countries and regions.

A Marketplace for Honest Ideas

Abstract The marketplace of ideas is a colourful metaphor with a long history of being used to argue for freedom of speech. This paper draws on its historical antecedents to begin with an orthodox understanding of the metaphor whereby the absence of substantive regulation is taken to be conducive to the good functioning of both economic markets and public discourse. This anti-regulation reading is then challenged by analysing a series of legal cases showcasing prohibitions on misrepresentation and fraud. These speech regulations are explained by the economics literature on information asymmetry, which illustrates how honesty regulations maintain good market functioning by facilitating credible reliance by market participants on one another’s assertions. What is thereby proposed is a re-imagining of the marketplace of ideas metaphor which lends support to honesty regulations in the realm of public speech. One potential analogue for these legal and economic findings is identified in the work of Shiffrin and her arguments for deontological sincerity requirements in the public sphere.

Palaces of Culture in Urals in Context of Architectural Policy of USSR (1920s-1980s)

For the first time, a comprehensive analysis of the entire set of club buildings from the Soviet era in the Urals region (Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Orenburg regions, Bashkir and Udmurt ASSR) has been undertaken. The author of the article compiled a database comprising over 300 units. Information on specialized buildings of palaces of culture erected in cities and industrial settlements of the region in the 1920s-1980s was analyzed. The most popular standard projects of club buildings as well as individual projects were identified. A detailed description of palaces of culture, whose architectural appearance resonated widely in the public sphere, is provided. It is shown that in the late 1940s to early 1950s, under the dominance of neoclassical architectural aesthetics, a series of projects embodying exemplary characteristics were implemented in the Urals, clarifying the degree of centralization of the cultural policy of the USSR. The placement of specific cultural complexes is characterized in detail. A conclusion is drawn that club construction in cities and industrial settlements of the Urals was uneven both spatially and chronologically. The peak of construction was in the 1950s, with a significant decrease in the pace of building palaces of culture by the 1980s; the majority of clubs were concentrated in major industrial centers. The massiveness of club construction was determined by the use of standard projects, yet this does not diminish the specific valuable qualities of Soviet palaces of culture as a crucial element of historical heritage.

Perceptions on and impacts of environmental changes under multiple stressors: a case study from two communities in northern Fennoscandia

Against the backcloth of particularly fast environmental change in the Arctic, this study juxtaposes local perceptions of environmental change in two communities in the boreal zone of Northern Europe with scientific data. The local knowledge was gathered through an online participatory mapping survey among the two communities and scientific evidence was gathered from various peer-reviewed and official monitoring sources. Local knowledge of environmental change in Savukoski (Finland) resembles that in Jokkmokk (Sweden). Most perceived changes are in line with scientific studies, public discourse, and local concerns in the Arctic. What differs, however, is the degree of correspondence between local and scientific knowledge on certain phenomena: some dynamics are well documented in both local and scientific observations whereas other dynamics require more nuanced scientific research, particularly considering their relevance for local livelihoods. Among these are: berry yields, the abundance of mosquitoes and other Nematocera, peatland thaw and frost, and changes in river and lake ice conditions. It is noteworthy that in both Savukoski and Jokkmokk, for many people the most impactful changes are caused by resource extraction rather than climate change. Local concerns and perceptions of environmental change are not all shared nor easily translate into adaptation strategies, but nonetheless they have clear policy implications.

Protection or commodification of women? Discursive construction of bridewealth on Chinese social media

ABSTRACT Bridewealth, the long-standing practice of groom-to-bride monetary transfer, is now facing growing backlash in China. Researchers mostly approach bridewealth from the perspectives of anthropology and economics, highlighting its social impact yet leaving public opinions on it less heeded. To fill this niche, this study collected the most “liked” 5,000 posts from Sina Weibo, identified dominant themes of bridewealth supporters and detractors, and analyzed how these themes are (de)legitimatized. Drawing on feminist critical discourse analysis and van Leeuwen’s analytical toolkit, content analysis reveals that supporters mainly see bridewealth as a protection of women, an investment in the new families, and a worthy tradition to follow, whereas opponents associate it with the commodification of women, financial challenges to men’s natal families, and long-gone feudal shackles. These themes are enacted with strategies like rationalization, moralization, victimization, and authorization. This study stands out for situating bridewealth in media studies and illuminating the contested public discourse on it. More importantly, given that most supporters are women and they bear the brunt of the family-work balance, the study also gives voice to the much-silenced women’s marriage-related concerns in institutional media so that their welfare and self-actualization can be accommodated in future policy-making.

Expanding Upon Critical Methodologies and Perspectives in Communication Studies

ABSTRACT Within this special issue, we turn our attention to critical perspectives within the communication discipline and seek to illuminate the implementation of critical methods across its broader contexts. While the communication discipline has historically been grounded in the normativity and centering of whiteness, critical perspectives, which are characterized by attention to communicative practices that attend to systems of power and hierarchy across social spheres, have been broadly integrated into and meaningfully shaped the study of communication contexts such as rhetoric, intercultural communication, and performance studies. We argue, however, that the incorporation of critical perspectives within the larger discipline remains underdeveloped. Therefore, in this special issue, we present articles that employ critical methodological approaches to offer important new ways of studying and centering marginalized identities, positionalities, and epistemologies across a range of contexts. Ultimately, we argue for a more expansive approach to thinking and teaching about methodology in general, and critical methods specifically, that inspires further “play” among communication scholars who value the need for social justice imperatives and epistemic delinking across all facets of communication studies.

Harmed but Armed: Trajectories of Agenda Setting in the Struggles for Local Disability Regulation in East Java, Indonesia

ABSTRACT The empowerment dimension of global development has emerged as a catalyst in bridging the gap between disability issues and policy affairs. Within this context, agenda setting assumes a pivotal role as an essential practice in public policy, influencing the fabric of societal situations and shaping a wide array of public issues, agendas, and discourses. Drawing upon an instrumental case study approach, our research employs 23 semi-structured interviews to delve into the complexities of actors’ agenda setting processes. More specifically, we examine the challenges faced by individuals in leadership and managerial positions within the disability-affiliated realm, as they strive to advance their agendas for the formulation of local disability regulations in East Java, Indonesia. As our exploration unfolds, we uncover four stumbling trajectories of these actors during their agenda-setting process, where these challenges reflect the ‘human’ power to progress from struggles to success. These findings not only deepen our understanding of agenda setting in the Indonesian context but also provide valuable insights for the development of context-specific typologies and attributes related to agenda setting in this distinctive setting.

Who counts? Anti-antisemitism and the racial politics of emotion

This article focuses on the rise of anti-antisemitic discourse in Britain over the past fifteen years. It explores the relationship between the increasingly emotional tone of public discourse in Britain and other western countries and the miring of anti-antisemitism in dynamics of competitive victimhood and ethnic antagonism. The development of this dynamic is traced from the bitter arguments over the representation and reporting of the Palestine/Israel conflict at the time of the Israeli ground assault in the Gaza Strip in early 2009 – with special attention to Caryl Churchill’s short play Seven Jewish Children – through to recent anti-antisemitic interventions such as David Baddiel’s bestselling polemic Jews Don’t Count (2021) and Jonathan Freedland’s verbatim play recently staged at London’s Royal Court Theatre (2022). These interventions, the article shows, call for the ‘normal’ treatment of anti-Jewish prejudice while simultaneously appealing on exceptionalist grounds for public sympathy with Jewish perceptions of antisemitism. The exceptional moral authority widely accorded to anti-antisemitism has made the cause an attractive one for those who resent what they believe to be the unwarranted priority accorded to non-white victimhood. Various forms of anti-antisemitism, such as Baddiel’s, have thus become front-line arguments in shrill culture-war tussles suffused with intellectual confusion and racially tinged rhetorical combat. This racialization, politicization and emotionalization of anti-antisemitism has reached new heights, the article concludes, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.

Rooftop Exploration and the Creation of Alternative Spaces in St. Petersburg

ABSTRACT This article investigates the ways in which power relations structure urban public space and privilege certain behaviors, while marginalizing others, and how these structures are resisted by young people through the creation of alternative spaces on the city’s rooftops. It examines the activity of “roofing” in St. Petersburg, a popular youth-culture practice of urban exploration, investigating the factors that have enabled the widespread flourishing of this activity, despite its illegality. The article explores how the rooftops offer a distinctive realm for the youth in modern-day St. Petersburg to defy authority; reestablish their rights to the city; and counteract the escalating social, economic, and political control that has come to define Russia’s public sphere during Putin’s reign.