Socio-political Events Research Articles

Attitude of human rights defenders to the phenomenon of feminization of the army

The feminization of the army is part of the objective process of feminization of society. The military realities of Ukrainian society point to the need to involve women in military service as full-fledged subjects of military activity. However, there are many obstacles and prejudices on the way to achieving gender equality and combating discrimination in the army. Therefore, the article presents the results of considering this issue from the perspective of representatives of women’s human rights organizations. Empirically, the study is based on a series of semi-structured depth interviews, which made it possible to assess the prospects and challenges on the way to feminization of the Ukrainian army from the perspective of actors.The results of the study have shown that the increase in the number and importance of the role of women in the army takes place in a context shaped by the activities of government agencies, international organizations, the public sector, business, media and socio-political events. Representatives of women’s human rights organizations note that the state should play a key role in implementing gender policies, but currently, its involvement is insufficient or, in some aspects, absent altogether. The participants of the study also highly appreciate the role of civil society organizations in combating gender inequality; as such, organizations study the experience of women in the army, promote their contribution to military affairs, conduct educational activities, promote legislative changes, engage in advocacy and even provide material support.Ukraine’s army is gradually feminizing and the situation of women in the military is improving: the number of women in the army, including in combat and leadership positions, the existence of public discourse on women in the army, the absence of restrictions for women in the army at the legislative level, and the consideration of the needs of women in the military, as exemplified by the adoption of anatomical uniforms and the development of special protection for women. However, there are also many challenges that prevent women from joining the army or complicate their service: the condemnation of women soldiers and veterans by certain members of society, sexism in various forms, paternalism, violence and discrimination in the army itself, the lack of effective mechanisms to counteract them, and the conservatism of the military leadership, which is reluctant to make changes.

Unveiling the Interconnections Between Art, Politics, and Society in the Soviet System Through Art: A Case Study of the Exhibition “1972. Breaking Through the Wall”

Summary This article is dedicated to analysing the exhibition “1972. Breaking Through the Wall” from several perspectives: the curator, the viewers, and the exhibition architect tasked with creating an environment for the art exhibition in an unconventional setting. The article examines the curators’ choices, discusses the work of the exhibition architect within the context of heritage conservation requirements, and presents the results of a viewer survey. This exhibition raised the issue of the significance of alternative creativity, opposed to the official narrative, in a non-free society. It focused on Lithuanian art from the 1960s to the 1980s that countered the official Soviet cultural course. The exhibition’s prehistory includes the historical fact that in the spring of 1972, a young man self-immolated in Kaunas in protest against the lack of freedom. These events had direct and indirect reverberations in the arts, although they were not exhibited at the time due to fear of repression. This difficult experience has left its mark on Lithuanian culture and collective memory. The exhibition highlighted the role of various societal groups in opposing the ruling authorities and establishing personal and creative freedom as the highest value. The art display, composed of works from professionals (fine arts, theatre) and amateurs (rock and big beat musicians) from the 1960s to 1980s who resisted official Soviet art, clearly demonstrated how Kaunas – the capital of Lithuania from 1920 to 1940 – was influenced by the city’s prominent pre-war modernism (environment and lifestyle) and the Soviet ideology imposed on the entire country. The clash of two diametrically opposed ideological stances and artistic principles in Soviet Lithuania led to the emergence of an alternative culture. For the first time in the history of Lithuanian exhibitions, this exhibition showed how the social and the arts were affected by the pressure exerted by the official authorities. The visitor survey showed that the positive reactions to the exhibition were also due to socio-political events that have become embedded in the nation’s memory. The events stored in the collective memory of the nation correlated with specific creative artefacts and historical details, which the younger generation saw for the first time. Noteworthy was the symbiosis of emotional experiences among visitors of different ages, observing exhibits with both artistic and historical value. As indicated by the visitor survey, the exhibition facilitated the establishment of a closer connection between generations. The exhibition’s display in a cultural heritage site – the former post office building (by architect Feliksas Vizbaras, 1932) – was a complex task creatively resolved by contemporary architects.

A Cycle of Poems about Armenia by R. Gamzatov

The subject of the article is the cycle of poems by R. Gamzatov about Armenia. This work represents the first detailed scientific study of the poetics of R. Gamzatov’s cycle of poems about Armenia. Using the example of the most striking works, the methods, techniques and means of expression used by the author to create the image of Armenia are identified. The poet describes the nature of this country, its song traditions, socio-political events, recreates the images of Armenian friends, sacred and iconic symbols for Armenia, its cultural objects and geographical topoi. The purpose of the article is to identify works from R. Gamzatov’s cycle of poems about Armenia, to conduct a philological analysis of the texts, to identify their genre specificity, and to determine the main motifs and images. The objectives of the work are to identify the themes and problems of poems about Armenia; their figurative and emotional-style similarities and differences from each other: determination of techniques and methods, as well as means of expression in realizing the image of Armenia. The study, carried out on the basis of the comparative method and the method of philological analysis of the text, led to the following conclusions: 1) in the cycle of poems by R. Gamzatov about Armenia, typical attributes are used, found in similar poems about Armenia by other authors (Ararat, Sevan, Matenadaran, Saryan); 2) a distinctive feature of the author’s feelings is admiration for nature, national cultural monuments and the creativity of literary and artistic figures of the Armenian people; 3) depending on the object and subject of the author’s attention, the mood and emotional tone of the works changes from lively, respectful, in love with the songs, music, and nature of Armenia to sad, sympathetic for the fate of this country and its long-suffering people. The results of the study can be used in further studying the work of R. Gamzatov. In addition, the article may arouse interest in wide circles, in particular in Dagestan-Armenian literary relations. This work can be used in teaching courses on the history of Avarian, Dagestan and Armenian literature.

CEO early-life experience and corporate accounting conservatism: Insights from the socio-political context

Using China's Cultural Revolution as a shock to risk attitude, this study investigates the effect of CEOs' early-life experience on corporate accounting conservatism. We find that CEOs who experienced the Cultural Revolution in their early life are more risk-averse and conservative, and thereby are associated with a higher level of accounting conservatism. Such a positive relationship is more pronounced in provinces with higher political risks, e.g., where the provincial leadership changes and where high-profile provincial bureaucratic corruption cases occur. Also, the positive effect of CEOs' early-life experience is stronger in SOEs where CEOs' political career concerns are more pronounced. Additional analysis suggests that CEOs with early-life Cultural Revolution experience are more likely to adopt conservative accounting practice, such as increasing firm's provisions for liabilities and reducing accrual-based earnings management. Our results add new evidence to support the upper echelons theory and imprinting theory by highlighting the enduring impact of influential socio-political events during early life on the decision-making processes of CEOs.

Features of civic consciousness of university students at the present stage of educational development

Aim. To study the features of civic consciousness among modern university students.Material and methods. A total of 467 students took part in the study. The original author’s questionnaire was used (I. V. Koltsova, 2024), aimed at identifying the characteristics of students’ civic consciousness.Results. The study showed that the majority of students believe that secondary schools should take an active part in the development of civic consciousness of young people. Students behave in society in accordance with generally accepted rules, know the history of the Russian Federation, its traditions and customs, conspicuous figures, rights and responsibilities, speak their native language and actively use it in communication with representatives of their nationality. After training, most graduates plan to stay and work in the Russian Federation. However, about 30% of subjects have low scores on such issues as participation in the Russian presidential and legislative elections. There is a high awareness on socio-political events and laws, which indicates the low social activity of this group of respondents.Conclusion. The conducted research made it possible to identify both positive trends in relation to the civic consciousness of students, as well as problem areas that require targeted educational work.

Project governance: the impact of environmental changes on governance adaptations in large-scale projects

PurposeThe performance of large-scale projects is often challenged due to major environmental changes that occur during their life. However, literature has paid little attention to the governance adaptations required to respond effectively to these changes. This paper aims to study changes in the project environment over time, the corresponding governance adaptations and their impact on project performance.Design/methodology/approachTo ensure triangulation between two sources of evidence, we used both primary and secondary data sources and examined 14 projects through 2 studies, the first focused on seven documented, illustrative case projects and the second on interviews with senior and project managers involved in seven additional projects.FindingsWe found the key environmental changes that should trigger appropriate governance adaptations to be market evolutions, technological advancements and sociopolitical events. However, we also found that these necessary governance adaptations are not commonly implemented timely, sufficiently or effectively.Originality/valueThe paper distills the dynamics of large-scale projects in achieving project effectiveness and raises theoretical propositions on the combination of environmental changes and deficient governance adaptations that, over time, turns efficient projects into ineffective projects and discusses implications for theory and practice.

Living through an influential socio-political event: Early-life experiences and stock price crash risk

Using China's Cultural Revolution as a shock to risk attitude, this study examines how CEOs’ early-life experiences impact stock price crash risk. We find that CEOs who experienced the Cultural Revolution in their early life are more risk-averse and less inclined to withhold negative news, resulting in a reduced level of stock price crash risk. Further, the more severe the CEO's exposure to the Cultural Revolution, the more pronounced the Cultural Revolution effect. Additional analysis suggests that CEOs’ Cultural Revolution effect is more salient in firms with weak regional law enforcement. Our study highlights the enduring impact of influential socio-political events during early life on the decision-making processes of CEOs.

The soil of turmoil, the soil of hope: Paash, Protest Poetry, and Punjab in Post-Partition India

ABSTRACT Paash is one of the most celebrated poets within the progressive and revolutionary circles of South Asia, yet there is a lack of serious scholarship around his work and life. The previous scholarship on Paash either studied some of his works in isolation or studied him as part of the Jujharvad Movement. In this paper, by indulging in an ethnographic reading of Paash’s poetry, we try to locate Paash – the person in post-partition Punjab – to provide a more comprehensive and detailed reading of his works and ideas. Engaging with his poems, the paper charts his poetical and political response to the major socio-political events that occurred in his short life span: the Green Revolution, the Naxalite Movement, the Emergency, and the Khalistan Movement.

How quotation marks do mockery in online politicized discourse

Abstract This article analyzes online comments responding to viral sociopolitical events in different languages, across different social media platforms. We use discourse analytic methods to inspect how quotation marks are systematically deployed to intensify denigrations of opposing political identities and positions in the context of political disagreements. We show how quotation marks are used in situated online interactions to convey a skeptical, derisive stance toward quoted content while positioning one’s reasonable perspective against an unreasonable, illegitimate other. This online discursive practice provides insights into how ordinary politics are engaged (or rather, not seriously engaged) when people participate in mockery in disputative online discourse.

Political and Cultural Dynamics in Bollywood and Nollywood Films: A Comparative Perspective

Films are popularly believed to be reflection of reality as well as a representation of the societies in which they were produced. They are excellent windows into their societies of origin and could thus serve as good anthropological or historical documents containing data about socio-political events that have happened in their societies of origin. One of the multiple data one can extract/gather from films is the socio-cultural and political dynamics prevailing in the society in which the films subsist. This paper attempts to illustrate this thesis through a review of relevant Bollywood and Nollywood films. Specifically, the study hinges on a review of relevant selected films to show how Bollywood and Nollywood are a reflection of cultural and political dynamics in India and Nigeria respectively. The paper starts with a brief background which examines the extent to which Nollywood and Bollywood films could be considered a reflection of contemporary Nigeria and India. It proceeds to defining the concept of cultural and political dynamics, with strict respect to the Indian and Nigerian experiences. The paper ends up with an examination of how these cultural and political dynamics are reflected in relevant Bollywood and Nollywood films. It concludes that both Nigerian and Bollywood films reflect social and political dynamics in their societies of origin in the same way.

Perception study of urban green spaces in Singapore urban parks: Spatio-temporal evaluation and the relationship with land cover

In the current era of increasing urbanization, urban green spaces play a crucial role in enhancing human well-being. However, quantifying public perceptions from text data at spatio-temporal scales remains challenging, and the relationship between urban green space perception and spatial-physical attributes requires further exploration. This study systematically examines public perceptions of urban green spaces within Singapore's urban parks from 2018 to 2022. Utilizing Twitter data, it applies large language models to conduct textual content analysis related to urban green space. The findings reveal a positive trend, with individuals expressing favorable perceptions and satisfaction towards urban green spaces in Singapore. Specifically, this study demonstrates that people's perceptions of urban green spaces are influenced by vegetation density. Higher vegetation density heightens people's awareness of spatial presence, while shrub and grassland may lead to neglect of urban green spaces as individuals focus more on themselves. Additionally, due to the spatial heterogeneity of the area, there is no clear correlation between all land covers and public satisfaction with urban green spaces in Singapore. The results also indicate a significant decrease in public perception in 2020, followed by a subsequent recovery. This fluctuation is attributed to the substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that external socio-political, economic, and public health events can impact public green space needs and spatial perceptions. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of urban green spaces by effectively analyzing textual content extracted from social media data using large language models. The insights gained contribute valuable to the following discussions regarding the planning and design of urban green spaces and urban parks.

“A Blessing and a Curse”: The Impact of Sociopolitical Events and National Discourse Surrounding Sexual Violence on College Campuses

Abstract Purpose Examining the influence of policy change and socio-political factors is paramount for contextualizing and addressing sexual violence. The purpose of this paper is to provide findings from a secondary qualitative analysis of the impacts of national and local high-profile events on the dialogue and actions surrounding violence prevention and response on college campuses. Methods Data from mcBEE, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded project exploring the adoption and implementation of violence prevention programming on multiple college campuses in the United States were used for this analysis. Data include responses from 60-min telephone interviews with key informants (i.e., campus personnel in administrative roles or connected to violence prevention programming efforts) between 2017 and 2019. Results Interviews (n = 68) revealed that high-profile events (i.e., Title IX legislation, news coverage of sexual assault cases, and the #MeToo and It’s On Us movements) increased dialogue about violence prevention and response on some campuses, while others experienced activism and advocacy surrounding sexual assault, including greater accountability and response from campus leadership. Some participants connected national political discourse (i.e., the 2016 presidential election, Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court) to increases in violence perpetration and decreased reporting and help-seeking behaviors after sexual assault. Conclusions Sociopolitical events and shifts in national dialogue surrounding violence affect perceptions and behaviors among students, faculty, staff, and overall college campus communities. Identifying potential impacts of national events can inform future prevention and response efforts and mobilize campus communities toward meaningful change.

Мисливствознавство та мисливські лабораторії в Україні за 100 років: трансформації ідей та інституцій

The study is devoted to the history of game management laboratories as one of the most obscure pages of Ukrainian theriology. The prerequisites for the formation of such laboratories as a system of applied research related primarily to ‘useful’ fauna are considered. These laboratories form a continuous chain of research centres that have existed in different cities. They were founded in 1929 by V. Averin in Kharkiv, developed by A. Mygulin and his followers in Zavorychi (1936–1962), K. Kopein at the fur farm in Kolo-Mykhailivka near Vinnytsia (1963–1973), and M. Evtushevsky in Cherkasy (1973–2004). The final phase was completed by two academic game management laboratories: at the Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (in 1975–1989, led by V. Kryzhaniv¬skyi) and the Institute of Forestry of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences (in 1991–2022, in Oleshky, led by I. Sheihas). The stages of research development in a series of successive transformations, in the wake of socio-political events and changes in public demands are analysed. The distinct sequence and, in fact, continuity of their existence in time (despite their movement in space) indicates a corresponding demand for them from the state, including the support of state budgetary programmes. Their tasks were constantly changing, and each period had its own specifics. The first period (Kharkiv) was supposed to put the system of survey, monitoring, and rational use of game resources on a scientific basis, as well as to streamline and direct the work of hunting communities. The second phase (‘Zavorychi’) was focused on providing the state with the necessary amount of fur for the needs of international trade and (undoubtedly) the military. The third phase remains the most obscure and is most likely associated with the formation of elite hunting grounds. The fourth phase (Cherkasy) was characterised by increased attention to fur farming and a waning interest in hunting as such. The fifth phase (Kyiv and Oleshky) was characterised by a cooperation with the State Committee of Forestry, the Ukrainian Society of Hunters and Fishermen, and certain (elite) farms. It is shown that the origins of many well-known scientific schools in Ukraine are related to hunting practices and that game management laboratories became leaders in developing action plans to maintain populations of game animals.

Дагестан в составе России: основные этапы и опыт политической, экономической и куль-турной интеграции

The article highlights the economic and political consequences of Dagestan's entry into Russia, starting from the end of the Caucasian War in the North-Eastern Caucasus and up to our time. This event had great progressive significance for the destinies of the Dagestan peoples. The peoples of Dagestan, who were at the stage of feudalism, were drawn into the economic, legal and cultural field of capitalist Russia, which predetermined the rapid development of bourgeois relations in the region in industry and the agricultural sector. Being part of the Russian Empire, and subsequently the USSR, Dagestanis took an active part in all significant socio-political events in the country. A particularly great flourishing of the economy and culture of Dagestan was observed in the 1960–1980s. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and a paradigm shift in the state and social structure of Russia, the peoples of Dagestan expressed their desire to remain part of it. In the new geopoliti-cal situation, Dagestan turned out to be the southernmost outpost of Russia, through which the Russian Federation protects its geoeconomic and geostrategic interests in the region.

Status of Germans in Russian Empire during First World War (1914-1917)

This article focuses on characterizing the everyday life, moods, and situation of Germans residing in the territory of the Russian state from 1914 to 1917. The author analyzed letters written by representatives of different social groups, nationalities, and ages during this period, as well as materials from periodical publications. Special attention is given to significant events for the German population, such as the renaming of settlements from German to Russian names, the development and application of “liquidation legislation” towards them in 1914-1915, and the interactions in the army between German and Russian military personnel. Based on the materials studied, it is concluded that Germans had mixed perceptions of the socio-political events in the country. Some sought to blend in with the crowd and not emphasize their national identity, while others tried to draw the attention of State Duma deputies to their issues. They did not understand how to prove their loyalty to the authorities and why they were labeled as “internal enemies”, despite being Russian subjects. The most dissatisfaction was expressed by soldiers who fought as well as Russians, received deserved military awards, but were subjected to humiliations by their superiors.

К вопросу о труде и образовании женщин на страницах журналов «Женский вестник» и «Женщина и война» в конце XIX – начале XX в.

Women’s right to work and education was formed under the influence of life realities and socio-political events of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Women’s magazines served as a conduit for conveying the political interests of women, where they could learn about the prevalent issue of inequality in society and potential avenues for addressing it. These publications featured stories of women’s oppression in employment, wage disparities, and admission to higher educational institutions. Prior to the 1917 revolution, attitudes towards female labor in Russian society underwent numerous transformations, with working alongside men becoming a vital necessity for women. The exigencies of the First World War greatly contributed to the demand for labor, prompting many women to join the workforce and serve on the front lines as nurses and volunteers, fulfilling their duty to the Motherland. In conclusion, the narrative of women’s rights to labor and education in late Imperial Russia reflects a complex interplay of societal shifts and historical contingencies. As we reflect on this historical trajectory, it is imperative to recognize the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the enduring legacy of women’s activism in shaping the contours of society.

MODERNIST EXPERIMENTS AND NARRATIVE INNOVATIONS IN JAMES JOYCE’S NOVELS

The presented paper underscores the enduring relevance of Joyce's works within the scientific literary community. The work meticulously reviews, analyzes and evaluates James Joyce's innovative narrative technique in close connection with modernist literature. The relevance of the issue raised in the paper is confirmed, first of all, by the fact that Joyce's trace in modernist literature remains one of the main centers of scientific literary studies. The primary reason of this is the powerful influence of Joyce's work on literary evolution. Concrete examples are used to show the innovativeness of Joyce's work and the literary methods by which the author deviated from the established literary standards. The work delves into the themes of Joyce's works, which revolved around alienation, dislocation, disillusionment, and existential issues Each of these issues are discussed from the perspective of the era, on the basis of which it was determined that modernism was a kind of reaction to the socio-political and cultural events of the 20th century. The work generally tries to bring the very innovative linguistic experiments that made Joyce's modernist literature. Joyce's modernist works such as "Ulysses" or "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" are full of radical departures from classical literary standards. His complex narrative techniques, including even stream-of-consciousness and linguistic experiments, continue to pose a significant challenge to the modern scientific community, whose research focuses on the limits of literary expression and the inherent possibilities in language.

Multilingual mindset

Abstract In this paper, I examine the changing currency of languages in the context of migration and mobility based on case studies of Filipino migrants in Australia. Drawing on two sociolinguistic studies conducted with and for Filipino migrants, I highlight how the “monolingual mindset” (Clyne, 2008) reinforced by the “White-English complex” (Piller, Torsh, & Smith-Khan, 2023) negatively impact on the value and currency of Philippine languages. As an alternative, I offer the concept multilingual mindset as an inclusive framework for valuing multilingual migrants in the diaspora. I first introduce the linguistic ecology and national language policies of both the Philippines and Australia to set the scene for my argument. I then map out the migration trends in both countries and the simultaneous socio-political events that have driven the growth of Filipino migration in Australia and introduce the two sociolinguistic studies with and for (Blackledge, 2006; Tetteh, 2015) Filipino migrants. This is followed by the presentation and critical discussion of three key conceptual arguments of this paper derived from these studies. Employing the “monolingual mindset” (Clyne, 2008) and “White-English complex” (Piller et al., 2023) as lenses, I then critically discuss how these concepts are detrimental to heritage language maintenance and inclusive multilingualism and argue that the maintenance of migrant languages in the diaspora would best be facilitated by an adoption of a multilingual mindset. The paper concludes with a discussion on the significance of the multilingual mindset to sociolinguistic studies and migration linguistics (Borlongan, 2023), in general, and to language attitudes, language practices, and language policies across different sectors, in particular.

Энциклопедия Дидро и Д’Аламбера: контекстуально-критическое осмысление

The Encyclopedia of Diderot and D’Alembert is not only one of the most important monuments of philosophical thought of the Enlightenment, but also a significant socio-political event of that time. The study of the filiation of ideas in the 18th century shows that the work of the French Enlighteners is not the first work to generalize and structure the accumulated knowledge of mankind, but the totality of socio-philosophical reasons gives it the greatest importance. Comparative historical analysis also shows that the collective work of the encyclopedists pursued not only educational goals, but also partly served as a platform for the promotion of new ideas, and the achievement of the task – the radical reform of the socio-political world order. It is worth noting that at the same time, contradictions often arose between a purely scientific approach and the popularization of the views of the French Enlighteners, which led to a distortion of the picture of the world created by encyclopedists, and gave grounds for a critical understanding of their concept.

Napoleon’s Discordant Historical Legacy: Republican Hero or Opportunistic Tyrant?

Heroic republican crusader to some, brutal despot to some, there is perhaps no more divisive European figure of the 19th century as the French general Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon is often characterized as one of two extremes, hero or tyrant, and this paper seeks to seek out a more nuanced historical image. This paper explores the major sociopolitical and military events that occurred around the newly founded Republic of France as she entered the 19th century which allowed for Napoleon to rise to power, and seeks to shed light on both Napoleon himself as an individual, as well as the impacts of his conquests and political decisions.