Civil Society Structures Research Articles

Linking suburban youth in Madrid and Paris. The role of civil society structures in the integration of children from Muslim backgrounds

This comparative study focuses on how civil society structures influence youth from a Muslim background in their upward mobility and local belonging (to the neighbourhood and to the city). Under comparison are one banlieue in Paris and one barrio in Madrid, similar in terms of social precarity and yet different in their degree of ethnic and religious diversity, their connection to the city centre, the state funding they receive and their civic participation. In the case of the neighbourhood of San Cristóbal (Madrid), a lack of state investment has resulted in a diminished capacity for civil society to connect young people to new opportunities. However, their daily contact with the city centre, the ethnic diversity in the neighbourhood and collaborative efforts between secular and religious structures work together to foster a sense of mixed belonging among young Spanish Muslims. In contrast, significant investment by the State in the suburb of Les Bosquets (Paris) since the riots in 2005 have indeed linked young people to new opportunities, but at the cost of an institutionalisation of civil society structures. In Les Bosquets, increased ethnic segregation, geographical isolation, and the estrangement of religious and ‘laic’ (i.e. secular) organisations are all responsible for the new sense of malaise felt by youths, thus severely affecting their sense of belonging.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ACTIVITIES OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AGENCIES IN THE SYSTEM OF PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS

Article opens a general characteristic of activity of human rights organizations in the system of human rights protection. The role of human rights organizations as important element of development of democracy and respect of the human rights promoting increase in effectiveness of implementation of protection and restoration of the violated rights and freedoms of the person and citizen is traced. The thought that despite expansion of activity of human rights organizations for the last decade in the Russian Federation, they to these do not realize fully tasks which are assigned to them is proved. Result of low knowledge of work of socially oriented non-profit organizations, absence them in "field of vision" of citizens are mistrust to human rights organizations, difficulties with attraction of material resources, narrowing of network of supporters and volunteers, small number of strong and competent leaders and a weak position in the market of services. In this connection, concerning the social directed human rights organizations it is necessary to develop intensively the information environment of the public sector for distribution of results of their activity. Besides, in human rights protection it is necessary for increase in a role of human rights organizations also in a standard order, and in the information environment accurately to draw a distinction between the social directed and political human rights organizations. Authors, analyzing the main problems in activity of human rights organizations, indicate the need development of cooperation of various structures of civil society among themselves that in turn promotes strengthening of human rights organization, the socially important tasks focused on the decision, fight against an arbitrariness of public officials and authorities, tortures in prisons, political persecution, etc. It is obvious that the stable relation of such interaction is the brightest sign of the developed democracy.

К вопросу об институциональных основах государственной инновационной политики в современной России

The subject of this study is the institutional basis of public innovation policy in modern Russia. The relevance of this topic is due to both the attention to it from the political leadership, and the pressing needs of the Russian economy. By the authors’ opinion, a full analysis of this policy area should be based on consideration of its institutional foundations from the point of view of interaction of political institutions both in the process of forming the respective priorities of the innovation policy and in the process of its implementation. The place of partial and functional representation of public interests in the existing system of innovative activity management is indicated. The novelty of the study is a detailed analysis of the role of government bodies at various levels, institutions of civil society, political parties, and business structures in the formation and implementation of public innovation policy.

СТРУКТУРЫ ГРАЖДАНСКОГО ОБЩЕСТВА ВО ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИИ С ГОСУДАРСТВОМ: ОСНОВНЫЕ СТРАТЕГИИ И ТИПОЛОГИЯ ОТНОШЕНИЙ

The article considers such ways of interaction of civil society structures with state authorities, as a strategy of cooperation and a strategy of "fighting" or opposing civil society and the state. It is noted that fundamentally important for constructive dialogue, interaction and stable communication between the structures of civil society and the state is the definition of common value-ideological landmarks. Realization of ideological function is possible not only in the context of exercising the powers of the state authorities, but also on the part of the functioning of civil society institutions. The state ideological doctrine based on the national idea and in which the ideological role of civil society will be reflected should become a unifying and connecting element.

Presidential republics in Eastern Europe — distinctive features of formation after the Cold War

The article deals with the formation of political systems in states, which have emerged in Eastern Europe after the Cold War. It emphasises that the majority of states in the region made a choice in favour of presidential republics. The author have arrived at the conclusion that characterization of institute of presidentialism in a state under consideration as ‘authoritarian’, ‘hybrid’ or ‘democratic’ to a great extent depends on two factors: scope of constitutional authority of a president as well as practice of interpretation of this authority in concrete actions in political domain. Both factors could be under the influence of multiple processes, which include nature of the mutual interaction of institute of presidential power with three traditional branches of power in a sovereign state; a practice of relationship with civil society structures, business communities and media; historical experience and its interpretation in the concrete historical scenery. Last but not least nature of the political regime in a state and place of an institute of presidential power in it could be defined by personality of a politician, who hold the office of president, his or her education, political experience, communication skills, ability to communicate with representatives of other institutions of state power.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЯ СТРУКТУР ПУБЛИЧНОЙ ВЛАСТИ НА ГРАЖДАНСКОЕ ОБЩЕСТВО В КОНТЕКСТЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

The interaction of civil society with public authorities in Russia has been studied. The main types of impacts in public administration in the Russian Federation, and, in particular, determines the ways of public authorities ‘ impact on civil society within the governance process has been analyded. The article considers the models of interaction between public authorities and civil society structures typical for the Russian Federation. The conclusion that there is not only the impact of public authorities on civil society, but also that this inuence is mutual is substantiated.

НАЦИОНАЛЬНО-КУЛЬТУРНЫЕ ОБЪЕДИНЕНИЯ КАК ОСНОВА ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ МЕЖЭТНИЧЕСКИХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ В ТРАНСГРАНИЧНОМ РЕГИОНЕ РОССИИ

The article focuses on the analysis of activity of ethnic cultural associations, revealing their role in formation of inter-ethnic relations in the social space of the Altai territory on the base of results of sociological survey, conducted in 2018. Several important conclusions are made on the results of the research, concerning the activity of ethnic cultural organizations in conditions, defined by the actual state of inter-ethnic relations in the region, the level of trust towards activity of civil society structures, efficacy of State policy on nationalities. The analysis of institutional conditions of inter-ethnic relations, necessary for effective realization of goals of ethnic cultural NGOs in the region, most of which demonstrate high level of satisfaction, is likewise presented. It was found that the efficacy of autonomous ethnic cultural organizations (AECO) is largely depends on social cohesion and readiness of people to organize themselves in defense of their ethno-cultural interests. The results will be useful for elaboration of effective measures of forming positive inter-ethnic relations in the region.

Compulsion to Identity as a Technology of Hybrid War (Situation of Donbass)

The article discusses the problem of the identity of the population in the conflict zone in the Donbas. It is possible to speak about the existing civic identity if the person realizes his or her belonging to the state, whose citizen he or she is by status, all the attributes of statehood acquire valuable significance, and the “territory of life” shared with other fellow citizens is perceived as the Motherland. The authorities of the DPR and the LPR force citizens on their territory to abandon the identity of a citizen of Ukraine and to acquire the identity of their quasi-republics. For the success of the Ukrainian troops, it is important that the population of the territory where hostilities take place, identify themselves with Ukraine, consider themselves Ukrainians. This is the main task of identity politics. It is emphasized that in the conditions of a shortage of Ukrainian identity among the population in the area of hostilities, it is necessary to help stimulate the formation (strengthening) of such an identity. In identity politics identity management is important. In the conflict zone in the Donbas, civilian identities of the parties in hostile relations compete. It is argued that the desire to influence the identity of the residents of Donbass in order to form a certain identity among them is part of a hybrid war. If the residents in the combat zone have a shortage of Ukrainian identity, then it is necessary to promote the strengthening or formation of such an identity. Identity enforcement techniques can be propaganda, informational, economic, as well as violent, with the use of weapons. One of the methods of struggle for identity is the work of civil society structures, including volunteers. One of the means of implementation of identity politics is an appeal to historical memory. In the management of identity, discursive practices, events of a cultural, scientific, and sporting nature are important. Of great importance for determining identity is the line of demarcation, when the checkpoint divides the territory into “its” and “other”. The location of a person on the one or the other side of the roadblock improves the personality and relevant life practices. The conclusion is formulated that the success of the struggle for the identity of a Ukrainian citizen among the residents of Donbass will help resolve the armed conflict in the east of our country.

MILITARY POLICY OF THE POST-SOVIET STATES: ESSENCE’S ANTINOMY

A military policy was and remains important direction of activity of political subject. There are two gnosiological platforms of understanding of essence sources and rich in content parameters of military policy. Part of researchers considers this variety of policy a constituent above all things public policy, directed on application of facilities of the armed violence for the sake of realization of national aims. Other research workers diffuse a military policy for limits actually the states, providing with military-political thought political parties, public associations, other structures of civil society and even anti-gov- ernment forces. Th e amount of presidential republics on post-soviet political space arrives at nine (Azerbaijan, Byelorussia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Russia, Tadjikistan, Turk- menistan, Uzbekistan), mixed (parlamentary-presidential, presidential-parlamentary, especially parliamentary) – to six (Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine). To the unpresidential republics of the CIS the peculiar combined method of forming of military policy which combines it state and non-state constituents. Presidential («super- presidential») republics saved tradition of state (presidential) determination of military policy with the minimum account of non-state sources of its producing and even them complete ignoring. The presidential republics of the CIS, as a rule, chosen military orga- nization as instituter basis of power protection of political process. Creation the sector of safety and defensive removes western (democratic) approaches on questions making and practical realization of military policy. The unpresidential republics of the CIS are inclined to consider this sector institutionally basis armed power to influence on social realities. The military policy of Russian Federation both independent nation-state has as inte- gration and individual lines which considerably differ from its collective initiatives. By the collective organ of countries of the CIS, to initiator RF and built in accordance with the Kremlin understanding of questions of safety and defensive on post-soviet space, there is Organization of agreement about collective security or Tashkent pact, created in 15.05.1992. Parallel from strengthens the own (state selfish) variant of military policy, independent of post-soviet allies these RF. The evolution of conceptual principles of military-political thought of RF, reflected in the Russian military doctrines certifies about it. The evolution of military doctrines of Russia in essence forms the picture of it imperial expansions in a post-soviet period. In 1991 Ukraine took advantage of possibility of reorganization the fragment of So- viet Army in Military Powers of Ukraine, giving here up a soviet nuclear inheritance. The years of independence were witnessed by an inconsistence and even utopia of separate military-political sketches, executed different political commands. Beginning from 2014, Ukraine appeared pulled in in the armed opposition with the Russian army and reparative groupmates which are actively supported Kremlin. The armed answer of Ukraine to ad- dress the Russian troops, which allowed to stop their advancement to Ukrainian territory, became possible due to the total actions of the state armed forming and armed structures of civil society. Decisiv e resistance of the state armed forming and volunteer tactical units was stopped Russian expansion, however created the mechanisms of returning of the lost territories, proceeding in tangible assets, social resources, and also reliable guaranteeing of strategic prospects of Ukraine, deprived Russian interference. Ukraine appeared before the neces- sity of creation on principle of new model of military policy, the key signs of which must become euro Atlantic integration, creation modern the sector of safety and defensive, complete disclaimer of soviet inheritance. Thus have a situation of transformation of military policy of countries of the CIS after the followings scenarios: collective providing of military safety by entering into NATO (countries of Baltic); situation adaptation to Rus- sian influences (countries of ODKB); complete or partial ignoring of Russian interests in an attempt to protect an own geostrategic choice (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan); proclamation of neutrality (Turkmenistan). Dispersion military and political trajectories of former Soviet republics does not hope for their reintegration into coherent military- security structure.

The weakness of postcommunist civil society reassessed

AbstractDuring the last two decades, scholars from a variety of disciplines have argued that civil society is structurally deficient in postcommunist countries. Yet why have the seemingly strong, active and mobilised civic movements of the transition period become so weak after democracy was established? And why have there been diverging political trajectories across the postcommunist space if civil society structures were universally weak? This article uses a new, broader range of data to show that civil societies in Central and Eastern European countries are not as feeble as commonly assumed. Many postcommunist countries possess vigorous public spheres and active civil society organisations strongly connected to transnational civic networks able to shape domestic policies. In a series of time‐series cross‐section models, the article shows that broader measures of civic and social institutions are able to predict the diverging transition paths among postcommunist regimes, and in particular the growing gap between democratic East Central Europe and the increasingly authoritarian post‐Soviet space.

INTEGRATION IN LATVIA: FLOWS AND EBBS IN NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN CONTEXT

Russian-speaking communities in the member states of the European Union (EU), especially the Baltic States and Germany, have earned special attention, in recent years, as subjects of important integration policies, on one hand, and the main targets of Russia’s propagandist efforts, on the other. Because a significant part of Russian-speaking communities accepted these efforts, questions were raised concerning the effectiveness of previous integration policies to strengthen the national identity and invoke a feeling of political togetherness. Thus the factors fostering and triggering integration and the relations between civic and ethnocultural components of integration are of wide interest. This paper presents a case study of Latvia, as a country with the highest share of Russian-speaking citizens among the EU member states and a clear prevalence of ethnocultural components in its integration policies in recent years. The study examines the successes and failures of the integration policies of Latvia during the last twenty-five years, using mainly direct observations and sociological data collected during the last twenty years. The results show that language knowledge, citizenship status, and socioeconomic conditions play an important role in integration. In addition, these factors appear more effective with development of inclusive political practices and civil society structures, cooperative discourse, and facilitation of mutual trust between ethnolinguistic communities.

Informational Structures of Civil Society in the Process of Building the Law-Governed State

Informational Structures of Civil Society in the Process of Building the Law-Governed State

Civil society structures in Ukraine: formation and development in the latter half of 16th to 19th centuries

Based on the sources and critical consideration of historiography of the problem, the author defines regularities and specific features of the formation of structures of Ukrainian civil society, as a factor which bolstered Ukrainian national idea.

Перспективы взаимодействия СМИ, органов государственной власти и гражданского общества по вопросам интеграции молодежи в политическую сферу общества

<p>Статья содержит анализ проблемы взаимодействия средств массовой информации, органов государственной власти и институтов гражданского общества по обеспечению позитивной модели интеграции российской молодежи в политическую сферу общества. Обосновывается значимость принципов, лежащих в основе построения конструктивного диалога между институтами государства и институциональными структурами гражданского общества. Авторами аргументирована роль института массмедиа как основного коммуникатора между гражданским обществом и государственными структурами.</p><p>В статье представлена точка зрения на эффективность современных СМИ выполнять функции общественного контроля. Авторы выдвигают аргументы, что в качестве показателей эффективности выступают доступность, прогрессивность и независимость СМИ. Доверие граждан к массмедиа напрямую зависит от их независимости и приоритетности информации. Отмечается важность обеспечения приоритетности в информационной сфере запросов гражданского общества, включая молодежную социальную когорту. Приводятся очевидные факты, что информационное поле массмедиа призвано отражать соответствие политических представлений молодых граждан политической действительности. Выявлены условия, позволяющие избежать информационного идеологического давления на молодых граждан.</p><p>Высказаны предложения по оптимизации информационного воздействия СМИ на процессы интеграции молодежи в социально-политические практики российского общества. Молодым гражданам, в том числе представителям молодежных организаций, студентам высших и средних учебных заведений, должен быть обеспечен равный доступ к информации, отражающей положение молодежи в обществе.</p>

Financing the civic energy sector: How financial institutions affect ownership models in Germany and the United Kingdom

This paper examines the relations between financing institutions and more local ownership structures for energy provision. This research defines municipal and civil society structures involved in energy provision as the ‘Civic Energy Sector’. It argues that the financial institutions of nations are key enabling institutions for this sector to contribute to a low carbon energy transition. The path of development of these financial institutions helps to shape the ownership structures and technology choices of energy systems and futures in different nations. This paper presents findings from case analysis comparing the United Kingdom’s latent civic energy sector, with the expansion of this sector in Germany. Using an institutional economics framing, the paper demonstrates the importance of the German local banking sector in facilitating civic ownership structures in that country. In contrast, the neo-liberal, market-led financial institutions in the UK, reinforce energy pathways less reliant on civic ownership models. Hence, the forms of low carbon energy transition being pursued in these countries are constrained by path dependence of institutions both within and beyond the energy sector.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF STUDYING THE SOCIAL ROLE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTEPRISES

The article considers the main foreign and domestic theoretical approaches to the study of the social role of entrepreneurship. Historical stages of studying the place and role of entrepre-neurship in the process of functioning and development of society are highlight-ed in the paper. Based on the thesaurus modeling, the article presents the conceptual frame-work of the social role of business in modern Russian society. Expert assess-ments coupled with theoretical approach-es are used as tools to conduct the empir-ical study. The relationship between the quality of business community and the business`s social role performance is defined based upon the results of semi-formalized ex-pert interviews with members of the pro-fessional associations, government agen-cies and universities. It is concluded that the business envi-ronment depends not only on the eco-nomic success of entrepreneurs, but also on attitudes of social groups towards en-trepreneurship, including relationships within business community, civil society and government structures. The social role of small and medium-sized businesses is defined as a complex func-tion that deals with complex system of social, political, economic and govern-ment interactions.

Роль института масс-медиа как основного коммуникатора между гражданским обществом и государственными структурами

The article analyzes the problems of interaction between media, pub-lic authorities and civil society to provide positive models of integration of the Russian youth in the political sphere of the society. The importance of the principles underlying the basis of the constructive dialogue between institutions of state and institutional structures of civil society is substanti-ated. The author’s viewpoint of the efficiency of modern media to serve public control is presented. The importance of ensuring priority in the field of information requests of civil society, including youth social cohort is re-ported. The obvious facts are given proving that media information field is intended to reflect compliance with the political views of young people to political reality. 
 The author makes suggestions on optimizing the impact of media in-formation on the process of integration of the youth in socio-political prac-tices of the Russian society.

Histories Meet Histories: A Pilot Study of Migration and Civil Society in Swedish Medium-Sized Cities, Small Towns, and Villages

This article presents the results of a pilot study of social networking among immigrants in different types of local contexts. Although systematic research and conclusive evidence is lacking, previous studies suggest that civil society is differently organized in urban environments than it is in rural environments. If accurate, this suggestion implies that variation in local context is a decisive factor in the patterning of social networking among immigrants and, consequently, a decisive factor in the degree of inclusion of immigrants into civil society. In our research material we observe (1) that among first-generation immigrants a differentiation of social networking along the rural–urban continuum does exist and (2) that the historical backgrounds of both the receiving community and the recent immigrants—including the immigrants' motives for immigrating—are important to the success of networking activities. These findings show the need for further research into the co-variation of social networking, local context, and civil society structures.

Understanding Concerns about Community Relations

Academic and political concern has increasingly focussed on the attitudes and dispositions of economically-marginalised, mainly white communities towards ethnic diversity and community cohesion. In particular, to what extent do extreme anti-minority protest groups, such as the English Defence League with their claims of increasing ‘Islamification’ within British society, speak for such broader white communities? This article presents and discusses headline findings from recent mixed methods case study research into such community attitudes and dispositions in two areas of West Yorkshire in northern England. The key findings indicate that whilst there is very little support for groups such as the EDL, their themes have significant resonance within wider white communities in the context of very weak local civil society structures. Attitudes towards ethnic diversity reflect the significant levels of ethnic segregation in some of the survey areas but also indicate a desire for improved ethnic relations and greater cross-community contact, albeit not through processes that are ‘forced’.

Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World: The Potential of Social Media

Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World: The Potential of Social Media