Democratic World Research Articles

Sustainable development as the basis of a strong and long-term peace

The purpose of this paper is to suggest some ways and mechanisms for creating long-term peace based on sustainable development of the world and the purpose of the work is to develop recommendations aimed at counteracting the emergence of dictatorial regimes that were legitimately established. Five common features of such dictators have been identified, namely: coming to power in a legitimate way, using manipulative technologies, openly declaring their aggressive intentions, gradually implementing their aggressive intentions, creating a military potential with the active participation of developed countries, including those with established democracies. The reasons for the creation of dictatorial regimes are substantiated, namely: the imperfection of electoral legislation, excessive conservatism of legislation, insufficient determination and timeliness of countering the strengthening of dictatorships, “national egoism”, the unscrupulousness of dictators in their foreign and domestic policies. It was determined that in order to actively oppose dictatorial regimes, it is necessary to: improve the system of elections to the highest positions and to the legislative bodies of the state, put a strong barrier against manipulative technologies and fakes, through the improvement and effective application of international legislation with the involvement of artificial intelligence, determine the strategy of relations with dictators in all directions in advance: economic, diplomatic, sports, scientific and technical, etc., establish the scope of relations in direct proportion to the index of democracy in a country with an authoritarian regime and, in order to prevent negative consequences on the economy and social condition of the society of one’s country, determine and carefully regulate import and export activities. It is proposed to start an indicator of the effectiveness of the head of state and an internal truth index of the head of state, as well as measures for moral stimulation of heads of state. As a result of the study, two root causes of threats to the existence of humanity were additionally identified, which directly affect the formation of dictatorial regimes. 1) The emergence on the basis of modern information technologies of a powerful system of manipulative technologies, the use of which leads to the power of future dictators. 2) Belated opposition of the democratic world to the formation of dictatorships. This is expressed in condescension to the initial illegal actions of future dictators, uncontrolled cooperation in the economic, political and humanitarian spheres. Two key mechanisms for achieving sustainable development and long-term peace are proposed.

THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY: MAIN DIRECTIONS, PROBLEMS AND SOME LESSONS OF WESTERN SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

Despite the heroic resistance of Ukrainians, in particular the Armed Forces of Ukraine, during the current Russian-Ukrainian war, without effective assistance, especially military, from the Western democratic world, Ukraine would hardly have withstood the Russian aggressor's more than two-year-long large-scale armed invasion and would have been able to preserve national statehood and the Ukrainian nation from genocide and destruction in the event of a protracted war of attrition. For such a war, Ukraine will need at least $150 billion a year, which can only be provided by its Western partners. And the World Bank estimates that over the next 10 years, about $500 billion will be needed to rebuild Ukraine's war-torn infrastructure, which is more than Ukraine's GDP, so without investment and financial assistance from our partners, we will not be able to find these resources in the country either. The purpose of the article is to systematise the huge amount of information available in accessible/open sources about the central, fateful event of modern international relations - Russia's war against Ukraine and the international community's attitude to it, in particular, to highlight the main directions, problems and some preliminary lessons of Western support for Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression, which can already be outlined in the third year of the large-scale war. Russia's unprovoked and brutal large-scale armed attack on Ukraine in February 2022 left no choice but to recognise this aggression as an attack on European and Euro-Atlantic democratic values and the fundamental principles on which the United Nations is built. This was a manifestation of the next stage of Russia's global hybrid war against the West. Unprecedented international support for Ukraine and powerful pressure on the aggressor country - Russia - is manifested in active political, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine from EU and NATO member states and other countries. In total, more than 50 countries provide such assistance to Ukraine during the war. However, our Western partners do not yet have a common strategic plan for the Russian-Ukrainian war and its victorious conclusion, and in the third year of the war, they are increasingly talking about different options for peace talks with the aggressor, so Ukraine must develop its own grand strategy, which should be based on the fact that war and peace coexist and that Russia poses a long-term threat to it and the entire democratic world.

Voter management devices in South Africa’s elections, 2021-2024

This paper tracks the performance of Voter Management Devices (VMDs) in South Africa from their piloting in the 2021 local government election to their adoption in the 2024 general elections. It seeks to unpack what this performance means for further modernising electoral processes in the country, and especially for the introduction of e-voting. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) argues that hand-held touch-screen electronic devices ushered in a new era for election management in South Africa. Procured for millions of rand, VMDs replaced the old Zip-Zip barcode machines used since 1998 which could not capture real-time information. They were introduced at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic posed a threat to electoral participation in the democratic world. While the IEC and some observers argue that VMDs strengthened tough health controls in the voting process during their piloting, as with most new technology they still experienced several challenges and technical glitches. Nevertheless, the IEC resolved to deploy the new devices in the 2024 general elections. Following further glitches in the general elections, two main research questions have emerged: is South Africa technologically ready to handle e-voting based on the performance of VMDs? and what can other African countries learn from South Africa regarding modernising their voting systems? Data for this study was collected using qualitative methods. This study found that political will alone is insufficient for the modernisation of voting systems. The performance of VMDs requires further scrutiny before e-voting can be successfully implemented in South Africa.

THE EUROPEAN MIRROR OF HYBRID WAR: HOW RUSSIA TRIES TO DESTABILIZE THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine, which is the biggest war after the World War II, has caused a number of problems in Europe and in the whole democratic world, which is concerning regarding the functioning of the international institutions, the security of the countries that are part of international organizations, but aren't members of the EU and NATO, the protection of human rights mechanisms and the lack of mechanisms for the prevention of war and conflicts. It is clear that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is no accident. The Russian elites, led by President Vladimir Putin, have been preparing for this move for years. Not only have they acted openly, but they have also been waging a hybrid war. Moreover, the war in Ukraine has been going on since 2014, when Russia supported the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for succession. And before that, Moscow unilaterally annexed Crimea. The European response to Russian aggression has been diplomatic expressions of concern and threats, and some sanctions, which Russia has successfully evaded. It seemed that Europe had consistently adapted to the new geopolitical environment. But only after 24th of February 2022, all civilization's words stand by Ukraine and the Ukrainians. The Western allies of Ukraine give money and weapons, humanitarian aid, training of military and deminers and take in Ukrainian refugees. The war in Ukraine is in its third year. This analysis elaborates the Russian influence on different levels and the European reactions to their attacks and provocations.

Consulting citizens: Addressing the deficits in participatory democracy

‘Democracy’ is a pliable, and much abused concept, yet constitutional law cannot do without it. It is usually linked to the equally flexible notions of rule of law and constitutionalism. Due to many changes in public life around the world, entrenched ideas of governmental propriety, including being democratic, are undergoing a ‘loss of meaning’. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 explicitly requires democracy to be participatory. Despite various official efforts to formulate the modalities of public consultation and an established routine of public hearings and calls for comment on draft legislation and policies, it has not developed beyond a ‘box-ticking’ exercise, sometimes amounting to outright abuse. As a corrective to the shortcomings of standard electoral democracy a novel approach to the involvement of the citizenry in contentious decision-making has emerged in many parts of the democratic world. It takes the form of citizens’ assemblies composed to achieve descriptive representation rooted in an age-old method of randomised selection, known as ‘sortition’. To employ these mechanisms to realise genuine participatory democracy would require surmounting the difficulties presented by the complexity of South African society. Modern technology and advances in sortition methodology hold promises of overcoming the difficulties, but it would also require a political sea change.

European Public Policy – Goal and Reality

The process of transformation of politics into public policy, which has been taking place in the democratic world since the 1950s and which also consists in the involvement of non-governmental (non-political) structures in policy making, started to develop more intensively in the structures of the European Union after 2000. This study analyses the ways in which market and civil society actors participate in policy making in selected EU policies. In particular, using examples from Slovakia it presents how and in what way this participation takes place. It notes the diversity of approaches and forms, but also the fact that current European Union policies already meet the basic criteria for being considered public policies.

Effect of war on radiotherapy in Ukraine and how to help.

1513 Background: The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022 brought the largest humanitarian disaster to the heart of Europe since the World War II. In this work, we describe the impact of the full-scale Russian invasion on the radiation therapy (RT) services in Ukraine and suggest how to help. Methods: We collected the information on operation of RT centers in Ukraine during the war. In addition, in 2023 an annual survey was conducted by Grigoriev Institute for Medical Radiology in Kharkiv for the IAEA DIRAC database. The survey was sent to 41 RT centers in Ukraine requesting information on equipment, staffing, and patient volume. Due to the war conditions the data provided in the survey is limited to the un-occupied territories. Results: After the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and occupation of Crimea and parts of Donbas, Ukraine lost access to 7 RT centers with 18 external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) machines (17% of total). Just before the full-scale invasion in 2022, there were a total of 44 Co-60 machines (57%) and 33 linear accelerators (43%) in the unoccupied territories. As a result of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, almost all RT centers suspended operation in the first weeks of war. The most challenging period for RT in Ukraine was in March when Kyiv (where 20 EBRT machines are located) was partially surrounded by the occupiers. Based on the DIRAC survey, compared to 2021 data, in 2022 the number of radiation oncologists decreased on average by 2.9%, medical physicists by 6.7%, and therapists by 6.5% but there was a large variation in staffing levels depending on the region and its proximity to war. The workload in the RT centers close to the combat zone almost halved, while increasing by 10 - 60% in the western and central Ukraine. The total number of patients treated with EBRT decreased by 11% and brachytherapy by 21%. Brachytherapy services sustained the most interruption (47% decrease in LDR and 18% decrease in HDR patient volume) due to inability to perform source exchanges. Overall, approximately 5,500 less patients were treated in 2022 compared to 2021. Despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian cancer centers installed 8 new linear accelerators, with 5 linear accelerators pending installation. In addition, the Ministry of Heath of Ukraine has recently purchased 15 linear accelerators to replace the aging Co-60 machine fleet as the future source exchanges might not be possible. There is an acute need in helping Ukraine transition from Co-60 to modern IMRT/VMAT linear accelerators. Conclusions: Radiotherapy in Ukraine sustained significant damages since the 2014 Russian invasion, which was exacerbated further by the full-scale invasion in 2022. To support the vitality and absorptive capacity of RT services in Ukraine, the democratic world can help by donating equipment, hardware, software, and participating in training of Ukrainian RT professionals as they transition to modern and high-quality RT care for Ukrainian cancer patients.

POLITICAL AWARENESS OF WOMEN IN ELECTIONS

Accepting the principle of universal or adult franchise is an important thing under the goals of world democracy. Many battles were fought in the world to give it a true and real form because many governments of the world did not want to give voting rights to women. Women are not considered equal from social, political, legal and other points of view. The United States of America gave adult suffrage to women through the 19th Amendment of its Constitution in1919. In Britain in 1928, in France in 1945, in Italy in 1948, women were given equal voting rights as men. Under the Indian Constitution, adult voting rights were given to men and women in 1950, considering them equal.

Scrutiny of ministerial ethics and standards of conduct in the UK: diluted accountability?

IMPACT The UK’s system for regulating the standards of conduct of its politicians today consists of an overlapping array of different bodies. Focusing primarily on ministers, the authors critique these arrangements and argue that they collectively—and in most cases individually—do not satisfy the demands of substantive accountability, owing to the high potential for political interference and the ‘gaps’ in the system. Particularly problematic is the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, an office which has been repeatedly shown to be toothless, subject to political interference and navigable by a ‘rogue’ prime minister such as Boris Johnson. In place of this, the authors recommend substantive reform of the system, with a single regulator, a new ‘Office of Parliamentary and Ministerial Standards’, at its core. This body would be independent of both parliament and government, adequately resourced to engage in and lead detailed investigations and empowered to make definitive rulings as to when the various codes of conduct have been breached. This article contains insights and analysis which will be of significance for those managing scrutiny and oversight processes relating to ethics and standards of conduct, at all levels of governance. While focused on the UK, the insights of this article are particularly pertinent for other ‘Westminster’ systems (including within the UK), but may also be of interest to scholars concerned with how to safeguard political systems against the impact of populist and authoritarian actors, who are gaining a foothold in parliaments across the democratic world and achieving executive power.

Implementasi Fungsi Pendidikan Politik Oleh Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan Di Kabupaten Purworejo Menurut Undang-Undang Nomor 2 Tahun 2011 Tentang Perubahan Atas Undang-Undang Nomor 2 Tahun 2008 Tentang Partai Partai Politik

A political party is an institution that is necessary in the democratic world; if you have chosen a democratic system to regulate the life of the nation and state, one of the essential instruments in democracy is the institution of political parties. Political education is a significant activity in a nation based on democracy because democracy and the democratization process require absolute conditions for political public education; how the function of political education by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle in Purworejo Regency is by Law Number 2 of 2011 concerning Amendments to Law Number 2 of 2008 concerning Political Parties. This study aims to analyze the implementation of norms related to the function of political education by DPC PDI Perjuangan in Purworejo Regency. This research uses an empirical approach. This study uses a qualitative descriptive analysis method with a case approach. The data used in this study are primary data obtained directly by researchers in the field through respondents through observation, interviews, and questionnaire distribution, as well as secondary data, namely data obtained or obtained from information or knowledge obtained indirectly, including official documents, books, and research results in the form of reports. The data collection techniques used in this study are field studies and literature studies. The result of this study is that there are seven political education activities carried out by PDI Perjuangan Purworejo Regency, namely, political education through socialization, political education through social, political education through art and culture, political education through religion, political education through party wing organizations, political education through seminars, political education through party schools.

Chinese Immigrants - How to cross frontiers?

The issue of racial injustice has always been a topic in today’s democratic world. Especially during the epidemic, the status of Chinese Americans has once again been questioned and discussed. My research method is mainly based on the target of different classes of people. One is the bottom-level people engaged in labor activities, so I found a group of Chinese coolies. The others are Chinese immigrants with capital who can afford to live in other countries. In my research, I championed a case of a two-fold definition for the frontier, one is the geographical frontier, and the corresponding characters are the Chinese coolies, mainly about how they came to Latin America across the vast Pacific Ocean, what is the purpose of their search for this new continent, and what did they experience during their journey. Another definition is about the ideological frontier, mainly referring to the barriers established by racism, social Darwinism, and Manifest Destiny, how Chinese immigrants are socially isolated, and how they use the law weapons against these prejudiced ideologies.

Deadly Drawing

This article, consisting of 31 illustrations with annotation, presents the result of an artistic research project revolving around the question of how to use one’s power as a creator of humour. The reader/viewer is presented with insight into the life and thinking of cartoonist/artistic researcher Self-reflexive Steve, who engages in self-investigation because he is conscious of the virtues as well as the dangers of humour. In a globalised, diverse, and democratic world, it is important to consider different sensibilities within society. Self-reflexive Steve always regarded humour as a form of connecting communication, because when people are able to laugh together, they understand each other. However, Self-reflexive Steve increasingly wonders whether he has achieved his set targets, as he primarily acts for a captive audience and creates his humorous drawings from a safe stand-off in his ivory tower. His publications are always endorsed by the editorials of the magazines he is working for and this within a society where humour makers are protected and esteemed. However, in today’s society humour is frequently used to divide. As a cartoonist/researcher, Self-reflexive Steve explores the limits of his medium, deliberately going off the rails at times. As a humour maker he seeks to reclaim the right to use fantasy, lies, distortions, exaggerations and wild associations from those in power who deploy these qualities of humour to divide and rule.

ЕНДОГЕННІ ПЕРЕШКОДИ РИНКОВОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ ТА МОНЕТАРНО-ФІСКАЛЬНІ ЗАХОДИ ЇХ ПОДОЛАННЯ

The author's vision of endogenous obstacles to the development of the modern market economy and the ways to overcome them in the direction of macroeconomic policy on the labor-value basis of classical political economy are revealed. Three obstacles to economic growth in the course of its selfflowing (without state intervention) processes have been identified, namely: a) violation of valuemoney parity – loss of value adequacy of money; b) the lagging of solvent demand from the volume of product supply, which with a certain cyclicality blocks the reproductive process of production; c)"overproduction" of fictitious capital, which bleeds the real sector of the economy. Regarding the support of value-monetary parity in the economy, the expediency of applying the "monetary rule" of monetarism has been confirmed: the emission of the money supply to the beat with the increase in real GDP. Cyclical crises of commodity overproduction are caused by the lagging of solvent demand from supply by the amount of capital accumulation, and therefore have no rational options for overcoming them, except for damping sharp changes in cyclicality. The main novelty of the author's proposals is directed against the parasitic essence of the "financial economy", which sprouts in the course of the "overproduction" of fictitious capital. Since the root cause of such a harmful phenomenon is the overprofitability of the financial sector of the economy as a result of the value-speculative revaluation of inflated assets, the essence of the author's innovation comes down to a radical reform of the tax system in order to prevent their speculative revaluation: the transition from income taxation to taxation of the market capitalization (market valuation) of large businesses based on stock price. According to the author's assumption, the tax on the market value of assets should lead to the depreciation of the inflated capitalization of financial pyramids and bubbles, that will direct investments flows to the commodity-producing sector of the economy, exempted from taxation of business profits. As a result the tax reform will deconserve the production capacities of the real economy, will lead to the industrial revival of the countries of the world democracy in the face of authoritarian revenge. Especially if these countries are consolidated on the basis of a coordinated monetary and fiscal policy: a single currency and a unified tax system. Opposing the axis of autocratic evil requires it.

Curriculum, democracy and pedagogies for justice: a collective futures dialogue

This collaborative paper by members of the Pedagogies for Social Justice Research Group responds to the question of how curriculum and pedagogy can be with and for democracy. Our introduction takes Alice Rigney’s and Dewey’s insights on education and democracy as our point of departure for learning together. As a collective, we have gathered together multiple ways of perceiving and enacting a curriculum for democracy in a context of de-democratisation. We approach tensions, intersections, limits and possibilities of curriculum and democracy from the frames of ‘woven’ curriculum and critical Indigenous pedagogies; racially, religiously and culturally responsive pedagogies; dialogic and relational approaches; agentic, embodied, activist and rights-based pedagogies; and everyday praxis.Kalkadoon scholar Mikayla King’s opening paper on the woven curriculum provides both a point of departure and a grounding site for weaving together our collaborative insights into curriculum, democracy and pedagogies for justice. Garrett and Windle draw attention to how affective and embodied pedagogies can challenge mind/body binaries and activate rights-based modes of being and learning. Memon observes how religion shapes the lifeworlds of learners and proposes a move towards learning from religion. Wrench, Carter, Paige and O’Keeffe advocate for the embedding of eco-justice principles, sociologically informed curriculum, and culturally responsive and story-sharing pedagogies. Lovell and Schulz claim racial literacy as an essential component of a pluralistic democracy that honours First Nations’ sovereignty. Soong suggests that ‘everyday pedagogy’ might enable educators to relate with pre-service teachers as critical and empathetic humanists beyond the role of neoliberalised technicians. Colton and McDonald highlight possibilities within the curriculum for learners to act with the pluralities of the world. McDonald and Schulz argue that gender equity is a necessary foundation for a peaceful, democratic world. We conclude with Hattam’s reiteration of how schooling as a key site for social formation re-produces the nation. He urges us to defy the monologue of authoritarian governing and ‘live together through dialogue’.

The Socio-Economic Impact of Judicial Verdicts

The socio-economic impact of judicial verdicts is a critical area of inquiry within contemporary legal scholarship and governance discourse. This research paper delves into the intricate dynamics surrounding judicial decisions, aiming to unravel their implications for economic development, social cohesion, and democratic governance. Grounded in interdisciplinary dialogue and empirical analysis, the study offers insights that extend beyond academic inquiry to inform policy deliberations and practical interventions.
 Against the backdrop of rapid globalization and evolving legal frameworks, understanding the complexities of judicial verdicts assumes paramount importance. This research endeavors to comprehensively explore the socio-economic dimensions underpinning judicial decisions, shedding light on disparities in access to justice, economic repercussions, and societal implications. Through a systematic examination of diverse legal systems and socio-cultural contexts, the study elucidates the multi-faceted nature of judicial impact on society.
 The objectives of the research are structured to address critical gaps in understanding the socio-economic impact of judicial verdicts and to contribute meaningfully to scholarly discourse and policy deliberations in the field of law and governance. These objectives encompass examining socio-economic dimensions, identifying disparities in access to justice, assessing economic consequences, exploring social dynamics and public perceptions, and providing actionable policy recommendations and implications.
 The significance of this research lies in its potential to generate knowledge, inform policy change, and foster inclusive governance practices that uphold principles of justice, equity, and human rights. By advancing interdisciplinary dialogue, empirical rigor, and policy relevance, the study serves as a catalyst for positive transformation within legal systems and societal institutions, contributing to the advancement of a more just, equitable, and democratic world.
 While the research acknowledges certain limitations, including geographical and jurisdictional constraints, data availability and reliability, interdisciplinary complexity, and temporal constraints, it seeks to provide valuable insights and contributions to scholarly discourse and policy deliberations. Through rigorous analysis and engagement with international standards of scholarly inquiry, the research aims to foster informed decision-making and inclusive governance practices at the intersection of law, society, and governance.

US-Visegrad Realities in Biden’s World of Democracies

Abstract The ‘liberal world order’ can be considered as an historic exception in the history of ‘realist anarchy’ of international relations. This exception is the result of many factors and it has been significantly influenced by the power of the United States. Thus, the agenda of the world order can be analysed in the context of American foreign policy. The place of Central Europe – and in the Visegrad countries – can be analysed in this frame. This approach elaborates the basis for further inquiries also of the Central European-American relations but here the goal is to understand the place of the Visegrad countries in the context of the American led liberal world order. The goal of this study is to theorise the world order, and to identify the role of the United States and the place of the Visegrad countries in it. Furthermore, the study tries to draw theoretic conclusions in the light of the ‘Biden doctrine’ – which is theoretically coherent with the liberal characteristic of the order – to the Visegrad-US relations.

Some legal aspects of Russian policy towards neighbouring countries

Russia’s policy towards neighbouring countries and nations has always been dictated by imperialist and expansionist goals. To achieve them, Russia used brutal methods, including direct military aggression, incit­ing ethnic conflicts, genocide and ethnic cleansing. There are many examples of this in history in the form of the genocide of the Caucasian nations in the 19th century, the Holodomor against Ukrainian people, Soviet repres­sions, the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, and others. Nevertheless, Russia has not been held accountable for its actions. The war against Ukraine, which started in February 2022, dispelled all illusions of the democratic world towards Russia. Today, the democratic world is united, and the primary basis of this unity is the values, which it must bear responsibility for protecting. For this purpose, all international legal levers and institutions should be used. Russia’s leadership must be brought to justice, and the country must be held financially accountable. The only way for peace between Russia and the world is the democratisation of Russia, which is only possible through international legal coercion, as happened in the case of Nazi Germany. This article is an attempt to present the specific facts of Russia’s aggressive and imperialist policy towards neighbouring countries, especially towards Georgia, the specific legal levers for combating this policy, and future perspectives.

Measuring Pedagogical Transformation: A Quantitative Analysis of Critical Thinking Integration in Literary Criticism for Heightened Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes

In today’s democratic world, one of the most significant objectives of the educational system is to promote independent thinking in students regarding both academic subject matter and daily life (Ennis, 1989; Grinberg, 2004; Nelson, 2004). The necessity and significance of critical thinking in education might primarily lie in the fact that students are not passive participants in the learning process since they are no longer engaged in rote memorization of facts; rather, they need to graduate from educational institutions that engage them in learning that improves their thinking skills. Empirical research suggests that benefits accrue to students who possess the ability to think critically; hence, many institutions need to incorporate instruction oriented toward providing students with critical thinking skills (Tsui, 1999; Stupnisky et al., 2008) through programmed interventions that vary from the traditional instructional approach (Sanz de Acedo Lizarraga et al., 2009). This paper examines the significance of the application of a literature-based critical thinking program and its impact on both students’ critical thinking skills and teachers’ and students’ beliefs about literature instruction. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods, namely, survey research and One-Group Pre-Test/Post-Test Design. It is based on one group pre-test–post-test design, a quasi-experimental design, in which a seven-week literature-based critical thinking program involving 34 students attending an English Language and Literature Department was implemented. Data regarding the present critical thinking situation and change process were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. T-test results show a significant change between the students’ pre-critical thinking and post-critical thinking levels. These findings indicate that a literature-based critical-thinking program leads to more student-centered classrooms and creative literature instruction that fosters the development of students’ critical thinking skills. Another major purpose of this research study is to discover and understand the experiences and perspectives of teachers on the topic of using multicultural literature as responsive pedagogy to engage cultural understanding. Therefore, the study will also be conducted using a qualitative research approach involving a literature review and semi-structured interviews.

Отбор и назначение судей в РК: развитие законодательства и проблемные аспекты в формировании и деятельности Высшего Судебного Совета РК

Based on the analysis of the development of legislation and the identification of gaps and shortcomings in it, this paper suggests ways to improve the system of selection and appointment of judges in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is of great importance for the independent functioning of the judiciary and the implementation of the rule of law. In world practice, there are many ways to develop an effective and professional judicial corps. It is not necessary that all the mechanisms known from the legislation and experience of many countries are involved in this process. The authors believe that the fact of borrowing a certain mechanism, even tested in the activities of individual countries, cannot guarantee its efficiency in Kazakhstan. Indeed, various forms such as legislative prescriptions play an important role in this process, but no less important is the correct implementation of democratic world trends in the established legislative provisions, filling formal requirements with clear and legitimate content, which is ensured by the correct legal policy of the state, high-quality legal technology of legislation and the appropriate application of legal standards.

MORAL AND ETHICAL COMPONENT OF SCIENCE IN TIMES OF WAR

MORAL AND ETHICAL COMPONENT OF SCIENCE IN TIMES OF WAR