Postdemokratija: demokratinė mažuma prieš absenteizmą ar demokratinės daugumos imperatyvas?

Author(s): Vaidutis Laurėnas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 02/2014

The growth of the scale of absenteeism leads to the fact that part of the democracies are ruled, and an even larger number of democracies are approaching the form of rule, when the ruling minority – the representatives – are democratically (?) elected by the minority of the society. In the transformation of the contemporary democracy, the principal issue is not the return of informed and knowledgeable voters, susceptible to inevitable absenteeism, to the political elections, controlled by the “big consensus” of the political parties, business and media, but rather the diversification of the delegation of powers to deal with public problems which would allow the democratic majority to form and become recognized not merely by way of political elections. That can be called postdemocracy, and still better, a bifurcation point when one never knows which direction the process may turn. With the growing scale of absenteeism, the political science models the transfer of the accents of political participation and the majority of the society, necessary for democracy, from the stage of politics to the stage of policy. That is the case of the permanent quest for the harmony of the representative and direct democracies. By means of contemporary information and communication technologies, it is necessary to learn to qualitatively establish the preferences of solution of specific public problems of those citizens who participate in public life in other ways and more independently than in political elections, i.e., of the neo-majority. As much as we are unable to cope with the issue, as much de democratisation is possible. Democratic minority tends to degenerate sooner or later

Kvaišalų geografija posovietiniame mieste: nelegali narkotinių medžiagų apyvarta ir narkomanija Klaipėdoje, 1990-2010 m.

Author(s): Liutauras Kraniauskas,Laimonas Beteika / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 02/2014

This study explores transformations of local drug geography in Klaipeda, 1990-2010. Using spatial analysis of geocoded data about 1351 cases of drug crime (manufacturing, storing, possession, and sale) and 1510 registered drug users, we researched spatial temporal patterns of drug crime and drug abuse in changing post-soviet urban environment. Data for this study was provided by Klaipeda Police Headquarters and Klaipeda Centre for Addictive Disorders. We found, that key changes within local drug geography started in 1997-1999 and were caused by development of new economy expanding drug sale to anonymous customers. Since the collapse of the Soviet regime, drugs were mostly manufactured, circulated and used within underground social networks of drug users. The main features of those networks were trust and direct communication among drug users and dealers, who regularly were drug users also. Therefore drugs were locally produced, stored, sold and used in the same places; places of drug abuse and drug crime regularly overlapped. Nevertheless spatial patterns of such underground networks were more accidental in their nature, they had not clear attributes of spatial identify within urban environment. But newly emerging drug economy was based on commodity-money relations between drug dealers and drug users and new market regime clearly differentiated places of drug sale and drug use. Drug sale moved from blocks to the night clubs, marketplaces and surroundings of huge shopping centres. Sociologically such change within drug economy of post-soviet city might be interpreted as a shift from subcultural networks, where local knowledge and practices of street pharmacology were transmitted to new users, to the conspicuous consumption of branded and recreational drugs .

Роль интеллигенции в общественных движениях в странах Латинской Америки в середине — второй половине ХХ века

Author(s): Anastasia V. Butina / Language(s): Russian Issue: 4/2014

The article shows the experience of participation of intelligentsia in the development of social movements in the countries of Latin America in the middle - the second half of the 20th century. On the basis of the particular cases of cooperation analysis the objective conditions and characteristics of development of interaction attending its success are revealed. The article studies the influence of the intelligentsia on the following aspects of civil movements formation: the formation of identity, and the dynamics of the participants’ aims; methods of action, forms and ways of the goals achievement; mobilization of resources and development of the movements’ organizational potential

Гендерная политология в России: достижения, проблемы и перпективы

Author(s): Tatjana Borisovna Riabova,O. G. Ovcharova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2016

The paper examines the set of research problems in contemporary Russian Gender Studies in Political Sciences, the current status and perspectives of developing this research field in Russia. The authors dwell upon gender methodology in Political Sciences and an alyze main Russian scholars’ research areas in the field: gender in political attitudes and behavior in Russia and abroad, gender in Russian political processes, woman movement and feminism, influence of gender on Russian politics, gender asymmetry, gender aspects of nationalism and geopolitics.

Биовластта днес

Author(s): Paul Rabinow,Nikolas Rose / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3-4/2016

The Definition of the Armed Conflict in the Conditions of Cyber Warfare

Author(s): Mateusz Piątkowski / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2017

The paper is presenting the examination of the cyberwarfare phenomenon in its legal context. The cyberattacks are increasingly effective measures of modern combat and would probably become the most crucial dimension of forthcoming armed conflict. The role of the international humanitarian law is to determine whenever the cyberattack is reaching the threshold of an armed conflict. The aim of the article is to present the existing framework of ius in bello in terms of its temporal scope of applicability, especially in the light of the Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. It supported conclusion that the international law requires an revision of the armed conflict definition to sufficiently addressed the challenges arising from growing cyber activity.

The Role of Technology and Innovation Messaging in the Public Diplomacy of Israel

Author(s): Itzhak Mashiah,Eli Avraham / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

In the modern era, technology and innovation discourse has become a natural part of society. Whether it is in organizations, NGOs, enterprises, financial corporations, educational institutions, businesses, cities or countries, it seems that the values of innovation and technology have become a significant part of the messaging set delivered to stakeholders. Similarly, the political-diplomatic field also reflects these values and plays an important part in empowering the excitement that surrounds innovation. As part of telling their stories and persuasively branding their countries, leaders and public figures often use technology terminology. The main goal of the current paper is to find the actual place of innovation and technology in public diplomacy. To do so, this research uses rhetorical analysis of eight UN speeches by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The findings indicate that technological values have a central role in shaping the new narrative of Israel. The research reveals the rhetorical techniques that perpetuate the branding of Israel as an innovation centre and success story.

NON-VOTING AS A POLITICAL ACTION. THE BEHAVIOUR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS REGARDING THE REFERENDUM FOR THE “TRADITIONAL FAMILY” IN ROMANIA, 2018

Author(s): Georgeta Ghebrea / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

In Romania, on October 2018, a national referendum took place in order to amend the Constitution and change the family definition, from “union between spouses” to “union between a man and a woman”. This change was asked by “The coalition for family” – a large coalition of non-governmental organisations – in order to preserve the traditional values and prevent same-sex marriage. The referendum failed because it did not pass the 30% participation threshold required for validation. The classical electoral theories cannot explain this very high rate of abstention. To understand this event, we carried out a mini-survey having political science students as a target group, because we considered they are relevant to the population that did not vote in that referendum. We found out that political science students are educated, well informed persons, interested in politics who did not vote, contradicting in this way the main theoretical approaches explaining abstention. This behaviour is actually a boycott, a political action meant to lead to the referendum’s failure. The students took this action because this referendum was against their attitudes and values – both in the political and family spheres. In their majority, political science students share robust liberal, anti-conservative and pro-diversity attitudes. Also, their action was determined by strong anti-governmental attitudes, emotions and previous behaviours (anti-governmental rallies, protest marches etc.). In conclusion, non-voting represented, in fact, a significant political action against both the Government in power and the conservative socio-political forces existing in the Romanian society.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE IN ACCOUNTING

Author(s): Delia Corina Mihălţan / Language(s): English Issue: 20/2019

The current paper aims at raising awareness about the differences between theory and practice in accounting. It focuses on the logical path that a student or a novice in this field must follow in order to apply theoretical knowledge into practice. The role, the structure, and the features of the financial information system (as part of the informational system of the entity) are presented in comparison with the accounting ledgers used in the traditional accounting (where transactions were recorded manually). These ledgers are the starting point of any accounting when acquiring the practical knowledge. In addition, the paper considers the didactic principles most suitable to bridge the gap between theory and practice in accounting.

Metody i techniki pozyskiwania i przetwarzania informacji medialnej na potrzeby białego wywiadu

Author(s): Andrzej Nowosad / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2005

The Post-Brexit EU as a Global Actor: Reconsidering Security

Author(s): Valentin Naumescu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The departure of the UK left the EU not only without its second largest economy, but also without one of its two nuclear powers – with a permanent seat in the Security Council – and without an important member state of NATO – a global security provider. For a long time, the EU has tried to brand itself as a global actor from a ‘normative power’ perspective, able to ‘export’ values and norms without having an army of its own. Nonetheless, shortly after the Brexit referendum of 2016, the EU has announced its Global Strategy, while France and Germany launched the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) initiative in the field of defence, formally adopted by EU in 2017. In the midst of a growing strategic competition for influence, aggravated by the 2020 pandemics of COVID-19, the Great Powers diversify their leverage, resources and instruments. With increasing rifts in its partnership with the US and concerning uncertainties in relation to the UK, against a background characterized by the disintegration of the West as a political concept, having difficult relations with Russia and China, the EU reconsiders the issue of security. This article explores the international context from the perspective of the relations between the global actors, a changing world order and the re-interpretation of the concepts of security and hard power. We shall analyse both the discourses of political leaders on the topic, and the EU decision-making process in the field of security

Access to Public Information as a Political Sciences Technique: What and How Should Be Studied, and What for?

Author(s): Marcin Wałdoch / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

Access to public information in Poland is most typically discussedin the legal and political contexts. However, it is not consciouslydiscussed as a possibility for political scholars to exercise their right ofaccess to public information. This paper, which is of postulatory nature,identifies the benefits for those political scholars who decide to use, inthe process of data collection, their right of access to public informationas a data collection technique. The proposed technic of data collectionmay be used by scholars – political scientists around the world.

Factors affecting the citizen to use e-report application in Gunungkidul Regency

Author(s): Muhammad Iqbal,Ulung Pribadi,Yunita Elianda / Language(s): English Issue: 02/2020

To realize Jogja Cyber Province, regencies/cities in the Special Region of Yogyakarta have begun to formulate action plans to achieve Smart Regency and Smartcity. Gunungkidul Regency is one of the districts in the Province of Special Region of Yogyakarta. Gunungkidul Regency has problems in implementing e-service. Geographical factors become an inhibiting factor in the E-Report application. At least 27.7% of the regions in Gungkidul Regency will have difficulty accessing online government policies, one of which is E-report applications. In this paper, the author will be the theory of the unified model of e-government adoption (UMEGA). These variables measure not only internal factors but also external factors which in previous studies had a high level of influence on the use of e-government. The research used is quantitative. This study uses a questionnaire technique and literature study to obtain data to analyze the phenomenon. The sample are 379 respondents. The results of the questionnaire were then processed using SmartPLS 3.0 software. Based on the results of hypothesis testing, it shows that the variable performance expectancy, variable effort expectancy, variables facilitating conditions, variable perceived risk and variable attitude has a significant effect on the variable utilization of E-Report Application in Gunungkidul Regency. On another hand, Social Influence has no significant effect on the utilization of E-Report Application in Gunungkidul Regency. Gunungkidul district government must make the E-Report application easier to access and understand. Support facilities also need to be improved. The government must also guarantee that the security of personal data of service users is well preserved. by making improvements to these suggestions, E-Report application users in Gunungkidul will continue to grow.

Polarized disinformation. The coverage of US presidential election by Polish TV

Author(s): Mariusz Kolczyński,Róża Norström / Language(s): English Issue: 44/2022

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Analysis of how the 2020 US presidential election was covered and framed by Polish television news programs, and whether the polarization of media and politics in Poland was reflected in the studied content, influencing its bias. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The analysis of the cover age of the US presidential campaign by three nationwide TV news programs – TVN, TVP and Polsat by using content analysis with elements of framing analysis and comparative analysis. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The article consists of four parts: the first explains the methodology of the study, the second discusses how presidential elections are covered and framed and what influences the national media being interested in covering foreign events. The third part presents the results of the study, and the last contains the discussion and conclusions. RESEARCH RESULTS: The coverage was dichotomous and there was a correlation between the political affiliation of the media and their choice of framing. The media used a combination of game, strategy and conflict framing that highlighted differences between Trump and Biden in terms of the election results and their personal attributes. We found that the electoral rivalry was portrayed as a conflict between the candidates and that the Polish media constructed “enemy” images of candidates and voters depending on their political sympathies. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The polarization of media and politics in Poland was reflected in the coverage of the US election. The broadcasters placed Polish political conflicts in the context of the US campaign. It shows that foreign events may be covered by national media through the prism of political bias.

Dyplomacja naukowa jako kategoria dyplomacji wpływu – przypadek Francji

Author(s): Monika Szkarłat / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2022

In the last decade, science diplomacy, one of the subcategoriesof diplomacy of influence, has recently gained unprecedented attention asa subject of both an academic inquiry and political discourse. States adaptingto these changes create science diplomacy legal and institutional frameworkswhich combine the priorities of foreign and science and technology policy.But still, there are only a few advanced countries in this respect. One of themis France, which began building the institutional and strategic foundations ofscience diplomacy in the middle of the 20th century, and can now providea source of good practice for states at the beginning of this path.The article presents the conceptual basis of diplomacy of influence and organisational model of French science diplomacy, an example of diplomacy ofinfluence based on the potential and attractiveness of science. Analysing particular dimensions of the model, we point to conditions, such as the conceptof foreign policy, assumptions of scientific policy or the structure of the state’sscience and technology sector, which influence the specificity of French science diplomacy. We argue that the distinctive features of the French modelof science diplomacy are its strong link to foreign and development policyobjectives, its treatment of science as an essential instrument of foreign policyand diplomacy of influence, but also its emphasis on supporting the internationalisation of science and increasing France’s participation in international scientific undertakings.

Implicațiile progresului tehnologic asupra legislației

Author(s): Cristian Nicolae Sima / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1/2023

Technological progress has been evolving rapidly and continuously in recent decades, with technology being present in more and more aspects of our lives. Changes in the way social relations are conducted as a result of these developments require adjustments to the legal framework governing those social relations, on the one hand to adapt the rules to the new ways in which these social relations are conducted and, on the other, to provide adequate protection against the dangers specific to technology use.

КУЛЬТУРНА ДИПЛОМАТІЯ: ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ ДЕФІНІЦІЇ ПОНЯТТЯ В КОНТЕКСТІ ЕВОЛЮЦІЇ СВІТОВОЇ СПІЛЬНОТИ (1930-ті – початок 2020-х рр.)

Author(s): Myroslava Poplavska / Language(s): Ukrainian Issue: 2/2022

The purpose of the article is to reveal the essence of the «cultural diplomacy» concept at the current stage and trace the transformations of its definition in the context of the world community development during the 20th and first decades of the 21st century. Research methodology. The method of terminological analysis, the method of interpretation and operationalisation of concepts have been applied to ensure the understanding of the content essence of the «cultural diplomacy» concept. The method of historical and cultural analysis has enabled considering the definitional transformations that took place during the 1930s – early 2020s in the context of the development of the world community and international relations, as well as the method of systemic analysis to identify the specifics of the phenomenon of «cultural diplomacy» at the current stage. Scientific novelty. The definition of the «cultural diplomacy» concept has been studied in historical retrospect and at the present stage; considered and analysed the development and transformation of the concept in the context of the specifics of the evolution of the world community; a proper definition of the concept of «cultural diplomacy» is proposed. Conclusions. Cultural diplomacy is directly related to the use of culture as an object and means of achieving the fundamental goals of the state's foreign policy, creating a favorable image of the country, popularising culture and language. At the current stage, in the conditions of globalisation processes of an interdependent world, in which the spread of information and communication technologies facilitates communication between people from different countries, cultural diplomacy is an extremely important aspect for ensuring international peace and stability. In the context of the specifics of the current state and development trends of international relations, cultural diplomacy is considered as a direction of foreign policy carried out by national states in cooperation with state and/or private entities with the aim of spreading the culture of this country abroad, as well as the development of international cultural policy with the aim of cultural exchange and cooperation between various international subjects – states, international organisations, and individuals.

Interconnections between Minister Cabinets in Greece. A Bicentennial Study with Implications on Economy

Author(s): Dimitrios Kydros,Persefoni Polychronidou / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

In this paper we deal with a network analysis of interconnected cabinets in Greece for an extended time period. In parallel, we present a small review of the economic crises that have occurred in Greece over this period. More particularly, we used historical sources to locate all different Greek governments and all economic crises starting from the 1821 Greek revolution to the present days. We also formed a two-mode (also known as affiliation) network of ministers and cabinets and subsequently created a network of interconnected cabinets. We used dedicated software to visualize this network and used Social Network Analytical procedures in order to calculate its properties. Finally, in an attempt to investigate possible relations between network metrics and economic crises, we note and discuss an interesting observation between a specific metrics and such major economic events. In our paper, we firstly introduce the context and present our research questions. We then present the relevant literature, mainly discussing the extent to which Social Network Analysis has been used to investigate patterns of behaviors in politics. We then proceed to presenting and applying our methodology on network creation, visualization and metrics computations. The following section discusses the longitudinal evolution of our network and the relation between its clustering coefficient and the emergence of economic crises. We then finalize our paper with some conclusions.

Odgovorno ponašanje u saznajnim praksama koje se oslanjaju na upotrebu internet pretraživača

Author(s): Adam Nedeljković,Jelena Pavličić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 03/2023

Disinformation, propaganda content, conspiracy theories, pseudo-scientific interpretations, and similar deceptive narratives that we come across through our internet-search engines, represent a serious threat to acquiring true beliefs and preserving democratic values. With this in mind, their wide presence in our internet searches poses relevant questions, including those that are the subject matter of this paper:(a) how and to what extent can the epistemic landscape that facilitates their spread be understood; (b) to whom can we ascribe the responsibility for their acquisition and distribution; and (c) what measures and strategies can be taken to mitigate their impact on public opinion to a satisfactory extent? To partially answer these three closely connected questions, we will deal with socio-epistemic characteristics of the Google search engine, the ways in which it affects our epistemic practices and strategies for improving the users’ epistemic position. Special attention will be devoted to the question of a more precise distribution of responsibilities between the search engine and the epistemic agent. Within our position, the weight of responsibility is equally distributed between the user and the search engine.

Комуникиране на политики за образованието в кампания за парламентарни избори

Author(s): Lyubomira Hristova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

In this report, the author defends the claim that the effectiveness of information flows between the rulers and the ruled is a prerequisite for maintaining a constructive communication interaction between these two participants in the communication. Research is presented based on the campaign for parliamentary elections in the period October-November 2021 in Bulgaria, with the focus on alternatives for the education system. The aim is to find out to what extent education policies are advocated and prioritized in the programs made public by competing political parties.