Social Cognition and Political Values. Inquires in Political Psychology

Author(s): Silviu-Petru Grecu / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

The aim of this article is to evaluate the quantitative relationship between social cognition, political values and political attitudes and behaviours. In practice, this study analyses two different samples from Germany (N=2030) and Romania (N=1503) and tests if there is a significant relationship between political cognition, values and political action. In this respect we can estimate that the Romanian political system is characterised by political apathy and alienation. All the quantitative results are representative for the statistical time series between 2010 and 2014. There is no statistical correlation between political cognition and political behaviour (r = 0.02, p = 0.001). In contrast, in Germany we observe an educated citizen able to develop personal beliefs regarding the political sphere and, also, to participate, in different manners, in the political life. We can identify a medium positive correlation between political cognition and political behaviour (r = 0.552, p = 0.001). Also, we can underline the fact that political cognition in full democracies, like in Germany, is structured on several values such as: independence (r = 0.504), responsibility (r = 0.602), tolerance and respect for others (r = 0.536). In the Romanian case, political cognition is structured on residual values of the communist society: hard work (r = 0.541) and obedience (r = 0.466). For understanding this psychological process at the theoretical level, we presented two main perspectives about social and political cognition: a neuropsychological perspective derived from the Theory of Mind (ToM) and a perspective derived from “sharing reality”.

Społeczne usytuowanie pedagoga resocjalizacynego w terenowych badaniach jakościowych Dylematy metodologiczne i etyczne badacza w „trudnym terenie”

Author(s): Małgorzata Michel / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2015

Celem artykułu jest ukazanie pewnych trudności, problemów natury etycznej i dylematów moralnych jakie napotyka badacz jakościowy w terenie. Poruszane zagadnienia są własnymi refleksjami autorki po przeprowadzonych badaniach terenowych w przestrzeni miasta z perspektywy pedagogiki resocjalizacyjnej.

Správa státních hmotných rezerv v zrcadle bezpečnostního výzkumu

Author(s): Stanislav Kulhánek,František Ochrana / Language(s): Czech / Issue: 4/2013

The control of emergency economic measures, namely state material reserves, is an important part of Czech security system. From the institutional point of view, all is run under the authority of a central institution—the Administration of State Material Reserves (ASMR). This paper deals with its role in the management of state material reserves, reflects problems and consequences resulting from the changes in security surrounding, re-evaluates opinions and views both by experts of state administrations and academic community. Those are the main key questions the study seeks an answer.

Stânga românească – începutul sfârşitului, sau un nou început?

Author(s): Bogdan Teodorescu,Dan SULTĂNESCU / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 11/2016

After PSD has lost the presidential elections in 2014, we are in a new context in which we need to discuss the possible decisive erosion of PSD electorate. We will analyze sociological data to see to what extent this possible erosion is based on something real or is just wishful thinking of PSD opponents

Stosunki międzynarodowe – pojęcie, zakres oraz forma z perspektywy wybranych teorii i podejść badawczych

Author(s): Beata Molo / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2018

The article discusses the essence of contemporary international relations based on selected definitional approaches, their expanding subject (states, other actors, including transnational ones) and object scope. In particular, the activity of transnational actors leads to the expansion of international relations, which cover more and more new fields. In addition, the study presents the main forms of rivalry, cooperation and struggle manifestation in international relations in the context of selected research theories and approaches.

Strategy for Economic Change Management in a Commune

Author(s): Diana Dryglas / Language(s): English / Issue: 9.2/2016

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodological proposal of an effective strategy for the management of economic change (SMEC) in a commune which will enable a faster adaptation to the changing environment and help gain a competitive advantage over other communes in the future. This paper defines a model of strategy for the management of economic change (SMEC) in a commune which consists of six general stages: partnership, diagnosis, strategic analysis, designing a strategy, implementation of a strategy, and evaluation of results based on the strategic management process. The paper provides implications for local partnerships established by entities initiating economic change in a commune, arguing that by using tools of a SMEC and understanding change initiatives, commune is likely to be more competitive. Proposed model of SMEC in a commune can be used by the researchers and practitioners to solve the particular issues in response to change which will broaden the theory relating to territorial units’ context.

STUDENT AND PARENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS VOUCHERIZATION OF EDUCATION

Author(s): Admir Čavalić,Damir Bećirović,Amela Bešlagić / Language(s): English / Issue: 03/2018

Voucher system of education implies the use of vouchers as instruments of financing public and private education. Unlike the traditional ways of financing education, the voucher system creates the assumptions for increasing the freedom of choice regarding educational programs within different levels of education. Paper will use scientific methods of systematization and analysis of existing literature regarding school vouchers, in order to give a critical review of the influence of vouchers on increasing the competitiveness of education. The paper will also present the results of the research of student and parental attitudes about towards voucherization of education. Research sample includes respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia and Republic of Serbia. Along with the conclusion, the paper also offers some recommendations regarding the use of vouchers for the improvement of local education systems.

Studija slučaja u komparativnoj politici

Author(s): Nikolina Jožanc / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 03/2015

Paradoxical status of case studies in social sciences is particularly evident in comparative politics, where theoretical relevance of a case study method is repeatedly undermined despite the overwhelming amount of empirical research that employs it. For this reason, the paper explores under which conditions a single case study can be defined as a method of comparative politics, as well as its specific strengths and weaknesses for theory development in comparative politics. The first part of the paper tries to clarify definitional disputes which contribute to unjustifiable dismissals of case study as a comparative method. The second part examines in more detail the potential contribution of case studies in accomplishing the goals of comparative research. Arguments put forward in both parts of the paper point to positive evaluation of case study as a legitimate method of comparative politics.

Tackling Disinformation: EU Regulation of the Digital Space

Author(s): Flavia Durach,Alina Bargaoanu,Cătălina Nastasiu / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2020

This paper provides an overview of current responses to fake news and digital disinformation inside and outside the EU, and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Four approaches emerge: (1) self-regulation (i.e. actions undertaken on a voluntary basis by the digital platforms); (2) co-regulation (i.e. cooperation framework between EU-level and national-level authorities, the internet platform companies, media organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders); (3) direct regulation (i.e. legal measures & sanctions); and (4) audience-centred solutions (i.e. factchecking and media literacy). We argue in favour of the co-regulation approach, while drawing attention to some current challenges in the response against disinformation. Furthermore, we need to go beyond the understanding of disinformation as an information/ truth fraud, and draw additional measures to reflect the particular understanding of disinformation as a form of users’ engagement fraud.

Teoretyczne przesłanki współczesnej analizy politologicznej

Author(s): Błażej Sajduk / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2007

The Balkans’ Image as Constructed in Donald Trump’s Public Statements (2017-2018)

Author(s): Kalina Bratanova / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

This study was prompted by the strong academic and research interest in President Donald Trump’s governance and rhetorical style, which is atypical of any senior government official holding a high post in the state administration. Another major motivation for selecting thisresearch object is the topicality of political discourse, and its linguistic and pragmatic aspects, inthe era of post-truth politics. Yet another reason was the typically negative image of the Balkans ina historical perspective. The findings in this study largely confirm those established in previousresearch with regard to Donald Trump’s foreign policy priorities. Even though Trump is differentin form – in language and rhetoric – in his foreign policy, he shows continuity with his post-ColdWar predecessors in substance, especially in the Balkans and South-eastern Europe.

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 Djurin Ghetto: Official Order, Internal Structure, and Networking Strategies

Author(s): Ana Bărbulescu / Language(s): English / Issue: 12/2019

The paper approaches the topic of Transnistrian ghettos from a micro-historical perspective,reconfiguring the story of Djurin, in the Mogilev district, one of the ghettos administeredby the Romanian authorities. The perspective is both historical, and sociological, with anemphasis on Bourdieu’s theorization of the field and capitals. Official documents and oralsources will be both considered.

THE END OF POLITICS: DECONSTRUCTION, DECLINE AND ALTERNATIVE OF THE STATE

Author(s): Nikola Ilievski,Goran Ilik / Language(s): English / Issue: 01/2018

The paper represents theoretical investigation into the phenomenon of decline of the state. It addresses three basic and mutually connected investigation areas, introduced in deconstruction of the state, decline of the state and alternative of the state. Primarily, theories of the origin of the state are exposed, where the state’s essence is located; its function – identified and the role it has been playing – observed. In following, the decline represented as a process of transfer – with the state as its main subject, is interpreted through different prisms, particularly the one of federalism, postmodernism, decentralization and libertarianism. The specific focus is laid on the process of decline of the state, following the libertarian theoretical framework. The process is determined by the decrease of the state’s functions, occurring in certain period of time. Accordingly, the process is analyzed and divided into four phases, each of them identified with a certain type of state, with an exception. Ultimately, the alternative of the state is emerging as last phase and final outcome of the process of decline of the state, while introducing a new era, the one of no politics.

The future of ‘real-existing’ democracy

Author(s): Phillipe C. Schmitter / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2011

Philippe C. Schmitter’s concept of ‘Real-Existing’ Democracy can serve as a useful analytical tool for political scientists. The future of such democracies however holds many uncertainties. Society and Economy has asked some leading Hungarian scholars to comment on the idea, based on a lecture delivered by Professor Schmitter at the Institute of Political Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in February 2011. In the following, we reproduce the lecture, followed by comments from György Csepeli and István Murányi, Vera Gáthy, Elemér Hankiss, Jody Jensen, Ferenc Miszlivetz and Tibor Palánkai.

THE IDEOLOGICAL MAPPING OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN ROMANIA

Author(s): Toma Burean,Raluca Popp / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2015

What are the main dimensions of competition between political parties in Romania? Is there a match of the electorate policy preferences with those of political parties? This paper analyzes what are the main dimensions of competition between parties in Romania by looking at the issue preferences of the party in the electorate. We use data obtained from the voting advice application (VAA) applied in 2012 (votulmeu.com) in Romania. Finally we compare our results with Chapel Hill expert party mappings and claim that VAA data are a reliable source for finding out the programmatic peferences of party supporters.

THE INFORMATIVE COMPONENT OF THE MACEDONIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AS AN IMMANENT PART OF THE EURO-INTEGRATIVE PROCESS

Author(s): Mladen Karadjoski,Goran Ilik,Artur Adamczyk / Language(s): English / Issue: 02/2019

This article analyzes the informative component of the Macedonian public administration as an imminent part of the accession process towards the European Union. The interaction of the public administration with the citizens, NGO's, media and other relevant "stakeholders" in the Macedonian society is an additional impetus for the acceleration and improvement of the integrative process. The main research methods which will be used in this paper are a descriptive method, content analysis method, and comparative method.

THE NEED FOR NEW RESEARCH ON TERRORISM

Author(s): Sebastian Wojciechowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2013

Terrorist attacks in various parts of the world evidence’s what a complex and dangerous problem we are facing, even though a great number of states and organizations have committed themselves to combating it, deploying a variety of resources and mechanisms for this purpose. Nevertheless, there is no fully efficient method or system to counter terrorism. It is no use hoping that it will emerge soon (or ever), either. Therefore, combating terrorism resembles the struggle of the ‘global community’ with a globally operating enemy.

The political districting problem: A survey

Author(s): Attila Tasnádi / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2011

Computer scientists and social scientists consider the political districting problem from different viewpoints. This paper gives an overview of both strands of the literature on districting in which the connections and the differences between the two approaches are highlighted.

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