Амбивалентният характер на политическата коректност и медиите

Author(s): Ivo Indzhov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2016

The wave of immigrants surging towards Europe has put the parliaments of multicultural societies to a test. The crisis has sparked again the debates about ‘political correctness’, which is a product of multiculturalism. The present paper tackles primarily the media dimensions of political correctness and the system of rules governing a specific type of social behaviour characterised i.a. by the language used. The basic idea there of is not to offend or disrespect people on grounds of their origin, religion, gender, etc. The overview of the socio-cultural and political circumstances in which political correctness evolves, as well as the evolution of its methods and its representation in different societies confirm the original hypothesis about its ambivalent character. The conclusionis that journalists must in principle use politically correct language without turning it into a needlessly rigorous imperative.

Renegades, Traitors, Murderers in White Coats (The Image of the “Jew” as the “Enemy” in the Propaganda of the Late Stalinist Period)

Author(s): Kateřina Šimová / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2015

When Stalinism was at its peak, between 1948 and 1953, there was a marked escalation in anti-Jewish manifestations by the Soviet regime, which has often been called“state,” “official,” or “Stalinist” antisemitism. This article endeavors to provide an account of this by analyzing the image of the “Jew” in the propaganda of the time.The basis for the analysis is the concept of the “image of the enemy” as a basic figure of the totalitarian ideological canon. The article traces the way in which the image was filled with meanings linked with the term “Jew.” To this end, the author employs the so-called semiotic textual analysis, which enables her to gradually uncover the character of the signs in the propagandistic language. She focuses on two propaganda campaigns that dominated the Soviet public space in this period.One was against so-called “cosmopolitanism,” from January to March 1949; the other was the so-called “Doctor’s Plot” from January to March 1953. The method in concern enables her to provide evidence of the anti-Jewish orientation of the campaigns, which have so far been deduced chiefly from quantitative lists of acts of repression against specific individuals of Jewish descent. Analysis of the semantic field of the image of the “Jew” then reveals the mechanisms that, because of the many layers of the sign character of this image, were used to provide reasons for the home and foreign policies of the Soviet regime, as well as to justify its problems at home and abroad. The last part of the article consists of conclusions that the author finds applicable to the Czechoslovak case at that time.

Емоционалният брандинг в лабиринта на постистината

Author(s): Stefan Serezliev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2018

Post-truth and emotional branding are constantly criticized, the main argument being the creation of emotional pressure in the decision-making process. This is also cited as a prerequisite for fake news, rumours, political lies etc. Can we get out of this frame and look for new intersections of post-truth and emotional branding? Perhaps this would be a way of humanizing post-truth for the benefit of society and reducing brand populism.

TÜRKİYE’NİN GÜVENLİK POLİTİKALARININ DEĞİŞEN YAPISI VE PKK

Author(s): Bülent Erdil / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2022

Terrorism can only emerge within the borders of the country, develop and become a threat; and sometimes it may be of foreign origin or support. Although the PKK, one of the terrorist organizations we have discussed in this study, claims to have emerged as a popular movement; it is a foreign-supported organization in terms of finance, weapons and militant aid it receives from many countries. In this article, the changing structure of Turkey’s counterterrorism policies is examined through the example of the PKK terrorist organization.

Тимур Атнашев, Татьяна Вайзер, Михаил Велижев, сост. Несовершенная публичная сфера. История режимов публичности в России

Author(s): Ekaterina Boltunova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2022

Review of: Тимур Атнашев, Татьяна Вайзер, Михаил Велижев, сост. Несовершенная публичная сфера. История режимов публичности в России. М.: Новое литературное обозрение, 2021. 744 с. ISBN 9785444815878.

Пандемията, предизвикана от Kовид-19: Homo hygienicus vs. Homo hapticus

Author(s): Nina Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2022

This paper analyses so-called points of intersection and short-circuits between homo hygienicus and homo hapticus. The global virus Covid 19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented hygienist obsession and a panic fear of physical proximity and contact. It has made clearly visible some longue-durée trends in European cultural history which I would summarize namely as a constant advancing of homo hygienicus at the expense of a steady declining of homo hapticus. Against this backdrop, I venture the hope of forming an ecological homo hapticus whose quintessence could be defined as follows: a touch that actively refrains from itself.

Radicalism and Violent Extremism in Bosnia – „Circle of Lack of Knowledge and Islamofobia“

Author(s): Jasmin Ahić / Language(s): English Issue: 3-4/2022

The concept of radicalization is very actual and presents an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the contemporary terrorism. Our knowledge of the factors that lead to radicalization and shape the mind of the prospective terrorists is an important analytical tool for practical policy in terms of proactive work and development of strategies for terrorism prevention. The problem arises in the attempt of its conceptual determination of the radicalization and violent extremism. The concept of radicalization is focused on the individual and, to a certain extent, on ideology and the group, while structural factors and efforts to address the causes of the phenomenon remain outside the epistemological range. In this paper author(s) use case study method as an empirical study of the social phenomenon of radicalism, extremism and violent extremism leading to terrorism and its impact on the subcultural behaviors of radical communities, the security situation where the boundary between the real phenomenon and the real life context are explored. In this paper, case study resewargh method will brighten radical and extremist movements that are deeply rooted in Bosnian society, their connection with the countries of the region and the processing of empirical data on various forms of discrimination and Islamophobia will be discussed. The problem of this research is the impact of radicalism and extremism on the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the current security position of Bosnia and Herzegovina vis-à-vis its neighbors with social focus and the importance of the restructuring a conceptualization of radicalism, extremism and violent extremism leading to terrorism, destruction, human casualties and high media coverage of such acts. Period of terrosim implicatication on Bosnia covering 2010-2020. Results will precise essential weakness of the concept(s) of prevention in fight against violent etremism in addition to other methodological uncertainties addressed in this paper. The paper seeks to examine the leading positions in scientifc literature and critically review the epistemological and practical value of the concept of radicalization that leads to terrorism. From theoretical perspective this concept lacks solid grounding base and should be subject of critical rethinking. The establishment of effective mechanisms for deradicalization is one of the vital programs that Bosnia and Herzegovina will have to recognize and implement, especially through work with young people, which will involve various social actors, all in order to spread tolerance and equality in order to achieve greater degree in the creation of a free democratic society.

Representations of Communism among Romanian Teenagers: A Research Note

Author(s): Andrei Gheorghiţă / Language(s): English Issue: Winter/2021

A long time after the 1989 regime change, teenagers’ representations of the communist past are entirely a matter of political socialization. In the absence of any direct experience with the former regime, their perspective on Communism is expected to develop exclusively in relation to school, family, mass media or other agents of socialization. This research note explores the Romanian teenagers’ representations of the communist past based on survey data collected on a sample of 5,861 students enrolled in 86 schools across the entire country in 2010. A form of ‘second-hand’ nostalgia for Communism is identified among many of the teenagers investigated, regarded as an outcome of socialization in relation to family and school. Positive representations of the communist past appear to be facilitated by a lower socio-economic status, lower education, and the absence of travelling abroad experiences.

Tropajony jako forma autoprezentacji L. Korneliusza Sulli

Author(s): Adam Jakub Jarych / Language(s): Polish Issue: 17/2022

This text focuses on the use of trophies (tropaions) in the politics of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. It first of all draws attention to the monuments built after the victorious Battle of Chaeronea and Orchomenos in 86 BC. What is analyzed and discussed are numerous controversies pertaining to the trophy remnants found on Turion Hill. Then the article focuses on coins bearing the image of trophies following the leader’s initiative, which was supposed to symbolize the continuity of his military successes in Greece and Italy. Yet, the said motifs do not only related to the numismatic material, since Sulla also used it in his signet rings. Particularly important in this case is the one presenting the captured Jugurtha, probably modeled on the monument on the Capitolium, which became the bone of contention between Sulla and Gaius Marius.

Meritocracy and inequality – exploring a complex relationship

Author(s): Maurits Dekkers,Max Erkelenz,Lyra Hoeben,Charlotte Lenhard,Stavroula Kalaitzi / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

Recent studies have suggested that the inequality problem seems to be legitimated by meritocratic attitudes. Whilst it is argued that meritocracy justifies socio-economic inequalities by defining individual achievements and efforts as causes for inequality, it is often overlooked how underlying mechanisms work. This study investigates how meritocracy sustains inequalities. In its mixed methods explanatory sequential design, it first builds on quantitative data from an International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) questionnaire, finding a significantly positive and inelastic relationship between inequality acceptance and meritocratic beliefs. Subsequently, a qualitative systematic literature review is conducted, suggesting that the relationship between meritocracy and inequality may be more circular than previously assumed. Furthermore, the results suggest that people’s meritocratic attitudes depend more on their social context than on their endorsement of meritocracy.

A contribution of military psychology to the understanding of psychological warfare in the informational age

Author(s): Srđan V. Starčević / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 4/2022

Ruch antyszczepionkowy w Polsce i jego kabiny pogłosowe w alt-internet w latach 2020-2022

Author(s): Agnieszka Demczuk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2022

The anti-vaccination movement, which has been present worldwide for nearly two hundred years, has become an extraordinarily visible movement of protest against the announced COVID-19 pandemic and mass vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The National Association for Knowledge on Vaccine STOP NOP, known for years – during a pandemic – along with echo chambers in alt-internet resonating anti-COVID, anti-mask and anti-vaccine propaganda, has become one of the main participants in the COVID discourse effectively influencing the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of Poles towards the virus, COVID restrictions and vaccines.

„Strajk Kobiet”. Zmiany społeczno-kulturowe jako efekt protestów w Polsce

Author(s): Grażyna Piechota / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2022

This paper is devoted to the analysis of the socio-political changesthat occurred in Poland in 2016 as a result of the outbreak of the so-calledblack protests. The protests, which later became known as the All-PolandWomen’s Strike, were activated several times in the following years, as a resultof subsequent events related to the provisions regulating the right to abortion in Poland. The empirical findings contained in this text result from theanalysis of statistical data (CBOS reports), dedicated to the research of political party electorates, which was carried out in 2015, 2017 and 2021. Moreover,the article presents own research conducted in the period from April to July2021 using the method of analysis of the content published on social mediaby entities established after 2016. The results of the research confirm thatthe outbreak and the subsequent periodic activation of protests, supportedby the activities of entities promoting the right to abortion, initiated twosignificant changes in Poland. The first is the clear polarization of politicalparty electorates regarding the right to abortion, and the second is the intensification of the discourse on the very right to abortion, introducing newarguments regarding termination of pregnancy to the agenda (as well asother topics related to the situation of women and broadly understood sexeducation). Both of the indicated outcomes resulted in the phenomenon ofabortion being visible in the public discourse, especially in social media. Thefollowing analysis is part of the trend of social research devoted to the importance of socio-political protests in democratic countries and the role of socialmedia as an immanent tool used in the activity of new social movements.

„Мир хатам, війна палацам!” Ukraińscy anarchiści wobec teorii i praktyk Euromajdanu

Author(s): Aleksander Łaniewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2022

Euromaidan was a key event in the contemporary social and political history of Ukraine. Various political forces took part in the mass protests:from the extreme right to anarchists who were opponents of any statehood.The article aims to analyze the Ukrainian anarchists’ attitude to the “revolution of dignity”. Anarchism is considered to be a social movement whichattempted to exist in the “dialogue of freedom” as an independent politicalforce. Anarchist theoretical reflections (appeals, analytical texts) and politicalpractice (medical and educational activities, participation in demonstrations,forced confrontations and the occupation of government buildings) duringthe Euromaidan were analyzed, based on the sources (press, appeals, interviews, personal experiences) produced by Ukrainian anarchist organizations(Direct Action, Autonomous Workers’ Union, Revolutionary Confederationof Anarcho-Syndicalists by the name of N.I. Makhno, Union of Anarchists ofUkraine and near-anarchist Autonomous Resistance). The study found thatanarchists were unable to join the protests on a consolidated basis. Maidanaccelerated the process of synthesizing anarchist and nationalist ideas andpractices, revealing the weakness of the libertarian movement. Despite declaring common values, such as direct democracy or economic demands, themovement revealed large ideological divisions (e.g. non-participation in theprotests of the Union of Anarchists of Ukraine and the Revolutionary Confederation of Anarcho-Syndicalists). Anarchists failed to obtain social capital andafter Maidan, most of the organizations collapsed. However, the experiencegained by anarchists has affected the radicalization of such movements, updating the issues of interaction with other political forces, the use of violenceand the preparation of anarchists for possible mass protests in the future.

Vandalisme révolutionnaire et patrimoine

Author(s): Jean-François Thomas / Language(s): French Issue: 4/2022

Prepared by other iconoclasms, French revolutionary vandalism spared nothing and inspired the destruction of successive revolutions throughout the world. The contradiction lies in the fact that, at the same time, the actors of this drama were developing the idea of heritage that is still prevalent in our country today. There was no shortage of decrees and laws, most of which had no effect. Two prominent examples are briefly discussed here: the desecration of the royal basilica of Saint-Denis and the fate of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. The powerlessness of a few men who were aware of the tragedy unfolding before them shows how the machine that mercilessly crushed human beings was also particularly effective in erasing the traces and roots of a two-thousand-year-old culture founded on God and the King

Infodemia dezinformacji na temat COVID-19 w Ukrainie

Author(s): Rafał Kęsek / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 04/2022

The aim of this article is to analyze the phenomenon of infodemic and related disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic that shaped the Ukrainian infosphere in 2020-2022. The considerations contained in the text focus mainly on the specific features of the phenomenon at issue, and are an attempt to answer the question of how much the disinformationon COVID-19 in the Ukrainian version differs from analogous trends shaping the internal situation and the infosphere in other countries around the world. The article presents a working thesis that the covid infodemic in Ukraine had, first of all, a clear external provenance (largely single-source), as well as a highly adaptive nature, as a function and element of a wider disinformation campaign carried out by the Russian Federation towards Ukraine and its inhabitants. The presented analysis allowed to identify the main elements characteristic of the disinformation infodemic in Ukraine and confirm the dependence of the studied phenomenon on an external factor, i.e. the influence of the Russian Federation.

Participativní bydlení: nová konceptualizace demokratických forem bydlení v České republice

Author(s): Jan Malý Blažek,Tomáš Hoření Samec,Petr Kubala,Václav Orcígr / Language(s): Czech Issue: 2/2023

In recent years, in response to the increasing unaffordability of housing, many European countries have seen a renewed interest in forms of housing that emphasise elements of cooperation, self-organisation, and sharing (of space, organisation, or ownership between households). In the Czech Republic, we recently identified the first efforts of some municipalities and smaller groups of citizens to transpose this 'housing innovation' into the Czech context, which until now has predominantly favoured individual owner-occupied housing. Considering that these emerging forms of housing in the Czech Republic have yet to be conceptualised in theory, the goal of our article is to initiate a debate on a more precise conceptual understanding. To this end, we propose an overarching definition of participatory housing, which we present using three defining principles and five dimensions of participation. Reflecting on existing Western European conceptualisations and a historical contextualisation of (related forms of) housing in the territory of what is today the Czech Republic, we discuss the specific dimensions of the concept of participatory housing, the conditions of its existence, and what makes it distinct from other forms of housing.

Relating Efforts to Ban Critical Race Theory in U.S. and Gender Studies in Romania – Implications of Illiberal/ Populist Movements for Social Work

Author(s): Melania Popa-Mabe / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

Starting with the question of how Critical Race Theory banning in U.S. and gender studies banning in Romania relate, this article invites social workers in academia and the field to reflect on the rise of illiberalism/ populist movements globally and their consequences for social work education, social work as a profession and the populations and groups social workers serves.

Indywidualny i wspólnotowy wymiar modlitwy jako praktyki religijnej na przykładzie badań mieszkańców Górnego Śląska

Author(s): Wojciech Patoń / Language(s): Polish Issue: 13/2022

In this article, Wojciech Marek Patoń is concerned with prayer understood as a key religious practice among Catholics, an individual and communal religious practice. In the analysis of this phenomenon, Patoń adopts the perspective of the sociology of religion. He presents the sociological understanding of prayer along with selected typologies used in the context of broader trends present in contemporary religious practices. Patoń’s empirical analysis is based on twenty-four in-depth interviews with Catholics in Upper Silesia and three expert interviews. He has examined the importance of prayer practices, with particular emphasis on preferences as to their individual or group dimension. The research shows that today the individualization of religious practices is beginning to dominate; however, in the opinion of the respondents from Upper Silesia, the communal character of prayer remains important.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ МАСОВОЇ МОВЛЕННЄВОЇ КУЛЬТУРИ СОЦІАЛЬНИХ МЕРЕЖ

Author(s): Lina Solomenko / Language(s): Ukrainian Issue: 1/2023

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of speech and behavioural stereotypes of mass speech culture in social networks. The research methodology. The typological method is applied, which has contributed to identification of the peculiarities of mass speech culture development in social networks. The method of systemic analysis and synthesis, the descriptive method and the method of cultural analysis have enabled the consideration of social networks in the context of the modern media space, with their inherent originality. The scientific novelty. Peculiarities of the speech culture in social networks are studied; the specifics of Internet communication as a unique means of global communications are considered; the peculiarities of influence of the language of Internet communications on the development of modern mass speech culture are revealed. Conclusions. Internet slang produced by users has now become widespread in the general consumer vocabulary, and the game conditions of the virtual space contribute to the approach of communication to the game, which at the level of mass speech culture is manifested in the tendency to the manner of spoken language even on serious websites. The study has found that media texts of social networks, due to a unique combination of verbal and visual expressiveness, have a tangible impact on the user. The analysis of contemporary content of social networks confirms the trend of depopularisation of diminutives (diminutive nouns), transfer of foreign (primarily English) words and phrases in Ukrainian graphics, integration of foreign vocabulary into the media text in the form of barbarisms, introduction of elements of thieves' slang, computer jargon, and specific Internet vocabulary in media texts (as a stylistic game), manifestation of original humour in accordance with personal speech qualifications.