THE ADOPTION OF LANGUAGE POLICIES IN THE REPUBLICS OF POST-SOVIET RUSSIA: ACTORS, DEBATES, DECISIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin Zamyatin
Keyword(s):  
Political Agenda ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Power Struggle ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Political Debates ◽  
Early National ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Soviet Russia

In the early 1990s, political actors in Russia’s republics proposed alternative, and sometimes mutually exclusive, solutions to language issues for their adoption as a public policy. The purpose of this paper is to understand how and why it was still possible, despite the conflicting interests, to build a coalition and adopt the policy in the republics. I use the method of discourse analysis of official documents and political debates. I analyse the data on the circumstances of the policy adoption in republics in order to understand the general trends in what and how compromises were reached. The official designation of state languages came to Russia’s republics as the main policy devised “from above”, the central authorities, but it had to be specified and adapted locally. From an instrumentalist perspective, some Russian scholars have argued that the adoption of such a language policy of designating state languages compulsory for use should be seen as a milestone in power struggle. Yet, I argue in this paper that a much wider range of issues were on the table and the compromise had to be reached on what the designation of state languages meant in different contexts. The fi ndings of the study should contribute to the debate about the role of language in politics during the USSR disintegration and the early national-state building in Russia and its republics. When at some point in the future Russia enters another circle of political transformation, the issues in focus would again become highly topical on the political agenda.

scholarly journals Netpolitik: A New Political Transformer for Indonesia?

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bustanul Arifin ◽  
Amirah Ulfah
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Information Age ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Information And Communication

<p>The development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has brought many fundamental changes in the political practices. One of the main essential aspects of ICTs is internet. This internet plays an important role in developing the information age. Therefore, the information age contributes to the way in which we effectively and efficiently create and consume the information. In this research, we focus to see the role of technology that drives to the practice of netpolitik by both the public and political actors in Indonesia. Netpolitik itself is the combination between internet and politic. Then, we analyze how netpolitik is influencing and changing the political situation in Indonesia during the recent time. Then, we put several aspects in order to see the effects driven by the netpolitik. Finally, we conclude the research by a finding stating that the netpolitik has done a political transformation in Indonesia and it becomes a core engine in determining the behaviour of political actor and audiences.</p><p><strong><em>Keywords:</em></strong><em> Internet, Netpolitik, Public, Political Actors, ICTs, Digital Era, Transformation, and Indonesia</em></p>

scholarly journals Memes as snapshots of participation: The role of digital amateur activists in authoritarian regimes

2020 ◽  
pp. 146144482091272
Author(s):  
Cristina Moreno-Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Authoritarian Regimes ◽  
Ordinary People ◽  
Entertainment Media ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Online Groups ◽  
Political Debates ◽  
Digital Discourse ◽  
Anglophone World ◽  
Facebook Pages

In contexts where media and political actors cannot or will not address crucial issues important to ordinary people, alternative forms of communication emerge. This article suggests Internet memes as one of these forms. Analysis on memes, comments and reactions posted on Moroccan satirical Facebook pages suggests that online groups that define themselves as entertainment or ‘just for fun’ can spark instances of political participation. Through digital discourse analysis, I identify hidden discourses on power relations and oppression embodied in memes of the country’s monarchy. Conceptually, I suggest the role of digital amateur activists as architects and instigators of political debates that seek to disempower systems of oppression. Internet memes, this article contends, can build groups of participation that engage in important but often silenced political conversations. Furthermore, theorising memes in Morocco contributes to debates on memetic culture, entertainment media and the significance of amateur culture beyond the Anglophone world.

Politics and Ideology in Migration Policy Formulation: The Case of Kuwait

1989 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Stanton Russell
Keyword(s):  
Migration Policy ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Political Events ◽  
International Labor

Theoretical approaches to international migration for employment largely ignore the role of government policies in shaping both migratory flows and the functioning of international labor markets, despite empirical evidence that such policies exist. To facilitate considerations of policy in migration theory this article examines politics and ideology in the evolution of migration policy in Kuwait. Policy determinants are found to include not only changes in economic conditions, but also shifts in power among political actors and the salience of issues on the political agenda: security issues, regional political events, demographic changes and perceived social costs of immigration. Future prospects for the Gulf are also considered.

scholarly journals EUROPEAN CULTURAL POLICY: PRIORITIES AND PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

2020 ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Jelena Petković
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Economic Dimension ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Research Findings

By applying a comparative method and analysis of documents, this paper studies the altered position and role of culture as a delicate field of intervention in the field of European integration policies. From that standpoint we approach the socio-cultural and anthropological analysis of the basic directions of development in European policy in the fields of culture from the beginning of the process of EU integrations to this day. The aim of the research is to indicate the causes and consequences of increased interest of the European political agenda for the concept of cultural heritage, in particular from the 1970s, with the intention to critically analyze the conceptual interpretations and strategic uses of cultural heritage as part of European cultural policy. For that purpose, the paper provides insight into the basic research findings on the priorities and practices in the field of affirmation of the cultural heritage of Europe, obtained by analyzing and interpreting secondary sources (research papers, numerous internationally accepted documents, various European programs and projects). Conclusions are drawn on the unique contradictoriness in the rhetoric of European political actors, which in the field of cultural heritage balances between European particularism and universalism, as well as the unique strategic shift in European cultural activities from the primary affirmation of the symbolic and social potential of cultural heritage towards the increasingly emphasized use and abuse of its economic dimension.

“There is such a situation that Comrade Svoboda is under pressure”. The Soviet leadership and the settlement of relations with Czechoslovakia. May 1969

2019 ◽  
pp. 512-519
Author(s):  
Teymur Dzhalilov ◽  
Nikita Pivovarov
Keyword(s):  
Central Committee ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Soviet Government ◽  
Soviet Leadership ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common

The published document is a part of the working record of The Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee on May 5, 1969. The employees of The Common Department of the CPSU Central Committee started writing such working records from the end of 1965. In contrast to the protocols, the working notes include speeches of the secretaries of the Central Committee, that allow to deeper analyze the reactions of the top party leadership, to understand their position regarding the political agenda. The peculiarity of the published document is that the Secretariat of the Central Committee did not deal with the most important foreign policy issues. It was the responsibility of the Politburo. However, it was at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee when Brezhnev raised the question of inviting G. Husák to Moscow. The latter replaced A. Dubček as the first Secretary of the Communist party of Czechoslovakia in April 1969. As follows from the document, Leonid Brezhnev tried to solve this issue at a meeting of the Politburo, but failed. However, even at the Secretariat of the Central Committee the Leonid Brezhnev’s initiative at the invitation of G. Husák was not supported. The published document reveals to us not only new facets in the mechanisms of decision-making in the CPSU Central Committee, the role of the Secretary General in this process, but also reflects the acute discussions within the Soviet government about the future of the world socialist systems.

Five Lessons from European Democracy

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Matijasevich
Keyword(s):  
Political Community ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Democratic Development ◽  
Track Record ◽  
European Democracy ◽  
Democratic Experience ◽  
Theory Of Democracy ◽  
The Eu

Outside of some states still struggling with post-communist transitions, Europe itself may be the first European democracy to collapse in decades. Though never a bastion of participatory democracy and even subject to continuous criticism due to its democratic deficit, the European Union (EU) has provided hope to those who envision a post-national democratic political community. As such, whether the EU survives its present crisis or not, cosmopolitan democrats will look to the EU as a vindication of their ideals. Though perhaps surprising given their track record, this paper will argue that political scientists, especially those concerned with democratization, can also be optimistic about what the EU has brought to the table in terms of how we conceive processes of democratic development. Throughout the paper it will be demonstrated that the creation and maintenance of the European democracy has challenged much of the literature's fundamental assumptions of what makes democracy work. Five key lessons from the European democratic experience will be presented in an attempt to disrupt some of these assumptions including lessons regarding the diversity of the demos, the contingency of democratic upkeep, the challenges of the state, the role of elites in political transformation, and the necessity of exclusion within inclusive spaces. Though a general theory of democracy will not be presented, suggestions will be made as to how we can incorporate some of these lessons into the dominant approaches to democracy found in the literature.   Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v7i1.214

The Ethics of Petroleum

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathon W. Moses ◽  
Bjørn Letnes
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Corporate Citizenship ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Oil Company

This chapter considers the role of international oil companies (IOCs) as global political actors with significant economic and political power. In doing so, we weigh the ethical costs and benefits for individuals, companies, and states alike. Using the concepts of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) and “corporate citizenship” as points of departure, we consider the extent to which international oil companies have social and political responsibilities in the countries where they operate and what the host country can do to encourage this sort of behavior. We examine the nature of anticorruption legislation in several of the sending countries (including Norway), and look closely at how the Norwegian national oil company (NOC), Statoil, has navigated these ethical waters.

scholarly journals Politics, industry, and tourism: The conceptual construction of the blue highway

2020 ◽  
pp. 002252662097950
Author(s):  
Fredrik Bertilsson
Keyword(s):  
Road Network ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Community Building ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Road ◽  
Conceptual Construction ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Post War

This article contributes to the research on the expansion of the Swedish post-war road network by illuminating the role of tourism in addition to political and industrial agendas. Specifically, it examines the “conceptual construction” of the Blue Highway, which currently stretches from the Atlantic Coast of Norway, traverses through Sweden and Finland, and enters into Russia. The focus is on Swedish governmental reports and national press between the 1950s and the 1970s. The article identifies three overlapping meanings attached to the Blue Highway: a political agenda of improving the relationships between the Nordic countries, industrial interests, and tourism. Political ambitions of Nordic community building were clearly pronounced at the onset of the project. Industrial actors depended on the road for the building of power plants and dams. The road became gradually more connected with the view of tourism as the motor of regional development.

scholarly journals Contextualizing Security Innovation: Responsible Research and Innovation at the Smart Border?

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Klimburg-Witjes ◽  
Frederik C. Huettenrauch
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Border Security ◽  
Responsible Research And Innovation ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Security Technologies ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Responsible Research

AbstractCurrent European innovation and security policies are increasingly channeled into efforts to address the assumed challenges that threaten European societies. A field in which this has become particularly salient is digitized EU border management. Here, the framework of responsible research and innovation (RRI) has recently been used to point to the alleged sensitivity of political actors towards the contingent dimensions of emerging security technologies. RRI, in general, is concerned with societal needs and the engagement and inclusion of various stakeholder groups in the research and innovation processes, aiming to anticipate undesired consequences of and identifying socially acceptable alternatives for emerging technologies. However, RRI has also been criticized as an industry-driven attempt to gain societal legitimacy for new technologies. In this article, we argue that while RRI evokes a space where different actors enter co-creative dialogues, it lays bare the specific challenges of governing security innovation in socially responsible ways. Empirically, we draw on the case study of BODEGA, the first EU funded research project to apply the RRI framework to the field of border security. We show how stakeholders involved in the project represent their work in relation to RRI and the resulting benefits and challenges they face. The paper argues that applying the framework to the field of (border) security lays bare its limitations, namely that RRI itself embodies a political agenda, conceals alternative experiences by those on whom security is enacted upon and that its key propositions of openness and transparency are hardly met in practice due to confidentiality agreements. Our hope is to contribute to work on RRI and emerging debates about how the concept can (or cannot) be contextualized for the field of security—a field that might be more in need than any other to consider the ethical dimension of its activities.

scholarly journals Key Influencers in Public Diplomacy 2.0: A Country-Based Social Network Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 205630512098105
Author(s):  
Diana Ingenhoff ◽  
Giada Calamai ◽  
Efe Sevin
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Opinion Leaders ◽  
Centrality Measures ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Step Flow ◽  
Twitter Users

This article presents a study of Twitter-based communication in order to identify key influencers and to assess the role of their communication in shaping country images. The analysis is based on a 2-month dataset comprised of all tweets including hashtags of the three countries selected for this study: Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Following a two-step flow model of communication, we initially identified the influential Twitter users in all three countries based on their centrality measures. Subsequently, we carried out a qualitative content analysis of tweets posted by these influential users. Finally, we assessed the similarities and differences across the three country cases. This article offers new insights into public diplomacy 2.0 activities by discussing influence within the context of country images and demonstrating how opinion leaders can play a more dominant role than states or other political actors in creating and disseminating content related to country image. The findings also provide practical insights in the production of a country’s image and its representation on new media platforms.

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