scholarly journals Overhauling Russia’s Child Welfare system: Institutional and Ideational Factors behind the Paradigm Shift

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meri Kulmala ◽  
Michael Rasell ◽  
Zhanna Chernova
Keyword(s):  
Research University ◽  
Family Policy ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Substitute Care ◽  
East European ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
High Level

  Meri Kulmala – Dr., Finnish Centre for Russian and East European Studies/Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies, Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland. Email: [email protected] Michael Rasell – Dr., School of Health & Social Care, University of Lincoln, UK. Email: [email protected] Zhanna Chernova – Dr. Sciences, Department of Sociology, National Research University 'Higher School of Economics', Saint Petersburg. Email: [email protected]   This article studies the causal factors behind the major overhaul of Russia’s system for children in substitute care that has been taking place since the late 2000’s. A series of reforms have promoted fostering and family-like care in contrast to the large residential homes used in the Soviet period and 1990’s. We highlight the fundamental change in the 'ideal of care' represented by the move to 'deinstitutionalise' the care system by promoting domestic adoptions, increasing the number of foster families, creating early support services for families as well as restructuring remaining residential institutions into smaller, home-like environments. These are all key elements of the global deinstitutionalisation trend that is taking place around the globe. We look at the evolution of the related policies and ask why this policy shift happened during the 2010’s even though the issue of reform had partially been on the Russian policy agenda for some time. Building on an explanatory approach to family policy changes by Magritta Mäztke and Ilona Ostner, which incorporates material and ideational driving forces, we explain that the 'political will from above' behind these major reforms was shaped by a range of other societal and political factors. Multiple factors drove Russian political actors to adopt new ideas about care for children left without parental care. For instance, the increasing conservative turn in policies towards children and families, which are driven by the severe demographic decline in the country, work alongside the influence of international norms around children’s rights and changing socio-economic circumstances. In the 1990’s Russian NGOs had considerable input into the reforms as 'epistemic communities' in policy formation thanks to the high level of expertise that they developed in international networks and the increasing number of cross-sector consultative platforms at governmental bodies in contemporary Russia. We conclude that ideational factors were necessary preconditions for the reforms, but that political forces were ultimately the key driving force. The recentralisation of power and prioritisation of social policy under President Putin allowed new ideas to gain concrete policy realisation.

scholarly journals Cabinets, Prime Ministers, and Corruption: A Comparative Analysis of Parliamentary Governments in Post-War Europe

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-170
Author(s):  
Hanna Bäck ◽  
Jan Teorell ◽  
Staffan I Lindberg
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Prime Ministers ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
East European ◽  
Parliamentary Democracies ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Post War ◽  
High Level ◽  
Do So

Why are some states more corrupt than others? Drawing on the literature on governance in parliamentary democracies, we suggest that the degree of corruption depends on the ability of key political actors to control ministers who have been delegated power. We argue that the Prime Minister has incentives to limit corruption within the cabinet and has the ability to do so when there are certain “control mechanisms” at hand. One such mechanism is the PM’s ability to fire or demote ministers who are not behaving in accordance with his or her wishes. We hypothesize that governmental corruption will be lower in systems where the constitution grants the PM strong powers. Using a new dataset ( Varieties of Democracy), which provides more specific measures on high-level corruption across a longer time period, we analyze corruption in 26 West and East European democracies over the post-war period and find support for our hypothesis.

scholarly journals PARADIGMS, INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND POLICY DISMANTLING IN THE MERCOSUR SPECIALIZED MEETING OF FAMILY FARMING

2021 ◽  
pp. 251-282
Author(s):  
Catia Grisa ◽  
Paulo Andre Niederle
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Historical Institutionalism ◽  
The Political ◽  
Institutional Changes ◽  
Family Farming ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Predominant Type ◽  
New Ideas

Abstract This article analyzes the dismantling of the Specialized Meeting on Family Farming (Reaf), a Mercosur forum responsible for proposing public policies for family farming. By means of a dialogue with the historical institutionalism, the cognitive approach, and the policy dismantling approach, the article characterizes the predominant type of dismantling and explains its driving forces. Data were collected through the analysis of official documents, observation of national and regional meetings, and interviews with ministers, policymakers, researchers and social leaders. Results indicate the prevalence of “dismantling by default” or gradual changes known as “drift”, in which, besides the interests and strategies of the political actors - the main focus of policy dismantling analysis - the emergence of new ideas and policy paradigms has played a major role.

The challenge of Populist Radical Right Parties to Europeanization – the cases of Estonia and Latvia, 2018-2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-175
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik ◽  
Peteris F. Timofejevs
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Family Law ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Member States ◽  
Legal Recognition ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
East European ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Definition Of

Over the last two decades, family law has undergone changes in Western Europe, widening the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples. In addition, some East European countries offer a legal recognition of civil unions of same-sex couples, while others do not offer any legal recognition at all. This diversity in family law has been recently challenged by developments at the European level. It is argued here that this constitutes an adaptational pressure on those European Union (EU) member states that do not offer any or offer only formal recognition of same-sex couples. We examine two cases when member states faced such an adaptational pressure, namely Estonia and Latvia, focusing on the interplay of two types of factors. First is that of formal institutions which, due to their constitutional role or their expertise in the EU law, may act as facilitators of legal changes. On the other hand, there are also political actors which have tried to constrain such an adaptation. We examine here especially the role of two political parties which have made a considerable effort to oppose the change in the two countries. It is argued here that the ideological orientation of these parties explains, at least partly, their opposition to the ongoing Europeanization of family law. The paper concludes with a discussion of the main findings and their implications.

scholarly journals Bank’s marketing policy formation in a pandemic as ensuring resilience in the Russian economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 07003
Author(s):  
Tatyana Solosichenko ◽  
Nadezhda Goncharova ◽  
Pavel Letov
Keyword(s):  
Price Competition ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Marketing Research ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Marketing Policy ◽  
Return On Capital ◽  
High Level

The gist of this article boils down to improving the efficiency of the bank’s marketing policy in a pandemic. The growing needs of buyers, the growth of non-price competition and the supply of goods and services on the market indicate the relevance of the problem of forming a marketing policy. Factors such as imperfection of market relations, inflation, low population growth rate, high level of income differentiation of the population are characteristic of the Russian market. The article stresses that it is necessary to conduct a marketing policy competently in order to ensure the return on capital and a stable position in the market. The main hypothesis is based on changing consumer preferences. The marketing research was conducted by a survey method in the form of a survey of respondents. The aim of the study was to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the organization providing credit products. A survey of consumers of credit products made it possible to determine vectors and control points when choosing a product by a consumer. This, in turn, made it possible to determine the parameters of the loan products, which need to be changed in order to increase the degree of customer satisfaction. The criteria for choosing a loan, the preferred channels for obtaining a loan and the attitude towards credit institutions that provide loans have also been determined. The article presents the activities that determine the marketing policy for future periods.

scholarly journals Increased vulnerability to wildfires and post fire hydro-geomorphic processes in Portuguese mountain regions: what has changed?

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Nunes ◽  
L. Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Mountain Regions ◽  
Ecological Changes ◽  
Ecological Vulnerability ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Face ◽  
High Level ◽  
Common Lands ◽  
Sedimentation Processes

AbstractThe main objectives of this study were to understand the frequency of forest fires, post-fire off-site hydrological response and erosional processes from a social and ecological perspective in two basins located in the central cordillera, Portugal. It also discusses the driving forces that contribute towards increasing the social-ecological vulnerability of systems in the face of hazards and emphasizes the importance of learning from disasters. Based on the historical incidence of wildfires, it is possible to identify several areas affected by two, three or four fires, since 1975. Following the two major fires, in 1987 and 2005, flash floods, intense soil erosion and sedimentation processes were generated, causing severe damage. Significant socioeconomic, political and ecological changes have been affecting mountain regions in the last decades. Approximately 80% of the population and more than 90% of the livestock have disappeared, common lands have been afforested with Pinus pinaster, and several agricultural plots have been abandoned. These factors have all contributed towards creating non- or submanaged landscapes that have led to a dramatic increase in the magnitude and frequency of wildfires and to post-fire hydrological and erosional processes when heavy rainfall occurs. Moreover, the low population density, high level of population ageing and very fire-prone vegetation that now covers large areas of both basins, contribute to a situation of extreme socio-ecological vulnerability, meaning that disasters will continue to occur unless resilience can be restored to improve the capacity to cope with this high susceptibility to hazards.

From Macro to Micro

2019 ◽  
pp. 242-261
Author(s):  
Nancy Johnson ◽  
Nancy Paris ◽  
Nidsa Baker ◽  
Kelly Durden ◽  
Chris Parker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Medical Home ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Cancer Control ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Cancer Screenings ◽  
Patient Interactions ◽  
Micro Level

Transdisciplinarity characterizes the collaborative statewide networks organized around the disease continuum of cancer care in Georgia, United States. By exploring the driving forces at the macro level of policy formation and state cancer control efforts, the transdisciplinary team approach translates to the meso level where statewide workgroups organize to develop implementation initiatives designed to influence improvements in cancer control. Georgia's statewide cancer control efforts apply three cross-cutting priorities of quality, care coordination and palliative care/survivorship in association with the top five site specific priorities. The influence of transdisciplinarity is demonstrated through the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (GCCRT) initiatives impacting colorectal cancer screenings at the micro level where practitioner and patient interactions occur. A medical home achieves improvements in colorectal cancer screening after participating in the GCCRT annual meeting.

scholarly journals Actors in Social Agriculture Cooperatives Combating Organized Crime in Southern Italy: Cultivating the Ground

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9257
Author(s):  
Luca Fazzi ◽  
Susanne Elsen
Keyword(s):  
Organized Crime ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Poverty Rate ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Small Organizations ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
High Level

Southern Italy suffers from a high poverty rate, unemployment, emigration flows, and a strong presence of organized crime in the field of agriculture. This study seeks to investigate the potential of social enterprises as driving forces for the legal and eco-social development of fragile Southern Italian areas. To work in such challenging contexts requires the development of a high level of resilience, which implies the ability to adapt to difficulties and to overcome crises by coming out stronger than before. The initiatives we detected in Southern Italy are examples for the strength that can come from ideal motivations. In the case of social agriculture initiatives in Southern Italy counteracting organized crime, these motivations are an indispensable condition for their survival and growth. The accumulation of problems and difficulties, however, risks corroding motivations of the actors. This can lead to the withdrawal of members, which can have a serious impact on these small organizations. Thus, idealism is a necessary condition to face the challenges of legal and social environmental development, but it is not sufficient on its own, except in the short term, to allow social enterprises to emerge from extremely precarious conditions. Idealism can support resilience, but by itself, it cannot create a sustainable change. There is, therefore, the need to invest in these social enterprises, in the training of the actors involved, and in the selection and acquisition of the skills for strengthening the efficiency and sustainability of businesses and to foster horizontal structures of mutuality and solidarity to create a supportive environment for these social enterprises and their mission.

Epilogue

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie R. Schainker
Keyword(s):  
Jewish Identity ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
East European ◽  
Late Imperial ◽  
Imperial Russia ◽  
Imperial Period ◽  
Cultural Mobility ◽  
Role Of Religion ◽  
Revolutionary Period

The epilogue summarizes how the phenomenon of Russian Jewish conversion, though marginal in number, left an outsized imprint on the cultural map of East European Jews who grappled with questions of Jewish identity and the role of religion in the increasingly powerful Jewish secular nationalist ideologies of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The epilogue explores evolving Jewish attitudes towards baptism, interfaith sociability, and cultural mobility in the late-imperial period, and it puts conversions from Judaism in imperial Russia in conversation with conversions from Judaism in the modern period more broadly. Finally, the epilogue looks ahead to the inter-revolutionary period (1906-1917) and the Soviet period when conversions from Judaism accelerated, accompanied by a growing ethnic conception of Jewish identity whereby national Jewishness found explicit harmony with Christian religious adherence.

Introduction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-min Lin
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Institutional Change ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Budget Constraint ◽  
Private Ownership ◽  
Public Enterprises ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Causal Mechanisms ◽  
Fiscal System

This chapter lays out the basic argument of the book: the ascent of private ownership in China is largely due to the inability of the public sector to address two fundamental concerns for regime survival—employment and revenue. The chapter includes three sections. First, based on a review and synthesis of existing theories, it develops an eclectic perspective on institutional change. Second, it offers a critique of three views on the driving forces of privatization in the post-Mao era: the entrepreneurship thesis, the budget constraint thesis, and the FDI thesis. Third, it outlines a new explanation for the causal mechanisms at work. The focus of analysis centers on the behavior of political actors, with an emphasis on the importance of demographics and the state’s evolving fiscal system for understanding how and why political actors have turned from the stewards of public enterprises into a major contributing force to their destruction.

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