The Making of Amoral Communities

2019 ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Mila Dragojević
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Prisoners Of War ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Violence Against Civilians ◽  
The Government

This chapter identifies conditions and contexts that are conducive to wartime collective crimes. It shows how the context in which the perpetrators believe that their actions are not going to be penalized and that their actions are acceptable is created on the local level in some communities. It is a context in which moderates, or those who wish to prevent such crimes, are excluded for putting their desire to protect all civilians—regardless of their identity or political orientation—ahead of the security related needs that are presented by their leaders as more pressing concerns in time of war. This is the context that can be conceptualized as amoral communities. Instead of punishing the perpetrators of criminal acts so that civilians and prisoners of war are protected under all circumstances, the leaders in power place more emphasis on resolving a political crisis, winning a war, or eliminating those defined as enemies. In amoral communities, violence against civilians not only is tolerated by the authorities but also may be covered up or presented as a necessary sacrifice or the result of random accidents, given the need to respond urgently to a security crisis or a war. Moreover, in such communities, it is not necessary for the government to send its own armies because the local population is disposed to take part in the violence.

scholarly journals Women, Protest, and Revolution: Soldiers' Wives in Russia During 1917

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Badcock
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Formal Organization ◽  
Government Leadership ◽  
Revolutionary Politics ◽  
Political Impact ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Government ◽  
Public Demonstrations

This study explores the role and political impact of soldiers' wives in three Volga provinces of Russia: Nizhnii Novgorod, Kazan, and Tambov between February and October 1917. Despite relatively low levels of formal organization, soldiers' wives made a significant mark on revolutionary politics at a local level. Common grievances, which centred on the inadequacy of state support in the context of rising food prices and shortages, were the defining feature of soldiers' wives as a group. Though they secured little direct representation in government, and did not affiliate with any political parties, they operated collectively to address their grievances, both in petitions and in public demonstrations. Their demands continued to escalate in 1917, and the government was unable to cushion them from Russia's profound economic crisis. Soldiers' wives rejected both Soviet and provisional government leadership as a result, and their alienation contributed to the sense of political crisis that pervaded 1917.

scholarly journals The Concept of Participatory Citizenship in the Context of Utilizing the Potential of a Protected Built Environment for Sustainable Urban Development-A Case in Republic of North Macedonia, Bitola

2020 ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Anastasija Trajkovska
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Urban Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Cultural Development ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Business Entities

The increasingly clear recognition and confirmation of the inclusive nature of the protected built environment with the socio-economic and cultural development of society, confirmed by scientific research, internationally accepted documents, and real action in many countries at the national and local level, has full implications for the approach to perceptions to all stakeholders on the importance of its potential in the context of achieving the globally accepted goals of the current 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Perceiving the values of cultural heritage as a shared good of all citizens, which has the opportunity to enable sustainable urban development of the community to which they belong, requires a participatory approach to planning and utilizing the potential of a protected built environment in urban development processes. The promotion of participatory processes, ie the cooperation between the government, the civil sector, the business entities, and the local population is the basis for the planning and implementation of the activities related to the integration of the protected built environment in achieving the goals of sustainable urban development of the community. In this text, an attempt is made to perceive and assess civic participation as an indicator for confirming the role of cultural heritage in sustainable urban development through the open opportunities and vitality of civil society in the Republic of North Macedonia, through the case in Bitola.

Brief Report: Can Political Orientation Explain Mental Health in the Time of a Global Pandemic? Voting Patterns, Personal and National Coping Resources, and Mental Health During the Coronavirus Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171
Author(s):  
Adi Mana ◽  
Shifra Sagy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
National Level ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Governmental Institutions

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine mental health during the coronavirus pandemic crisis and its explanation by personal and national level coping resources. This question was examined in the midst of a political crisis in Israel among voters from two different political orientations. Method: Questionnaires were delivered to a sample of 396 Israeli Jews, of them 180 (45.5%) right-wing and 216 (54.5%) left-wing voters. Right-wing voters presented higher levels of mental health during the crisis as compared to left-wing voters. Results: Right-wing voters also reported stronger levels of national coping resources such as sense of national coherence and trust in governmental institutions. Moreover, mental health was predicted only by personal resources among left-wing voters, while among the right-wing participants national resources were significant as well. Discussion: The results highlight the role of political orientation and low trust in the government as a possible risk factor for mental health even in times of global pandemic crisis.

Land Reform in Zimbabwe: a Balance of Political Expediency and Economic Inevitability?

2020 ◽  
pp. 14-29
Author(s):  
Lyubov Prokopenko
Keyword(s):  
Land Reform ◽  
Union Leader ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
African Region ◽  
Political Aspect ◽  
National Union ◽  
Reform Program ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government

The article considers the political aspect of land reform in the Republic of Zimbabwe. The problem of land reform has been one of the crucial ones in the history of this African country, which celebrated 40 years of independence on April 18, 2020. In recent decades, it has been constantly in the spotlight of political and electoral processes. The land issue was one of the key points of the political program from the very beginning of Robert Mugabe’s reign in 1980. The political aspect of land reform began to manifest itself clearly with the growth of the opposition movement in the late 1990s. In 2000–2002 the country implemented the Fast Track Land Reform Program (FTLRP), the essence of which was the compulsory acquisition of land from white owners without compensation. The expropriation of white farmers’ lands in the 2000s led to a serious reconfiguration of land ownership, which helped to maintain in power the ruling party, the African National Union of Zimbabwe – Patriotic Front (ZANU – PF). The government was carrying out its land reform in the context of a sharp confrontation with the opposition, especially with the Party for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), led by trade union leader Morgan Tsvangirai. The land issue was on the agenda of all the election campaigns (including the elections in July 2018); this fact denotes its politicization, hence the timeliness of this article. The economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe in the 2000–2010s was the most noticeable phenomenon in the South African region. The analysis of foreign and domestic sources allows us to conclude that the accelerated land reform served as one of its main triggers. The practical steps of the new Zimbabwean president, Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, indicate that he is aware of the importance of resolving land reform-related issues for further economic recovery. At the beginning of March 2020, the government adopted new regulations defining the conditions for compensation to farmers. On April 18, 2020, speaking on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the independence of Zimbabwe, Mr. E. Mnangagwa stated that the land reform program remains the cornerstone of the country’s independence and sovereignty.

Impact of Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj in Physical and Financial and Business Assets Development of Rural Women: A Study among the Rural Women’s of Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu[1]

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalaichelvi Sivaraman ◽  
Rengasamy Stalin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Panchayati Raj

This research paper is the part of Research Project entitled “Impact of Elected Women Representatives in the Life and Livelihood of the Women in Rural Areas: With Special Reference to Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu” funded by University of Madras under UGC-UPE Scheme.The 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution of India were made by the government to strengthen the position of women and to create a local-level legal foundation for direct democracy for women in both rural and urban areas. The representation for women in local bodies through reservation policies amendment in Constitution of India has stimulated the political participation of women in rural areas. However, when it’s comes to the argument of whether the women reservation in Panchayati Raj helps or benefits to the life and livelihood development of women as a group? The answer is hypothetical because the studies related to the impact of women representatives of Panchayati Raj in the life and livelihood development of women was very less. Therefore, to fill the gap in existing literature, the present study was conducted among the rural women of Tiruvannamalai district to assess the impact of elected women representatives in the physical and financial and business development of the women in rural areas. The findings revealed that during the last five years because of the women representation in their village Panjayati Raj, the Physical Asset of the rural women were increased or developed moderately (55.8%) and Highly (23.4%) and the Financial and Business Asset of the rural women were increased or developed moderately (60.4%) and Highly (18.7%).

Multidirectional War and Paramilitarism

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Balkelis
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Cycle Of Violence ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Socially Motivated

This chapter, by following the course of military actions in Lithuania in 1919, explores the emergence of various military and paramilitary groups that engaged in different types of violence. The focus here is on the entanglement of three types of actors: those that performed state-sanctioned violence; those that acted as semi-independent paramilitary agents, and those that engaged in ethnically or socially motivated violence on a local level. The ability of the Lithuanian government to survive the series of military engagements in 1919 enhanced its legitimacy among the local population, and laid the foundation for a modern Lithuanian identity among the masses. Yet the new state and national identity were shaped in a continuous cycle of violence, social strife, mobilization, and militarization of society.

scholarly journals Urban and Spatial Planning: Pragmatic Considerations for Plan Implementation Improvements (A Case Study of the City of Bor)

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402199455
Author(s):  
Dragana S. Nikolić ◽  
Marijana D. Pantić ◽  
Vesna T. Jokić
Keyword(s):  
Planning Process ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Territorial Development ◽  
Plan Implementation ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
The Government ◽  
Local Government Budget

The main task of planning documents is to achieve maximal rationality in the use of space, spatial resources, and balanced territorial development. The preparation of plans is regulated by a legislative framework, which embraces multiple phases and stakeholders. In a perfect planning process, it would be expected that all the elements are well coordinated and brought to common understanding, but in reality, obstacles and challenges can occur in any of these steps, especially in the implementation phase. Although a plan is fully prepared to be practiced, its implementation might be omitted. Therefore, this article analyzes the full process of spatial and urban planning from the perspective of plan implementation. The methodology is based on a combination of different data collection methods (interviews, fieldwork, direct observation) with the analysis of plans and the particular mention of those plans that picture the implementation issues the most. Also, legislative acts and semi-annual and annual reports on the achievements of the local government budget are analyzed. The approach indicates that plan implementation depends the most on the willingness of the government to perform changes in the system and to peruse punitive policy comprehensively. Although it is about implementation at the local level, the success primarily depends on clear definitions given in the legislative acts, freedom of the local communities to make their own decisions, and financial decentralization, side by side with the regional and local circumstances, institutional technical and staff capacities, and application of participatory planning that involves actors from various sectors.

scholarly journals Polish Catholic Bishops, Nationalism and Liberal Democracy

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Madalena Meyer Resende ◽  
Anja Hennig
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Liberal Democracy ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Pope Francis ◽  
National Catholicism ◽  
Law And Justice ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Church

The alliance of the Polish Catholic Church with the Law and Justice (PiS) government has been widely reported and resulted in significant benefits for the Church. However, beginning in mid-2016, the top church leadership, including the Episcopal Conference, has distanced itself from the government and condemned its use of National Catholicism as legitimation rhetoric for the government’s malpractices in the fields of human rights and democracy. How to account for this behavior? The article proposes two explanations. The first is that the alliance of the PiS with the nationalist wing of the Church, while legitimating its illiberal refugee policy and attacks on democratic institutions of the government, further radicalized the National Catholic faction of the Polish Church and motivated a reaction of the liberal and mainstream conservative prelates. The leaders of the Episcopate, facing an empowered and radical National Catholic faction, pushed back with a doctrinal clarification of Catholic orthodoxy. The second explanatory path considers the transnational influence of Catholicism, in particular of Pope Francis’ intervention in favor of refugee rights as prompting the mainstream bishops to reestablish the Catholic orthodoxy. The article starts by tracing the opposition of the Bishops Conference and liberal prelates to the government’s refugee and autocratizing policies. Second, it describes the dynamics of the Church’s internal polarization during the PiS government. Third, it traces and contextualizes the intervention of Pope Francis during the asylum political crisis (2015–2016). Fourth, it portrays their respective impact: while the Pope’s intervention triggered the bishops’ response, the deepening rifts between liberal and nationalist factions of Polish Catholicism are the ground cause for the reaction.

scholarly journals Rebelling Against Time: Recreational Activism as Political Practice Among the Italian Precarious Youth

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 1519-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Milan
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Free Time ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Political Commitment ◽  
Political Practice ◽  
General Decline ◽  
Italian Context

Hit by the economic and political crisis, young people in Italy face increased labor precarity and the disillusionment derived from the disappearance of the radical Left from the parliamentary arena. In the Italian context, economic hardship, the decrease of resources available for collective action, and the weakened mobilizing capacity that traditional mass organizations (such as trade unions and political parties) retained in the first decade of the 2000s brought about a general decline in intensity and visibility of street protests, leading to an apparent retreat of activism to the local level of action. Although the crisis had a negative impact on collective action, evidence reveals that more creative and less visible forms of societal and political commitment were adopted by young generations in these years. This article explores how the Italian youth in times of crisis engaged actively in alternative and unconventional forms of political commitment aimed at re-appropriating space, free time, and access to leisure, mainly by means of mutualistic practices. Based on data from qualitative semistructured interviews with key informants and activists, this article sheds light on recreational activism, adopted as a political practice by the Italian youth active in counter-cultural spaces, nowadays at the forefront of the struggle to oppose the commodification of free time and leisure.

Nicaragua: De-democratization and Regime Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvador Martí i Puig ◽  
Macià Serra
Keyword(s):  
Authoritarian Regime ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Protest ◽  
Hybrid Regimes ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Government ◽  
Nicaraguan Politics ◽  
Regime Crisis

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to analyze three key issues in current Nicaraguan politics and in the political debate surrounding hybrid regimes: de-democratization, political protest, and the fall of presidencies. First, it analyzes the process of de-democratization that has been taking place in Nicaragua since 2000. It shows that the 2008 elections were not competitive but characteristic of an electoral authoritarian regime. Second, it reflects on the kind of regime created in Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega’s mandate, focusing on the system’s inability to process any kind of protest and dissent. Third, it examines the extent to which the protests that broke out in April 2018 may predict the early end to Ortega’s presidency, or whether Nicaragua’s political crisis may lead to negotiations between the government and the opposition.

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