Search Results (123)

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated virtual collaboration, reshaping digital communication, remote work, education, and e-democracy. This study examines the impact of these tools on digital citizen participation through a quantitative cross-sectional survey of n = 1122 participants across diverse demographics. Using stratified purposive sampling, descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and segmentation by demographic and psychological factors, we analyzed how infrastructure quality, personality traits, and social dynamics influenced virtual engagement. While digital platforms have improved accessibility, findings reveal that they often fail to foster interpersonal trust and democratic deliberation. Statistical analyses demonstrated significant correlations between communication effectiveness and relationship quality (ρ = 0.387, p < 0.001), with distinct patterns emerging across age groups, community sizes, and personality types. Infrastructure disparities significantly impacted participation, particularly in rural areas (χ² = 70.72, df = 12, p < 0.001, V = 0.145). Recommendations include enhancing digital infrastructure, developing adaptive e-governance platforms, and implementing trust-building mechanisms. Despite the limitations of self-reported data and the cross-sectional design, these insights contribute to building more inclusive digital governance frameworks. Future research should employ longitudinal approaches to explore evolving trends in e-democratic participation. Full article

The purpose of this study is to explore how university instructors and students in five European countries (The Netherlands, Türkiye, Greece, Czechia, and Italy) perceive the incorporation of European Union (EU) values into higher education. To achieve this, a phenomenological research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured group interviews with 42 participants, comprising 20 instructors and 22 undergraduate students from various disciplines. While the findings revealed a shared understanding of fundamental EU values including democracy, human rights, equality, freedom, human dignity, and rule of law, they also demonstrated considerable challenges regarding their effective integration into educational practices. The main barriers identified include insufficient educational materials and training opportunities, a lack of coordination in exchange programs, a lack of time, and financial limitations. This study highlights that more structured and systematic strategies are needed to successfully integrate these values in university curricula. The implications of this research underscore the need for universities to enhance their support mechanisms, foster inclusivity, and develop innovative pedagogical approaches to overcoming these challenges and fully integrating EU values into higher education. Full article

The atrocities of World War II were pivotal to the launch of the human rights project, which became anchored on the recognition of the inherent dignity of all humans and formed a cornerstone justifying the ascription of rights. Indeed, it became essential to recognise education as a human right given the emergent need to promote the use of reason, having recognised humans as people imbued with inherent dignity. This paper explores the right to education in international human rights law (IHRL) from the perspective of its purpose, and uses IHRL as its starting point. It argues that the ascription of inherent dignity to everyone justifies access to education and investigates the nexus between dignity and education, arguing that access to education is a sine qua non to expanding the inherent dignity of all humans. Thus, it argues that the recognition of dignity requires that all children must be provided with equal access to education to stimulate the use of reason. Full article

Our time is one of permacrisis, affecting the economy, the environment, and everything in between. In this context, UK higher education faces an existential crisis, where the university sector has been transformed into a marketplace, turning students into consumers and limiting the critical potential of education. In moving beyond these limits, this article explores Democracy in Action (DinA), a final-year undergraduate module offered in a UK university that creates spaces for critical and transformative education through democratic theory and practice. Grounded in traditions of transformative learning, community-based pedagogies, academic activism, and prefiguration, DinA positions students as democratic agents working in solidarity with staff and the wider community. Drawing on in-depth interviews with students, we analyse the interplay between theory and practice to understand how learning can be understood as a form of democratic participation. The article makes an original contribution to the fields of democratic education and critical university studies by offering a novel framework for integrating academic activism, community-based learning, and prefiguration in higher education. We show how students’ experiences of building community, campaign planning, and prefiguring change generate not only deep transformative learning but also new forms of civic agency and collective action. We argue that, through community organising, students embark on a process of learning that involves three key transformative moments: effecting a perspectival shift from the individual to the common, foregrounding the activist dimensions of democratic politics, and envisioning the world we want through prefiguration. This pedagogical model demonstrates that higher education can become a space of lived democratic possibility, where hope, critique, and collective transformation are not only imagined but enacted. Full article

Research into Citizenship Education has become increasingly important in recent years. It deals with the promotion of social cohesion, democracy and human rights. This article examines the interfaces between Citizenship Education and Religious Education, particularly from the perspective of Islamic religious teachers in Austria. The empirical basis is a qualitative study conducted as part of the author’s dissertation, which includes group discussions with 41 Islamic Religious Education teachers. The results were analyzed using the documentary method. The analysis focuses on two key aspects: first, the role of Islamic Religious Education in supporting the integration, participation and identity formation of young people, and second, challenges of Religious Education in a social context. Full article

This paper discusses the use of IoT sensor networks and spatial data mining methods to support the design process in the revitalization of the university campus of the Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) in the spirit of universal design. The aim of the research was to develop a methodology for the use of IoT and edge computing for the acquisition of spatial knowledge based on spatial big data, as well as for the development of an open (geo)information society that shares the responsibility for the process of shaping the spaces of smart cities. The purpose of the article is to verify the hypothesis on whether it is possible to obtain spatial–temporal quantitative data that are useful in the process of designing the space of a university campus using low-cost Internet of Things sensors, i.e., already existing networks of CCTV cameras supported by simple installed beam-crossing sensors. The methodological approach proposed in the article combines two main areas—the use of IT technologies (IoT, big data, spatial data mining) and data-driven design based on analysis of urban space actors’ behavior for participatory revitalization of a university campus. The research method applied involves placing a network of locally communicating heterogeneous IoT sensors in the space of a campus. These sensors collect data on the behavior of urban space actors: people and vehicles. The data collected and the knowledge gained from its analysis are used to discuss the shape of the campus space. The testbed of the developed methodology was the central campus of the WUT (Warsaw University of Technology), which made it possible to analyze the time-varying use of the selected campus spaces and to identify the premises for the revitalization project in accordance with contemporary trends in the design of the space of HEIs (higher education institutions), as well as the needs of the academic community and the residents of the capital. The results are used not only to optimize the process of redesigning the WUT campus, but also to support the process of discussion and activation of the community in the development of deliberative democracy and participatory shaping of space in general. Full article

This paper explores and compares two participatory management approaches—the Company Democracy Model and Holacracy—for their application within the Indian Ministry of Education. It emphasizes the need for innovative organizational techniques in the management of the public sector, particularly in light of the dynamic demands posed by the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The study evaluates how these approaches enhance employee engagement and improve the quality of deliverables. Lewin’s Field Force Analysis is utilized to examine the organization’s strategy. The study employs Kotter’s Change Model to assess the applicability of Holacracy—a decentralized, project-oriented system, characterized by its dynamic and self-organizing structures. This model is analyzed for its potential to meet the Ministry’s shifting priorities and to foster adaptability through autonomous teams. Conversely, the Company Democracy Model, which emphasizes employee-centric growth and decision-making within a tiered, spiral framework, is evaluated using the ADKAR Change Model. This model’s compatibility with the Ministry’s hierarchical structure and its potential to enhance participatory governance are key areas of focus. The study contributes novel insights by integrating change management theories with a refined presentation of the CDM pyramid and by introducing specific performance metrics for both models. By combining theoretical frameworks with practical applications, this paper offers a sustainable governance model suited to dynamic organizational environments. Full article

Parliaments play a key role in the concept of knowledge democracy. They contribute to the production and dissemination of knowledge, promote critical thinking and opinion formation, and strengthen democracy through high-quality laws. Scientific investigation has always focused on the work of committees and plenary session debates, but less attention has been paid to the communication measures that contribute to informing the populace. However, these are necessary to ensure the objective reporting of the topics under debate. This article is the first to address a completely new topic of public information by parliaments: exhibitions in a political context. The new visitor center in the Austrian parliament, the Demokratikum—Experience Parliament, is used to illustrate the innovative communication measures that are being taken to educate citizens about the functions of parliamentarianism. The focus is on the production and communication of knowledge using digital and interactive exhibition stations that explain complex political topics in a user-friendly way. In addition to presenting single examples, this article aims to promote innovative communication concepts to show people all the possibilities for participation in political systems and thus strengthen the quality of democracy in the long term. Full article

The concept of energy burden (EB) continues to gain prominence in energy and associated policy research as energy prices rise and electricity and heating options diversify. This research offers a deeper understanding of EB dynamics and how EB can be addressed more effectively by discerning the interplay between regional environmental, social, and economic factors. Using decision trees (DTs), a powerful machine learning technique, we explore the multifaceted dynamics that shape EB across the United States (U.S.) by examining how factors like housing quality, demographic variations, access to energy sources, and regional economic conditions interact, creating distinct EB profiles across communities. Following a comprehensive review of existing literature and DT analysis, we map the results to identify the most significant factors influencing EB. We find that no single variable has a determinant effect on EB levels. While there is no uniform regional pattern, regions with higher population density exhibit a stronger correlation between EB and socioeconomic and other demographic factors such as educational attainment levels and racial segregation. Our findings underscore the significance of regional ecologies in shaping EB, revealing how localized environmental and economic contexts amplify or mitigate systemic inequities. Specifically, our analysis reveals significant regional disparities, highlighting the need for localized policies and interventions. We find that a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient and that targeted, place-based strategies are necessary to address the specific needs of different communities. Policy interventions should prioritize energy democracy, address systemic inequities, and ensure universal energy access through participatory planning, financial assistance, and targeted initiatives such as housing rehabilitation, energy efficiency improvements, and incentives for underrepresented communities. Full article

Scholarly discussions around the significance of journalism for democracy and the public sphere have traditionally centered on news and political journalism. Consequently, there is a dearth of studies on the role of politics in other journalistic subfields. This paper addresses this research gap by examining the democratic contribution of cultural journalism in Sweden. Drawing on public sphere theory and agonistic democracy theory and utilizing data from a nationwide Swedish survey (N = 1804), social variations in consumption are analyzed, including the types of content that motivate people to consume cultural journalism. Results indicate that age, education, and political preferences are important correlates in relation to high consumption of cultural journalism. Furthermore, the findings indicate that societal debate is a more significant driver of cultural journalism consumption than traditional aesthetic coverage. This underscores the distinctive democratic role of cultural journalism within the media landscape and its particular contribution to the diversity of journalistic content. Full article

The integrity of global elections is increasingly under threat from artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As AI continues to permeate various aspects of society, its influence on political processes and elections has become a critical area of concern. This is because AI language models are far from neutral or objective; they inherit biases from their training data and the individuals who design and utilize them, which can sway voter decisions and affect global elections and democracy. In this research paper, we explore how AI can directly impact election outcomes through various techniques. These include the use of generative AI for disseminating false political information, favoring certain parties over others, and creating fake narratives, content, images, videos, and voice clones to undermine opposition. We highlight how AI threats can influence voter behavior and election outcomes, focusing on critical areas, including political polarization, deepfakes, disinformation, propaganda, and biased campaigns. In response to these challenges, we propose a Blockchain-based Deepfake Authenticity Verification Framework (B-DAVF) designed to detect and authenticate deepfake content in real time. It leverages the transparency of blockchain technology to reinforce electoral integrity. Finally, we also propose comprehensive countermeasures, including enhanced legislation, technological solutions, and public education initiatives, to mitigate the risks associated with AI in electoral contexts, proactively safeguard democracy, and promote fair elections. Full article

Having the right to criticize religion is important for healthy democracies. However, much critique of religion has led to increased levels of polarization. This article explores how religious education can help facilitate critical thinking regarding the critique of religion. By analyzing actual teaching practices about the critique of religion, this article contributes to the field of religious education research in three ways. First, it contributes empirically to the field of religious education, which to a limited degree has studied authentic classroom practices through observations. Second, it contributes theoretically to the field by analyzing which contextual dependencies of teaching facilitate critical thinking about the critique of religion. Third, this study builds on and adds to the prior research about the critique of religion within religious education, which has mainly been theoretical. Full article

Ideas about shared religious education are in need of further exploration in post-apartheid South Africa. This is necessary, considering the contributions from faith communities in their shared resistance to apartheid. While some sectors of the Christian community, and particularly the Dutch Reformed Church provided a religious justification for apartheid, other denominations, together with Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu communities struggled against this white supremacist ideology. In other ways, the neglect of the potential of shared religious education provides an apt commentary on how some within-faith communities responded to a democracy by retreating into faith identities, as made explicit in the proliferation of faith-based schools. It follows, however, that if religious communities can mobilise together to resist the apartheid state, then it should be possible for these same communities to unite to work towards the kind of transformed society envisioned in their struggle against apartheid. Hence, the interest of this article: if faith-based schools are an inevitable manifestation of democratic and pluralistic societies, then what can these schools share in terms of content and ethos towards advancing democratic values? How might a shared religious education facilitate and sustain the reform measures, necessary for social transformation in South Africa? Full article

This study examines the balance between technical and social focus in artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, and privacy publications in Web of Science across countries, exploring the social factors that influence these research priorities. We use regression analysis to identify predictors of research focus and cluster analysis to reveal patterns across countries, combining these methods to provide a broader view of global research priorities. Our findings reveal that liberal democracy index, life expectancy, and happiness are significant predictors of research focus, while traditional indicators like education and income show weaker relationships. This unexpected result challenges conventional assumptions about the drivers of research priorities in digital technologies. The study identifies distinct clusters of countries with similar patterns of research focus across the four technologies, revealing previously unrecognized global typologies. Notably, more democratic societies tend to emphasize social implications of technologies, while some rapidly developing countries focus more on technical aspects. These findings suggest that political and social factors may play a larger role in shaping research agendas than previously thought, necessitating a re-evaluation of how we understand and predict research focus in rapidly evolving technological fields. The study provides valuable information for policymakers and researchers, informing strategies for technological development and international collaboration in an increasingly digital world. Full article

Botswana has had fair and stable elections since its independence in 1966. It has a relatively high standard of living, a relatively well-functioning welfare state, and relatively low levels of government corruption. Voter participation is among the highest in the world, topping 80 percent in the past elections. Access to education and healthcare is free to all citizens. How can we best explain Botswana’s exceptionalism in the political, economic, and social realms, and what policy lessons does the case of Botswana contain? This article shows that it is Botswana’s millennial tradition of direct village democracy, kgotla, that best explains its exceptional performance. I visited Botswana in May of 2023 to evaluate the importance of participatory democracy in Botswana and assess its explanatory power. When comparing local participation to other, potentially relevant causal factors, I find that local political participation provides the most robust explanation for good governance in Botswana. In Botswana, citizens are able to hold their elected officials accountable, learn how politics works by acquiring the necessary technical knowledge (techne) through participating in regular, monthly public assemblies, and, as a result, make better-informed political decisions. Full article