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Russlands Kampagne für eine Rückkehr des Patriarchalen: Förderung "traditioneller Werte" mit dem Ziel demographischer und sexueller Souveränität
Full text linkWährend weltweit konservative Kampagnen gegen Feminismus und LGBTQ-Gleichstellung an Fahrt aufnehmen, hat die russische Führungsspitze längst eine feindselige Haltung diesen Bewegungen gegenüber zu einem Grundpfeiler ihrer Staatspolitik und einem Kerninstrument des Autoritarismus gemacht. In dieser Analyse werden zwei historische Gründe erläutert, warum Gender so zentral für die gegenwärtige russische Politik wurde. Erstens waren die frühen Versuche der Sowjetunion einer Gleichstellung der Frauen mit zahlreichen Heucheleien versetzt und erzeugten einen weit verbreiteten Backlash. In der Nachkriegszeit unterstützten viele Russ:innen die konservative Vorstellung, dass Frauen eine Fürsorgerolle übernehmen sollten und Männer die des Ernährers. Allerdings haben solche Ansichten nicht das staatliche Eingreifen in das Privatleben der Menschen oder Repressionen von unangepassten Lebensstilen gutgeheißen. Zudem erzeugten die drastischen Umbrüche der 1990er Jahre, einschließlich der sozioökonomischen Erschütterungen durch Marktreformen, globalisierte Medien und die stark sinkende Fertilität eine intensive Angst um die Zukunft der Nation. Das Putin-Regime und die Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche sind darum bestrebt, sogenannte traditionelle Familienwerte als ein Gegenmittel gegen westlichen Einfluss einzuführen und eine nationale demographische Souveränität zu konsolidieren. In dem Versuch, die Körper von Frauen zu kontrollieren und sexuelle Minderheiten zu repressieren, verbindet Russlands politische Führung ihre autoritäre Politik mit einer nationalen Wiederbelebung
Language Advertisement in Vanguard and Punch Newspapers: A Semantic Approach
Full text linkThis study investigates the semantic features and language strategies employed in advertisements within two prominent Nigerian newspapers, Punch and Vanguard. Anchored in linguistic theories such as the Denotational, Mentalist, Sense, and Use Theories of Meaning, the research explores how lexical and semantic choices shape consumer perceptions and engagement. The study focuses on three advertisements: Wema Bank, The Alternative Bank (Punch), Blue Diamond Logistics, and Lagos Internal Revenue Service (Vanguard).Findings reveal distinct differences in language use, reflecting the newspapers' editorial styles and target audiences. Punch adopts direct, action-oriented language, appealing to a pragmatic readership by emphasising immediacy and clarity. For example, Wema Bank's "5 for 5 Promo" employs transactional terms like "daily draws" and "N135,000,000 prize," creating urgency and excitement. Similarly, The Alternative Bank uses aspirational phrases like "Be Unstoppable," encouraging empowerment and professional growth.Conversely, Vanguard employs emotive and sophisticated language, resonating with an urban, aspirational audience. Blue Diamond Logistics emphasises credibility and expertise through terms like "global logistics services" and "30-year track record," projecting reliability and international competence. The Lagos Internal Revenue Service ad promotes its eTax platform using language highlighting civic responsibility and convenience, framing tax compliance as a moral obligation.The study underscores the role of semantics in aligning advertisements with cultural and cognitive contexts, demonstrating how language constructs meaning to influence consumer behaviour. Advertisers effectively engage diverse demographics by tailoring linguistic strategies to specific audience profiles. Recommendations include a deeper exploration of cultural and regional factors in advertising language and expanding research to digital media platforms.In conclusion, the nuanced lexical and semantic choices in Punch and Vanguard advertisements exemplify the strategic interplay between language, meaning, and audience engagement in Nigerian print media
Decent Work in Global Supply Chains
Full text linkThe integration of economies into global supply chains has fundamentally transformed labour markets worldwide. In recent decades, global value chains (GVC) have become a key driver of globalisation, with an offshoring boom in the 2000s leading to their sustained prominence - they now account for around 45 per cent of world trade. This growing integration both offers opportunities and carries risks, in particular in the Global South: while GVCs can create employment, facilitate technology transfer, and contribute to broader economic development, they can also expose workers to precarious conditions, low wages and labour-rights violations. Accordingly, the evidence on decent work in GVCs highlights both the potential for improved livelihoods and the persistent challenges related to labour-rights enforcement and corporate responsibility
Associations between a multifaceted personality and academic performance in secondary school
Full text linkWhereas meta-analytic evidence has accumulated about the important role personality characteristics such as the Big Five traits play for academic performance in secondary school, less is known about the specific behavioral and emotional repertoire that drives these associations. A closer look at the facet-level of Big Five traits can provide this knowledge helping to better understand why students differ in their success at school. We therefore studied associations between Big Five facets and academic performance (grades and standardized test scores in German and mathematics) in three independent secondary student samples (Study 1 N = 3866, Study 2 N = 2290, and Study 3 N = 366), using regression analytic, structural equation modeling, and meta-analytic procedures to test facet-level associations and incremental associations above traits. We found facet-differential associations with academic performance indicators, particularly for facets of conscientiousness, openness, and extraversion. Evidence for incremental effects of facets beyond traits was weak. Self-discipline (conscientiousness) was the only facet that consistently showed incremental effects across Samples 1 and 2. The results can stimulate research and practice to identify the underlying mechanisms that drive these associations and also highlight the specific emotional and behavioral repertoire that should be supported to help students to succeed in school
Co-Designing Urban Interventions Through the Lens of SDGs: Insights From the IN-HABIT Project in Nitra, Slovakia
Full text linkCollaborative efforts and vertical and horizontal cooperation of stakeholders representing diverse interests are crucial for the effective achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In urban planning practice, however, coordination of more technocratic and bureaucratic top-down processes and community-driven bottom-up efforts encounters many, sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The Horizon 2020 IN-HABIT project, implemented in four European cities, brings together universities, the local public sector, and non-governmental partners to co-design, co-deploy, and co-manage integrated solutions, combining technological, nature-based, cultural, and social innovations to promote inclusive health and wellbeing. This article focuses on the participatory co-design process of innovative interventions in the Nitra pilot, utilizing mixed methods - questionnaire surveys and stakeholder interviews - to evaluate the contribution to select SDGs perceived by three groups of stakeholders: process facilitators, experts, and policymakers; urban planners; and target groups. The findings suggest that the co-design process generally contributed to community engagement, strengthened partnerships, and enhanced the inclusiveness of public spaces. However, differences emerged in how stakeholders perceived these contributions, with target group representatives being more optimistic than the remaining participants. The article concludes with implications for urban planners and policymakers in making participatory processes more inclusive and effective for achieving sustainable urban development goals, e.g., incorporating capacity-building and educational aspects into the process or introducing innovative co-design methods like participatory site-specific art residencies or other methods involving direct implementation of co-designed solutions
Politischer Neuanfang in Sri Lanka: Chancen und Herausforderungen der neuen Linksregierung
Full text linkDer deutliche Wahlsieg der linken Nationalen Volksmacht-Koalition (Jathika Jana Balawegaya / National People’s Power, NPP) bei der Parlamentswahl vom 14. November 2024 signalisiert den Wunsch nach einem politischen Neuanfang in Sri Lanka. Hierfür muss die neue Regierung von Präsident Anura Kumara Dissanayake erstens die Folgen der schweren Wirtschaftskrise von 2022 bewältigen. Zweitens steht nach wie vor eine politische Lösung für den seit Jahrzehnten schwelenden Konflikt mit der tamilischen Minderheit aus. Drittens sollen mit Verfassungsreformen die Machtbefugnisse des Präsidenten beschnitten und wieder ein parlamentarisches System eingeführt werden. Außenpolitisch wird die neue Regierung weiter eine Balancepolitik zwischen China und Indien verfolgen. Die Stärkung der Demokratie und der Ausgleich zwischen den Volksgruppen sind für die neue Regierung auch ein zentrales außenwirtschaftliches Anliegen, wenn sie über 2027 hinaus vom Allgemeinen Präferenzsystem Plus (APS+) der Europäischen Union (EU) profitieren will. (Autorenreferat
Advances in Microscopy, Biophotonics, Opto Acoustic: Role in Biology and Medicine
Full text linkAdvanced microscopy, biophotonics, and optoacoustic technologies have emerged as transformative scientific platforms that enable unprecedented insights into complex biological systems. This research investigates the integrated performance of these technologies through a comprehensive interdisciplinary methodology. By combining quantum sensing techniques, advanced computational approaches, and sophisticated signal processing strategies, researchers developed innovative technological platforms that generated high-resolution observations of molecular interactions. Key findings revealed significant improvements in imaging resolution and signal detection capabilities, with quantum-enhanced sensing techniques enabling molecular-level observations that transcend traditional limitations. Statistical validation confirmed robust performance across multiple research dimensions, demonstrating extraordinary reliability in biological research methodologies. The study identified critical technological challenges, including computational complexity and signal resolution limitations, while providing recommendations emphasising quantum computational technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration. The investigation demonstrates that integrated technological platforms can generate transformative scientific insights, creating new pathways for understanding complex biological systems. These findings have significant implications for medical diagnostics, personalised healthcare, and complex scientific observation, promising continued technological innovation and scientific discovery
Minderheitsregierung in Japan: eingeschränkter Spielraum für außenpolitische Initiativen
Full text linkIm Oktober 2024 übernahm Ishiba Shigeru das Amt des Premierministers in Japan, nachdem er überraschend die Wahl zum Vorsitzenden der regierenden Liberaldemokratischen Partei (LDP) gewonnen hatte. Dieser von ihm lang ersehnte Erfolg dürfte dennoch einen bitteren Beigeschmack haben: Nach einem schlechten Ergebnis in den Unterhauswahlen Ende Oktober 2024 führt Ishiba nun eine Minderheitsregierung. Wegen des größten Finanzskandals seit Jahrzehnten steckt seine Partei in einer tiefen Krise, und im Sommer 2025 finden Oberhauswahlen statt. Die Innenpolitik wird Ishibas Aufmerksamkeit in den kommenden Monaten stark fordern - in einer Zeit, in der die außen- und sicherheitspolitischen Herausforderungen für das Land größer sind denn je. (Autorenreferat
The Irresistible Allure of Charismatic Leaders? Populism, Social Identity, and Polarisation
Full text linkThis article examines the complex interplay between populism, social identity, and charisma attribution in leader-follower relationships. Drawing on a survey conducted in Hungary during the 2022 election, we investigate how populist attitudes and partisan identity shape citizens' perceptions of leaders, specifically assessing the charismatic appeal of Viktor Orbán and Péter Márki-Zay, and charisma attribution across three levels: a general need for charismatic leadership, recognition of specific charismatic behaviours, and emotional attachment. We found that while populist attitudes drive an overarching idealisation of leadership, partisan identity more directly influences the perception of leaders' charismatic qualities and emotional connections to them. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, our findings reveal that populist attitudes do not have a direct effect on (leader) affective polarisation, while the idealisation of leadership significantly increases it. A key observation here is that while partisanship influences both positive and negative perceptions of charisma, identity strength only enhances emotional attachment in the positive direction. It has no moderating effect on negative perceptions, suggesting that rejection of the out-group leader is a foundational aspect of group membership. These dynamics underscore the role of populism and identity politics in fostering political divisions, suggesting that identity-based attachments are crucial for understanding the emotional resonance between charismatic leaders and their followers. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the relationship between charismatic leadership and populism, identity, and polarisation, emphasising the significance of followers' attitudes in political dynamics
The Role of Participatory Planning and Design in Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Full text linkThis editorial explores the role of participatory planning and design in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) within urban, regional, and rural contexts, which is the focus of this thematic issue. Its contributions highlight how participatory approaches can foster inclusive, equitable, and sustainable urban development, moving beyond tokenistic engagement towards genuine community involvement. By examining a range of methods and case studies spanning 13 countries, the issue demonstrates the versatility of participatory planning in tackling key SDGs, particularly those related to sustainable cities (SDG 11), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), climate action (SDG 13), and partnerships for sustainability (SDG 17). We reflect on the successes and challenges of embedding participatory practices within governance structures, drawing on insights from prior academic fora and workshops we convened. Additionally, we acknowledge critiques of the SDGs for their limitations in addressing systemic economic and governance challenges, arguing for a more radical shift in urban planning paradigms. By situating participatory design within contemporary debates on sustainability, governance, and more-than-human approaches, this thematic issue advances the discourse on urban transformation and the future of SDG-driven planning practices