Glocalism: Journal of Culture, Politics and Innovation
Glocalism is a peer-reviewed, open access and cross-disciplinary journal dealing with the process of globalization and glocalization.
TRA “SOLLICITATIO” E “DE PESSIMO”: CONTRIBUTO ALL’ANALISI STORICA DEGLI ABUSI SESSUALI CLERICALI NELLA CHIESA CATTOLICA
This article is dedicated to the analysis and review of documentation relating to sexual abuse by clergy, most of which is already known but has previously been presented in an incomplete manner. A comprehensive examination of these documents allows us to make some observations regarding the global management by the ecclesiastical institution of clerical sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the 20th century, providing a different interpretative key and opening up further reflections from the point of view of theoretical and conceptual analysis.
Copyright (c) 2025 TOMMASO DELL’ERA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
This section of Glocalism focuses on security challenges of or related to South America. It studies security using a widened security agenda, based on the sectoral theory of the Copenhagen School, including not only military security, but also political, economic, societal and environmental security sectors.
Copyright (c) 2025 MONIKA SZENTE-VARGA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT: REFLECTIONS ON THE GLOBAL RELEVANCE OF A HISTORICAL AND CONCEPTUAL NEXUS
This contribution engages with recent scholarship on technology, environment, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence that have highlighted their manyfold historical, political and conceptual entanglements on a global scale. These include the way technologies over time have contributed to shape the human and natural environment; how they are changing political and scientific representations of the environment and of its transformations; the ecological costs of contemporary capitalism that exploits data and largely relies on digital technologies. Through this survey of texts and theories – mainly advanced by scholars at the Divison of History, Science, Technology and Environment of the Kth Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden – this contribution aims at pointing at the major strands of critical understanding of contemporary digital technologies from a global and ecologist point of view, also in order to highlight some of their theoretical further possible developments.
Copyright (c) 2025 JACOPO BONASERA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
“GOODBYE GLOBALISATION: THE RETURN OF A DIVIDED WORLD” BY ELISABETH BRAW
Review of the book "Goodbye Globalisation: The Return of a Divided World" by Elisabeth Braw
Copyright (c) 2025 SHUBHALAKSMI RAYCHOWDHURY https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
GLOCALIZATION, EMBEDDING, ANCHORING: ON THE COGNITIVE IMPACT AND EXPERIENCE OF GLOBALIZATION
This essay discusses globalization and glocalization as crucially important concepts for the Social Sciences and Humanities, thereby distinguishing between globalization/ glocalization as research methodology (hermeneutics) and as historical process unfolding through time. For many SSH scholars the term globalization evokes historical processes that likewise spanned the globe and were (apparently) directed from above, such as imperialism, Westernisation and modernisation. Defining globalization as glocalization, which it is by nature, might help to overcome this (incorrect) association and make it into an important instrument of the (decolonial) SSH toolbox. After discussing the content of the Handbook of Culture and Glocalization, edited by Victor N. Roudometof and Ugo Dessì (2022), to show what glocalization entails and how the concept is fruitfully used over a variety of fields already, I focus on the idea of “arrival” as a next step in our research agenda. Glocalization, I argue, is very much about the impact of globalization, in local contexts, in cognitive terms of experience. Increasing global dynamics demand embedding practices to make globalization work on the ground, in the lives of people, as glocalization. To a successful outcome of these inherently difficult processes, often fraught with anxiety and friction, anchoring is key.
Copyright (c) 2025 MIGUEL JOHN VERSLUYS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING IN MASS COMMUNICATION EDUCATION: A CRITICAL EVALUATION USING FINK’S TAXONOMY
The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (Bajmc) program can be termed as professional or vocational course systematically designed to make students industry ready by inculcating specialised knowledge and training along with building practical skills. The syllabus caters to diverse subjects and has integrated the element of internships, workshops and certifications. The following research is conducted with a purpose to evaluate the integration of Work-Integrated Learning (Wil) in Mass Communication Education through the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (Bajmc) program at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University using Dee Fink’s Significant Learning Taxonomy and the Work-Integrated Learning Curriculum Classification (Wilcc) Framework. Hybrid Analytical Approach is used which combines both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The objectives of the syllabus are reviewed using Dee Fink’s taxonomy, defined into clusters by Wilcc framework and are assessed on the basis of credit weightage. Faculty interviews conducted for understanding the delivery of the content from work integrated perspective are analysed using thematic analysis. The result shows the strong presence of foundational as well implementation of practical knowledge. The syllabus has the flexibility to strategically cater to real-world projects and students taking free lancing projects leading to their holistic development. However, the curriculum lacks professional and embedded Wil demands improvement and requires workplace exposure to promote coordinated co-curricular activities. Fink’s taxonomy can be a guiding template for creating a comprehensive skill spectrum and using Wilcc framework can be vital for aligning the credit-based subjects with the industry standards and working systems and can stimulate students for the dynamic media industry. Regular assessment considering the Wilcc framework can be crucial for aligning credit-bearing subjects with the workplace engagements.
Copyright (c) 2025 MONA GUPTA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
BRIDGING THE GAP: GLOCAL TENSIONS AND GEOPOLITICAL ORDER
A critical feature of our interconnected world seems particularly relevant nowadays: the inherent tension between glocal reality and a rigid geopolitical order. In a world that appears increasingly closed within national or regional borders, we are faced with a transformation of the relationship between global and local and the intellectual, cultural, and political challenges that such a transformation brings. The perpetual endeavour to traverse the chasm between glocal tensions and the concrete realities of heterogeneous societies, cultures, and political terrains is of paramount importance.
Copyright (c) 2024 GLOCALISM https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE POETICS OF ARCHITECTURE IN PROLETARIAT STATE: LAYING THE IDEOLOGY IN BRICKS (1918-1953)
Following the October Revolution and a brief period of civil unrest, Soviet leaders, architects, and engineers initiated a comprehensive reconstruction of the architectural landscape to sever ties with capitalism and align it with socialist-communist ideology. The ideology needed to be imbued within the architecture and built spaces. The paper explores the intricate relationship between architecture and ideology within the context of Soviet architecture from 1917 to 1953, a period characterized by significant socio-political transformations after the Bolshevik Revolution. Using a framework that integrates architectural semiotics and critical theory, the study examines how architectural forms and functions not only reflect but also propagate ideological narratives. To this end, official documents, archival materials, historical maps and photographs from the Soviet era on urban planning and design have been analysed. Additionally, Lenin’s theory of reflection, and Stalin’s socialist realism form the part of critical analysis for the study revealing the profound influence they project on architectural practices. As a method of study, one representative architecture has been selected from each of the three most prominent building types viz. “communal housing”, “workers’ clubs”, and “Stalin skyscrapers” to illustrate how these structures embody socialist principles and contribute to the construction of a new Soviet identity. Thus, the study underscores architecture’s role as a powerful tool for ideological dissemination, shaping social values and collective memory while serving as a medium for both power and resistance in the evolving landscape of Soviet society.
Copyright (c) 2025 PRATYUSH BIBHAKAR https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
POLITICAL FAKE NEWS FUELING ISRAEL AND HAMAS WAR, 2023: FOURTH GENERATION WARFARE IN INDIA
In the wake of the incursion by Hamas militants into Israel in the early hours of 7 October, a deluge of disinformation in the form of videos and photographs purporting to depict the conflict has inundated various social media platforms, thereby creating a significant challenge for global observers attempting to differentiate between actual occurrences and fictionalised representations. Fake news often appeals to emotions and instincts. During periods of war, strife and disagreement, it is common for misinformation and counterfeit news to circulate with great speed and ease, prompted by escalated sentiments and a lack of certainty. Journalists, governmental bodies, individuals, and organisations circulated inaccurate and misleading information for various reasons, including spreading propaganda, manipulating public opinion, or provoking discord. The paper aims to study the impact of fake news and deepfakes during the Israel and Hamas conflict in 2023 and discuss India’s stance in the ongoing war. The paper aims to analyse the reason behind misinformation in the ongoing war, understand how media literacy can help debunk fake news and learn techniques to approach online misinformation during a conflict. The researchers have adopted framing analysis and thematic analysis to identify and analyse the fake news identified by two fact-checkers in India. Digital media literacy is an effective solution to fight against misinformation, especially during a global crisis.
Copyright (c) 2025 TENDRAL RAJAGOPAL, VELAYUTHAM CHANDRASHEKARAN https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
COLOMBIA’S EXPERIENCES WITH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT ARBITRATION: CONTEXT, CASES, TREATIES
This paper analyses Colombia’s experiences with international arbitration in disputes with foreign investors. Three periods of roughly 30 years were chosen: a) diplomatic protection of great powers’ expatriates in Latin America (Colombia) in the era of Imperialist rivalry: the last decades of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth. This protection (sometimes with naval interventions) was meant to uphold a minimum standard of treatment for foreigners and gave rise to the Calvo doctrine as its counter-current protecting Latin American economic sovereignty; b) interregnum between the 1960s and 1980s: Calvo (prevalent in Latin America) reincarnated in an economic emancipation drive by postcolonial countries at the United Nations. Yet, the doctrine suffered a setback in the World Bank where the Icsid Convention was adopted despite a collective No vote by Latin American members on an earlier draft in Tokyo; c) investor-state arbitration under international investment agreements: expansion and retreat, from 1990 to present. Expansion of such agreements and emergence of a kind of arbitral case-law occurred between the early 1990s (when the Latin American mainstream abandoned Calvo) and the late 2000s. Counter-currents appeared since the early 2000, including treaty clarifications, public policy carve-outs, and withdrawals of Latin American, North American and European states. This periodization allows for comparing Colombia’s international investment arbitration consents, relevant awards, treaties, legislation and constitutional case-law over time.
Copyright (c) 2025 LASZLO PALOTAS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
BRINGING OUT THE “CAL” IN GLOCAL: SITUATING SUBCULTURE AND DIGITAL SUBCULTURES IN TURKISH YOUTH
In a globalized postmodern world, the metanarratives of modernity are contested and have been paving the way for a patchwork of cultures and subcultures. In this overarching context, subcultures represent values, norms and practices divergent, at the fringes of, or alternative to the dominant cultures, and thus are crucial to map the “cal” in glocal in a globalized world. In efforts to “make sense” of a postmodern glocal world, I argue that mapping the missing kaleidoscope of “cals” around the world is important more than ever. I examine in this article the youth subcultures specifically in the context of Turkey and discuss the potential of Turkish youth to form subcultures within the framework of the internet, and digital or “net subcultures”. To this end, the first part of the present study unpacks the concepts of “subculture”, “youth subculture” and digital “net subcultures” from a theoretical perspective. Next, I discuss why Turkish youth have been unable to form subcultural emergences throughout various historical periods. In the final section, I analyse whether technological innovations such as the internet, which allow for immediate access to different cultural forms, offer Turkish youth the possibility of creating nascent subcultures, and drawing from the particular contexts of the Gezi Protests in 2013 and the “Youth and Social Media Research” published that same year.
Copyright (c) 2024 FILIZ AYDOGAN BOSCHELE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
LA NOCIÓN DE DISUASIÓN INTEGRADA DE ESTADOS UNIDOS: ¿REALIDAD O FANTASÍA PARA LATINOAMÉRICA?
This article delves into the “Integrated Deterrence of the United States”, unveiled at the XV Conference of Ministers of Defense of the Americas (CMDA) in 2022, which sparked numerous international debates and led to varied interpretations regarding its implications. This study aims to examine this discourse by highlighting Latin America’s distinct characteristics and conducting an in-depth analysis of security and defense challenges projected over the forthcoming decade. A range of bibliographic sources were reviewed to understand the concepts and implications and to envision the strategic concept’s applicability. The U.S. proposal was juxtaposed with contemporary risks, threats, and factors that enhance risk, which diverge from traditional elements. Consequently, it was determined that the U.S. strategy does not allow for a comprehensive application of the strategic model in the region, given the distinct characteristics present in each territory.
Copyright (c) 2025 JORGE GATICA, CARLOS OJEDA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
FROM PROBLEM TO SOLUTION: THE ROLE OF FADEYI, MUSHIN AND OJUELEGBA AREA BOYS IN LAGOS’ COVID-19 LOCKDOWN INSECURITY
The history of pandemic outbreaks is replete with disruptions that resonate beyond the immediate realm of health and wellness. The outbreak of COVID-19 triggered unprecedented consequences across the world. In parts of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, compulsorily enforced lockdown, alongside the void created by inadequate policing, caused widespread insecurity and crimes linked to so-called “one million boys”. Traditionally, the menace of area boyism is rife in Lagos and extant literature has focused on the groups’ acrimonious history of violence, extortion and crime. This paper examines the nexus between COVID-19 lockdown, rampant insecurity and area boys’ interventions in Fadeyi, Mushin and Ojuelegba areas of Lagos. It argues that, despite their flawed reputation, area boys became instrumental in residents’ search for an unconventional solution to rising crime rates in Lagos in line with the popular Yoruba saying: “Olè ló mọ ẹsẹ̀ olè tọ̀” (it is a thief that knows how to catch another thief). The study draws from a number of sources – archival materials, in-depth fieldwork, and secondary materials and adopts the qualitative and descriptive research method. Its finding indicates that COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos State did not only stimulate widespread insecurity and criminal activities, but also prompted unconventional security intervention from the most unlikely sources. It concludes that the sheer degree of energy currently being misapplied by area boys can be harnessed to further the course of national development in several crucial areas.
Copyright (c) 2025 BRIGHT JOSEPH NJOKU https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
DECENTRALISED COOPERATION AND FRENCH-CHINESE SISTER CITIES: A GEOGRAPHIC APPROACH IN THE OCCITANIE REGION
In 1981, the metropolitan areas of Montpellier and Chengdu signed the first French-Chinese sister city (SC) agreement. This type of relationship has historically led to what is termed as “decentralized cooperation” (DC), a concept that has been simplified following the enactment of French decentralisation laws in 1992. The primary purpose of sister city agreements was to enable French local administrations to establish formal cooperation and DC projects with foreign local authorities (Tulard 2006: 7-12, 15-55). Regarding SC and DC, the political ambitions of mayors have facilitated the development of a “global village” since the 1950s across various domains, including bilateral economic cooperation, student exchanges, local and international festivals, among others. Consequently, this article examines the role of sister city relationships as a potential means of safeguarding international relations (IR) through a microscale perspective. This study adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on the results of thirty interviews conducted in France and China between 2020 and 2023. In the context of the competition between the “West” and the “Global South,” sister city partnerships are increasingly confronted with crises within a complex global landscape characterized by tensions between deglobalization and European strategies of de-risking. While shifts in the global order remain uncertain, glocal tensions persist, oscillating between cooperation and competition (Bartsch, Wessling 2023: 19-55).
Copyright (c) 2025 VANESSA HAMMOUCHE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
UNDERSTANDING SENSE OF PLACE AMONG ROOTED COSMOPOLITANS: THE CASE OF THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT
Previous research has provided compelling accounts of how the alter-globalization movement develops alternative visions of globalization that are firmly rooted in local struggles and place-based politics, celebrating cultural distinctions and local idiosyncrasies, while at the same time embracing global movement building and place-based globalism and expressing both local and cosmopolitan identities and values. Given these findings of previous research, how do alter-globalization movement participants think about place identity, place meaning, and place attachment? What is their sense of place? We explore these questions in the context of the Slow Food movement, a global network that brings together many locally-oriented activists to transform the food system. Our semi-structured interviews with Slow Food movement participants provide evidence and examples that are indicative of the presence of place-based politics and place-based globalism in the Slow Food movement. This research contributes to the literature in two ways: It synthesizes and applies place-based concepts to the study of highly diverse transnational movement spaces to generate a deeper understanding of transnational social movement participants’ sense of place and of the solidarities and shared identities that they develop, and it highlights the voices and personal stories transnational food movement participants shared during interviews as they reflected on issues of place.
Copyright (c) 2025 NOHA SHAWKI, MELISSA SCHNYDER https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
ASSIMILATIVE GLOCALISM: DISSECTING POWER ASYMMETRIES THROUGH “THE HANDBOOK OF CULTURE AND GLOCALIZATION”
This paper delves deeply into the forces of globalization, leveraging The handbook of culture and glocalization (2022), edited by Victor N. Roudometof and Ugo Dessì, as both a resource and a subject of critique. While the handbook provides an expansive view of global influences across diverse sectors, it overlooks the power asymmetries embedded in glocalization. By examining theoretical gaps, conceptual ambiguities, and uneven engagements with global-local dynamics, this research uncovers a need for a more incisive framework to address the realities of power within globalization. To bridge this gap, the study introduces “assimilative glocalism”, a theoretical model designed to illuminate the strategic incorporation and subtle subordination of local elements within global structures. Through this, the paper presents a sophisticated balanced analysis of glocalization, revealing how integration often disguises underlying hierarchies. This research offers a pioneering perspective, re-envisioning glocalization as a complex interplay that simultaneously celebrates and constrains diversity. This contribution not only enriches the discourse but also enhances the theoretical tools available for studying globalization.
Copyright (c) 2025 PELEKEH H. TAPANG https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
CONSUMPTION OF FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDES IN TELANGANA: SMALL AND MARGINAL FARMERS’ CHALLENGES
The industrialization of agriculture has favoured the use of plenty of agrochemicals including fertilizers, pesticides, micronutrients. Consumption of pesticides has become an integral part of modern agriculture and is an effective and economical way to enhance the yield quality and quantity. Approximately, 2 million metric tons (MT) of pesticides are utilized annually worldwide. India stands 12th in pesticide use globally and 3rd in Asia after China. India shares only 1% of the global pesticide use. After the green revolution, there is increased use of chemical pesticides which resulted in contaminating the environment and the long-term implications on the society. Indiscriminate and excessive application of pesticides not only have damaged the environment but also have entered the food chain thereby affecting health and development. However, the role of pesticides in augmenting agricultural output has been well perceived and these have been considered as essential inputs in agricultural production. The present paper aimed to study the consumption pattern of pesticides and fertilizers among the small and marginal farmers. This study also aimed to know the farmers’ knowledge about the safe handling and application of pesticides and their practices on pesticide usage. While doing so, it highlights some issues like change in the cropping pattern among small and marginal farmers and also emphasizes on soil degradation and environmental issues.
Copyright (c) 2024 NAVEEN CHERUPELLY, SIRIMAN NAVEEN, NAVEEN KOLLOJU https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
LA PERSONERÍA JURÍDICA: ¿UN TRÁMITE DONDE SE VISLUMBRAN CATEGORÍAS AHISTÓRICAS? UN ANÁLISIS DESDE LA ANTROPOLOGÍA SOCIAL
In Argentina, there are still certain views on indigenous peoples that have their origins in essentialist arguments built since the formation of the nation state in the 19th century. These are supported by the media, common sense and public policies that directly affect these groups. This paper invites us to question such notions. To do so, we will review the main historical facts and policies that have affected the indigenous populations in Argentina. In order to think about the analytical categories that are still in force about the indigenous populations of the country, at present and in relation to a specific case, the application for legal status in Argentina will be analyzed. This is a procedure to obtain state recognition as an indigenous community, which is usually necessary in order to be able to make different requests. For this purpose, the experience of collaborative work with the Mapuche Kalfulafken community of Carhué, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, which applied for its legal status in 2019 and which took more than three years to be approved, will be taken up again. The approach of this research was carried out from the perspective of social anthropology and ethnography.
Copyright (c) 2024 SOFÍA MICAELA VARISCO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
REFLECTIONS ON TERRITORIAL CLEANSING: LESSONS FROM BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND COLOMBIA
This small-N cross-regional analysis examines the link between extreme but far from isolated massacres perpetrated during the Bosnian war 1992-1995 and the 1997-2003 interval in the Colombian armed conflict. The afflicted territories by this form of violence underwent a reconfiguration in their demographics in the aftermath of mass killings, forced evictions, disappearances, and displacement. Despite condemning these acts in ad hoc international criminal courts and national tribunals, the question of the dispossessed and their right to return has always been a challenge. This article is based on documentary research to present a comparative overview of the two selected cases employing Egbert et al. (2016) and Lichtenheld’s (2020) territorial cleansing framework to unveil the interconnectedness between the practices and strategies undertaken in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Colombia to contribute to the scholarly work bridging a converging geopolitical perspective within outwardly unrelated episodes of mass political violence.
Copyright (c) 2024 FABIO IGUAVITA DUARTE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Were one to be asked to think about well-being, his or her mind would probably wander among images of harmony, happiness or satisfaction. Others might focus on physical health, conjecture on the achievement of personal goals or conceive of well-being by negation: as the absence of illness, negative emotions or worries. Yet, this would be all but a complete picture. It is in fact possible to think of well-being as a far more complex phenomenon: something other than comforting and fleeting emotions, and different from mere individual feelings of joy or vitality. Well-being may be considered first and foremost as a social issue, pertaining to the composition of conflicting values and the fulfilment of collective needs. All the more so, against the background of global phenomena such as climate change and economic inequality, well-being cannot be reduced to a patchwork of good emotions or to the absence of disease or social unrest. The interconnected and quick transformation of contemporaneity calls for a trans-individual and multidimensional understanding of the concept: encompassing the fields of physical, mental, and social health.
FROM LIBERAL ORDER TO RULES-BASED ORDER: DECODING GEOPOLITICS OF GLOBALIZATION
Globalization was considered as a panacea to end geopolitical rivalries by integrating economies and societies into vast networks of interdependence. The web of complex interdependence woven through global supply chains and cross-border connections, although to a large extent, has led to disappearance of geography. Nonetheless, promotion of embedded liberalism has reconstituted political and social boundaries that can be weaponized to gain asymmetric advantages. The liberal order consolidated during the post-Cold War unipolar moment and scripted the story of global governance. Post 2010, the waning United States (US) hegemony and rise of China marked a discrediting of liberal internationalism, supplanting it with the rules-based order which although reflects Western values and interests, but is under constant improvisation by other actors challenging the status quo. With several competing visions in the fray, the future global order would certainly reflect new power constellations, norms and rules. The paper thus argues that both liberal order and its successor the rules-based order largely cater to preserve the geopolitical and geoeconomic interests of dominant powers who advocate for a free and open order. Rules, however, remain an empty rhetoric as the world is in a strategic disarray characterised by growing economic inequality and socio-cultural upheavals.
Copyright (c) 2024 MANASI SINGH https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
GENDER DYNAMICS IN INDIAN DIPLOMACY: EXPLORING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN
In India, despite the reverence for female deities, patriarchy’s hold remains strong in various fields, including diplomacy. This research aims to explore the pivotal role of women within the sphere of Indian diplomacy, tracing the historical evolution. The study relies on the qualitative method of survey of literature and analysis to highlight the achievements of Indian women diplomats and persisting hurdles, including the intersectional challenges they face. The study posits that addressing and removing the gender bias in Indian diplomacy, by viewing it through a feminist lens will yield more equitable opportunities and inclusivity. It underscores the significance of Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP), introduced by Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallstrom in 2014, as a potential solution to dismantle the patriarchal bias in Indian diplomacy. Empowering women to transcend the constraints imposed by a patriarchal framework, can enhance their individual well-being and psychological fortitude, fostering an improved work culture that attracts more women to join the Indian diplomatic services. This study gives suggestive measures to improve the work-life balance and enrich the professional as well as personal lives of women in Indian diplomacy by adopting feminist ideals. The research will contribute to the broader scholarship on gender and diplomacy, which is a relatively nascent but rapidly growing research area.
Copyright (c) 2024 SURBHI SHARMA, NAGALAXMI M. RAMAN, AMIT KUMAR MISHRA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND EUROPEAN UNION PUBLIC GOVERNANCE: REGULATORY BARRIERS SINCE 2014
Successful integration of Circular Economy (CE) within economic systems can significantly contribute to sustainable development by promoting economic growth through closed-loop systems. Nonetheless, despite CE principles aligning closely with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their integration into public policy faces limitations. This study adopts a qualitative research approach, drawing insights from academic literature and European legislation, so as to shed light on the challenges and barriers obstructing the effective implementation of CE principles within the framework of the EU. Focusing on regulatory obstacles, this research analyzes the intersection of Sustainability Economics (SE) with CE, identifies major CE principles and observes the challenges involved in incorporating them into public policy. It then reviews European Union (EU) milestones in adopting CE, under both the Juncker Commission and the von der Leyen Commission, and assesses the obstacles in integrating CE within EU public policy. The study found that major challenges highlighted in the literature include insufficient awareness, limited infrastructure for recycling and reusing materials, and ensuring collaboration between governments, industries, and consumers. Continuing to implement comprehensive policy frameworks is essential for promoting CE practices in the EU.
Copyright (c) 2024 MARIA LUÍSA VASCONCELOS, SANDRA BERNARDO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
IMPACT OF BRITISH COLONIALISM ON THE ỌDIONWERE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTION IN BENIN KINGDOM, NIGERIA
This study examines the profound impact of British colonialism on the Odionwere conflict management institution in Benin Kingdom, Nigeria. Before the colonial intervention, the Odionwere played a crucial role in resolving disputes and maintaining social harmony within the community. However, the advent of British colonial rule in the late 19th century significantly changed traditional governance structures. The imposition of indirect rule by the British colonial administrators altered the Benin Kingdom’s power dynamics, marginalizing the Odionwere’s authority. The establishment of colonial courts and the introduction of Western legal systems further undermined the traditional conflict resolution mechanisms. This study explores how the Odionwere, once central to dispute resolution, experienced a decline in influence and autonomy as colonial policies reshaped the socio-political landscape. By meticulously analyzing archival documents, oral histories, and ethnographic data, this research contributes to understanding the intricate interplay between colonialism and Indigenous institutions, shedding light on the lasting repercussions of colonial policies on local governance structures and conflict resolution practices in the Benin Kingdom.
Copyright (c) 2024 UWOMANO OKPEVRA, DAVID OVUEDE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
IN SEARCH OF EQUITY: ORISSAN TRIBAL HISTORIOGRAPHY’S SEARCH FOR JUSTICE AGAINST COLONIAL INJUSTICE
Before the development of subaltern historiography, history was always an elite pursuit. Subaltern historiography has played an important role in de-elitising history and bringing forth the facts of socio-economic aspects and political events during the colonial period. In colonial Orissa, there were numerous subaltern movements in general, and tribal insurgencies in particular, all aiming for some or other form of independence from the clutch of landed aristocracy, local rajas, or the British. Tribals played a significant political role in Orissa’s freedom struggle in 19th and 20th centuries. They were not at all backward in colonial Orissa’s prajamandal movements. But it is a farce that, even after a long interval, just a few tribal leaders have gained prominence in history, which shows a gap in political history and a grave intellectual injustice. Colonial historiography portrayed tribals as criminals and blind-believers with negative activities. But the influence of Marxist and Subaltern approach has changed the historiographical scenario in the post-independent phase, which is evidenced from the extensive studies on socio-economic and cultural life of the tribals. Despite extensive studies, political history of tribals has received less attention in comparison to socio-economic history. Similarly, the history of science and technological knowledge in proverbs, health care practices, animal husbandry have not yet explored. Travesty, we are obliged to rely exclusively on inadequate colonial documents, which appear to be biased, due to a lack of indigenous records. As a result, the need of oral source, vernacular sources and artefacts preserved in museums are felt significantly. Intensive research within the conceptual framework of an interdisciplinary approach is also required to learn more about their other aspects of life and for bringing an intellectual justice.
Copyright (c) 2024 BAIRA GANJAN DASH https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
As has already been well established, we are individuals living in increasingly individualized societies. One may depict the contemporary subject as the human type who wants to be free in order to become an individual. At the foundation of our societies lies no more some kind of Comune, but the Individuo and his freedom to act as a privato. There are no more “laws” for action, but “freedom” of action. The subject of history is no longer the “political animal”, but the “homo oeconomicus”. In the global cities (cosmo-poleis) there are no more “citizens” of the city (polis), but rather “consumers” searching for self-improvement and self-realization, often coping with the delusions of authenticity and autonomy.
Copyright (c) 2024 MAURO MAGATTI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
PHILOSOPHY AND THE STUDY OF GLOCALIZATION
Within the bosom of the humanities philosophy reposes and, as an academic field, it is ever so often criticized for its aloofness. In a recent book, Roudometof and Dessi (2022, 9-10) politely quip that philosophy’s engagement with the “glocal” has been “resilient,” transacted mostly “without encroaching on other fields.” Philosophy’s ostensible remoteness stems in part from its institutional affiliation with, cultivation and deployment of often forbiddingly technical tools of logical analysis. Although the academic field comprises a manifold of specialities, with resentment often arising against prohibitively technical branches, I narrow my focus to an understanding of “philosophy” as an activity engrossed in logical analysis, and I will plead as defence of this avowed postulation that by so doing, operationally as it were, I can argue that philosophy can make critical and salutary contributions to the burgeoning field of glocalization studies, which is so ably canvassed in the book edited by Roudometof and Dessi. Notwithstanding the promissory note offered above, and since my definition of philosophy may seem unduly restrictive, it is incumbent on me to disambiguate across related notions and to make an initial case as to both the plausibility and arguable pay-offs from taking philosophy in the way I just adumbrated. This is a substantive issue as it relates to a case I will be making as to what philosophy may have to offer to the study of glocalization.
Copyright (c) 2024 ODYSSEUS MAKRIDIS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
BEYOND GROWTH: SHIFTING THE PARADIGM BY EMBRACING MATURITY
For many years in the twentieth century, economic growth was synonymous with progress. In the twenty-first century, growth still holds a central place in the concept of development in Western societies, despite being identified as a fetish or an ideology, and its limits having been recognised for decades. Most recently, new debates on the need to develop a paradigm not exclusively based on growth have emerged again in Europe. Scholars have been reflecting on the idea of “beyond growth”, proposing models for new green growth, advocating for degrowth, or suggesting a radical evolution of growth. Next to these perspectives, this contribution suggests that the concept of maturity could successfully shape a new narrative on “beyond growth”. To better describe the idea of maturity, which implies that development is possible without necessarily entailing expansion, two cases are analysed. At the macro level, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act demonstrates that a new economic approach is possible, featuring bold investments in clean energy. However, the paradigm shift toward a system that does not revolve around growth is not yet in sight in this case. Conversely, at the micro level, the analysed case of some Italian winemakers illustrates what it truly means to value maturity in business activities. Beyond these two cases, further opportunities for alternative development are explored, focusing on digital transformation. It is framed as an opportunity for increased life chances while acknowledging that the same old capitalist logic remains deeply entrenched in it and may jeopardise the opportunities.
Copyright (c) 2024 Dario Pizzul https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE SPARŚA PROJECT: BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE MENSTRUAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION IN NEPAL
This article addresses the pervasive silence around menstrual health management (MHM) in Nepal, emphasizing its impact on women's rights. Despite being a natural process, menstruation remains taboo, perpetuating gender discrimination and restricting women's empowerment. This study examines the lack of sufficient menstruation-related targets in international development agendas and focuses on Nepal's cultural norms concerning this issue that affect women's behaviour, health, and social participation. The paper advocates for a comprehensive understanding of women's experiences and preferences to design effective MHM interventions. It explores various strategies, including campaigns against practices like Chhaupadi, presents findings from a field survey and introduces the Sparśa project - a women-led social enterprise offering biodegradable pads to counteract menstrual discrimination across Nepal. The article emphasises the historical neglect of menstrual-related needs, resulting in adverse effects like school absenteeism and social marginalization. It highlights the crucial role of coordinated efforts and fostering knowledge-sharing to implement more impactful and comprehensive interventions in the field of MHM. The research highlights the Sparśa project's potential to transform societal perceptions of menstruation, break the silence, and contribute to women's rights. It offers insights into the challenges faced by Nepali women and provides valuable considerations for global menstrual health initiatives.
Copyright (c) 2024 TERESA TOLDY, ŁUKASZ URBANIAK, THELMA DIVRY, DIPISHA BHUJEL, MD. HASNAIN ANSARI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
DEGRADATIVE IMPACTS OF ELITE LANDSCAPES: RESIDENTIAL LAWNS AND GOLF COURSES
Environmental catastrophes, perpetuated by the unsustainable and unrestricted consumption of resources, are becoming increasingly apparent. Although elite practices often account for a disproportionate amount of resource usage, wealthy ways of life remain unchallenged while the non-elite continuously adapt to ecological crises. The cases of celebrity lawn-watering and golf course maintenance in drought-prone California represent the larger issue of elite practices that effectively oppose healthy change. These elite landscapes have become thoroughly ingrained in American culture, and dismantling their constructed necessity requires scepticism of information produced by those within dominant social orders. This paper will highlight the negative impacts of elite ecological practices while asserting that new ways of living, such as wild gardening and the repurposing of golf course land, should be embraced and empowered. Unnatural landscape aesthetics must be devalued to adapt to environmental changes, and to accomplish this feat, a cultural shift is crucial.
Copyright (c) 2024 SKYLAR HOUCK https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0