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21. The Idea of War in the Culture of the Russian Nation

Author:
Piotr Gawliczek, Jacek Mrozek, and Andrzej Soboń
Publication Date:
06-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
Mentality is the result of social processes and is shaped by life experiences, as well as values and norms passed on during socialization. In the case of Russia, history, literature, art, and spirituality play a significant role in shaping the national identity and, consequently, the perception of war. The image of war is often presented in a selective or idealized way. In Russian historical discourse, the positive aspects of one’s history are often emphasized, while, simultaneously, controversial or negative factors are often ignored or minimized. The methodology employed in the paper involves a qualitative comparative method, which involves analyzing the concept of war in Russian culture, describing the characteristics of a nation’s mentality through various aspects of an ethnic group’s spiritual life, and understanding the ideology underlying Russia’s foreign policy. The article concludes that analyzing the concept of war within the Russian nation’s culture is not possible without understanding the general mentality of the entire society. The Russians are less willing to take up the problem of crimes committed in that period by soldiers of the Red Army, which is also the case during the occupation of Ukraine.
Topic:
War, Armed Conflict, and Security Culture
Political Geography:
Russia and Eurasia

22. Evolution of Budget Expenditures on Agriculture in Poland Over Two Decades of Membership in the European Union

Author:
Ryszard Kata, Marcin Czyżniewski, and Anna Matuszczak
Publication Date:
06-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
This article analyzes changes in fiscal policy in agriculture in Poland from 2004 to 2024, as captured through the prism of budget expenditures on agriculture. The analysis focused on the volume, dynamics, and structure of total agricultural budget expenditures, including national budget funds and EU funds allocated to the European budget. It was found that during the two decades of Poland’s membership in the European Union, agricultural budget expenditures were strongly influenced by the volume of European funds allocated to agriculture and rural development under the instruments of the Common Agricultural Policy. Changes in agricultural budget expenditures, were mainly due to the adjustment of the national fiscal policy towards agriculture to the structural changes taking place in the agricultural sector. They also resulted from specific state fiscal interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of destabilizing agricultural markets and crises caused by natural-climatic and geopolitical factors. Poland’s agricultural budget expenditures were subject to both evolutionary changes resulting from modifications to agricultural policy, as well as changes in the government’s response to the current challenges and problems of the agricultural sector and the agricultural market.
Topic:
Agriculture, Budget, European Union, and Fiscal Policy
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

23. Post-Military Politics and ‘Emi Lokan’ Democracy in Nigeria

Author:
Remi Chukwudi Okeke
Publication Date:
06-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
This paper interrogated post-military politics and ‘Emi Lokan’ democracy in Nigeria. It is a significant contribution to the ongoing academic focus on consolidating democracy in the country. According to the research hypothesis, post-military politics in the country still contain some unnecessary military-governance propensities that have not been fully identified for invalidation. The study examined the meaning of ‘Emi Lokan’ democracy. It investigated its democratic implications. The work was based on a qualitative research design, embedding the consultation of secondary sources of non-numeric data. A key message of the contribution is that the influence of military culture in the current democratic order in the country has remained undiminished. The work found that the ‘Emi Lokan’ political belief in Nigeria owes its distasteful origin to the interference of the military in the governance affairs of the nation. It is concluded in the paper that the undesirable ‘Emi Lokan’ democracy can only be stopped in the country by the coming together of a manifestly new breed of politicians. An auspicious attempt was made in this regard during the 2023 presidential election in the nation.
Topic:
Democracy, Domestic Politics, and Military
Political Geography:
Africa and Nigeria

24. Reacting to Instrumentalization of Migration through Reframing of Asylum Norms in the European Union: Strategic Normative Triaging as a Contestation Practice

Author:
Dorota Heidrich
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
This article examines how the European Union (EU) and member states have responded to the instrumentalisation of migration by reframing core asylum norms within both the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and national legislation. While the EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum formally reaffirms long-standing commitments to solidarity, human rights, and refugee protection, it also introduces a set of exceptional measures that allow states to restrict or temporarily suspend asylum obligations when migration is portrayed as instrumentalised. Building on this framing, countries such as Poland, Finland, and Greece have adopted domestic laws enabling emergency derogations, border closures, and practices that, in effect, facilitate pushbacks. These reforms are typically justified through narratives of hybrid threats and heightened security concerns. The paper conceptualises these developments through the lens of strategic normative triaging – a mode of norm contestation in which states selectively elevate security-related norms while downplaying humanitarian obligations, presenting these choices as necessary responses to extraordinary circumstances. Drawing on contestation theory in International Relations, the paper argues that this process contributes to a gradual weakening of asylum protections across Europe and, most notably, to the incremental erosion of the non-refoulement principle.
Topic:
Migration, European Union, Norms, and Asylum
Political Geography:
Europe

25. Transatlantic Relations under the Biden Administration: Balancing between Liberal Internationalism and Pragmatic Realism

Author:
Aleksandra Jarczewska
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The article examines transatlantic relations under the Biden administration, focusing on the tension between liberal internationalist ideals and the imperatives of pragmatic realism. In its early stage, the Biden presidency signalled a renewed commitment to multilateralism, democratic values, and revitalised alliances. However, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine underscored the limits of the idealist framework, compelling a recalibration toward interest-driven, security-oriented policies. The study explores whether this represents a genuine revival of liberal internationalism or a strategic hybridisation of liberal norms and realist instruments of statecraft. Moreover, it identifies elements of continuity from the first Trump administration to Biden’s pragmatic adjustments beneath the liberal rhetoric. The article contributes to the scholarly debate by reassessing certain conceptual frameworks in international relations, offering a nuanced understanding of how liberal internationalism is being reconfigured in response to shifting geopolitical realities. The findings highlight the evolving nature of US-EU cooperation and the challenges facing the international liberal order.
Topic:
European Union, Transatlantic Relations, Joe Biden, Internationalism, and Pragmatic Realism
Political Geography:
Europe, North America, and United States of America

26. Protection of Civilians According to the Approaches of the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Analysis of Assumptions and Challenges during Peace, Crisis Management, Armed Conflicts and War

Author:
Tomasz Rubaj and Anna Ludwiczak
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The article presents the conclusions of research in the area of Protection of Civilians (PoC). The first part discusses the essence, purpose, main components, and dimensions of PoC. The introductory section provides a comparative analysis of the principles of PoC under the UN and NATO approaches, indicating both similarities and the reasons for existing differences. The research focuses on the evolving challenges of PoC, taking into account lessons learned from crises, armed conflicts, and wars. The purpose of the article is to analyse the main assumptions of PoC adopted by the UN and NATO during crises and wars. The research problem is expressed through the following question: How are the basic assumptions of PoC formulated in the UN and NATO approaches, what similarities and differences exist between them, and how can they be improved in light of experiences from contemporary crises, armed conflicts, and wars? The article also identifies the main challenges related to PoC and the management of international organizations. It presents the theoretical framework, research findings, and issues for further discussion.
Topic:
Security, NATO, United Nations, Crisis Management, Civilians, Armed Conflict, and Protection
Political Geography:
Global Focus

27. Disinformation and Post-Politics: The Case of Anti-Ukrainian Narratives in Hungary

Author:
Dorka Takácsy
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
In recent years, Hungary has emerged not only as a place to observe democratic backsliding but also for the convergence of depoliticization and the strategic deployment of disinformation. This paper examines how top-down anti-Ukrainian disinformation campaigns have reshaped public attitudes, hollowed out deliberative space, and contributed to what theorists term a post-political condition. Focusing on the period following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the paper showcases how the Hungarian government’s communication apparatus has deliberately and effectively mobilised fear, economic anxiety, and cultural isolationism to create a depoliticised population increasingly resistant to transnational solidarity. This process reflects a broader post-political trend: a preference for technocratic control and media-managed consensus over open political contestation. The paper illustrates how depoliticization happens not exclusively through institutional mechanisms but also through affective and ideological control. The Hungarian case shows how state-funded disinformation can serve as a key instrument in the transition from politicised discourse to technocratic and symbolic rule, in which citizens are not so much excluded from participation as redirected into non-confrontational, emotionally disengaged roles.
Topic:
Disinformation
Political Geography:
Hungary

28. Unpacking Iranophobia in the Iranian Supreme Leader’s Discourse

Author:
Ali Basarati
Publication Date:
12-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran’s social and political landscape underwent a significant transformation, challenging Western-centric political narratives and discourses, fostering a new epistemological and ideological framework rooted in the Shiite Islamic principles. This study aims to investigate the prevalent phenomenon of reconstructing and redistributing the discourse of Iranophobia through the Iranian Supreme Leader’s discourse. Employing Foucauldian discourse analysis, the study examines 100 speeches delivered between 2006 and 2024 to understand how Iranophobia is framed, its causes, and its strategic implications. The findings suggest that Iranophobia is not only a geopolitical construct but also a mechanism of political fear used to sustain global hegemony and justify restrictive policies against Iran. The study highlights how Iran’s ideological independence and counter-hegemonic stance have intensified its portrayal as a security threat. By analyzing the Supreme Leader’s discourse, this research provides insights into the broader geopolitical struggle and the discursive strategies shaping Iran’s international positioning.
Topic:
Geopolitics, Ideology, Iranophobia, Islamic Revolution, and Counter-hegemony
Political Geography:
Iran and Middle East

29. Green Soft Power? Checking in on China as a Responsible Stakeholder

Author:
Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska, Kerry Anne Longhurst, and Katarzyna Skiert-Andrzejuk
Publication Date:
01-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
By assuming a proactive role in international environmental regimes and extending the ‘green’ dimensions of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has been seeking to promote itself as a leader and responsible stakeholder in global environmental governance. This article examines this development concerning the notion of China’s ‘soft power’ and, more specifically, the notion of ‘green soft power’ – which aims to bridge the traditional concept of soft power with a state’s behavior on environmental and climate issues. China presents an interesting case since it has accrued a considerable amount of green soft power through its multilateral environmental diplomacy practiced at the Conferences of the Parties (COPs), the high-profile annual United Nations Climate Change Conferences, but its patchy deployment of environmental standards in the bilateral engagements under the BRI highlights the contradictions in referring to China as a green soft power. With these ideas in mind, this article holds that in the search to understand the evolving nature of China’s responsible stakeholder role, attention should be given to exploring the notion of green soft power.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Environment, Soft Power, and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
Political Geography:
China and Asia

30. A Legal Notion of Adverse Inference in WTO Case Law

Author:
Markiyan Malskyy
Publication Date:
01-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
Gathering evidence is of utmost importance in any legal proceeding. However, sometimes, one of the parties may hide specific evidence, which complicates the adjudicators’ reaching of a fair conclusion. For such cases, judges or arbitrators can use several tools, one of which is adverse inference. An adverse inference is a negative conclusion that may be drawn from a party’s failure to provide some evidence without a valid excuse for non-production. By drawing it, adjudicators assume this evidence would harm the party’s interests. At the same time, adverse inference is quite a radical tool because it may strongly impact the final decision. Because of this, adjudicators are sometimes cautious about using it. This paper analyzes the notion of adverse inference in the context of the dispute resolution mechanism available in the WTO. In particular, three cases were summarized in which the Appellate Body made interesting findings regarding the application of adverse inference. As a result of the work, conclusions from these cases are made that can be used by lawyers in future WTO disputes, as well as in other international and national dispute resolution fora.
Topic:
World Trade Organization, Dispute Resolution, Fact-Finding, and Adverse Influence
Political Geography:
Global Focus