- ; Contemporary rising powers have often pursued a hesitant and ambiguous foreign-policy and have belied the expectations of potential followers and established powers who would want them to engage more actively in global and regional governance. The existing analytical toolbox of International Relations does not offer suitable concepts to make sense of the widespread phenomenon of states that pursue hesitant, inconsistent courses of action and do not bring to bear their power resources to coherently manage international crises that potentially affect them. A notion that is frequently employed to describe this peculiar type of foreign policy is that of 'reluctance', but this concept has not been systematically defined, discussed or theorized. This article aims to introduce the concept of reluctance into the field of International Relations. It develops a conceptualization of reluctance by identifying the concept's semantic field and discussing how reluctance relates to the similar but distinct notions of exceptionalism, isolationism, under-aggression and under-balancing (concept reconstruction); on that basis, the article outlines the constitutive dimensions of reluctance — hesitation and recalcitrance — and their operationalization (concept building). Several illustrative cases of (non-)reluctant rising powers are used to exemplify the concept structure and to show the analytical usefulness of the concept of reluctance, which refers to a distinct set of phenomena that are not addressed by other concepts in International Relations. An application of the concept allows us to identify policy shifts and differences across issue areas, as well as open up avenues for further research.
Published online before print June 24, 2016 ; Contemporary rising powers have often pursued a hesitant and ambiguous foreign policy and have belied the expectations of potential followers and established powers who would want them to engage more actively in global and regional governance. The existing analytical toolbox of International Relations does not offer suitable concepts to make sense of the widespread phenomenon of states that pursue hesitant, inconsistent courses of action and do not bring to bear their power resources to coherently manage international crises that potentially affect them. A notion that is frequently employed to describe this peculiar type of foreign policy is that of 'reluctance', but this concept has not been systematically defined, discussed or theorized. This article aims to introduce the concept of reluctance into the field of International Relations. It develops a conceptualization of reluctance by identifying the concept's semantic field and discussing how reluctance relates to the similar but distinct notions of exceptionalism, isolationism, under-aggression and under-balancing (concept reconstruction); on that basis, the article outlines the constitutive dimensions of reluctance — hesitation and recalcitrance — and their operationalization (concept building). Several illustrative cases of (non-)reluctant rising powers are used to exemplify the concept structure and to show the analytical usefulness of the concept of reluctance, which refers to a distinct set of phenomena that are not addressed by other concepts in International Relations. An application of the concept allows us to identify policy shifts and differences across issue areas, as well as open up avenues for further research.
ABSTRACTA focus on the interaction between cognitive schemas and context in situ has been suggested as fundamental in organizational decision making and information interpretation. Past research suggests that the situation and the social interaction that occur during learning at the cognitive level consist of factors that affect the process, but the research lacks a coherent explanation for how those factors affect it. We propose a conceptualization of learning, termed situated learning, which accounts for these factors. By drawing on situated cognition theory, social learning theory, and the theory of mental models, we identify and measure four components of situated learning, that is, thematic focus, cognitive absorption, social structure, and participation. Among the most important lessons for researchers and practitioners is the need to consider learning as a constellation of the four components instead of an indivisible phenomenon. This perspective can enhance our understanding of cognitive processes, such as information interpretation and decision making.
Problem setting. Political ideology is a complex, ambiguous social phenomenon that is constantly in the focus of attention of scholars and is considered in various scientific discourses. The problematic situation is related to contradictions in the definition of the concept and place of political ideology in the socio-political space. In this regard, it is advisable to analyze the historical evolution of the concept of political ideology and explore the forms in which it is integrated in modern conditions.
Recent research and publications analysis. The study of the problems of political ideology belongs to the sphere of scientific interests of both Ukrainian and foreign scholars. Among modern domestic researchers who deal with theoretical and methodological issues of political ideology should be noted such scientists as V. Andrushchenko, L. Gubernsky, N. Degtyareva, V. Denisenko, D. Dontsov, V. Zablotsky, F. Kirilyuk, V. Korablyova , V. Lisovy, I. Myhul, M. Mykhalchenko, O. Postol, A. Sukharina and others. Foreign scholars T. Adorno, T. Boyd, J. Habermas, M. Gorkheimer, D. Jost, P. Kisak, S. Krauthammer, K. Mannheim, D. Martin, N. Pulantsas, K. Federico, M. Frieden, M. Foucault, K. Harrison and others. Despite the fact that the scientific literature has widely reflected the understanding of various problems of political ideology, there are still a number of debatable issues that need to be constantly considered.
Paper objective. The aim of the article is to study the essence of the concept of political ideology in modern socio-philosophical discourse; consideration of methodological approaches to the analysis of this phenomenon; identification of structural levels and components of political ideology, study of the features of its functional system.
Paper main body. In the modern scientific literature, the concept of "political ideology" has many interpretations. This significantly complicates his research. To reveal the essence of this social phenomenon, we must first turn to the analysis of the concept of "ideology". Ideology is one of the forms of social consciousness. It is a theoretically generalized system of views and beliefs about society, in which theoretical and empirical knowledge is intertwined with beliefs and values. Ideology, in fact, is an intellectual expression of the activities of different classes and social groups that have their own conceptual and moral value systems. The basis of the ideological system of society is political ideology. Any ideology has a political character, but the concept of "political ideology" is used in a specific sense, namely - to characterize the rational-value motivation of political behavior and ideological basis of politics. Political ideology is a system of conceptually designed ideas, ideas and views on political life, which reflects the interests, worldview, ideals, moods of people, classes, nations, society, political parties. To analyze ideology as a factor in the political process, it is important to understand its structure and functions. After all, the structural elements of ideology have varying degrees of influence on the political process. According to Ukrainian scholars (M. Mikhalchenko, M. Ostapenko, О. Voronyansky, Т. Kulishenko and others) political ideology includes the following structural components: political ideas; political hypotheses, concepts, theories, doctrines; political ideals, values, slogans; political myths and political utopias; political programs. The functional system of political ideology includes a wide range of functions, including the following: orientation, mobilization, integration, depreciation, the function of expressing and protecting the interests of a particular social group.
Conclusions of the research. Political ideology, which is a set of mostly systematized ideas, views, ideas of certain social groups, society as a whole, contains theoretical (conceptual) understanding of political life and protects their interests and goals through political power or influence on it. Its role in society is determined by the influence it exerts on the state of public consciousness through the implementation of its specific functions.
