This study presents a bibliometric analysis of scholarly literature on the challenges and needs of homeless people with mental disorders. Utilizing data from the Scopus database and analytical tools such as Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace, the research maps global scientific output and intellectual structure in this interdisciplinary field. The analysis reveals steady growth in publications, with a significant rise after 2010, reflecting increasing academic attention to the intersection of homelessness and mental health. Leading contributors include researchers from the United States and Canada, with top journals such as Psychiatric Services and the Community Mental Health Journal serving as primary dissemination platforms. Co-citation and bibliographic coupling analyses reveal thematic cohesion centred on housing-first interventions, dual diagnosis, and integrated care models. Keyword co-occurrence and trend topic analyses highlight ongoing interest in trauma, substance use, and public health, while newer terms like COVID-19 and indigenous mental health signal responsive adaptation to contemporary challenges. Thematic mapping identifies underexplored areas such as incarceration, veterans, and youth mental health as emerging yet underdeveloped. The findings underscore the field's evolution from foundational to service-oriented research, with a growing focus on equity and recovery. Despite progress, gaps remain in digital health integration and cross-sectoral approaches. These insights inform future research directions and underscore the need for inclusive, policy-aligned strategies to support this vulnerable population.
This paper examines how Prime Minister Donald Tusk used emotional appeals to frame housing-related policy responses during the 2024 flood crisis in Poland. The study is based on a Qualitative Content Analysis of six public speeches delivered between 13 and 25 September 2024. Drawing on elements of Szarfenberg’s Beyond the Rational Calculator (BRC) tool, it focuses on three housing-related policy areas and their affective framing: evacuation, reconstruction, and long-term state responsibility. The analysis identifies three findings. First, evacuation was framed not primarily as coercive state action, but as a morally necessary and emotionally justified act of protection, legitimized through fear, solidarity, trust in rescuers, and collective memory of earlier floods. Second, reconstruction was presented not merely as technical recovery, but as a forward-looking moral project in which rapid aid delivery, coordination, and continued institutional presence served to reassure affected communities and stabilize uncertainty. Third, Tusk’s speeches constructed a broader image of the state as an enduring moral guarantor of housing protection, dignity, and continuity in disaster settings. The findings also suggest that citizens’ reception of this message may have varied depending on their previous experiences with political messaging, public institutions, and disaster-related state support, shaping whether it was interpreted as reassuring, persuasive, or contestable. The article argues that the speeches combined affective legitimization with emotional containment. Since the study is limited to six speeches by a single political actor, its claims remain exploratory and should be understood as a proof of concept rather than a definitive account of emotional governance.
This study examines the push factors causing labor force emigration from the six Western Balkan countries; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, based on a comprehensive dataset of 6000 observations from the Balkan Barometer. The analysis uses logistic regression models (Ordinary Least Squares—OLS Robust—Fixed Effects-- Random Effects) to understand how socioeconomic and political factors impact emigration. The model examines the dependent variable, migration ( Yes/No), against independent variables that include Employment Status, Economic Situation, Belief in Justice System, Political Situation, Education System, and Public Services. The findings confirm that of the push factors, unemployment and economic situation are the leading factors with log-odds coefficients between -0.79 to -0.85 and -0.39 to -0.42, respectively, followed by weak institutional values and political instability (coefficients ranged between -0.16 to -0.38). ANOVA analysis discovered that the emigration rates differed between countries, with Montenegro and Serbia having higher rates (0.22 and 0.21) than Albania and North Macedonia (0.15 and 0.16). This research supports the hypothesis that socioeconomic and political factors are significant drivers of migration pressure. From a policy perspective, job creation and improved living standards with strong governance will help lessen the pressure to emigrate. This study adds to the migration literature by providing a nuance, region-specific context and illustrates the importance of interventions that are place-based solutions that address the root causes of migration in the Western Balkans.
In this study, focusing on the concept of diaspora, the transformation of the Turkish population in Germany over 63 years has been analyzed. The process, which began with guest labor, has changed and evolved approximately in ten-year intervals, eventually reaching the point of forming a diaspora. Initially, the Turkish community in Germany was merely labor immigrants or guest workers in specific, but over time, they experienced stages including labor migration, international migration, migration as the other in nationalism, somewhat marginalized migration, and finally, in the sixth stage, migration as actors of the diaspora. This study, supplemented by Turkish and foreign diaspora research as well as general literature, concludes that the Turks in Germany have evolved from a labor community 63 years ago into a social, economic, cultural, and political entity that has changed, developed, and strengthened. They have reached a position where they can engage in lobbying and ultimately form a diaspora.
The paper examines the contemporary condition of social dialogue in the context of structural transformations in labour markets and governance. It argues that social dialogue has not disappeared but has undergone a process of progressive hollowing-out: while its institutional forms persist, their capacity to redistribute power and translate conflict into binding outcomes has significantly weakened. The analysis situates social dialogue within two genealogies: conflict-based and cooperative-ethical and shows how their historical coexistence was sustained by the post-war paradigm of embedded liberalism. Building on this framework, the paper identifies three interrelated processes shaping the current transformation of social dialogue: ritualisation, technocratisation and dis-embedding. It further demonstrates that commonly invoked - alternatives direct democracy instruments, labour law utopias and ethical consumption- fail to generate durable forms of collective agency or institutional leverage. These developments are linked to broader structural shifts, including platformisation and the emergence of techno-feudal economic architectures, which limit the space for meaningful negotiation. The paper concludes by conceptualising the present condition as a vacancy of collective agency and proposes a research agenda focused on emerging micro-dialogical forms fragmented, hybrid and experimental practices that may signal new, though still fragile, configurations of collective action.
This article analyses how Georgian political parties have addressed youth issues in their election programmes since 2008 and how their perspectives on these issues have evolved over successive election cycles. In particular, it examines whether this focus reflects genuine party policy or is merely an electoral strategy. Using the 2024 parliamentary elections as the central case study and analysing comparative data from the 2008-2024 electoral periods, the study draws on rational choice theory (Shepsle & Bonchek, 2010) and the concept of symbolic politics (Edelman, 1985) as part of a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative content analysis with qualitative discourse analysis. The results show that the parties focus on youth issues only during elections and do not make them long-term priorities. Consequently, the stated commitments to youth policy go beyond their actual implementation. The analysis also places these patterns within the broader ideological context of the parties and shows that the politicisation of youth issues is shaped not only by the electoral calendar but also by the parties’ underlying ideological orientation. The Georgian case follows a more general pattern that can also be observed in other transition democracies. By providing valuable new data, this study will contribute to the literature on party programmes and youth policy in the post-Soviet context.
This paper explores how education and healthcare policies can reduce ongoing inequalities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We focus on different types of inequality, particularly educational disparities and healthcare access gaps, and examine how social policies in these areas have affected these issues. Using a comparative literature review approach, this study conducts a policy-oriented analysis of inequality in education and healthcare across MENA. Drawing on recent data and research, it evaluates the effectiveness of various reforms and programmes. The findings suggest that while economic growth has generally improved living standards in the region, the distribution of these gains remains highly uneven, with persistent gaps between affluent and marginalized groups. Policies that target education and health are crucial for closing these gaps: investing in quality education and expanding healthcare access can increase social mobility and fairness. The paper offers a set of coordinated policy suggestions—including expanding educational opportunities for disadvantaged populations and improving healthcare financing and coverage—to reduce inequalities. Ultimately, a comprehensive social policy framework, guided by human capital theory and social determinants of health, is vital for promoting inclusive development in MENA countries.
This article explores the institutional and socio-economic dimensions of social isolation among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in rural territorial communities (rural hromadas) of Ukraine during 2022–2023. Framed by historical institutionalism and the social capital/integration literature, the analysis draws on focus group discussions with IDPs in rural western Ukraine. It identifies key causes of isolation, including cultural differences, infrastructural challenges, and institutional dysfunctions such as communication gaps, lack of employment opportunities, and opaque access to documents and services within thin service networks. The article reveals how IDPs often face subtle forms of exclusion despite the absence of direct hostility, contributing to a decline in human and social capital in host communities. We argue for an integrated approach that includes closing the communication vacuum, strengthening community engagement through local initiatives, and launching joint educational programs for IDPs and residents. We also emphasise participatory mechanisms, digital inclusion initiatives, and low-cost community-building activities. These measures are crucial for preventing the long-term institutionalization of social isolation during recovery and reconstruction and for enabling the successful integration of IDPs into the social and economic life of rural Ukraine. In policy terms, linking and bridging ties - together with dependable institutional access - emerge as practical levers to reduce isolation and support rural recovery.
The question about the potential differences between the town/city and the countryside becomes important in relation to such a specific type of social services as childcare. These are the services whose accessibility can play the role of a factor in local development. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to illustrate the state of accessibility to childcare for children up to 5 years of age in a comparative approach covering urban and rural areas. To achieve this aim, a set of research methods and techniques is used (element of comparative analysis and , document analysiscontent analysis, statistical data analysis). The study on the accessibility of nurseries, children’s clubs and kindergartens covering the Wałbrzych district leads to the conclusion that the level of this accessibility, regardless of whether we are talking about the physical dimension (A1), qualitative dimension (A2), or economic dimension (A3), shows differentiation in the division into urban and rural communes. Due to the lack of detailed, specialist documents adopted at the strategic level, this statement refers to the operational level, which consists of the activities of entities providing care, i.e. nurseries, children’s clubs and kindergartens operating in eight communes in questions.
Recent changes in Poland's classification of scientific fields and disciplines (2018, 2022) have impacted the organization of research institutions and the direction of studies, particularly in the social and health sciences. Unlike the natural sciences, which rely on stable classifications, the social sciences and humanities deal with complex and evolving subjects, making rigid frameworks problematic. This article argues that recent classification reforms, particularly concerning the social and health sciences, disrupt cognitive processes, weaken institutional coherence, and hinder the formulation of rational social and health policies. The argument focuses on one crucial dimension of the issue: the marginalization of integrative approaches that connect social and health concerns. This limitation adversely affects public governance and the effective design of real-world interventions in both domains. Given the intrinsic overlap between social and health issues in public policy, interdisciplinary research and action are essential. However, current academic administrative practices—including the proliferation of narrow specializations and the continual emergence of new subfields—discourage genuine interdisciplinarity, despite official declarations to the contrary. Alarmingly, these trends persist with minimal resistance from the academic community, even as their negative consequences are acknowledged. The reflections presented in this article stem from the author's research across the fields of health policy (including public health) and social policy. The text is organized into three sections: health-related issues, social policy, and the intersection of the two. The article concludes with reflections and recommendations aimed at scholars and policymakers in both the social sciences and humanities, as well as the health and natural sciences.
Long-term care in the Czech Republic is characterized by workforce and service shortages; care homes often do not have a good reputation and are considered a last resort. What high-quality care should look like and how it can be ensured is controversial in this context. The paper studies these questions using the example of a small, private care home for Czech as well as German-speaking seniors that had been shut down abruptly with residents being moved to nearby institutions in less than 24 hours. Drawing on an in-depth analysis of the Czech long-term care regime as well as newspaper articles and interviews with different actors on the closure, the paper analyses the definition, implementation and assurance of care quality. It shows how responsibilities for defining, providing and controlling care services are divided between various public and private actors and how quality is understood as something to be implemented via standards and their control. We argue that the fragmentation of the Czech care system and its ambiguous quality regulations create a landscape that is difficult to navigate and, ultimately, resulted in a situation where seniors were moved around “like furniture”, as one relative put it.
The purpose of the article is the formation of a new vision of socially oriented development regarding the improvement of the sphere of agricultural activity within the framework of the organization of the urban-rural space as a prerequisite for solving social problems and ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas. The principles of the organization of natural and economic activity of the urban-rural entity are disclosed. The development trends of inclusive types of spatial natural and economic system are determined. A socially oriented model of the functioning of inclusive types of urban-rural economy is proposed. The focus is on some systemic key issues. First, the category of “inclusion” is revealed. It seems to be known that this is a process of increasing the degree of participation of all citizens in society, but it largely concerns the issues of insufficient mental preparedness of the population to be included in active social and economic processes. Secondly, the issue of reconstruction of the urban-rural organization of economic activity is identified as essential on the agenda. Here several tasks arise that face managers and stakeholders. Thirdly, a social problem that needs to be overcome. The focus is on the problem of difficult perception by the population of the concept of space as a system of interaction of interested parties (stakeholders). Fourth, problematic issues and means of overcoming them, when determining the ways of development of urban-rural formations, should take into account the trends in the cluster organization of specific spatial natural and economic complexes.
This study provides a comprehensive analysis of service quality and empathy dimensions within Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Kerala, India, to evaluate their impact on patient satisfaction. Using a descriptive and analytical research approach, primary data were collected from 400 patients across three districts—Malappuram, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram—using a stratified multi-stage sampling method. The study assesses critical service quality dimensions, including Tangibility, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy, Accessibility, Communication, and Safety and Security. Statistical analysis reveals that empathy, a key driver of patient satisfaction, significantly shapes healthcare experiences alongside other dimensions like Accessibility and Safety. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and socio-economic status were found to influence patient perceptions, highlighting the need for tailored healthcare approaches. The findings underscore systemic challenges like infrastructure limitations, inconsistent grievance mechanisms, and inadequate provider-patient communication. Positive outcomes, including well-maintained facilities and competent staff, are offset by operational inefficiencies in service delivery. To address these gaps, the study recommends targeted interventions, including enhanced training in interpersonal skills, technological modernization, and strategies to improve Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy. This research contributes valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Kerala’s PHCs, offering actionable recommendations for policymakers and healthcare administrators to enhance patient-centered care. By bridging critical gaps, PHCs can better align with India’s broader equitable and high-quality healthcare goals. Future studies could expand the scope to explore the qualitative perspectives of healthcare providers and assess the impact of proposed interventions on patient satisfaction.
Health care directly depends on the health policy system adopted in a given country. Social and economic determinants have a direct impact on a person's well-being and their ability to access health services. People at risk are referred to as a "vulnerable population," and theories from Health Economics support the concept. The study objective is to identify the potential risks associated with missing care for individuals from vulnerable populations. The study employs qualitative approaches, combining data collection and analysis techniques to provide an overview of the relationship between vulnerable population groups, access to healthcare, and potential barriers. The chosen methods include literature and documentation analysis, using the PRISMA-PICOT approach, as well as expert opinions. The results show ten potential groups of vulnerable populations relevant to the Czech environment. Due to the multidisciplinary nature, the categories are segmented according to economic, social, and health perspectives. The study also identifies relevant barriers leading to insufficient care. The most frequently cited barrier is the choice of setting, where rural areas are considered high-risk for the most vulnerable groups. In light of the existing literature, the study provisionally situates these global challenges within the Czech context as well. New terminology may bring more understanding and fundamental theories for new research strategies.
The concept of deservingness relates to judgements about whether a person or group deserves support. The deservingness criteria that underlie people’s opinions play a crucial role in this process. This study examines the perception of deservingness among Polish people in relation to the Family 500+ programme and its beneficiaries. The aim was to determine which deservingness criteria are applied to evaluate the deservingness of families with children, and to distinguish groups of people who share similar views. Q methodology was employed as a research method that exemplifies a mixed approach, using both quantitative and qualitative data to explore viewpoints, opinions, beliefs and attitudes. The purpose of Q methodological studies is to identify factors that distinguish groups of people who share similar opinions about the analysed topic. Three factors were identified as a result of the study. The first is linked to the equality criterion the second to the criteria of control, reciprocity, need and adequacy, and the third to the criteria of reciprocity and social investment. The results show that people's opinions of the same social programme vary considerably, which is the result of attaching importance to different aspects. The results also revealed a certain degree of ambiguity that seems to be an intrinsic part of research focused on the deservingness of families with children - whose deservingness is really being judged: the children's or the parents'? This study has shown that people's views on this issue also vary.
Women play a key role in rural areas. But at the same time, they face a number of problems, including employment. Successful resolution of this issue will largely determine the efficiency of agricultural production, the availability of qualified personnel, the reduction of unemployment, the reduction of social exclusion in rural areas, the improvement of living standards and the overall development of rural areas. This will also influence the formation of social policy in these areas. To investigate this issue, authors use a microsimulation approach that allows predicting potential gaps in the female labor supply by major occupational and qualification groups in rural areas in the medium term by studying rural households. Thus, the main goal of this article is to identify main challenges and opportunities for balancing the supply of women's labor in rural areas. The results of the study are the basis for both the development of rural development strategies and the formation of social policy in particular. Based on a brief analysis of the status of women in the rural labor market in European countries, it can be argued that the issues raised in the article are relevant not only for Ukraine but also for other countries.
The article presents the reform of the Polish social welfare system consisting in the introduction of a new institution – the social services center (SSC). From 2020 Polish municipalities have the statutory option to: transform social assistance centers previously operating in each municipality into SSC or create SSC as a new institution based on the partnership of several municipalities. SSCs have become a kind of laboratory of changes, expressing a new formula for the operation of local social policy institutions. This new format of a local institution fits into contemporary trends in European social policy of mature welfare states (with a fundamental focus on the production, coordination and provision of tailor-made social services available locally). The article considers the presentation of reform processes in the social policy system by moving from protecting citizens in social crisis to investing in the form of dedicated social services in the well-being of all citizens in local communities. SSCs are the subject of reflection on reform in modern welfare states: with exposure of potential and added value, but also risks and resistance to change. The analyzes and conclusions use data collected during a monitoring study focused on the experience of SSC operation including: data found in municipality documents and SSC reports, data obtained from moderated group discussions conducted with SSC managers and specialists, and desk research. The Polish experiences analyzed in the article can be an inspiration for other reformers in countries where similar reforms are planned.
While knowledge about family policy in the European Union (EU) has increased considerably in the last two decades, we know relatively little about policies directed at large families. This paper aims to compare family support schemes affecting large families in the EU countries. Based on welfare regimes and family support models (Esping-Andersen, 1990; Korpi, 2000; Kuronen 2010), we categorize the selected EU countries into five groups, and we explore what configuration of support measures is most effective in meeting the needs of large families, and what are the outcomes of family policy in each country and group of countries. Our analysis is based on previous literature review, and MISSOC and Eurostat data. The findings show that the needs of large families are most effectively met (as evidenced by high rates of third and higher order births, high total fertility rates and relatively low rates of poverty and social exclusion), first, in the Nordic countries, second, in Continental countries, and third, in the examined post-socialist countries. The support for large families is still dependent on the overall design (support to families with children) and generosity (monetary inputs) of the family policy of the given country, and the differences between countries can still be explained by the ideal-typical family policy model prevailing in the country.
‘Paltry pensions’ (emerytury groszowe) are old age pensions that are lower than the statutory minimum pension. This type of retirement benefit is a relatively new phenomenon in the Polish social security system. As many as 400,000 people received ‘paltry pensions’ in 2023, with an upward trend forecast for the years ahead. The reform of the Polish pension system of 1999 generated circumstances conducive to the emergence of ‘paltry pensions’ as a side effect of the implementation of the defined contribution principle. The article seeks to explore the perspectives of diverse stakeholders regarding the causes, consequences, and the policy relevance of this phenomenon. It also includes an analysis of their opinions on social justice principles in the context of pension systems. For this purpose, the article uses fifteen qualitative interviews with experts who represent various stakeholders of the universal pension system in Poland. The result is the mapping of the differences and similarities in the positions of stakeholders with diverse interests and political influence and an overview of these stakeholders’ approaches to the future of pension policy in Poland.
The article analyses the Common Forest Lands in Galicia, exploring their role in promoting environmental sustainability in response to challenges such as industrial forest monoculture, environmental degradation, and population ageing. Using a qualitative methodology that combines a literature review and field observations, the study details the historical, organisational, and productive characteristics of these communities, with a focus on their transition toward more sustainable production models. The work is structured into three main parts: first, it describes the historical and organisational context of Common Forest Lands; second, it examines the negative impacts of industrial forest monoculture in these territories such as biodiversity loss and increased wildfires; and third, it discusses the intergenerational factors influencing the adoption of sustainable practices, highlighting the importance of child and youth participation. The conclusions underscore the need for inclusive public policies that address structural barriers, promote economic diversification, and encourage intergenerational participation in resource management. This study contributes to the debate on sustainability and community governance, providing a theoretical and practical framework for future research on collective management models in rural contexts.
