Parliamentary online public engagement in the 21st Century : A comparative perspective with a focus on Austria and Portugal

This thesis concerns how parliaments, as institutions, utilise the Internet (and ICTs) to reach and engage citizen. It is structured around the concept of parliamentary (online) public engagement, which has only recently gained some attention in the research agendas of political science and legislative studies. This concept covers a very wide range of outlets and activities offered by parliaments, which can have different purposes and can assume both passive and active forms of engaging with citizens. This thesis focuses on a comparative study of PWs in 21 countries in Europe, and it is complemented by multiple case studies. A mixed method approach was applied, relying on both quantitative and qualitative data and methods. First, the measurement and description of parliamentary online public engagement activities and tools in 21 European parliaments was undergone. Then, it proceeded to a qualitative strand, first assessing the causal conditions necessary and/or sufficient for explaining the results from the quantitative strand and second studying in two case studies in depth – Portugal and Austria – in order to understand the relevant mechanisms, processes and critical actors behind parliaments’ online public engagement strategies over time. Empirically, the study finds that parliaments are selective in their strategies for engaging with the public. In their selectivity, most parliaments choose to invest largely in information provision, leaving other activities of public engagement as secondary. This means that most parliaments have not yet implemented activities and tools to truly engage with their citizens. Additionally, some of the examples found are of an experimental nature or are still in their infancy. Furthermore, parliaments still have a long way to go in pursuing the way they delivery public engagement activities to their audiences. Descriptive results also show that parliaments are cautious when it comes to citizen’s actual participation in the policymaking and prefer to convert conventional forms of participation to digital versions instead of creating innovative democratic instruments. From the explanatory analysis it was possible to conclude that besides parliamentary resources, a committed leadership and political will from key critical actors are also important when it comes to changing the way parliaments engage with citizens through digital media. Additionally, these institutions are mimicking other parliaments that are perceived as successful in using ICTs to communicate and engage with citizens as a response to environmental uncertainty. Finally, it seems that inter-parliamentary cooperation, i.e. learning mechanisms, are increasingly relevant for parliaments on these matters

O Desenvolvimento da Democracia em Angola - A percepção dos especialistas

Investigadores do ICS da Universidade de Lisboa e da OVILONGWA (Angola) apresentam os principais resultados do inquérito aplicado aos especialistas sobre o Desenvolvimento da Democracia em Angola – A percepção dos especialistas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Volatilidade eleitoral nos 28 Estados-membros da União Europeia desde 1945 a 2012

Esta dissertação centra-se na volatilidade eleitoral nas democracias europeias entre 1945 a 2012. A volatilidade é um fenómeno cada vez mais estudado na europa e noutras regiões do mundo, dada a sua importância em termos de consequências para os sistemas políticos. Ambiciona-se saber quais os níveis de volatilidade eleitoral na União Europeia e, do ponto de vista agregado, o que explica a volatilidade eleitoral nas 28 democracias europeias entre 1945 até 2012? De modo a responder a esta questão de pesquisa analisámos 343 eleições de 28 estados-membros e considerámos a maioria dos preditores apontados na literatura como explicativos para a volatilidade eleitoral: características do sistema partidário, atributos do sistema eleitoral, características do sistema político em geral e indicadores socioeconómicos. Através de análises descritivas bivariadas foi possível determinar que existem diferenças assinaláveis entre as regiões europeias, e que a Europa central e oriental regista os maiores níveis de volatilidade. As análises multivariadas, em particular através de regressões lineares múltiplas, com os erros estandardizados robustos agrupados pelo país, permitiram determinar quais as dimensões que explicam estas diferenças: a dimensão política (longevidade da democracia) e a dimensão socioeconómica (índice de desenvolvimento humano, índice de gini e taxa do crescimento real do PIB).This thesis focuses on electoral volatility in European democracies from 1945 to 2012. Volatility is an increasingly studied phenomenon in Europe and also other world regions, given its importance regarding its consequences for the political systems. We aim to assess what are the levels of electoral volatility in the European Union and in the aggregate perspective, what explains the electoral volatility in 28 European democracies between 1945 and 2012. In order to answer to this research question, we examined 343 elections in the 28 member states and considered the majority of predictors identified, in previous literature, as possible explanations for electoral volatility: characteristics of the party system, electoral system attributes, characteristics of the political system in general and socio-economic indicators. Using descriptive bivariate analysis, we determined that there are significant differences between European regions and that Central and Eastern Europe have the highest levels of volatility. Multivariate analysis, in particular, multiple linear regressions with standardized robust errors clustered by country, determined which dimensions explained these differences: the political dimension (longevity of democracy) and the socio-economic dimension (human development index, GINI index and real GDP growth rate)

Kenny music performance anxiety inventory: contribution for the Portuguese validation

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to contribute to the validation of the Portuguese version of the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI) and to study its psychometric properties. (2) Methods: A sample of 164 undergraduate music students in Portugal (62.2% female; mean age = 22.63; SD = 4.36) completed an online survey composed of the K-MPAI Portuguese version, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The K-MPAI psychometric properties were examined using exploratory factor analyses, known-group differences, and Cronbach’s alpha. (3) Results: A four-factor structure was identified, in line with recent validation of this measure in other countries: music performance anxiety-related symptoms, depression and hopelessness, parental support, and memory self-efficacy. Concurrent and known group validity were established, and reliability scores were appropriate for the dimensions and total score. (4) Conclusions: The results provide initial evidence of the appropriateness of the Portuguese version of the K-MPAI.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A qualidade da democracia em Portugal - Resultados das avaliações dos especialistas

O Observatório da Qualidade da Democracia do Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (www.oqd.ics.ulisboa.pt), tem feito parte deste debate, liderando vários estudos relevantes sobre o funcionamento da democracia em Portugal. É nesse âmbito que surge o Índice da Qualidade da Democracia (IQD), lançado em 2018 com o objetivo de monitorizar a saúde da democracia portuguesa com base em avaliações feitas por especialistas nacionais, das mais variadas áreas das ciências sociais e humanas, sobre várias dimensões de democracia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A qualidade da democracia em Cabo Verde - resultados das avaliações dos especialistas

Cabo Verde é uma das democracias mais estáveis e exemplares em África (Meyns 2002, Baker 2006, Sanches 2018a). Após completar o processo de transição para a democracia com as eleições legislativas, presidenciais e autárquicas de 1991 e uma ampla revisão constitucional em 1992, o país assinalou um progresso considerável em várias arenas democráticas, registando eleições livres e justas regularmente (Costa 2018), alternância pacífica no governo (Sanches 2018b), e melhorias na qualidade da governação (Resende-Santos 2013, Sanches e Seibert 2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Music performance anxiety inventory for adolescents: psychometric properties of the Portuguese version

The aim of the current study was to develop the Portuguese version of the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A) and to examine its psychometric properties with a sample of 161 adolescent music students in Portugal. Participants completed the Portuguese version of the MPAI-A, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The MPAI-A psychometric properties were examined for validity and reliability. A two-factor structure was identified through Exploratory Factor Analysis: F1-Music Performance Anxiety cognitive and somatic symptoms; F2-Performance. Concurrent and known-group validity were established, and reliability scores were appropriate for the dimensions and total score. Results provide initial evidence of the appropriateness of the Portuguese version of the MPAI-A. Practical implications are discussed and future studies with this instrument are suggested.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

As eleições europeias de 2019 em Portugal: Um teste à «Geringonça»?

Em Portugal, as eleições para o Parlamento Europeu de 2019 foram particularmente interessantes. Decorreram apenas quatro meses antes das legislativas e por essa razão funcionaram como uma espécie de teste para a «Geringonça» ‒ para o Partido Socialista (ps) e os seus parceiros à esquerda ‒ mas também para a oposição. Neste artigo, refletimos brevemente sobre a natureza e as características das eleições europeias, apoiando-nos no modelo de eleições de segunda ordem. Seguindo uma perspetiva longitudinal, este artigo procura analisar as europeias à luz dos resultados de 2014, mas também comparando-as com as eleições legislativas de 2019 e 2015.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Animal model for chronic massive rotator cuff tear: behavioural and histologic analysis

Purpose Massive rotator cuff tears (MRCT) are usually chronic lesions that present associated degenerative changes of the myotendinous unit that have been implicated in limitations for surgical repair. In order to develop effective therapies, it is important to establish animal models that mimic the hallmarks of the injury itself. Therefore, in the present work, we aimed to (1) optimize a rodent animal model of MRCT that closely reproduces the fatty infiltration of the cuff muscles seen in humans and (2) describe the effects of unilateral or bilateral lesion in terms of histology and behaviour. Methods Massive tear was defined as two rotator cuff tendons—supraspinatus and infraspinatus—section. Twenty-one Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: bilateral lesion (five animals), right-sided unilateral lesion (five animals), left-sided unilateral lesion (five animals) and control (six animals). Behaviour was analyzed with open field and staircase test, 16 weeks after lesion. After that, animals were killed, and the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles were processed. Results Histologic analysis revealed adipocytes, fatty infiltration and atrophy in the injured side with a greater consistency of these degenerative changes in the bilateral lesion group. Behaviour analysis revealed a significant functional impairment of the fine motor control of the forepaw analyzed in staircase test where the number of eaten pellets was significantly higher in sham animals (sham = 7 ± 5.0; left unilateral = 2.6 ± 3.0; right unilateral = 0 ± 0; and bilateral = 0 ± 0, p left unilateral = 2 ± 2.1 > right unilateral = 0.8 ± 1.3 > bilateral = 0.8 ± 1.1). Conclusions The present study has been able to establish an animal model that disclosed the hallmarks of MRCT. This can now be used as a valuable, cost-effective, pre-clinical instrument to assist in the development of advanced tissue engineered strategies. Moreover, this animal model overcomes some of the limitations of those that have been reported so far and thus represents a more reliable source for the assessment of future therapeutic strategies with potential clinical relevance.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2—O Novo Norte), ao abrigo do Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN), através do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER

Os Impactos Sociais da Pandemia: o Segundo Confinamento

Este relatório centra-se nos principais resultados do inquérito online “Os impactos sociais da pandemia - o segundo confinamento”, coordenado por uma equipa de investigadoras do Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (ICS-ULisboa), que decorreu entre os dias 11 a 25 de Fevereiro de 2021, ou seja, durante o 11º estado de emergência nacional. À data da recolha dos dados, o cenário epidemiológico em Portugal era grave, com um número médio de novas infeções diárias a rondar os 1800 casos e contabilizando um número de 100 óbitos diários. A amostra obtida é uma amostra “bola de neve” ou “guiada pelo respondente”, tendo sido recolhidas 7873 respostas de inquiridos a residir em Portugal, com 16 ou mais anos de idade. Ao longo deste relatório focamo-nos na análise diferenciada dos impactos da pandemia nas diversas esferas da vida, nos diferentes grupos sociais e nas experiências vividas dos indivíduos e das famílias em cenário de confinamento. Para tal, centramo-nos em cinco questões: • Em que medida o confinamento de 2021 foi mais fácil, igual ou mais difícil do que o confinamento de 2020? • Quais os impactos da pandemia na vida profissional dos indivíduos? • Como é que os jovens viveram os seus quotidianos estudantis durante o confinamento e quais as suas maiores preocupações face ao futuro? • Como é que foi vivida a doença por aqueles que estiveram infetados com COVID-19 e que sequelas deixou tal experiência? • Quais os níveis de confiança nas instituições e decisores políticos e a quem é atribuída uma maior responsabilidade pela situação epidemiológica do país?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio