In The Post-Factual Polity: Ethical, Governance, Administrative, and Policy Crises in the Disinformation Era, Haris Alibašic presents a compelling and timely examination of the intricate challenges facing our society in the age of disinformation and misinformation. This groundbreaking book delves into the critical intersection of ethics, governance, and the pervasive influence of post-factual politics, offering a nuanced understanding of the issues that shape public policy and administration in the digital era.Haris Alibašic, with his extensive experience and scholarly insight, guides readers through the complexities of ethical governance amidst the rise of disinformation. His insightful analysis, covering topics from the history of factual politics to the role of AI in public discourse, is essential for academics, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of ethical governance. This book is a beacon for those seeking to navigate and counteract the challenges of misinformation, aiming to foster a more informed, ethical, and resilient society.The Post-Factual Polity is more than a book; it is an urgent call to action, a roadmap for navigating the tumultuous landscape of modern governance, and a testament to the power of truth in an era of uncertainty. As an authoritative source in the field, it is poised to become a vital reference for those dedicated to upholding the principles of democracy and integrity in public policy and administration.

Public budgeting and finance is a discipline that encompasses communities of research and practice. Too often, however, these communities fail to engage each other, instead choosing to operate independently. The result is that the research being conducted fails to address the questions of the day and our governments’ challenges. In this article, we come together as a community of academics and practitioners to establish an agenda for where future research should be conducted. This agenda aims to align the research being undertaken within the academic community with the needs of those working in the community of practice. After establishing ten areas where research is needed, we followed a ranked-choice voting process to establish a prioritization for them. Based on the outcome of this process, the two primary areas where research is currently needed most are the fiscal health of our governments and the implementation of social equity budgeting.  

For decades, academic freedom and shared governance have stood as cornerstones of higher education in the United States, but these principles face unprecedented challenges. Recent developments point to a disturbing decline in these critical values, stirring debates on the future viability of the higher education system. This study delves into the problematic trajectory of modern higher education, spotlighting the rise of corporate practices within academic institutions, the swelling ranks of university administration, and the disproportionate weight given to student evaluations in assessing faculty. These factors have converged to push academia into an unstable transition, a liminal phase fueled by external and internal forces. This study examines the evolving landscape of academic freedom within the corporatized university model. Utilizing the concept of liminality, it explores the transitional challenges faced by academia in balancing traditional scholarly values with emerging market-driven paradigms, arguing that the corporatization of universities represents a liminal phase, wherein the identity and purpose of academic institutions are in flux, significantly impacting the notion of academic freedom. The shift toward a consumer-oriented ethos endangers the foundational principles of higher education, risking substituting educational substance with the mere transaction of educational services. The study concludes by issuing a call to action for all stakeholders in higher education to acknowledge and confront these detrimental trends, thereby safeguarding the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and the educational system's overall integrity and dynamism.

This research delves into the relatively uncharted territory of Islamic governance and its impact on strategic sustainability and climate resilience planning in Muslim-majority countries. It scrutinizes the role of religious regimes in public administration and policy-making within these nations. The study employs a case study methodology, focusing on 11 strategically chosen countries within the Islamic world, and evaluates their respective climate resilience and sustainable development objectives. Forty-five reports, plans, and government documents from 2017 to 2023 are analyzed using a two-cycle coding process facilitated by software. The paper makes three significant contributions. Firstly, it addresses the academic call for understanding the positive governance of sustainable development and resilience planning in Muslim-majority countries, specifically focusing on the role of religious regimes. Secondly, it reframes the general understanding of governance in public administration related to resilience planning in Islamic countries. Lastly, it offers an understanding of religious regimes to analyze climate resilience planning. The analysis reveals several thematic categories, each representing a different resilience and sustainability planning governance aspect. The study’s results suggest that nations with the most effective plans tend to have robust economies, comprehensive educational institutions, pluralistic societies, inclusive governments, and liberal religious regimes, all of which positively influence sustainable development and climate resilience planning.

This study investigates the effectiveness of collaborative governance in the context of state and local government responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic in Florida. Our analysis uncovers how local authorities have successfully adapted to implement policies to increase resilience and address the crisis, despite facing challenges, constraints, and limitations. Our findings underscore the significance of considering unique local characteristics when addressing pandemics and shed light on the potential influences of state‐level actors on Home Rule. Notably, research examining the interplay between state decisions and Home Rule during a pandemic is scarce. We utilize Florida as a case study to examine local government responses to COVID‐19, employing a qualitative analysis of data from webinars hosted by the Florida League of Cities and media reports on local government actions. To substantiate our findings and encourage further research, we apply the collaborative governance framework in the context of local government administrative responsibilities.

The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in cryptocurrency trading has precipitated complex ethical considerations, demanding a thorough exploration of responsible regulatory approaches. This research expands upon this need by employing a consequentialist theoretical framework, emphasizing the outcomes of AI and ML’s deployment within the sector and its effects on stakeholders. Drawing on critical case studies, such as SBF and FTX, and conducting an extensive review of relevant literature, this study explores the ethical implications of AI and ML in the context of cryptocurrency trading. It investigates the necessity for novel regulatory methods that address the unique characteristics of digital assets alongside existing legalities, such as those about fraud and insider trading. The author proposes a typology framework for AI and ML trading by comparing consequentialism to other ethical theories applicable to AI and ML use in cryptocurrency trading. By applying a consequentialist lens, this study underscores the significance of balancing AI and ML’s transformative potential with ethical considerations to ensure market integrity, investor protection, and overall well-being in cryptocurrency trading.

This study offers a comprehensive examination of environmental governance within the European Union (EU), focusing on the comparative experiences of Bosnia and Herzegovina (a non-EU member) and Croatia (an EU member). The research uses policy transfer theory to investigate the practicality and effectiveness of EU-led environmental initiatives when implemented at state and local levels. The study reveals a disconnect between these initiatives and their execution, with corruption and fragile political arrangements identified as significant barriers to environmental protection. The research further underscores the complex nature of EU-driven environmental governance policies and the impact of post-war political agreements and transitional struggles on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s and Croatia’s governance structures. The methodology involves a detailed analysis of the legal frameworks, policies, and plans employed by the EU and the countries under study. The results highlight the importance of context and capacity in evaluating the effectiveness of environmental governance. The study contributes to understanding environmental governance in the EU context and provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for policy transfer to state-level governments.

Southeast Asia has the most significant tropical peat/peat carbon storage area in the world, with Indonesia being the primary location for much of it. Anthropogenic changes to peatlands have resulted in a threat to these endangered ecosystems; policies that have favored industrial and elite interests above those of local communities have resulted in severe consequences for the environment and public health, not only in Indonesia and its region, but for the world community in terms of contributions to climate change. Decentralization has been seen as a means of sharing authority and accountability with lower government levels and providing additional opportunities for shared governance. Still, there is reason to question the means of these approaches and the results of such efforts. The research question is: What can be learned about the administration’s role in leading stakeholder involvement from the case of Indonesian peatland management? The authors utilize outcome additionality as a framework connected to the resilience of peatlands.

The individual interpretations of purchasing policies weaken fair government purchasing practices. However, this does not fully account for the nature of the media’s coverage of government contracting, taken as a whole. The authors seek to understand better framing in newspaper stories on government procurement, with the government as a force that creates opportunity and fraud. The paper focuses on an area of cognitive uncertainty in understanding portrayals of public procurement in newspaper articles as positive or negative, and, assuming a lack of balance, what interest or group do articles favor in their portrayal of this public function? Sentiment analysis of a corpus of newspaper articles focusing on government contracting was conducted. This analysis suggests that the negative perception of government contracting is reinforced and exacerbated by sensationalized media coverage, a negative impact on the policymaking process and public discourse, and public trust in government results.

Abstract Diversity management in the workplace is essential for ensuring a high quality, representative public service and strengthening organizations' sustainability. For the public sector to remain effective and productive, the management of today’s dynamic workforce requires a perspective that values and welcomes diversity. The promotion of diversity in the public sector helps to ensure sustained competitiveness and success. This study explores managing diversity in the public sector and how public organizations' human resources have engaged with diversity. Semi-structured interviews with 37 officials working in Human Resource departments in the public sector, primarily in Northwest Florida, USA, were conducted by student researchers. A grounded theory approach to understanding the interviews was conducted, using two-cycle coding. Interviewees indicated that diversity recruitment and diversity education ensured high inclusion levels concerning race/ethnicity, age, and gender in the public sector, echoing the literature on the topic; this showed the importance of maintaining such emphases. Analysis of the interviews indicated continuing challenges with attaining the ideals of diversity. By providing attention to workforce diversity and insights into diversity management in the public sector organizations in the United States deserving of additional attention, this study contributes to understanding managing diversity to attain public sector success.