SOCIAL DESIGN AS AN INSTRUMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE PROCESSES OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND REINTEGRATION

Abstract

Introduction. The development of the social state is associated with new challenges that require implementation of social policies, implementation of innovative approaches to social protection, and introduction of more flexible and personalized citizen support models. Contemporary societies are confronted with numerous complex social challenges, including rising poverty, increasing social inequality, demographic shifts, and the consequences of armed conflicts and natural disasters. In this context, social design emerges as a critically important and rather dynamic area of social protection and, at the same time, as an instrument for targeted responses to these challenges, offering innovative and adaptive solutions to existing problems. As an integral component of the system, social projects provide flexibility to the changing needs of the population and ensure consistent well-being through the application in the processes of social integration and reintegration of displaced persons. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to provide a theoretical substantiation of the directions for employing social design as an instrument of public administration in the processes of social integration and reintegration during wartime and the post-war recovery period in Ukraine, taking into account European experience. Materials and methods. The research materials include the regulatory and legal framework governing the implementation of social projects in Ukraine and their support by international instruments, as well as scholarly works of domestic and foreign researchers addressing the essence and specific features of social projects, particularly in the context of ensuring public administration of social integration and reintegration processes. The study employed general scientific and special research methods, including: the systemic and abstract-logical approaches (which enabled considering social design as a holistic instrument of public administration with logically interconnected interrelations); generalization (which made it possible to identify approaches and formulate recommendations to adapt European experience and determine prospects for the further development of social design in Ukraine); analysis and synthesis (to clarify the essence of the concepts of «social integration» and «reintegration» based on national legislation and academic approaches); comparative analysis (to examine European practices for potential implementation under domestic conditions); and the case study method (to analyze the experience of implementing social initiatives in EU cities and to assess their effectiveness). Results. The study has confirmed that, under the conditions of the Russian Federation full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent post-war recovery, social design functions as a strategic instrument of public administration in the processes of social integration and reintegration of the displaced citizens. It has been proven that the successful implementation of social projects requires interdisciplinary and systemic approaches, enabling a deeper understanding of social problems and facilitating citizen participation in decision-making processes, thereby strengthening democratic institutions and increasing public trust in government. The European experience and international cooperation analysis has demonstrated the effectiveness of a public administration paradigm oriented towards participatory governance and multi-level coordination. To adapt these practices in Ukraine, priority directions have been identified, including: the introduction of co-planning mechanisms involving public authorities, communities, scholars, and direct beneficiaries; the application of an inductive approach through pilot testing of innovations at the local level followed by scaling; and the use of context-sensitive solutions modeling based on socio-demographic data analysis and digital forecasting. These measures should be combined with support from international partners to facilitate the implementation of new integrated models of citizens social protection. Discussion. Further research should focus on the detailed elaboration of practical aspects of social design tested in EU countries, as well as on examining mechanisms for adapting specific European instruments to the territorial specificities of Ukraine in order to identify elements relevant to the domestic context that can be implemented within Ukraine’s public administration system, taking into account existing national challenges. The development of methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness of internationally supported social projects remains relevant, as does the study of the role of digital platforms in ensuring transparency and inclusiveness in social design.