India-Bangladesh borders after the July–August 2024 uprising: A future unfolds beyond our conventional knowledge

A Study of Local Government in Africa through Participatory Action Research (PAR)

(2021) Volume 2, Issue 4 Cultural Implications of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC Authors: Dr. Unsa Jamshed Amar Jahangir Anbrin Khawaja Abstract: This study is an attempt to highlight the cultural implication of CPEC on Pak-China relations, how it will align two nations culturally, and what steps were taken by the governments of two states to bring the people closer.

All Westphalian states have a right to demarcate and defend their borders in attempt to protect their sovereignty and territoriality. However, there is a significant variation in border control priorities. Military defence and economic regulations have traditionally been central border concerns, but due to the problems of trans-national migration, infiltration, terrorism and insurgencies, many of the states are re-tooling and reconfiguring their border regulatory apparatus. The complex nature of the India–Bangladesh border and its regulation/management has always been vital for both states. Nevertheless, the new definitions of security, emphasizing human security, combined with the forces of globalization have led to restructuring of the traditional notion of border management in the recent past. In delivery, the policies of promoting border trade, market, joint ventures and business-related infrastructure have become the priorities of the governments which will improve the Human Development Index and employability among the borderland people. Linkages between internal security and the regional security environment have made the border vital for the national security strategy. However, this has vitiated the environment and impeded the emergence of cordial and development-oriented India–Bangladesh relations.

Policy innovation is an essential approach for local governments to deal with external challenges, which is also the case in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This article discusses the effects of fiscal decentralization and leaders' intergovernmental mobility on the innovativeness of local governments in pandemic response. By investigating the economic relief policy of local governments in China, we find that both fiscal decentralization and local leaders' intergovernmental mobility in their previous careers facilitate the innovativeness of local governments' economic relief policy for pandemic recovery, and the business experience of local leaders enhances the positive influence of fiscal decentralization on the innovativeness of local policy. The results indicate that fiscal decentralization and the intergovernmental connection based on leaders' political mobility are likely to be two predominant factors for local governments to enable horizontal mutual learning and central‐local policy coordination, and as a result foster policy innovativeness in response to the pandemic.

Over the last two decades and with notable increase since 2015, millions of euros have been invested in territorial border governance in West Africa. Targeting migration policy frameworks, capacity building, and the provision of material, the EU and individual European states have sought to improve control mechanisms along these vast and porous borders. This article explores the local impact and broader ramifications of primarily externally funded policy efforts as they are implemented along Ghana's three international borders with Burkina Faso, Côte D’Ivoire, and Togo. Drawing on observations at official checkpoints and interviews with border control officers and border crossers, the article finds that recent initiatives have facilitated the modernization, expansion, and professionalization of border control. Yet, these enhancements have concurrently led to increased reliance on external support, altered local social relations in border checkpoint areas, and triggered the criminalization of legal emigration. The article situates these developments within its geopolitical landscape, illustrating how externally driven migration governance, when detached from local realities, yields both immediate and far-reaching ramifications. Drawing on and extending critical migration governance analysis and border theory, this study underscores the importance of scrutinizing not only explicit, but also the more subtle and rippling effects of European externalization policies in Africa, as they extend beyond local contexts to influence wider societal structures.

The essay draws from my ongoing ethnographic research with agrarian communities living on riverine lands of Bengal on the India-Bangladesh border. Chars or sandbanks emerge and submerge as rivers accrete and erode in the Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra delta in Eastern India and Bangladesh, and often become a source of vexation for establishing territorial boundaries, particularly between the two countries. The increasing securitisation of the erstwhile porous India-Bangladesh border has intensified the stigmatisation of char dwellers living on the borderlands, particularly the Muslim settlements, with their members labelled as smugglers, infiltrators, and terrorists. On the one hand, I turn my scholarly and ethnographic attention to how humans dwell with water, silt and sedimentation in what has been called hydrosocial lifeworlds, and on the other, I examine how increasing border security, along with an infrastructure of surveillance, is shaping the politics of being and belonging in riverine borderlands. In effect, I study the two concurring temporalities that affect the lifeworld of the char dweller: continuous and repeated erosion-induced mobility and a state demanding sedentariness as a condition of belonging. By doing so, I emphasise the alienation (rather than injustice) that char dwellers feel from a country increasingly categorising them as infiltrators/illegal migrants. I argue that the imperative to adapt to changing political and citizenship regimes alienates char dwellers from their hydrosocial lifeworlds. I take the moment of seeking permission from the state (security forces) as a moment of alienation where one no longer engages but develops a detached assessment of the world.

The local government is one of the vital organs of the state through which programs of development are formulated and implemented for the community. The democratically elected members at the local government level represented the community and advocate the interests of the community in the social and economic development of the area. The research paper has thoroughly described the existing local government system of Pakistan and also has investigated the critical causes of bad governance in the local government system of Pakistan that hinders the social and economic development of the country. This is a qualitative study; the researcher reviewed and synthesized all the available information gathered from the various sources related to the local government governance in Pakistan. The researcher in this research paper used secondary source of information and observations. Since the introduction of parliamentary form of democratic system in Pakistan, the country has gone through number of modifications and amendments in the local government system but due to the instability in the democratic system, the political governments had failed to deliver good public services at the local government levels. The study has identified major causes i.e Political, Social, Administrative and mismanagement of resources and rampant corruption, which have severely paralyzed the governance system at local government level of Pakistan. Keywords. Governance, Local government, District government, Community empowerment. JEL. D73, H10, H75.

The paper focuses on a systemic analysis of the trilateral interaction between France, the United States, and Ukraine amid the profound transformation of the international security environment following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in 2022. At the core of the analysis is the evolving nature of Western support for Ukraine, shaped by the strategic reassessment of the United States’ global role and the growing determination of European states to operationalize the concept of strategic autonomy. The study examines the consequences of declining transatlantic cohesion for the redistribution of responsibility in guaranteeing European security, with particular emphasis on France’s increasing activity within both bilateral and multilateral support frameworks for Ukraine. French policy is acquiring a new systemic quality, combining diplomatic engagement, military-technical assistance, and economic cooperation, with a specific focus on joint defense production initiatives and strategic coordination within the EU framework. In parallel, the United States is experiencing rising domestic political polarisation, external policy inconsistency, and a tilt toward isolationism—all of which significantly affect allied strategic behaviour and drive a reconfiguration of responsibilities within the Western coalition. The socio-political dynamics in France reveal a growing public endorsement of support for Ukraine, coupled with a critical perception of the United States’ reliability as a long-term ally. The findings point to the emergence of a new trilateral configuration in which France increasingly assumes a stabilizing role within Europe’s security architecture, while the United States is perceived as a strategically unpredictable actor. For Ukraine, this shift necessitates a strategic recalibration toward diversified formats of partnership, intensified engagement with European actors, and a reconsideration of its foreign policy priorities in response to a dynamically evolving global order.

This critical analysis investigates instances of violence and human rights violations occurring at international borders, with a particular focus on the India-Bangladesh border, and examines the international legal and ethical perspectives to ensure the safety and protection of human rights. Despite the sovereign right of states to control their borders, international law mandates adherence to human rights principles, including the right to life, freedom from torture, and due process, even for individuals attempting irregular entry. This study synthesizes reports from human rights organizations, academic analyses, and media accounts to document the scale and nature of border-related fatalities and abuses. The findings reveal a persistent pattern of excessive force, torture, and extrajudicial killings by border security forces, particularly along the India-Bangladesh frontier, often in the context of preventing smuggling or illegal crossings. This research critically analyzes the justifications offered by states for such actions against the backdrop of international human rights law and humanitarian principles. It argues that current enforcement practices frequently contravene international obligations and undermine the safety of individuals. The study concludes by proposing a framework for international cooperation and accountability mechanisms to ensure that border management prioritizes human rights safety and adheres to ethical standards, advocating for non-lethal methods and transparent investigations of all alleged violations.

Co-production is a solution by which the government provides public services. Co-production theory is built upon Western experience and currently focuses on the types of co-production in different policy stages, the barriers and governance strategies for co-production. However, little attention is paid to how political background will influence the co-production process. To fill the gap, we analyzed a case of co-production that occurred in China, and we characterized the political background as consisting of three main political features: political mobility, central–local relations, and performance measurement. Based on an in-depth case study of a government project in a medium-sized Chinese city, the impact and the changes of political features affecting governmental projects in different co-production stages are analyzed and assessed. We find that political features play a critical role in the co-production of China’s large government projects and may separately and jointly affect co-production. Government performance measurement affects the co-design and co-implementation of projects. Political mobility and changes in local government and performance measurement also affect the co-implementation continuity of the project. Political focus affects the co-design of projects. Central-local relations influence the support from higher government and the actual practices of lower government in the co-implementation stage.

ObjectiveThe present study aims to operationalize one health approach through local urban governance system in a rapidly urbanized Indian city, Ahmedabad, India.In Ahmedabad (proposed Smart city), Gujarat, India:1. To understand the pattern of zoonotic diseases in reference to urban governance system2. To develop a conceptual One Health Governance framework with reference to zoonotic diseases3. To assess the key indicators for convergence for inter-sectorial professional collaborations in One HealthIntroductionSmart governance refers to the emergence of joint action by the health and non-health sectors, public and private actors and citizens. Although, there are growing literature on governance and its potential impact on health, major challenges on collective action across sectors have been witnessed in developing countries like India. In the same line, the current forms of Global Health Governance façades operational issues and does not sufficiently meet the needs at local levels. In light of these perceived shortcomings, the local governance becomes subject of interest and should be debated especially with reference to global urbanization.Rapid and unplanned urbanization followed by the combination of high population density, poverty and lack of infrastructure have more side effects and fostering conditions for communicable diseases to flourish. Evidence suggests that new megacities could be incubators for new epidemic and zoonotic diseases, which can spread more rapidly and become worldwide threats. In India, Ministry of Urban Development initiated the concept of converting few major cities into “Smart City” in 2015-16. However, one of the major critiques of available smart city guideline is that it has no such focus on prevention of emerging and/or re-emerging zoonotic diseases. The emergence and/or re-emergence of zoonotic diseases should be considered as potential threats for these upcoming Smart Cities and hence, should be addressed by one health approach (health and non-health sectors, public and private actors) through an appropriate local governance strategy.With rapid urbanization and healthcare transformation in India, the operationalization of one health approach might become a major challenge, because of, the absence of the systematic effect at the national level and urban cities are riven between central, state and municipal authorities in terms of health policy, planning, health needs etc. There is also lack of information sharing or collaborations between the health and non-health sectors, public and private actors at the city level. Understanding these challenges can offer important lessons for strengthening both local urban governance and One Health.MethodsFor Objective-1: To understand the pattern of zoonotic diseases in reference to urban governance system1. Is there existing literature indicates the importance of governance system in prevention of zoonotic diseases in urban settingsUrban Governance System & Zoonotic diseases (Systematic Review)2. Is prevalence of zoonotic disease vary in accordance with change of local urban governance(Outcome: Prevalence of Zoonotic diseases & Exposure: Governance Index for last 10 years)For Objective-2: To develop a conceptual One Health Governance framework with reference to zoonotic diseases1. Is there evidence of existing One Health Governance framework exists One Health Governance Framework(Systematic Review & SWOT Analysis)2. To map the urban agencies working for zoonotic diseases Institutions for zoonotic diseases (Mapping)3. Is convergence possible for One Health in prevention of Zoonotic diseases (Policy Maker, System-level professionals Qualitative Key Informant Interviews)For Objective-3: To assess the key indicators for convergence for inter-sectorial professional collaborations in One Health1. Is developed governance framework operational at field level- KAP among Healthcare providers, Veterinarians, Environmental specialists2. Is there possibilities of convergence at field level for One health in prevention of zoonotic diseases (Qualitative Key Informant Interviews)ResultsThis is first of kind unique study to come up with a local urban governance convergence approach for “One Health” for the upcoming Smart city Ahmedabad, which may further be scaled up to other smart cities of India.ConclusionsUrban Health governance framework for a smart city to develop an one health approach.

This article considers the international ramifications of the Canadian Rebellions of 1837, in particular their impact on US politics and policy-making as well as on the state of the international border. The Rebellions and the ensuing border raids led to the deployment of US and British forces in the borderlands, not in pursuit of war but in the interest of peace. Ignoring popular agitation in the Canadian colonies and in border states, the British and US governments expressed their commitment to peace and recognised that continued friendly relations required further assertion of central state authority on both sides of the boundary line. Thus, the events of 1837–42 mark an important advance in the development of national security and national sovereignty in North America. This paper expands upon purely national depictions of the Canadian Rebellions and integrates international developments by utilising a borderlands approach and traditional diplomatic history.

The aim of this study is to reveal the issue of stray animals from the volunteers’ viewpoint and determine the views and suggestions of volunteers who struggle for the rights of stray animals in Turkey. For this, a study based on qualitative research techniques was carried out with participants who voluntarily work for stray animals. Among the qualitative research patterns, case study pattern, semi-structured interview as data gathering tool, among nonprobable choice method, snowball method as data gathering tool were chosen. All the data which were acquired with semi-structured profoundly interviews were analyzed by descriptive analyzing method. This study does not reveal that fact issue of stray animals in cities of Turkey but reveals the issues of stray animals themselves and also the volunteers who have been striving for stray animals voluntarily. The issue of stray animals in Turkey is rooted mainly in local governments’ executions. It is emphasized one more time that the current executions of local governments are inadequate to be able to solve the issues of stray animals. The most important cause for this is that local governments’ not having applied the process of sterilization effectively and thus, the population of stray animals cannot be taken under control. The other significant causes are inefficiency of animal shelters run by local governments during the treatment, the unawareness of the people in the public and the nonlegal applications done by the local governments through stray animals. According to the volunteers, this issue can be handled by the state. The solution for this issue is effective sterilization and the rising awareness of the people. Eventually, it does not matter whether the solution for the issues about stray animals or the solution for issues which stray animals face, local and central governments have plenty of duties. But the main actor for this is the central government.

BackgroundCommunity-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) has been used to address health disparities within several contexts by actively engaging communities. Though dialogues are recognized as a medium by which community members and other actors can make their voices heard through processes that support shared-decision making, power asymmetries often impede the achievement of this objective. Traditionally such relationship asymmetries exist between communities, health workers, and other professionals resulting in the exclusion of communities from decision making in participatory practices and dialogues. This study aimed to explore the experiences in the dialogues between different groups within communities, health workers and local government officials in a CBPR project on immunization in Nigeria. We adapted the framework by Elberse et al. (2011) to structure the possible exclusion mechanisms that could exist in dialogues between the three groups and we set up inclusion strategies to diminish the inequalities as much as possible.Methods and findingsThis is an exploratory and descriptive case study, using qualitative methods. Data was collected through observation and semi-structured interviews (SSI) with dialogue participants. All 24 participants in the multi-stakeholder dialogues were interviewed. Inclusion strategies involved creating enabling circumstances; influencing behaviour; and influencing use of language. Verbal and circumstantial strategies were of limited value in reducing exclusion. Behavioural inclusion strategies created more awareness of the importance of inclusion; and enabled different community stakeholders to direct their influences towards achieving the collective goals of the collaboration. An important learning is that if evidence is used in the dialogues, even when exclusion of certain individuals occurs, the outcomes could still favour them. A key issue is the difference between participation and representation and the need for more efficient ways of carrying out such interactive processes to ensure that the participation of the vulnerable groups is not merely symbolic. The study makes a case for the use of ‘boundary spanners’ in this dynamic—these are ‘elite’ individuals (or community champions) who can be a voice for the minorities and who could have the opportunity to influence decision making.ConclusionCBPR can enable local governments to develop effective partnerships with health workers and communities to achieve health-related goals even in the presence of asymmetries in relationships. Inclusion strategies in dialogues can improve participation and enable shared decision making, however exclusion of vulnerable groups may still occur. Intra-community dynamics and socio-cultural contexts can drive exclusion and less privileged community members require proper representation to enable their issues to be captured effectively.

Border security had been a persistent problem in international border especially when it get to the issue of preventing illegal movement of weapons, contraband, drugs, and combating issue of illegal or undocumented immigrant while at the same time ensuring that lawful trade, economic prosperity coupled with national sovereignty across the border is maintained. In this research work, we used open source computer vision (Open CV) and adaBoost algorithm to develop a model which can detect a moving object a far off, classify it, automatically snap full image and face of the individual separately, and then run a background check on them against worldwide databases while making a prediction about an individual being a potential threat, intending immigrant, potential terrorists or extremist and then raise sound alarm. Our model can be deployed on any camera device and be mounted at any international border. There are two stages involved, we first developed a model based on open CV computer vision algorithm, with the ability to detect human movement from afar, it will automatically snap both the face and the full image of the person separately, and the second stage is the automatic triggering of background check against the moving object. This ensures it check the moving object against several databases worldwide and is able to determine the admissibility of the person afar off. If the individual is inadmissible, it will automatically alert the border officials with the image of the person and other details, and if the bypass the border officials, the system is able to detect and alert the authority with his images and other details. All these operations will be done afar off by the AI powered camera before the individual reach the border.KeywordsArtificial intelligenceComputer visionCounter terrorismBorder securityNational securityFace recognition