The goal of this article is to assess how network heterogeneity relates to the use of consumer credit. We propose a theoretical framework that underscores three interrelated mechanisms based on social comparison and comparison groups, through which the socio-economic heterogeneity of interpersonal networks could amplify consumption and indebtedness patterns: emulation, competition, and belonging assertion. Socio-economic network heterogeneity is gauged using the ‘position generator’ – a well-established survey instrument in social capital literature, prompting respondents to indicate whether they have social contacts across various occupations or classes. The results derived from our regression analyses indicate that a higher level of socio-economic heterogeneity within one's network is positively associated with the likelihood of possessing consumer credit, whether sourced from department stores or banks. Additionally, we found that network heterogeneity influences the acquisition of consumer credit to a similar degree for individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds in terms of education, social class, and income.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of compliance with the social norms of assistance and solidarity during social events on the time management of day laborers in Burkina Faso using cross-sectional data collected from 140-day laborers in Ouagadougou's industrial zones. We used a recursive system of equations, a fractional probit and a general linear model. Estimates were made using the conditional mixed process (CMP) proposed by Roodman (2011). The results show that: (i) workers in companies with relatively high wages have a lower degree of compliance with social norms than those with low wages; (ii) an increase in the degree of submission to social norms has a negative impact on the working time of the day laborer. This result suggests the need for a formal flexible social protocol for optimal participation in economic activities and manifestations of solidarity with in our societies.

Agro-pastoral conflicts remain a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa. This article examines the sources of agro-pastoral conflicts in Benin and evaluates the effectiveness of the politico-institutional measures. The evaluation focuses on multiple factors, including sociodemographic, ethnic, economic, political, and climate change-related variables. Using descriptive statistical analysis and an endogenous switching probit model, the study finds that the conflicts are driven by ethno-cultural, economic, and, most notably, climate-related factors. The results also indicate that existing measures, such as transhumance corridors and land ownership policies, are largely ineffective. Key challenges include water scarcity, limited forage availability, and the adverse effects of climate change on local flora and fauna. Addressing these issues is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of conflict regulation strategies. Governments should implement multilingual awareness and education campaigns targeted at farmers. At the regional level, economic communities must develop and operationalise comprehensive climate change adaptation strategies tailored to local contexts.

Disadvantaged social groups in the US suffered disproportionately in the covid pandemic and the Great Recession, worsening high levels of inequality associated with their post-1980 declining intergenerational income mobility. For black Americans, this reflects the long history of racial discrimination beginning with slavery. Reparations paid to descendants of enslaved individuals to eliminate the black–white wealth gap is a step toward addressing this history. A further needed step is to build predominantly black communities' human and social capital through public investments in community health care centers (CHCs) and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). There is considerable evidence that investments in early childhood education positively affect later school performance, income and earnings, higher education, crime, and other well-being outcomes. CHCs and HBCUs promote early childhood education. This paper argues that compensation is due to both individuals and their communities, and reparations payments should be accompanied by public investments in those communities.

The aim of this article is to analyse the financialisation of for-profit hospitals in France as the central driving force behind the transformation of hospital capitalism. It shows that over the last 30 years, the for-profit hospital sector has undergone a process of financialisation that has led to a high level of concentration. At the end of the last century, the sector was mainly made up of independent structures, often owned by doctors, but now it is characterised by the existence of interdependent groups, the largest of which are financialised. Between 2004 and 2020, the number of independent structures has been divided by 4.3, while the number of structures belonging to a group has multiplied by 2. These transformations have been made possible by substantial funding from public insurance. Moreover, the business model of hospital capitalism is based on patient selection and task selection, to the detriment of public hospitals.

Research on tipping norms in beauty salons is limited to behavioral economics. This study examines tipping by analyzing both extensive and intensive margins among 1,361 participants using a cross-sectional survey methodology. Findings reveal that clients’ willingness and ability to tip are influenced by service quality, the desire to maintain a social image, expected returns from repeat customers, and demographic factors such as religion, education, and income. Additionally, external shocks, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impact tipping behavior. Variables like monthly income, client gender, job loss due to the pandemic, and religious beliefs notably affect the amount clients tip. These factors not only shape the financial capacity to tip but also influence the social dynamics and expectations surrounding gratuity in beauty salons, highlighting the interplay between economic conditions and individual behaviors in the context of tipping.

The view that racially privileged people need to undertake self-directed inner work as one aspect of recognizing injustice has been criticized as morally and politically ineffectual. I explore and respond to these criticisms, from the context of South Africa, by drawing on Iris Murdoch and recent philosophical work on attention. Work on the self is a crucial component of responding properly to systemic injustice and one's position within it, and this includes paying attention to the self and to the world a person is trying to respond to in morally virtuous ways.

This paper examines the saving and credit behavior of low-income households in unauthorized colonies of Delhi using a dual-method approach – financial diaries and a structured household survey. Moving beyond access, the study explores the intensity of financial instrument usage, focusing on bank accounts and LIC policies. Regression analyses highlight key demand-side factors – transaction costs, liquidity, convenience, and financial literacy – as significant determinants of both adoption and usage intensity. Findings reveal that lower time and travel costs, easier fund accessibility, and user-friendly processes enhance financial engagement. Interestingly, while higher income increases the frequency of account use, it may reduce the proportion of income saved, indicating portfolio diversification. LIC policy adoption is driven primarily by ease of process and liquidity features. The study argues that effective financial inclusion requires reducing practical barriers and improving financial literacy. Policies must address demand-side constraints to ensure not just access, but meaningful and sustained usage of formal financial services.

Social network analysis tracks the reach of human networks to understand how interpersonal interactions and relationships influence behavioural outcomes. There is great scope for research on sub-Saharan African elite politics through social network analysis, but one must also avoid an ‘off the shelf’ solution. The article engages African political philosophy to reconstruct the methodology, requiring that two assumptions be jettisoned: (1) the assumption that people necessarily choose their social networks; (2) the assumption that social networks give advantages to some people over others primarily through access to information and associated resource-based opportunities. It is instead better to see political networks in sub-Saharan Africa as primarily oriented towards reducing the risk of betrayal, with network advantage consisting in embeddedness rather than information, so as to avoid the tertius gaudens (the one who benefits when others are divided). The application of African political philosophy seeks to sharpen the method for global use.

Financialisation has drawn attention from different scholars but lacks a consensus definition. Some authors identify financialisation simply with the growth of financial sector operations, but this view overlooks periods characterised by the decline in financial variable ones. This article proposes a framework that can integrate such views, conducting the analysis on three levels: microeconomic, mesoeconomic and macroeconomic. At the microeconomic level, financialisation is described as a new phase of capitalism, in which agents’ behaviours and institutions are mainly driven by financial factors. As a result, phenomena such as indebtedness, asset accumulation or speculative dynamics would be more likely to emerge at the mesoeconomic level. Finally, at the macroeconomic level, these phenomena can act as growth drivers by influencing demand components. We conclude by highlighting the potential of this framework for analysing financialisation phases and their economic impacts.