Power Asymmetries Research Articles

The Relationship between Sovereign Debt and Politics

ABSTRACT: With the rise of bonded private debt over the past 15 years, there is an increased dependency on private creditors for sovereign nations that borrow to finance their government activities. The power of private creditors gained through increased sovereign debt burdens is affecting the internal political dynamics of these borrower countries, especially in the Global South, including Latin America. A larger external debt burden creates internal political conflict around the distribution of benefits, so debt is intimately linked with politics. Standard economics literature ignores this problem by hypothesizing markets based on perfect competition. We outline a set of hypotheses regarding the relationship between creditors' political preferences in sovereign debt markets that feature "power rents," when relatively powerful foreign investors can obtain significantly higher returns by lending to smaller, weaker nations. Bringing power asymmetries into the debt discussion, we also present a research agenda for economics and political science.

Resting-state frontal electroencephalography (EEG) biomarkers for detecting the severity of chronic neuropathic pain

Increasing evidence is present to enable pain measurement by using frontal channel EEG-based signals with spectral analysis and phase-amplitude coupling. To identify frontal channel EEG-based biomarkers for quantifying pain severity, we investigated band-power features to more complex features and employed various machine learning algorithms to assess the viability of these features. We utilized a public EEG dataset obtained from 36 patients with chronic pain during an eyes-open resting state and performed correlation analysis between clinically labelled pain scores and EEG features from Fp1 and Fp2 channels (EEG band-powers, phase-amplitude couplings (PAC), and its asymmetry features). We also conducted regression analysis with various machine learning models to predict patients’ pain intensity. All the possible feature sets combined with five machine learning models (Linear Regression, random forest and support vector regression with linear, non-linear and polynomial kernels) were intensively checked, and regression performances were measured by adjusted R-squared value. We found significant correlations between beta power asymmetry (r = −0.375), gamma power asymmetry (r = −0.433) and low beta to low gamma coupling (r = −0.397) with pain scores while band power features did not show meaningful results. In the regression analysis, Support Vector Regression with a polynomial kernel showed the best performance (R squared value = 0.655), enabling the regression of pain intensity within a clinically usable error range. We identified the four most selected features (gamma power asymmetry, PAC asymmetry of theta to low gamma, low beta to low/high gamma). This study addressed the importance of complex features such as asymmetry and phase-amplitude coupling in pain research and demonstrated the feasibility of objectively observing pain intensity using the frontal channel-based EEG, that are clinically crucial for early intervention.

Linking SMEs’ customer strategy to firm growth: the case of manufacturing suppliers in South Korea

PurposeThis study examines the customer strategies for small- and medium-sized manufacturing suppliers (SMMSs) in customer dominance markets, particularly regarding power asymmetry. It has two key objectives: (1) to identify factors impacting SMMSs' customer strategies, including technological and marketing capabilities and the importance of the main customer and (2) to examine the impact of these strategies on firm growth.Design/methodology/approachUsing the survey data on 279 Korean manufacturing suppliers in B2B markets, nine hypotheses were verified through a structural equation model (SEM). It involved capturing the varied influence of organizational capabilities on the two types of customer strategies and the link between customer strategy and firm growth.FindingsTechnology and marketing capabilities affect new customer acquisition directly, while in the case of main customer retention, marketing capability affects main customer retention through the overall satisfaction about the existing relationship. Although the importance of the main customer suppresses new customer acquisition strategies, SMMSs should actively pursue both customer acquisition and retention to promote firm growth.Originality/valueThe findings reveal how SMMSs, leveraging technological and marketing capabilities, can concurrently pursue new customer acquisition and main customer retention. Additionally, it empirically demonstrates the impact of the main customer’s importance on these customer strategies and underscores the positive impact of both strategies on firm growth. This provides a blueprint for a value-creation process linking capabilities, customer strategies and firm performance.

Reflexivity in research: addressing power dynamics in researching Syrian refugees in the UK

ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates the role of reflexivity in identifying and mitigating challenges to research methods while researching a community of Arabic-speaking refugees in the UK. Through reflexive accounts, the paper details how the research project was designed and conducted. The paper argues that through multidimensional reflexivity, researchers can identify power asymmetries and their implications for the research process. Particularly, the paper focuses on accommodating for the researched community’s particular vulnerabilities and linguistic needs. By evaluating the power dynamics in this research context, the paper highlights the role of reflexivity in maintaining a sensitive, transparent, and relevant research practice.

Inclusivity in Practice: Patchworks of Inclusion at Multiple Tracks in the Colombian Peace Process

ABSTRACT This article investigates the inclusion/multi-track nexus in the Colombian peace process. It theorizes inclusion in terms of design principles and process dynamics, analysing how they are enacted at track 1, track 3, and at the ‘intertrack’ level. Through semi-structured interviews with negotiators from elite talks, Colombia’s national dialogue of 2019, and grassroots dialogues the article shows how the inclusion/multi-track nexus plays out in practice, spelling out challenges of inclusion on different tracks. It shows how active participation and space for contestation is challenging and messy to implement, not least in contexts of power asymmetry, and yet visible in several contexts.

A combination of swissball hamstring curl and stiff-leg deadlift training on agility, hamstring asymmetry, and leg power in badminton athletes with hamstring asymmetry conditions

Exercise-based physical therapy has become a crucial element of sports medicine, particularly in addressing conditions such as hamstring asymmetry in athletes. To find out the impact of 10 weeks of stiff-leg deadlift and Swiss ball hamstring curl training on the asymmetries of hamstrings, agility, and leg power in badminton athletes with asymetry conditions. The study design employed was a quasi-experimental pre-post design. The prepared programme gave the sample a combination of stiff-leg deadlift and Swiss ball hamstring curl training for 10 weeks. Data was collected twice during the pretest and posttest by measuring hamstring asymmetry using the Norboard, agility using the Illinois agility run test, and leg power using the Force Plate. Paired sample t tests and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare the initial test results obtained before and after hamstring muscle strengthening training for 10 weeks, which resulted in a p value of less than 0.05. The Wilcoxon test results for the hamstring asymmetry variable show a p-value of 0.000, and the agility variable shows a p-value of 0.001. Meanwhile, the leg power variable using a paired sample t test resulted in a p-value of 0.035. Engaging in a 10-week training program that combines stiff-leg deadlifts and Swiss ball hamstring curls can enhance the strength of the hamstring muscles and improve agility and leg power in athletes with a hamstring asymmetry ≥ 10%. Keywords: Hamstring Asymmetry, Agility, Leg power, Badminton.

A Practical Guide to Weak Instruments

We survey the weak instrumental variables (IV) literature with the aim of giving simple advice to applied researchers. This literature focuses heavily on the problem of size inflation in two-stage least squares (2SLS) two-tailed t-tests that arises if instruments are weak. A common standard for acceptable instrument strength is a first-stage F of 10, which renders this size inflation modest. However, 2SLS suffers from other important problems that exist at much higher levels of instrument strength. In particular, 2SLS standard errors tend to be artificially small in samples where the 2SLS estimate is close to ordinary least squares (OLS). This power asymmetry means the t-test has inflated power to detect false positive effects when the OLS bias is positive. The Anderson-Rubin (AR) test avoids this problem and should be used in lieu of the t-test even with strong instruments. We illustrate the practical importance of this issue in IV papers published in the American Economic Review from 2011 to 2023. Use of the AR test often reverses t-test results. In particular, IV estimates that are close to OLS and significant according to the t-test are often insignificant according to AR. We also show that for first-stage F in the 10–20 range there is a high probability that OLS estimates will be closer to the truth than 2SLS. Hence we advocate a higher standard of instrument strength in applied work.

Off-grid? Resistant media operations by delivery gig workers in response to app-based tracking

Tracking by mobile media has become key to coordination and surveillance of delivery gig work. Through their daily app-based media operations, delivery gig workers contribute to the capitalisation and establishment of platform companies’ spatiotemporal regimes. But this app-based tracking has been a source of tension and conflict, particularly in the face of growing organised and unionised resistance by delivery gig workers in Germany. App-based tracking is evolving into an arena for negotiating resistance, conducting counter-surveillance and (temporarily) disrupting platform-based supply chains. These forms of labour resistance and counter-surveillance by individual riders, works councils or trade unions are either 1) directed against app-based tracking itself or 2) seek to operationalise resistance through the use of app-based tracking. Drawing on an empirical analysis of different forms of resistance, this article offers a critical media studies perspective on resistant mobile media operations in response to app-based tracking. Based on a digital ethnography of resistance by German delivery gig workers, it shows how different forms of resistance in delivery gig work are negotiated against and through app-based tracking. We present local and non-hegemonic perspectives on mobile media operations of spatiotemporal coordination and surveillance that enable a critical analysis of the (non-)human power and information asymmetries involved in gig work resistance.

Indigenous Peoples as resources and resource makers in Peruvian Amazonia

ABSTRACT Environmentalist organizations promote co-management arrangements as a means of protecting forests and moving away from predatory forms of Indigenous-settler interactions. In Peru, the state and Indigenous Peoples co-manage territories under three regimes: Native Communities, Communal Reserves, and Reserves for Isolated Indigenous Peoples. Through the case of the Purús-Manu Conservation Corridor, we show how in co-management arrangements Indigenous Peoples play dual roles as resource managers (and makers) and as resources themselves, and how in this process indigeneity emerges as a resource. As a result, Indigenous Peoples find that paradoxically, co-management schemes reproduce many of the power asymmetries of previous interventions.

Sounding the alarm for digital agriculture: Examining risks to the human rights to science and food

Digital agriculture is described as a solution to population growth and climate change. It entails technologies such as robots, drones, sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. However, with the adoption of digital agriculture comes the concern that existing power asymmetries may deepen, and inequalities between farmers may be exacerbated. This article focuses on small farmers due to the correlation between a large farm size and the adoption of digital agriculture, cautioning that digital agriculture may progressively drive more and more farmers out of agriculture. This article examines the risks that digital agriculture poses to the human rights to science and food. On the right to science, this article covers access to technology, especially in relation to barriers for small farmers in adopting digital agriculture. It also explores the obligation to protect from the negative effects of (digital agricultural) technology. On the right to food, the article analyses the impacts on its elements, such as availability and accessibility. Finally, the article presents State obligations under the right to food, alongside an examination of potential measures to ensure State compliance with this right.

The challenge of devolved English governance and the rise of political spatial inequality

AbstractThe UK is characterised by spatial inequality between and within regions, alongside an over-centralised asymmetric model of governance. In England especially, these features are stark, and throughout the last decade, politicians have responded by forging a distinctive programme of English devolution focused on city-regions. In this article, we analyse the core drivers of the English devolution agenda to understand its impact on the future trajectory of British politics. We identify the predominance of a narrow economic vision of devolution that systematically negates other agendas. The result is a failure to address the trade-offs inherent in the devolution process, alongside an inadequate engagement with the growing demand for democratic revitalisation. In the long-term, we argue that the empowerment of the largest cities in England and the relative neglect of non-urban areas will exacerbate power asymmetries within the UK political system in both centre-periphery and centre-local relations, a phenomenon we term ‘political spatial inequality’. There is a risk of resurgent ‘territorially based populism’ stemming from this uneven political geography which has the potential to exacerbate political instability and significantly reshape UK politics in the wake of Brexit. English devolution is a prescient example of how policy ‘solutions’ can in turn create new problems that pose major challenges for policymakers.

(De-) Constructing Gender Power Asymmetry at the Base of the Pyramid - A Relational Approach

(De-) Constructing Gender Power Asymmetry at the Base of the Pyramid - A Relational Approach

Identity construction in digital communication for public engagement in science

This article explores identity construction in citizen science web texts. Keyness and concordance analyses show that these texts reflect, construct and negotiate identity construction in various ways to ultimately support citizen participation in scientific processes. Scientists primarily construct a professional identity through self-representation markers (‘we’ pronouns). They present themselves as credible professionals, aligned with the socially established values and ideologies of the scientific community. In addition, they appear to create a collective identity to promote empathy and to encourage and maintain citizen engagement in scientific processes. However, processes of indexicality and relationality – that is positioning and dialogism – reveal that the construction of a professional identity is consistently made more relevant than a collective expert-crowd identity, thus exposing overt power asymmetries. Even when dialogue between experts and nonexperts is encouraged, all the monologic and dialogic interactions established by the hypertext structure of the project sites reflect power imbalances.

A Cautionary Tale for Polycentric Climate Governance: Sweden’s Roles in Orchestrating Decarbonization

Abstract The Paris Agreement ushered in an era of climate governance underpinned by a polycentric theory of change, emphasizing experimentation, collaboration, and innovation while downplaying political contestation, power asymmetries, and the need for regulatory action by the state. This article explores the roles the state plays in polycentric climate governance, focusing on the tension between the regulatory state, where authorities set, monitor, and enforce rules, and the orchestrating state, which facilitates collaboration with nonstate actors to induce behavioral change. Using decarbonization in Sweden as an illustrative case study, the article synthesizes the results of two research projects evaluating the promises and limits of polycentric climate governance. The results problematize the view that Sweden is a forerunner in climate governance, suggesting that while the Swedish government has mobilized support from important industries and cities in favor of decarbonization, that support may be insufficient to achieve necessary societal transformation for deep decarbonization. Finally, the study reflects on the conditions necessary for polycentric governance to effectively decarbonize society, highlighting the pivotal role of the regulatory state.

How Does Internationalization Help Reputation? The Role of the Learning Gap

This study delves into the intangible effects of internationalization on reputation, and proposes a mechanism by which internationalization can lead to improved reputation. Grounded in institutional and signaling theories, we begin by proposing that internationalization signals learning advantages deriving from experience in host environments and responses to foreign institutional pressures. Then, we derive the learning gap construct from two principal dimensions of the diversity of location portfolio, namely home—host cognitive distance and power asymmetry; and posit that this learning gap explains the link between internationalization and reputation. Analyses based on the legal service industry demonstrate that while international diversification is important in predicting reputational benefits at home, its effect is mediated through the learning gap deriving from each firm's internationalization, underscoring potential advantages of home—host differences.

Creating elite encounters: The ‘campaign’ as approach for interviewing corporate elites

Qualitative research in economic geography recognizes the value of accessing business elite perspectives, yet identifying, approaching and interviewing elites present researchers with a set of challenges. Both practical and ethical, these challenges can be particularly acute for research involving ‘contentious’ firms and sectors – those facing increased societal scrutiny due to histories of labour exploitation, bribery and pollution and where there are often strong asymmetries in social power. This paper proposes a systematic approach for managing these challenges and successfully conducting interviews with business elites that we term an interview ‘campaign’. We propose the interview campaign as a strategic, organized and nimble approach designed to achieve a specific goal – an elite encounter. We show how instrumentalism and strategic ambiguity are central to the campaign, and how both can be harnessed to navigate an environment characterized by uncertainty, serendipity and structured relations of power. Our ‘campaign approach’ systematically breaks down a complex process into manageable parts without losing sight of the whole, via clear goals, strategic planning and critical reflection. The need for evidence-based research on corporate strategic action in relation to a wide range of contemporary economic phenomena suggests the campaign approach may have value across many areas of economic geography, business studies and beyond. The paper draws upon established social science literatures on elite interviewing and political campaigning, and on our own experience conducting interviews with senior executives in the oil and gas industry.

Global Transit, Imperial Performativity, and Survival: European Jewish Refugees in the Philippines Under US Tutelage and Japanese Occupation, 1937–1946

Abstract By late 1941, some 1,300 Jews had escaped from National Socialist-controlled Europe to the Philippines. This essay problematizes the existing historiography on this rescue by going beyond examinations of its mechanisms and the politics of memory. Instead, it introduces a rereading of the refugees’ struggles by focusing on their continued being-in-transit and mandated imperial performativity, which allows for analysing transnational spaces shaped by their seemingly mundane everyday practices, from walking to cooking. During the early years, American, Filipino, and Jewish community leaders expected the performance of imperial norms and policed interactions between the refugees and native Filipinos. Some of the refugees succeeded. Some even managed to open shops. Others failed or rebelled and soon found themselves in peril. The late 1941 invasion by Japanese forces subjected Philippine society to new racial hierarchies. Jewish refugees, suspected of collaborating with the enemy, had to engage in different imperial performances in order to survive. By late 1946, many Jewish survivors had managed to leave, mostly to the United States, where they encountered new challenging power asymmetries of a different kind.

Journal Club: Prehospital Detection of Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke With Electroencephalography: Results of the ELECTRA-STROKE Study.

The ELECTRA-STROKE study investigated the potential of EEG for prehospital triage of patients with ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO), in which fast triage to stroke centers for endovascular treatment is crucial. The study was conducted in 4 phases, and this Journal Club article focuses on the fourth phase in the prehospital setting with suspected stroke patients. An EEG cap with dry electrodes was used to measure brain activity. The main focus was on the diagnostic accuracy of the theta/alpha ratio, which yielded an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.80. Secondary endpoints, particularly the Brain Symmetry Index (a quantified EEG interhemispheric cortical power asymmetry index) in the delta frequency band, showed an AUC of 0.91. Despite the convenient study design and user-friendly EEG device, limitations include a single-arm design, a relatively small sample size, and exclusions due to data quality issues. The usefulness of EEG in the detection of neuronal changes based on brain ischemia was highlighted, but uncertainties remain regarding its use in certain patient groups. The improvements in the Brain Symmetry Index from phase 3 to 4 of the study indicate the potential for further refinement and investigation of combined methods to improve diagnostic accuracy. The study provides insight into the role of EEG in prehospital stroke detection, recognizing both the strengths and limitations. Overall, the study contributes to understanding the promise of EEG in optimizing LVO stroke triage and urges further refinement and exploration of complementary diagnostic approaches.

Guiding the way: a comprehensive examination of AI guidelines in global media

AbstractWith the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the news industry, media organizations have begun publishing guidelines that aim to promote the responsible, ethical, and unbiased implementation of AI-based technologies. These guidelines are expected to serve journalists and media workers by establishing best practices and a framework that helps them navigate ever-evolving AI tools. Drawing on institutional theory and digital inequality concepts, this study analyzes 37 AI guidelines for media purposes in 17 countries. Our analysis reveals key thematic areas, such as transparency, accountability, fairness, privacy, and the preservation of journalistic values. Results highlight shared principles and best practices that emerge from these guidelines, including the importance of human oversight, explainability of AI systems, disclosure of automated content, and protection of user data. However, the geographical distribution of these guidelines, highlighting the dominance of Western nations, particularly North America and Europe, can further ongoing concerns about power asymmetries in AI adoption and consequently isomorphism outside these regions. Our results may serve as a resource for news organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders looking to navigate the complex AI development toward creating a more inclusive and equitable digital future for the media industry worldwide.

Exploring differences in patient participation in simulated emergency cases in co-located and distributed rural emergency teams – an observational study with a randomized cross-over design

BackgroundIn northern rural Sweden, telemedicine is used to improve access to healthcare and to provide patient-centered care. In emergency care during on-call hours, video-conference systems are used to connect the physicians to the rest of the team – creating ‘distributed teams’. Patient participation is a core competency for healthcare professionals. Knowledge about how distributed teamwork affects patient participation is missing.The aim was to investigate if and how teamwork affecting patient participation, as well as clinicians’ perceptions regarding shared decision-making differ between co-located and distributed emergency teams.MethodsIn an observational study with a randomized cross-over design, healthcare professionals (n = 51) participated in authentic teams (n = 17) in two scripted simulated emergency scenarios with a standardized patient: one as a co-located team and the other as a distributed team. Team performances were filmed and observed by independent raters using the PIC-ET tool to rate patient participation behavior. The participants individually filled out the Dyadic OPTION questionnaire after the respective scenarios to measure perceptions of shared decision-making. Scores in both instruments were translated to percentage of a maximum score. The observational data between the two settings were compared using linear mixed-effects regression models and the self-reported questionnaire data were compared using one-way ANOVA. Neither the participants nor the observers were blinded to the allocations.ResultsA significant difference in observer rated overall patient participation behavior was found, mean 51.1 (± 11.5) % for the co-located teams vs 44.7 (± 8.6) % for the distributed teams (p = 0.02). In the PIC-ET tool category ‘Sharing power’, the scores decreased from 14.4 (± 12.4) % in the co-located teams to 2 (± 4.4) % in the distributed teams (p = 0.001). Co-located teams scored in mean 60.5% (± 14.4) when self-assessing shared decision-making, vs 55.8% (± 15.1) in the distributed teams (p = 0.03).ConclusionsTeam behavior enabling patient participation was found decreased in distributed teams, especially regarding sharing power with the patient. This finding was also mirrored in the self-assessments of the healthcare professionals. This study highlights the risk of an increased power asymmetry between patients and distributed emergency teams and can serve as a basis for further research, education, and quality improvement.