Cross-national Perspective Research Articles

Human resource management in the armed forces: An investigation into the monetary incentive systems for military personnel

How do the armed forces pay and compensate military personnel? In this article, this question is addressed by investigating the monetary incentive systems in place in the armed forces in twelve NATO and NATO-partner countries. The primary objective is to understand how the armed forces, in a variety of advanced countries, structure their compensation and personnel policies. The countries’ monetary incentive systems are analyzed and compared using a Request for Information distributed by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence to NATO and NATO-partner countries. The secondary objective is to motivate the research community in the nexus between personnel economics and defense economics to study monetary incentives in the armed forces in a cross-national perspective. There is great potential to learn from the experiences of compensation policies in other armed forces.

Examining the green sourcing behavior from the cross-national perspective

Examining the green sourcing behavior from the cross-national perspective

The Share of Carbon Emissions by the Non-Rich and Support for Higher Environmental Taxes in Cross-National and Longitudinal Perspective

This comparative study covering 41 countries explores whether the distribution of national carbon emissions shapes the public willingness to pay higher environmental taxes and if this relationship is moderated by the quality of government. Using multilevel regression models, it draws on data from all four waves of the International Social Survey Programme’s Environment modules (1993–2020), combined with carbon emissions data from the World Inequality Database. Cross-sectional and longitudinal results suggest that the public willingness to pay additional taxes is lower in contexts where the non-rich are responsible for a larger or increasing share of national carbon emissions, particularly in contexts with low or declining quality of government. It is concluded that the distribution of emissions may impact public support for environmental taxes, but that well-functioning government institutions can mitigate negative public backlash linked to the often-perceived regressive character of these taxes.

The influence of positivity and self-efficacy beliefs on family functioning among young adults in Italy and Colombia.

Research suggests that positivity and self-efficacy beliefs may impact adaptive behavior and developmental outcomes, such as social adjustment and subjective wellbeing. The present study explored the effect of positive dimensions (positivity and self-efficacy beliefs) and individual characteristics (gender, type of country, age, and sexual orientation) on family cohesion and flexibility in a group of Colombian and Italian young adults. An online survey was administered to 949 Colombian and 2,073 Italian people aged between 18 and 40 years (M age = 24.3; SDage = 4.5; 67% women). A mediational model was performed to test the influence of positivity on family functioning via the mediational role of self-efficacy beliefs, analyzing the moderated effects of gender, type of country, sexual orientation, and age. Filial self-efficacy mediated the effect of positivity on family functioning, showing stronger paths in men and Colombian participants than in women and Italian counterparts. Regulatory self-efficacy mediated the associations between positivity and family functioning for both genders and types of countries. The results suggest that positivity and self-efficacy beliefs may allow families to engage in more adaptive family functioning across countries and genders. Further research should focus on implications from a cross-national perspective to examine other culture-specific factors that may impact family adjustment.

Augmenting surveys with social media discourse on the workings of democracy from a cross-national perspective

This paper introduces an unsupervised framework that illustrates how insights gathered from opinion surveys regarding the functionality of democracy can be connected to social media messages of politicians on an international scale. By concentrating on the influence of social media messages from elected officials, the study adopts a “top-down” theoretical approach that links citizens’ attitudes towards democracy with the viewpoints about democracy expressed by politicians within social media discourses. Using a word embedding classification strategy, democracy-related themes are extracted from politicians’ messages. The research is conducted across 11 European countries, namely, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Switzerland is also included in the study because of its direct democracy system. The 10th round of the European Social Survey serves as the basis for assessing citizens’ democratic attitudes. The study encompasses two main analytical segments. First, aggregated analyses conducted at the country level reveal the degree of alignment between prominent democracy-related themes present in politicians’ discourse and citizens’ perceived significance of these same themes. Second, individual-level connections between social media data and survey respondents are established through their preferred political party (or orientation). Variable importance analysis is subsequently applied to explore which democracy-related themes conveyed by politicians hold significance in predicting public contentment with democracy.

Differentiation and destandardization of family life courses: Theoretical and empirical links to sociopolitical regime types

Building on research on cohort-specific trends in life-course differentiation and destandardization, our study seeks to explore how patterns of family-life-course diversity relate to characteristics of sociopolitical regimes. Applying sequence analysis, we analyse cohort-specific family life courses from nine European countries and Canada, classifying them into five sociopolitical regimes (Nordic, Anglo-Saxon, Mediterranean, Continental, Eastern). We use data from the Harmonized Histories and the German National Educational Panel Survey. Our results indicate that sociopolitical regimes differentiate patterns of life-course diversity quite well in the Nordic, Anglo-Saxon, and Eastern European countries but to a lesser degree in the Mediterranean and Continental countries. In methodological terms, our results suggest that distinguishing patterns of diversity between and within life courses helps to create a more nuanced empirical account of changing life-course patterns, particularly in a cross-national perspective.

Cross-national examination of facilitators and hindrances to the public acceptance of hydrogen refuelling facilities

Recognising the factors that shape the public acceptance of hydrogen refuelling facilities is essential for gaining social support for the widespread implementation of hydrogen infrastructure. This study applies a cross-national research perspective to investigate the public acceptance of hydrogen refuelling facilities using stated-preference survey data. Moreover, multidimensional explanatory variables encompassing hydrogen energy awareness levels, hydrogen refuelling station configurations, residential characteristics, car ownership and use, and sociodemographics are used to interpret public acceptance. The data revealed that 21.1 %, 45.5 %, and 31.5 % of the respondents in Japan, Spain, and Norway expressed support for such facilities near their residences, respectively. An important discovery was the validation of nonproportional odds in acceptance measurements across countries, which challenges the conventional assumptions of parallel regression and suggests that distinct behavioural determinants shape positive, negative, and neutral attitudes. Consequently, a generalised ordinal logistic regression approach was applied to identify the determinants of varying acceptance levels and mitigate the biases from nonproportional odds. In addition to identifying facilitators and hindrances, the results highlight several predictors with polarising effects. These findings provide public feedback for enhancing the planning of hydrogen infrastructure and offer potential pathways for hydrogen risk communication and policymaking.

Income inequality and income poverty in a cross-national perspective

Abstract This commentary—a reflection on the Bourquin, Brewer and Wernham article in this collection—draws on harmonized microdata from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) Database. It aims to place selected results from the UK in cross-national perspective. The comparator countries, all high-income, include one Nordic country, Norway; one continental European country, Germany; and three other Anglophone countries, Australia, Canada and the USA. The commentary assesses each of these key outcomes, both cross-nationally and over time: income inequality and redistribution, top-half and bottom-half income inequality, and child and elderly poverty. It closes with a brief discussion of policy lessons.

Conspiracy Beliefs and Perceptions of Electoral Integrity: Cross-National Evidence from 29 Countries

Abstract Extant research shows that belief in conspiracy theories and conspiratorial thinking are negatively related to citizens’ perceptions about the fairness and integrity of elections. However, by exclusively focusing on the United States as only one important empirical case, previous studies have left unanswered crucial questions on the scope, generalizability, and context dependency of their empirical findings. In this research note, I aim to fill this void by providing first empirical evidence on the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and electoral-integrity perceptions across twenty-nine countries. Using high-quality individual-level data from the European Social Survey enriched with contextual-level data on the quality of elections taken from the Varieties of Democracy Project, the findings from linear mixed-effects regression models reveal that (1) conspiracy beliefs are negatively related to citizens’ evaluations concerning the integrity of national elections; (2) the specific strength of the observed individual-level relationship varies substantially across countries; and (3) the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and individual electoral-integrity perceptions depends on the contextual-level quality and integrity of elections across countries. Specifically, the results indicate that the negative relationship between conspiracy beliefs and electoral-integrity perceptions is strongest in contexts in which the actual quality of elections is high, and in which citizens have little reason to (seriously) doubt the integrity of the electoral process. These findings provide an important and hitherto missing cross-national and multilevel perspective on the nexus between individual conspiracy beliefs and electoral-integrity perceptions, highlighting that the “conspiratorial challenge” to electoral legitimacy in contemporary democracies is real and more than an “American affliction.”

Returns to work following retirement in Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom

Abstract Most unretirement research has focused on single countries, indicating that socio-economic advantage and financial need predict unretirement in particular settings. Remarkably, little is known about whether the frequency and predictors of unretirement—returning to paid work after ceasing work at retirement—vary in relation to the country setting. We followed recent retirees over time in Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom to compare unretirement rates and predictors, and whether financial need predicted unretirement in a middle-income setting rather than in a high-income setting. We harmonized data ex post from four prospective surveys: German Socio-Economic Panel Study (1991–2016), Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (1994–2016), and for the United Kingdom, British Household Panel Survey (1991–2008), and Understanding Society (2010–2015). Unretirement was examined using Cox regression in relation to gender, age, education, health, household income, and financial difficulties. After 20 years of follow-up, the cumulative hazard of unretirement attained 0.20 in German, 0.24 in British, and 0.40 in Russian participants. Unretirement rates were generally higher for retirees who were younger, in better health and had higher household income. Worries about finances did not predict unretirement in Russia; such concerns predicted higher unretirement rates only in fully adjusted models in Germany and the United Kingdom. Since retirees in financial need may have difficulties finding suitable jobs, unretirement is a process with the potential to deepen financial inequality in later life. Variations in unretirement rates and predictors across countries demonstrate the importance of extending unretirement research to incorporate a cross-national comparative perspective.

Access to Child Psychotherapy in High- and Low/Middle-income Nations: A Cross-national Perspective and Potential Approaches

Psychotherapy of different types is recognized across the globe as an essential component of child and adolescent mental health services. At the same time, there are barriers and challenges in obtaining access to this modality that are as widespread as its acceptance. This article reviews barriers to accessing child and adolescent psychotherapy in high-income countries (HIC) as well as low/middle-income countries (LMIC). It also briefly reviews approaches to improve access using different interventions and modalities. We also report on our experience using one particular intervention, case management within pediatric collaborative care, as a promising approach for improving access in underserved populations.

Disability, Unemployment, and Inequality: A Cross-Country Comparison of the Situation of Persons With Spinal Cord Injury.

Unemployment and inequality are growing concerns that disproportionately affect people with disabilities. We compared unemployment rates and barriers to labor market participation for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) as an exemplary case of disability with different socioeconomic positions and from a cross-national perspective across 20 countries worldwide. We showed that persons with SCI have much higher unemployment rates than the general population. While this situation is many times worse for those in low-income groups, persons with SCI in high-income groups are often in a position comparable to the general population. The main barriers to entering the labor market are health status, the impossibility of finding suitable jobs, and the lack of information about employment opportunities. This is the first study that quantifies the extent of inequality in the labor market for persons with SCI. Across the 20 countries analyzed, facing disability has a much higher impact on those in low-income groups. This reality is explained by the fact that people in lower-income groups face many more barriers to entering the labor market than those in higher-income groups.

Community Violence, Perceived Neighborhood Quality, Collectivism and Children’s Life Satisfaction: A Cross-national Perspective

Community Violence, Perceived Neighborhood Quality, Collectivism and Children’s Life Satisfaction: A Cross-national Perspective

Role of Haiti in U.S. Independence and Expansion: A Cross-National Perspective

This article examines the crucial, yet frequently neglected, contribution of Haiti to the United States' quest for independence and territorial expansion. It explores Haiti's influence on U.S. foreign policy and economic strategies from a cross-national perspective, focusing on key historical events such as the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase. Despite Haiti's significant role, mainstream media and historical narratives have largely downplayed these connections, diminishing its impact on the U.S. trajectory. The article also contextualizes current issues, noting the racism faced by the Haitian Community in Springfield, Ohio. The discrimination observed today mirrors wider trends of marginalization and racial bias shaped by a lengthy history of suppressing Haiti's contributions to the American narrative. This analysis reveals historical truths and links them to contemporary racial dynamics, highlighting how systemic prejudice continues to obscure Haiti's legacy in the U.S.

Perceptions of Journalism in a Cross-National Perspective

This study compares news users’ perceptions of journalism in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Two cross-national surveys were conducted, each with over 2,000 participants in the respective countries. The surveys examined users’ evaluations of journalism’s relevance to society and its fulfilment of three key functions: holding the powerful to account, rapidly disseminating information to the public and providing analysis of current affairs. The findings highlight a gap between the social importance attributed to journalism and satisfaction with media performance. Information dissemination is perceived as the most effectively achieved function, while functions requiring more watchdog or analytical efforts receive less recognition in media activity. Age and education level are influential socio-demographic variables in news users’ perceptions. Older respondents and those with higher education levels view journalism as more relevant. Finally, Germany places a higher importance on journalism compared to Spain, with the United Kingdom occupying an intermediate position.

Developing an Operationalized Framework for Comparing Consumer-Directed Care for Older Adults: Evidence from Expert Survey and Cross-National Comparison

ABSTRACT Consumer-directed care (CDC) programs for older people aim to optimize health outcomes by offering clients control and flexibility regarding service arrangements. However, policy design features may differ due to heterogenous sociostructural systems. By operationalizing a framework with three dimensions of CDC, i.e. control and direct services, variety of service options, and information and support, we analyzed how countries vary in their policy designs to achieve consumer direction. Using an expert survey (n = 20) and cross-national document analysis, we analyzed 12 CDC programs from seven selected countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Australia, and Spain. Among the three dimensions, CDC programs placed more emphasis on and displayed more homogenous performance of policy designs that achieve consumer direction in the dimension of control and direct services, while less emphasis was placed on and more heterogenous performance displayed in the dimensions of variety of service options and information and support. We offer a systematically operationalized framework to investigate CDC policy designs. Findings advance our understanding of CDC policy features from a cross-national perspective. Policymakers could incorporate these findings to empower older people in their respective societies.

A cross-national perspective on silicosis: incidence, occupational settings, and trends

Abstract Background: Historically, silicosis is a disease of miners, but the last decade witnessed outbreaks in occupational settings not traditionally associated with silica exposure. Evidence from other countries may ground awareness and control of re-emergent risks. Methods: Incident cases of occupational diseases, ranking and trends were analysed within 2012-2016, respectively within 2007-2016 for silicosis using a cross-national comparative study. Labor force profile and occupation were additional data used to identify similarities and differences between Romania and Israel. The incidence rates for silicosis extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 were compared to national, continental, and global level. Results: Between the two countries, the ratio was 1:1.5 for musculoscheletal disorders, 1:3 for respiratory diseases, 1:4 for noise-induced hearing loss, and 1:10 for silicosis. Regarding silicosis, three major diffences were found, namely: the burden of disease, the trend of incidence (ascending in Israel; descending in Romania), and the occupational setting (coal miner in Romania; artificial stone worker in Israel). Globally, Romania was among countries with high incidence of silicosis in 2017. Conclusion: Silicosis was a national issue of concern at the time, but vigilance should continue, given the severity of this disease and the occurrence of other silica-related diseases.

Education and Religious Commitment from a Cross-national Perspective: Field of Education and National Curriculum

Education and Religious Commitment from a Cross-national Perspective: Field of Education and National Curriculum

Forums for Parents of Young Children: Parents’ Online Conversations in Israel and France

This paper compares discussions in online forums on the parenting of young children in France and Israel through a cross-national perspective. We mapped and coded the activity in four major forums on early-age parenting, two in each country, during two months (N= 3,244 posts). Analysis of the posts revealed that, overall, parents in both countries focused more on children than on parenting issues and were mostly interested in their children’s educational settings. French participants discussed cognitive and developmental issues more than Israelis parents, whereas Israeli parents were more concerned with social-emotional development and parenting issues than the French participants. Results are discussed from a cross-national perspective, and practical implications are suggested, relating to a safe and empowering virtual space where parents and professionals assist parents of young children from different cultural backgrounds to adjust to their particular needs, interests and expectations.

Southern European press challenges in a time of crisis: A cross-national study of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Malta

The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for newsrooms across the world range from severe economic hardship to increased threats to press freedom. The “perfect storm” that engulfed the media and journalists globally has threatened and continues to challenge their existence, and the core of their mission to serve the public interest. This study maps the impact of external political, economic, legal and societal factors on journalistic freedom and the way(s) news organizations and journalists operate in times of global crisis in four Southern European countries. It provides a fuller cross-national perspective on the complex relationship between media, journalism and politics in countries with existing democratic deficits. Findings are based on 32 semi-structured interviews with journalists working in four Southern European countries, namely Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, conducted in 2022. We find increased economic challenges to their fragile media markets, high level of state intervention, political parallelism in coverage of the pandemic and beyond, and numerous threats to the autonomy of journalists that hamper journalism and question its development in the future. The study’s implications are relevant to different contexts, particularly in countries where journalism and media face similar challenges.