Cross-national Research Research Articles

Territorial Autonomy and the Trade-Off between Civil and Communal Violence

To safeguard peace in multi-ethnic countries, scholars and practitioners recommend territorial autonomy. However, there is limited cross-national research on how autonomy affects subnational ethnic conflict, and increasing concern that it redirects ethnic violence from the national to the subnational level. Addressing this gap, I argue that autonomy generates tensions over subnational government control and the distribution of local economic goods. However, whether these turn violent depends on ethnic representation in the central government. If groups are unequally represented, violent escalation is more likely due to information and commitment problems and subnational majoritarianism. To test these arguments, I provide new time-variant data on subnational boundaries, territorial autonomy, and ethnically attributed violence. I conduct a systematic analysis of all multi-ethnic countries between 1989 and 2019, instrumental variable analyses, and tests of my argument’s intermediate implications. My findings underline the importance of complementing autonomy with inclusive central governments to attenuate the risks of subnational violence.

Unpacking participation in healthcare governance: Lessons from two local health councils in Brazil and Spain.

This paper describes and compares the integration of cross-sector actors' participation into the governance of two local health councils, one located in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) and the other in the Canary Islands (Spain). Based on the cross-national comparative research conducted as part of a doctoral thesis, a qualitative design based on secondary data analysis was proposed on the three stages of the organisational integration process of participation. We used information from individual semi-structured interviews (n=70), situational observation, focus groups, literature review, and field notes to understand participatory processes of networking between multiple cross-sector actors and to show how such processes might be associated with innovative practices. For these innovations to be successfully implemented, stakeholders need to acquire adequate competencies in cross-sector collaboration, enabling them to learn about new organisational practices and to adapt the network of actors to the often unpredictable influences of contextual factors.

Extending Voting Rights to Emigrants

Abstract Since 1980, most states have granted voting rights to citizens living abroad. Although cross-national research focuses on when and where emigrant enfranchisement occurs, there has been little systematic attention to the variation in how enfranchisement occurs (for example, by constitutional amendment) and who extends these rights (international actors, for example). We argue that the variation in legal modalities and political actors is important for understanding why enfranchisement occurs and helps to account for the subsequent institutional inclusion—and exclusion—of emigrant voters. Using an original dataset which documents every extension of non-citizen voting rights (n = 153), we uncover variations in legal processes, regionally and over time. Although legislation is the most common enfranchisement pathway, judiciaries have become increasingly involved since 2000, particularly in Asian and African countries. Furthermore, emigrant enfranchisements involving constitutional reforms or plebiscites tend to be the most durable, whereas enfranchisements by international agreement are most prone to policy reversals.

Democracy, accountability, and forest loss: a cross-national analysis of low- and middle-income nations

ABSTRACT The existing cross-national research on democracy and forest loss has produced contradictory results. On the one hand, some studies find that democracy is related to less forest loss because of electoral accountability and guaranteeing political rights and civil liberties. On the other hand, studies find that democracy is related to increased forest loss in low- and middle-income nations because leaders promote policies that prioritize economic growth over protecting the natural environment. We use this research as a starting point for our study and build upon it in two ways. First, we examine how vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability – three different aspects of democracy – impacts forest loss in low- and middle-income nations. Second, we address the issue of endogeneity in the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability. To do so, we analyze data for 80 low- and middle-income nations using a two-stage instrumental variable regression model. We find that higher levels of horizontal and diagonal accountability are related to less forest loss. We do not find that vertical accountability is related to forest loss in low- and middle-income nations. From the findings, we arrive at our theoretical implication, which support arguments concerning how actors at different scales work individually and together to promote conservation.

Women's Representation in Canadian Municipalities

This research note uses a new and comprehensive data set of 22,333 municipal elected positions in 3,363 municipalities across Canada to provide a systematic analysis of women's presence in municipal office. Drawing on findings from cross-national research about women's representation in local governments, we examine whether district type, council size, urban setting, women's workforce participation, and degree of conservatism among voters account for variation in the proportion of women elected as councillors and mayors. We find support for most, but not all, of the relevant factors in previous studies. Urban municipalities and municipalities with at-large and hybrid elections are associated with larger proportions of women mayors and councillors. Ideology also matters: the proportion of women in municipal office is smaller in conservative municipalities. Finally, we find no evidence that council size or women's labor force participation is related to women's representation among mayors or councillors.

Social Media as Commodifier or Homogenizer? Journalists’ Social Media Use in Individualistic and Collectivist Cultures and Its Implications for Epistemologies of News Production

This study seeks to address two research needs in journalism studies. First, there is a need for research that situates political reporters’ social media engagement as part of a broader investigation into journalistic epistemology, or what it means for these reporters to produce and validate information as authorized “knowers.” Second, there is a need for cross-national comparative research that looks beyond Western contexts alone and does so using the strengths of qualitative research methods. This study thus explores the use of social media by political reporters in the United States and South Korea. Through interviews with 35 journalists, we show that social media practices create a different sense of knowing, which operates according to a work atmosphere that is culturally conditioned. We find that U.S. journalism’s emphasis on exclusivity and individuality motivates reporters to orient social media use around producing unique news that no other reporter knows. Such emphasis on distinctiveness opens the door for honing their personal branding skills, ultimately leading to a self-commodification strategy. By contrast, in South Korea, with its long tradition of a collectivist-oriented Confucian culture, reporters treat social media as a more communal digital workspace that distributes news sources and information in an equitable manner.

Investigating the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA): the Harmonised Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) cross-sectional substudy

IntroductionThe Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) study is the largest study of ageing in Northern Ireland (NI). The Harmonised Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) is a...

Developing and evaluating Compassionate Workplace Programs to promote health and wellbeing around serious illness, dying and loss in the workplace (EU-CoWork): a transdisciplinary, cross-national research project

Background: Most employees will experience serious illness, caregiving, dying and loss (End-of-Life (EoL) experiences) at multiple points throughout their working lives. These experiences impact affected employees but also their colleagues in terms of health and wellbeing, and the workplace as a whole in terms of workplace safety, productivity and labour relations. The impact of EoL experiences on employees means that workplaces are called to play a more active role in providing support for EoL experiences. Aim: To describe how the EU-CoWork (2024–2028) project addresses its main aims to (1) create Compassionate Workplace cultures, practices and policies and improve health and wellbeing for employees dealing with EoL experiences in different national work contexts in Europe; (2) describe and evaluate the process of co-creation and implementation of Compassionate Workplace Programs (CWPs) and how these influence the programs’ outcomes. Design: EU-CoWork employs a facilitated and co-creative Developmental Evaluation approach to the development of 12 tailored CWPs across four European countries (Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Greece). Methods: To evaluate the outcomes and processes leading to these outcomes, a mixed-methods Realist Evaluation methodology is applied, formulating and testing Context-Mechanism-Outcomes configurations and combining longitudinal quantitative and qualitative data collections. Results: EU-CoWork will generate evidence to support an expanded model of occupational health and safety risk factors sensitive to the specific challenges related to employees’ EoL experiences. In doing so, several challenges will have to be navigated: involving employees with EoL experiences while avoiding overburdening them, avoiding tokenistic engagement, managing power differentials, balancing the need for scientific rigour with the flexibility required in co-creation, reconciling different epistemologies and disciplinary traditions and organisational resistance to change. Conclusion: There are potential long-lasting broader societal impacts through the stimulation of open discourse on EoL topics, the reconciliation of work and care, and changes in gendered work and care patterns.

The COVID-19 Vaccines Evaluation Program: Implementation, Management, and Experiences, 2021-2023.

In 2021, China's domestically produced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines received approval from regulatory bodies and were administered worldwide. Due to a low number of infections within China during that period, it became imperative to evaluate the vaccines' real-world effectiveness through international studies. To facilitate this, China CDC launched the COVID-19 Vaccines Evaluation Program (COVEP). This program formed research collaboration agreements with health institutes across five World Health Organization regions, addressing key questions about vaccine performance through ten cooperative agreements. The findings from COVEP projects reinforced confidence, both domestically and globally, in the effectiveness of the vaccines produced in China. Moreover, the outcomes observed internationally were frequently mirrored by later studies conducted within China. COVEP thus pioneered a novel approach for fostering cross-national research collaborations, addressing significant public health issues and exemplifying a framework for international cooperation. This approach is in line with the strategic objectives and other development efforts of China CDC's national disease control and prevention initiatives.

Bridging the Blue Divide: The Democrats’ New Metro Coalition and the Unexpected Prominence of Redistribution

The electoral base of the Democratic Party has been transformed over the past generation. Democrats have lost ground in rural America while adding strength in cities and, more recently, suburbs. A major consequence of this shift has been the creation of a “U-shaped” Democratic voting base, with both poorer metro voters and affluent suburbanites siding with the party. This spatial alliance overlays a multi-racial one, as Democrats rely more heavily on voters of color than any other major party in American history. Many analysts have argued that the Democratic Party has managed this sea change by shifting from economic to cultural and identity appeals. This claim is consistent with leading models of two-dimensional party competition, as well as a fair amount of cross-national research on parties of the left and center-left in contemporary knowledge economies. However, we find little evidence for this claim in national Democrats’ messaging (via party platforms and on Twitter), nor, more important, in their actual policy efforts. Instead, we show that even as Democrats have increasingly relied on affluent, educated voters, the party has embraced a more ambitious economic agenda. The national party has bridged the Blue Divide not by foreswearing redistribution or foregrounding cultural liberalism, but by formulating an increasingly bold economic program—albeit one that elides important inequalities within its metro-based multi-racial coalition. Understanding how and why Democrats have taken this path is central to understanding not just the party’s response to its shifting electorate, but the way parties manage coalitional change more broadly.

CATALYZING CROSS-NATIONAL AGING RESEARCH: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND STRATEGIES FOR EARLY CAREERISTS

Abstract Cross-national comparisons in aging research allow for the triangulation of evidence on health outcomes across diverse populations and contexts. They allow researchers to identify policy-relevant and context-specific modifiers of health risks faced by older adults. Catalyzing cross-national comparison studies is a challenge, as researchers need to carefully consider social, cultural, political, socioeconomic differences across populations and make sure that local partners are appropriately represented and involved. This presentation will describe experiences in building a research career focused on understanding healthy cognitive aging from a global perspective, using data from diverse high-, middle-, and low-income settings. Opportunities, challenges, and strategies for early career researchers interested in catalyzing cross-national aging research will be discussed. These include the importance of advocacy for research on aging in contexts outside of the United States, theoretical and methodological approaches to cross-national research, and building diverse interdisciplinary collaborations.

PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM: HIGHLIGHTING EMERGING PROFESSIONALS WHO BUILD BRIDGES, CATALYZE RESEARCH, AND EMPOWER ALL AGES

Abstract There are many ways to carve a path forward in aging research, policy, and practice. Sometimes the career possibilities are overwhelming, leaving us unsure of how best to proceed. As aging professionals, we know that there is much to learn from those who have gone before us. Therefore, in the ESPO Presidential Symposium we highlight four emerging professionals who are trailblazing diverse and fulfilling career paths in aging by building bridges, catalyzing research, and empowering all ages. Speakers include Drs. Cal Halvorsen, Lindsay Kobayashi, Jamie Justice, and Glenna Brewster Glasgow. Dr. Jacqui Smith will serve as the discussant, synthesizing main findings, emphasizing positive outcomes, and exploring challenges. Starting with identifying the “So What?” of his career, Dr. Cal Halvorsen will explore how his practice roots in policy and advocacy led to his current approach of merging scholarly pursuits and public communication to make an impact beyond the walls of academia. Next, moving to cross-national aging research, Dr. Lindsay Kobayashi will discuss the opportunities and challenges of combining diverse cross-national cohorts to identify policy-relevant and context-specific modifiers of health risks for older adults. Next, Dr. Jamie Justice will focus on her career in translational geroscience and share a translational framework for aging outcomes trials. Finally, from an interdisciplinary approach to conducting research with families living with cognitive impairment in the US and the Caribbean, Dr. Glenna Brewster Glasgow will reflect on practical strategies to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with researchers and stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally.

Material circumstances and pandemic-related education choices: parental schooling decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic in four Canadian provinces

ABSTRACTParents have faced difficult decisions regarding their children’s educational plans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the findings of an original survey of parents from four Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec), this paper examines the influence of parents’ material circumstances on decision-making around schooling in September 2020 and June 2021. Our findings suggest that both income and material security played important roles in parent’s decisions to enroll their children in remote/in-person education and public/non-public education throughout the 2020–2021 school year, although there are noteworthy differences between the September 2020 and June 2021 periods. These findings have important implications both for the emerging cross-national research that examines the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated socioeconomic divisions when it comes to school choice, but also for the broader comparative literature on rising levels of educational stratification along socioeconomic lines and the effects of such stratification.

Autocratization as Ethnocratization? How Regime Transformations toward Autocracy Deteriorate Ethnic Relations

When a country becomes more autocratic, does it affect the relations between ethnic groups in a systematic way? Cross-national and case-based research witnesses how autocratization (the opposite of democratization) is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in societies where ethnic relations are politicized and polarized. However, we still lack sufficient knowledge on how autocratization might have an impact on ethnic relations. The paper advances previous autocratization and ethnic studies. It hypothesizes that if a country autocratizes, this further deteriorates its ethnic relations (ethnocratization). It substantiates this claim through a mixed-method design. It starts with a longitudinal analysis at the ethnic group-level, to demonstrate how ethnic discrimination and domination are more probable during autocratization episodes. Next, it examines a collection of international reports on the predicament of ethnic majorities and minorities in countries undergoing autocratization episodes, to identify two causal mechanisms as the main incentives and justifications of the incumbent (and autocratizing) elites: ideological legitimation and authoritarian experimentation. This research encourages scholars on autocratization and ethnic studies to join their efforts, to investigate how democracy and ethnic inclusion can decline in parallel and, thus, to show the reasons why they should advance together.

An international comparison of gender differences in mental health among higher-education students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a multilevel design

BackgroundMental health problems are a common phenomenon among higher-education students. How these mental health problems manifest themselves appears to differ between male and female students. While the latter group bears a greater risk of developing internalizing problems, with depression being particularly prevalent, these problems manifest themselves in male students mainly via externalizing disorders, with alcohol abuse being the most prevalent. Available cross-national research on students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, to date, mainly focused on the prevalence of depressive symptoms, thereby ignoring a possible gendered impact of the pandemic.MethodsThe current study used the COVID-19 International Student Well-Being Study, which collected data on students’ mental health during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 26 countries, and multilevel modeling was applied.ResultsIt finds that, overall, female students reported more depressive feelings, and male students reported more excessive alcohol consumption. The strictness of the governmental containment measures explained a substantial amount of these gender differences in depressive feelings, but not in excessive alcohol consumption.ConclusionsOur study highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic had a gendered impact on students’ mental health. Studies that ignore the gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are therefore limited in scope.

Social deprivation and exclusion in Parkinson’s disease: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

ObjectiveTo describe prevalence and associated factors of social deprivation in people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD).DesignCross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study.SettingData were taken from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in...

“Time to Award Some Medals”: A Comparative Social Media Analysis of Olympic Coverage in the United States and Australia

Rights-holding broadcasters of the Olympic Games play an integral role in conveying the values of the Olympic Movement, but few studies have examined these networks’ social media content. This investigation involved a comparative content analysis of rights-holding broadcasters’ official Olympic Twitter accounts in the United States (@NBCOlympics) and Australia (@7Olympics) during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Results indicate significant differences between the two accounts in sport disciplines, gender representations, and national interest. Both accounts dedicated <40% of the tweets to women’s sport. Whereas the American outlet NBC promoted home athletes, Australia’s Seven Network emphasized athletes from other countries. Twitter accounts partially followed the televisual logics of representation patterns, but contextual factors specific to social media structured agenda diversity. Contextual elements (e.g., structure of sport schedules and nation-specific factors) are also relevant when interpreting representation patterns. Theoretical implications for agenda setting and methodological directions for cross-national Olympic social media research are discussed.

Potential of Sense of Place in Cultural Heritage Conservation: A Systematic Review

Sense of place is a fundamental aspect of cultural heritage conservation and management, as it plays an important role in understanding the connection between individuals and the places they inhabit. This study aims to provide heritage managers and scholars with up-to-date insights into the importance of a sense of place in maintaining cultural heritage. The main objectives of this research are to explore whether a sense of place’s role in cultural heritage research has been adequately investigated and to assess the sense of place potential in cultural heritage conservation. We conducted a systematic literature review of 42 articles to achieve these goals. Through thematic analysis, this study reveals a sense of place’s impact on various aspects of cultural heritage conservation. From the results, six prominent themes emerged, highlighting that a sense of place is a key determinant in the effectiveness of cultural heritage management initiatives. Based on these findings, authors advocate for enhanced collaboration between the government and local communities, acknowledging the importance of heritage tourism and reinforcing policies for cultural heritage conservation to bolster the sense of place. In future research, examining a sense of place can expand to interdisciplinary intersections, quantitative studies, cross-national comparative research, and the exploration of the role of technology in augmenting both the sense of place and cultural heritage conservation.

Participation and learning in Vocational education and training - a cross-national analysis of the perspectives of youth at risk for social exclusion

ABSTRACT The article explores the experiences of youth at risk for social exclusion and is part of cross-national research involving Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. 79 young people aged 16–29 who are at risk of becoming economically and socially marginalised were interviewed about circumstances that may support or hinder their participation and learning in VET. The study draws on sociocultural theory, emphasising learning as participation in social practices. Thematic analyses indicate that negative experiences in the past affect current participation in VET. In all countries, VET offers opportunities for participation for students at risk of social exclusion. However, vulnerable youth do not navigate the paths of social engagement well on their own. In the case of VET-students at risk for social exclusion, the mere development of knowledge and skills relevant for employment in the labour market does not suffice. VET institutions will need to facilitate students’ participation in learning communities. Building social capital for youth at risk through developing relationships that generate motivation, trust, and confidence enhances students’ opportunities for participation and subsequent learning. VET teachers and workplace supervisors will need guidance on how to develop the pedagogical competencies necessary to nurture social capital for students at risk for social exclusion.

COVID-19 information source and behavior preference in later life: the role of health satisfaction, socio-demographic background, and country of residence

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to clarify how health satisfaction, socio-demographic background, and country of residence in older internet users correspond with their preference for COVID-19 information sources or for behaviors aimed at acquiring this information. Methods The sample (N = 4233) was drawn from the 2020 wave of the Ageing + Communication + Technologies (ACT) cross-national longitudinal research study. Multinomial and logistic regression models were employed to analyze the data. Results An association was found between health satisfaction and preference for interpersonal communication to obtain COVID-19 information over traditional media consumed via traditional devices. Substantial socio-demographic (gender, age, education, marital status) differences were found, particularly regarding preference for digital media. Moreover, sizable cross-country differences were detected. Conclusions The results point to the existence of a remarkable divide with respect to the COVID-19 information source/behavior preference even in a digitally advantaged population. Public decision makers and communities should be more involved in assisting older adults to obtain necessary and up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.