Economic Collapse Research Articles

Problems of transformability of unfinished construction objects in time. ways to solve

The speed of global changes in the field of economics and politics, in the social and spiritual spheres is the main factor that requires consideration and a special approach not only in judging and stating, but also for anticipating and predicting events. Globalization and possible risks of environmental and economic disasters require prompt solutions. The dynamics of interaction between the developer, the owner and the designer is increasing. The sustainability of an object's development is determined not by its static nature, but by its ability to change parameters, dimensions, functions, etc. In conditions of change, the construction site must also change. Strategic economic development programs aimed at the transition to a closed-loop economy indicate that only 8.6% of the produced product is returned to reuse. This leads to an increase in the workload not only in the field of extraction and processing of resources, but also to an increase in labor costs. The globality of the environmental and economic catastrophe formed in the future requires prompt solutions. Thus, further transformation and adaptation of buildings becomes a mandatory requirement during their design and operation. The lack of the possibility of rapid changes in the life cycle of an object leads to the appearance of abandoned buildings and territories and to an increase in the proportion of unfinished construction. The growing number of such facilities dictates the need, firstly, to create conditions for an operational change of functional purpose, and secondly, to eliminate the imbalance between the growing demand for new areas and the availability of unused ones. One of the ways to solve this problem is the temporary return of unfinished spaces to operation, before the implementation of the main measures for the development of abandoned territories. As a result of the conducted research, three main problems of the appearance of unfinished construction have been identified, firstly, a significant difference between the life cycles of the functions of objects and the needs for these functions, secondly, the mutual influence of the environment on objects and objects on the environment, thirdly, the lack of long-term forecasting. Solutions for each of the identified problems are proposed.

WILL THE HEART “GO LAST” IN THE FUTURE? ALIENATING SPACES IN MARGARET ATWOOD’S DYSTOPIAN FICTION

The aim of this paper is to analyse how the disturbing social forces affect individuals in Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Heart Goes Last, by relying on Michel Foucault’s system of ideas on imprisonment in Discipline and Punish and Erich Fromm’s views on disintegration of love and faith in Western society in The Art of Loving. At the beginning of the book, it seems that the Positron Project, a futuristic prison, will offer an escape from post-apocalyptic misery to Stan and Charmaine, a young couple, hit by an economic collapse. However, the suburban paradise, at first glance, has gradually been exposed as a bleak and threatening place where people are kept in cramped conditions under constant monitoring and registration of data. As our analysis will reveal, the town of Consilience is the morbid urban realm where control is enforced through various mechanisms used to create “productive” and “subjected” bodies. In such a system, where the management has enticed the participants to take part in the project by offering material comforts, love has no (economic) value. The circumstances in the alienating location in the mentioned novel might be interpreted as a cautionary tale about relations of power in the current society and the world in the near future. In a metaphorical way, the author of The Heart Goes Last alerts to the problems by which mankind as a whole might be afflicted - the potential for abuses of power, treating people as commodities and the disintegration of real values.

Public Perceptions of Bankruptcies and Indebtedness in Slovenia during the Period of Austria-Hungary and the First Yugoslavia

Bankruptcy is a legal procedure for terminating the business of an overindebted individual or company, which has historically been considered to be an extremely negative phenomenon due to its undesirable consequences. There is often a stigma attached to debtors, who have not seldom also been accused of fraud by hiding their assets. These views were widespread in Europe until the twentieth century, and Slovenia was no exception. The article presents the image of bankruptcies and debtors, as can be understood based on sources from the period of Austria-Hungary and the interwar Yugoslav monarchy. The most common approach to financial collapses was moral outrage, and the press often wrote about bankruptcies through the prism of political or national affiliation, defending members of the same political group and attacking opponents. The views of the bankrupt debtors and creditors themselves are also explored.

Exploring access to health and social supports for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors during stressful life events (SLEs)-A scoping review.

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often face increased incidents of violence during stressful life events (SLEs) such as economic recessions, environmental disasters, and pandemics. These events can diminish the effectiveness of both formal (e.g., health, social, justice, labor, community) and informal (e.g., friends, family, neighbors) support systems. Additionally, SLEs exacerbate existing health and social inequities, making it necessary to understand the accessibility of support services during these times. This scoping review investigates access to services by individuals experiencing IPV during SLEs in high-income countries. A comprehensive search was conducted across several electronic databases including MEDLINE (OVID), Embase (OVID), PsychInfo (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), Global Health (EBSCO), Gender Watch (ProQuest), Web of Science, and Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ProQuest), along with the search engine Google Scholar. This search, which imposed no date restrictions, was extended through May 22nd, 2024. Key search terms were developed from prior literature and in consultation with an expert librarian, focusing on 'stressful life events,' 'intimate partner violence,' and 'access to services.'. Each study was screened and extracted by two reviewers and conflicts were resolved through discussion or a third reviewer. The search across eight databases and citation searching resulted in a total of 7396 potentially relevant articles. After removing 1968 duplicates and screening 5428 based on titles and abstracts, 200 articles underwent full abstract review. Ultimately, 74 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria and were selected for further analysis. The analysis focused on barriers and facilitators to access, identifying challenges within Survivors' support systems, redirected resources during crises, and complex control dynamics and marginalization. Over 90% of the literature included covered the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing these challenges requires innovative strategies, sustained funding, and targeted interventions for high-risk subgroups. This scoping review systematically outlined the challenges and enabling factors influencing the availability of support services for Survivors of IPV during SLEs. It underscores the need for robust, culturally sensitive health and social support mechanisms, and policies. Such measures are essential to better protect and assist IPV Survivors and their service providers during these critical times. Furthermore, it is imperative to integrate the insights and expertise of the violence against women (VAW) sector into emergency planning and policy-making to ensure comprehensive and effective responses that address the unique needs of Survivors in crises.

The Impact of the Beirut Explosion on the Mental Health of Lebanese Healthcare Providers: A Scoping Review.

Lebanon has faced a series of crises, starting with the economic collapse in 2019, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut blast on August 4, 2020. These events have left the population vulnerable to psychological distress. Our study aims to assess the psychological impact of the Beirut explosion on Lebanese healthcare providers. We conducted an electronic database search, resulting in the inclusion of 21 relevant manuscripts. Various psychological issues were reported among healthcare workers (HCWs), with burnout prevalence rates of 37.2% for disengagement and 51.5% for exhaustion. Additionally, feelings of heaviness, fear, exhaustion, and anxiety were common. Approximately 60% of HCWs experienced moderate to severe stress, and half reported moderate to severe anxiety and depression. Furthermore, 44% were at high risk of developing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Lebanese HCWs have faced significant psychological trauma in recent years, underscoring the need for mental health awareness campaigns and targeted training for HCWs.

The State Of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) In Nigeria And Implications To National Security: Northwest And North Central In Focus

The ongoing insurgency and banditry in northern Nigeria and the government's harsh attempts to put it down have resulted in a wave of refugees and internally displaced people. Increase in population density and the migration of displaced people into places that are thought to be relatively quiet are prominently causing significant security concerns. With particular reference to the city of Ilorin, this study investigates the role of internally displaced people and community concerns in connection to national security and their repercussions. The study showed that the state's failure to provide security and deal with residents' socioeconomic problems contributed to the instability that drove large population displacement. Losses of life, insecurity, population relocation, intolerance toward other ethnic and religious groups, the operation of the militant groups and most importantly economic disasters are the consequences of these unfavorable tendencies, as this article has discovered. The findings of this study shows that the government's response to the situation of internally displaced people in the nation has been patchy, with no long-term fix in sight. Additionally, the dilemma of internally displaced people severely impedes the region's growth. This paper consequently promotes the establishment of offices for these displaced people's representatives by including the affairs of internally displaced people at the local government level. As an option to dealing with the problem of internally displaced people in the nation, increasing funding for national security among residents would improve security in Ilorin metropolis.

Financial insecurity and mental well-being: experiences of parents amid the lebanese economic crisis

BackgroundThis study investigates the impact of financial insecurity on the mental well-being and stress levels of parents in Lebanon amid the country’s severe economic crisis. The context of Lebanon’s economic collapse, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion, has exacerbated financial and psychological distress among the population. This research aims to understand the correlation between financial instability and parental stress, identifying key factors contributing to mental health challenges in this demographic.MethodsEmploying a quantitative research approach, data was collected through an online survey from 785 parents from different backgrounds in Lebanon. The survey incorporated sociodemographic questions, the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFW), and the Arabic version of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.ResultsFindings showed significant correlations between high levels of parental stress and factors such as age (r = 0.071, p = 0.047) and lower education levels. Notably, refugees residing in Lebanon exhibited higher stress levels compared to Lebanese parents (mean stress score: 51.73 vs. 45.71, p < 0.001). Similarly, employed participants exhibited higher stress levels compared to the nonworking (mean stress score: 46.75 vs. 44.60, p = 0.003). A significant inverse association was found between financial well-being and parental stress (r=-0.216, p < 0.001), emphasizing the profound impact of economic instability on mental health.ConclusionsThis study highlights the adverse effects of financial insecurity on parents’ mental health, primarily during a period of economic instability, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted support interventions. These findings contribute to the literature on economic crises and mental health, providing a basis for future research and policy development in similar contexts.

Systemic risk in banking, fire sales, and macroeconomic disasters

We develop a dynamic computational network model of the banking system where fire sales provide the amplification mechanism of financial shocks. Each period a finite number of banks offers a large, but finite, number of loans to households. Banks with excess liquidity also offer loans to other banks with insufficient liquidity. Thus, each period an interbank loan market is endogenously formed. Bank assets are hit by idiosyncratic shocks drawn from a thin tailed distribution. The uneven distribution of shocks across banks implies that each period there are banks that become insolvent. If insolvent banks happen also to be heavily indebted to other banks, their liquidation can trigger other bank failures. We find that the distribution across time of the growth rate of banking assets has a ‘fat left tail’ that corresponds to rare economic disasters. We also find that the distribution of initial shocks is not a perfect predictor of economic activity; that is some of the uncertainty is endogenous and related to the structure of the interbank network.

The Impact of the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict on Food and Economy in Gaza

The continuous Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had a destructive impact on Gaza, resulting in a serious food crisis and economic collapse. The military operations and the following blockade resulted in more than 30000 Gazans being killed and over 1.1 million Gazans faced catastrophic hunger, which had a huge impact on the economy. As the fundamental sector of Gaza’s economy, the agricultural department was attacked by Israel’s military operations and impacted by the destruction of agricultural infrastructures including greenhouses, and irrigation facilities. The current situation led to a striking decrease in local food production and supply and also resulted in a complete social and economic collapse. This paper discusses the consequences of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The paper emphasizes that in order to solve the serious humanitarian crisis requires international aid and diplomatic efforts, ensuring the agricultural department can operate normally and reopening the supply routes at the same time to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Book Review: Biosecurity, Economic Collapse, the State to Come: Political Power in the Pandemic and Beyond by Boukalas, Christos

Book Review: <i>Biosecurity, Economic Collapse, the State to Come: Political Power in the Pandemic and Beyond</i> by Boukalas, Christos

Human cellular restriction factors that target SARS-CoV-2 replication

Millions of people have died and a worldwide economic catastrophe has been brought on by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may presently be treated with less than 10 antiviral drugs such as Remdesivir. The need for medical intervention due to sickness has led to unprecedented research efforts to study the biology of coronaviruses. Additionally, there is a strong likelihood that coronaviruses will cause pandemics in the future. All viruses cannot replicate optimally due to host restriction factors. Given that they are genetically more stable than viral targets and may be shared by similar viruses, these antiviral host factors provide appealing targets for antiviral treatment. The identification of antiviral host factors that are a component of human innate immunity and that prevent the completion of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle has been made possible by the deployment of several “omics” technologies. In this review, we provide an overview of the antiviral host factors that limit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in this, which were mostly discovered using functional genetic and interactome screening. Important cellular mechanisms for the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle are covered. Finally, we highlight host restriction factors that could be targeted by clinically approved molecules and the induction of these factors as potential antiviral therapies for COVID-19.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION UNDER MILITARY THREATS: UKRAINIAN EXPERIENCE OF ADAPTING TO CRISIS SITUATIONS

The article examines the Ukrainian experience of public administration under conditions of military threat as of 2022-2024. The key challenges faced by Ukraine during the full-scale war are analyzed, including the destruction of critical infrastructure and the need to ensure uninterrupted provision of public services. Special attention is paid to the digitization of public administration, which played a decisive role in maintaining the stability of state institutions. The role of the «Action» platform and other innovative solutions that enabled interaction between citizens and the government in crisis conditions is described. The impact of decentralization on the ability of local authorities to respond to the challenges of war has been studied. The interaction with international partners within the framework of the SIGMA program, which is aimed at providing support in the reform of public administration with a course towards European integration, is characterized. A comparative analysis of the Ukrainian experience with other European countries that faced large-scale crises was carried out, and unique aspects of the Ukrainian model of adaptation were revealed. The article analyzes strategies for the restoration and modernization of the state administration of Ukraine in crisis conditions. Attention is focused on the interaction between the state and corporate sectors to maintain economic activity even in conditions of active hostilities. The role of business relocation to safer regions and the influence of state support on the stabilization of the labor market and the economy are outlined. Programs aimed at restoring infrastructure and vital services in cooperation with international partners are mentioned. The experience of implementing temporary solutions to ensure the basic needs of the population is described. It examines the impact of international aid and financial support through IMF and World Bank programs that helped maintain budget stability and avoid economic collapse. The perspectives of public administration during Ukraine's integration into European structures and further strengthening of public administration are highlighted. Special attention is paid to the prospects for the development of public administration in the post-war period, the solution of socio-economic problems, the restoration of infrastructure and the attraction of investments. Strategic directions for reforming public administration for the future are proposed, taking into account the experience of the war and cooperation with international institutions.

Conceptualizing National Security in an Era of Great Power Rivalry: Implications for International Economic Law

AbstractUntil recently, the national security exception in investment and trade was understood in terms of defense against military invasion or attack and possibly extendable to economic collapse. However, national security is increasingly understood far beyond the classical contours of territorial integrity. Driven primarily by the China-U.S. hegemonic competition, the new conceptualization is exemplified in a dramatic expansion in U.S. investment and trade measures based upon conceptualizing national security as encompassing threats to a fusion of interrelated spheres of national strength including economic, technological, and ideological power. Moreover, the U.S. now understands security as the retention of superiority in an array of power spheres and encompasses denying China access to emerging technologies. China has similarly expanded her definition of security which is often referenced as “national interests” and embraces political stability (Party dominance), social stability, ideological security, and the defense of Chinese overseas interests, all of which lie far outside the classical definition of security. The untethered expansion in both the U.S. and Chinese conceptualization of security raises significant ramifications for the international economic architecture. As the guardrails of security are abandoned in pursuit of policy goals, a potentially overly broad and excessive notion of security risks deepening several overlapping perils to the current international legal landscape. The focus of this article is on the expansion of the national security exception in investment and trade and potential implications arising from an unfettered expansion.

Using Decision Tree Technique to Predict the Financial Collapse of Iraqi Private Banks: An Applied Study

Predicting the Financial Collapse (FC) using modern technologies and scientific methods for Iraqi private banks is considered an early warning to detect their failure in the future. Therefore, these proposals, represented by scientific methods and modern technologies, are submitted to the specialized bodies represented by (the Central Bank of Iraq) in order to present them to the banks in the research sample to raise their capacity through the use of modern technologies and in order to adopt them as a scientific basis for predicting the FC. The following will be followed: Evaluating the performance of banks and classifying them based on the Camels standard (CS) and predicting the FC based on modern technologies (by relying on the decision tree algorithm). The research relied on the deductive approach to complete the theoretical aspect and the applied (experimental) approach to complete the practical aspect. The researcher also processed and prepared the data and then evaluated the performance of banks and classified them based on the CS equations consisting of five indicators and on the averages of these results as inputs for prediction using DT. Different computer programs were also adopted, as the Excel program was used to unload the data, the (SPSS) program to apply the equations, and the (Matlab) program to predict modern technologies. The most prominent conclusions reached by the research are as follows: Modern technologies represented by decision trees are characterized by providing more accurate information

ІННОВАЦІЙНІ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКІ ПРАКТИКИ ДИДЖИТАЛІЗАЦІЇ ЯК КЛЮЧОВИЙ ЧИННИК ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ В УМОВАХ ГЛОБАЛЬНИХ ВИКЛИКІВ

The purpose of the article is to develop a concept for implementing innovative European digitalization practices as a key factor in ensuring socio-economic security in the context of global challenges. Using the methods of risk-oriented approach, system analysis and modelling, the ways of using innovative European digitalization practices are considered. Research results: 1. The problems that arise in the modern analysis of the relationship between digitalization and socio-economic security are diagnosed. 2. The directions of technology development that can significantly improve socio-economic security are analyzed. Global challenges, such as pandemics, economic crises, and climate change, can significantly affect the processes of digitalization and their impact on socio-economic security. The scientific novelty of the study is that European digitalization practices are an important tool in ensuring socio-economic security in the face of global challenges, and therefore it is important to explore the latest approaches that can be offered for sustainable development.It has been proven that AI can analyze large amounts of data to predict economic crises, natural disasters, or social conflicts, allowing governments and companies to prepare for possible challenges in advance; using AI to optimize production, logistics, and resource management helps reduce costs and increase economic resilience. Cloud solutions provide access to important resources and services from anywhere in the world, which ensures the uninterrupted operation of businesses and government agencies in case of emergencies. Cloud platforms provide effective management of large amounts of data, which is necessary for strategic decision-making. The practical significance of the study is to overcome key challenges and use opportunities for further implementation of innovative European digitalization practices as a key factor in ensuring socio-economic security in the face of global challenges. The use of innovative European practices has a significant potential to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs but requires taking into account possible risks and challenges.

Food system adaptation and maintaining trade could mitigate global famine in abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios

After a major nuclear war, volcanic eruption or asteroid or comet impact that causes an abrupt sunlight reduction scenario, agricultural yields would plummet. We analyzed a nuclear winter scenario involving the injection of 150 Tg of soot in the stratosphere using a linear optimization model with and without global food trade. We investigated the effects of loss of global food trade, some simple adaptations like rationing and storage of excess food for the coldest years, and rapid, large-scale deployment of food sources which are less dependent on present day climate (so called resilient foods) including cool tolerant crops, methane single cell protein, lignocellulosic sugar, greenhouse crops, and seaweed. In the worst case of no global food trade and no adaptations, the model predicts a global famine. However, scaling up resilient foods quickly could mitigate this for many countries. Maintaining global food trade would further alleviate pressure on local food systems, unlocking the potential to feed the entire global population. However, insufficient preparation, post-disaster conflict, or economic collapse would worsen outcomes and hinder adaptation.

Sowing the Seeds of Financial Crises: Endogenous Asset Creation and Adverse Selection

Abstract What sows the seeds of financial crises, and what policies can help avoid them? I model the interaction between the ex-ante production of assets and ex-post adverse selection in financial markets. Positive shocks that increase market prices exacerbate the production of low-quality assets and can increase the likelihood of a financial market collapse. The interest rate and the liquidity premium are endogenous and depend on the functioning of financial markets as well as the total supply of assets (private and public). Optimal policy balances the economy's liquidity needs ex-post with the production incentives ex-ante, and it can be implemented with three instruments: government bonds, asset purchase programs, and transaction taxes. Public liquidity improves incentives but implies a higher deadweight loss than private market interventions. Optimal policy does not rule out private market collapses but mitigates the fluctuations in total liquidity.

"Vinnugleðin hefur tapast, nú er bara álag og erfitt og lítil gleði" - starfsumhverfi opinberra starfsmanna á tímum efnahagsþrenginga

Árið 2008 markaði upphaf mikils samdráttarskeiðs um heim allan og Ísland var eitt af fyrstu löndunum í Evrópu sem alþjóðakreppan náði til. Áhrifa kreppunnar gætti víða í samfélaginu og þó hún hafi komi harðar niður á einkageiranum hafði hún einnig mikil áhrif í opinbera geiranum, ekki síst hjá sveitarfélögunum. Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að komast að því hvernig starfsfólk sveitarfélaga greindi frá starfsánægju, álagi, starfsöryggi, ánægju með stjórnun vinnustaðarins og umhyggju stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsfólks tveimur, þremur og fimm árum eftir efnahagshrunið. Auk þess var skoðað hvort þættir í starfsumhverfinu, auk persónubundinna þátta, geti spáð fyrir um líkur á starfsánægju. Notað var blandað rannsóknarsnið (spurningalistakannanir og rýnihópaviðtöl). Niðurstöðurnar sýndu lækkandi hlutfall þeirra sem voru ánægðir í starfi eftir því sem lengra leið frá efnahagshruninu, einkum vegna sparnaðaraðgerða stjórnenda. Starfsaðstæður versnuðu verulega að mati þátttakenda og mátti sjá birtingarmyndir þess í fækkun starfsfólks, auknu vinnuálagi, minna starfsöryggi, meiri óánægju með stjórnun og minni umhyggju stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsfólks, sérstaklega á vinnustöðum þar sem uppsagnir höfðu orðið. Uppsagnir á vinnustað var besta spágildið fyrir starfsánægju (OR=0,590), þannig að á vinnustöðum þar sem uppsagnir höfuð orðið var mun minni starfsánægja en á öðrum vinnustöðum. Einnig kom í ljós að aðrir þættir í starfsumhverfinu (umhyggja stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsmanna OR=1,349; ánægja með stjórnun vinnustaðarins OR=1,345; starfsöryggi OR=1,221 og vinnuálag OR=0,801) höfðu allir marktæk áhrif á starfsánægju. Mikilvægt er að stjórnendur hafi vakandi auga fyrir starfstengdri líðan á vinnustaðnum, sérstaklega á samdráttartímum, og þá ekki einungis meðal þeirra starfshópa sem hafa orðið verst úti heldur einnig þeirra sem að jafnaði eru taldir búa við mikið starfsöryggi, eins og starfsfólk sveitarfélaga.

Invasive brown algae (Sargassum spp.) as a potential source of biocontrol against Aedes aegypti

Influxes of sargassos are responsible for economic and environmental disasters in areas where they bloom, especially in regions whose main income relies on tourism and with limited capacity for sanitation and public health response. A promising way of valorization would be to convert this incredible biomass into tools to fight the deadly vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. In the present study, we generated hydrolates and aqueous extracts from three main Sargassum morphotypes identified in Guadeloupe (French West Indies): Sargassum natans VIII, Sargassum natans I and Sargassum fluitans. We conducted a chemical characterization and a holistic evaluation of their potential to induce toxic and behavioral effects in Ae. aegypti. Despite the low insecticidal potential observed for all the extracts, we found that S. natans VIII and S. fluitans hydrolates deterred oviposition, induced contact irritancy and stimulated blood feeding behavior in host seeking Ae. aegypti females, while aqueous extracts from S. natans I and S. fluitans deterred both blood feeding behavior and oviposition. Chemical characterization evidenced the presence of phenylpropanoid, polyphenols, amino acids and esters. Thus, Sargassum spp. aqueous extracts and hydrolates could be used to manipulate Ae. aegypti behavior and be valorized as control tools against this mosquito.

The Byzantine Insular Countryside in the Early Middle Ages (ca. 600-ca.900): The Cases of Sicily, Cyprus, and Crete in (partial) Light of Environmental Archaeology

ABSTRACT This paper provides an overview of rural surveys and environmental archaeology studies on Sicily, Cyprus and Crete during the Byzantine Empire. It re-evaluates traditional interpretations of agricultural settlement patterns, ecosystems and populations from Late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages (late sixth to late ninth century). The prevailing narrative that these islands were devastated by Arab incursions, leading to widespread depopulation, economic collapse and abandonment of rural sites in favour of fortified hilltop settlements, is questioned. Instead, the study employs a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, combining environmental and climatic data with historical and archaeological evidence. This method offers a more nuanced understanding of how insular rural societies adapted to changing environmental and human conditions during the Byzantine Empire's transition from an economically unified region to a fragmented Medieval Mediterranean. The findings highlight the resilient nature of land use and rural settlement patterns amidst the transformation of the empire's political, military and administrative structures.