Economic Interests Research Articles

A Wet Nurse Debate: Jews, Christians, and Later Medieval “Racism”

Abstract It is clear that medieval Jews employed Christian wet nurses, as well as other Christian domestic servants, and that ecclesiastical condemnations did not prevail against social and economic interests. In Etsi Judeos Pope Innocent III, who had earlier complained loudly that Jews across France are unscrupulous usurers, thieves, blasphemers, and secret murderers of Christians, added the unsubstantiated complaint that “on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection,” i.e., Easter, after they have received the Eucharist, “the Jews make these women,” that is, Christian wet nurses, “pour their milk into the latrine for three days before they again give suck to the children.” This paper surveys both the ecclesiastical and medical or natural-philosophical sources that contributed to a protracted medieval debate over maternal nursing versus the employment of wet nurses; examines Innocent III’s allegation that Jews force their Christian wet nurses to pour out their milk for three days after having received communion, and its novel implications; investigates complaints of cross-confessional nursing (whether of Christians nursing Jewish infants, or Jewish or Muslim wet nurses in Christian households); and explores a shift in later medieval and early modern Christian texts away from concerns over Christian wet nurses caring for Jewish infants toward racialized fears of Jewish women nursing Christian children.

Analysis of African athletes give-back behaviours as cultural identity or popularity

ABSTRACT This study explores how male Ghanaian migrant players utilise Give-back behaviours to demonstrate their connectedness and sense of belonging to their communities. The literature provides theoretical insights for understanding player behaviour from the perspectives of personal values, objectives, conceptions, or economic interests, all of which can define a person’s cultural identity. Players’ actions may either determine a return on investment to their families, relatives and the community or strengthen the relationship with their local communities. Qualitative interviews with 20 former and current professional Ghanaian players contribute to explaining how their economic and non-economic investments in their communities are influenced by cultural identity. Findings reveal that Ghanaian players’ give-back behaviours are not only based on social norms and cultural values but also cement their cultural affiliation in the communities. The study can provide valuable information for African governments to congeal the African diaspora’s shared identity and history via socioeconomic investments to promote local and national development.

Security Concerns of the Russian Federation and Türkiye's Position Within the Scope of Georgia Intervention to South Ossetia in 2008

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitical landscape in the South Caucasus, focusing on Russia's strategic interests, NATO and EU expansion efforts, and Turkey's role as a regional actor. It begins by examining Russia's "Near Environment" doctrine, emphasizing Moscow's perceived security threats and its proactive measures to maintain influence in its immediate surroundings. The 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia serves as a focal point, illustrating the complex interplay of historical, ethnic, and political factors in the region. The article explores the origins of the Georgian-Ossetian crisis, the escalation into the "Five-Day War," and the subsequent recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Russia. It also examines Turkey's stance on the conflict, balancing support for Georgia's territorial integrity with economic and strategic interests in the region that advocates respect for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty in the context of international law, but at the same time does not ignore its security concerns of Russia and aims to maintain a policy of balance in the Black Sea Basin and the Caucasus in the context of regional peacekeeping. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the international community's response to the conflict and its implications for regional stability. The conclusion underscores the significance of the South Caucasus in global geopolitics, particularly in shaping the balance of power in the Black Sea region. Overall, this article offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of conflict and cooperation in a strategically vital area of Eurasia.

Sweden’s conflicting green leadership in the European Union

ABSTRACT This article examines the nuanced dynamics of green leadership within the European Union (EU), focusing on Sweden. Sweden has long been heralded as an exemplar of environmental and climate leadership within the European Union as well as a frontrunner in the adoption of green policies, notably in the realms of bioenergy and biofuels. However, its leadership stance has come under scrutiny due to the inherent conflicts within green initiatives, often referred to as ‘green-green dilemmas’ that arise when environmental actions, despite their sustainable intentions, clash over competing interests. Drawing on a variety of sources we delve into the complexities surrounding Sweden's green leadership. The article highlights how Sweden’s enthusiastic endorsement of bioenergy and biofuels, integral to its climate action strategy, has sparked debates and raised questions about Sweden´s perceived green leadership within the European Union. Sweden's approach to navigating these conflicts, alongside its efforts to negotiate and balance economic interests with environmental ambitions, offers a compelling insight into the challenges of maintaining green leadership in the face of conflicting green agendas.

Critical and Strategic Metal Resources of Greece

Greece has a large number of critical and strategic metal resources. The proven and indicated reserves of aluminum amount to 2.5 mt and their gross value €5.075 b. Those of chromium amount to 1.2 mt with gross value €4.320 b, while of cobalt are 129 th. t with gross value €3.348 b. The proven and indicated reserves of copper from Chalkidiki and Kilkis areas are approximately 3.04 mt and their gross value €24.776 b, while those of manganese are 2.25 mt with gross value €5.400 b. Molybdenum has been located in Pigi Kilkis with indicated reserves of about 7.7 th. t and gross value €326 m. Under mining are the vein type magnesite deposits of Gerakini Chalkidiki and North Evia. The total reserves (proven + indicated) of magnesite are 280 mt and their gross value €9.800 b. The most important lateritic Fe-Ni-bearing ores are those of Evia Island, Agios Ioannis Viotia, Lokrida Fthiotida, Mesopotamia and Ieropigi Kastoria. The proven and indicated reserves of nickel are 1.39 mt and their gross value €22.240 b. The Rizana/Lachanas porphyry-epithermal antimony deposit is considered the most important stibnite ore. The proven and indicated reserves of stibnite are at least 100 th. t with an average Sb content of 0.3 wt%. Copper, chromium, and cobalt present good prospects for mining. Platinum group metals (PGMs), with economic interest, are contained in the porphyry Cu deposits of Skouries Chalkidiki. Strymonikos Gulf, together with the neighboring coastal and submarine sands, is the most probable area for locating exploitable rare earth metals (REMs). There are excellent investment opportunities in the exploration and mining of Bi, Te, Ga, Ge, and In metals. The deposits of other critical and strategic metals of Greece should be adequately assessed.

Partial organization and economic coordination: The gradual re-organization of Finnish corporatism

Comparative political economy (CPE) scholarship has drawn various insights from organization theory throughout its existence. Organization theory has made more progress than CPE to explicate the organizational processes behind institutional change. In this paper, we draw on theory of partial organization to describe, interpret, and explain change in the coordination of one Coordinated Market Economy: Finland. We show that Finnish corporatism has become gradually re-organized during the last three decades. We argue that the structural and membership dynamics of partial organization explain some key patterns as well as the shape and timing of institutional change in the face of a changing constellation of economic interests. We argue that theory of partial organization complements the interest-based and institutional explanations of change in economic coordination.

Workplace factors affecting migrant workers' health

Introduction. Migrant workers are individuals who relocate from their country of origin to another to engage in economic pursuits. Working conditions, the work environment and process, lifestyle and habits of workers have an impact on the results of work and the health of workers. These factors are called risk factors and cannot be completely eliminated, but they can be controlled. The aim of the study was to examine the actual factors affecting the health of migrant workers at the workplace. Materials and methods. Eighty Korean compatriots from different countries who resides in “Korean Compatriot Village” were interviewed using a questionnaire. To analyze the survey results, the SPSS Statistics program, version 25, was used. Results. Migrants who work more than 12 hours a day have worse health over time. Noise can cause health problems and diseases. Time for work and rest, work responsibilities affect weight gain and lead to health changes. Limitation. Migrant workers weren’t asked about home country work experiences and start of work in Korean factories. The researcher didn’t know Korean factories well, hence detailed questions couldn’t be formulated. Conclusion. Most respondents were young Korean compatriots who came to Korea to work. They experienced stress and fatigue due to the burden of responsibility and worry for their relatives. For elderly migrant workers it’s difficult to find work in home country and the problems with the musculoskeletal system occur due to their lack of work experience in such production and their advanced age.

ECONOMICS AND CHILDREN

Giorgi Katamadze E-mail: giorgi.katamadze@bsu.edu.ge Assistant professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2602-6861 Lela Tavdgiridze E-mail: lela.tavdgiridze@bsu.edu.ge Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8108-8718 Maia Bolkvadze E-mail: maia.bokvadze@bsu.edu.ge Doctor of Philology, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4041-5871 Abstract. Economic awareness is the primary foundation for the human factor’s participation in the rapid and irreversible processes of the modern world, which should be formed from the very early childhood education. Economic awareness and interest in connected topics began to emerge around the time that the concepts of "economic awareness," "economic culture," "economic education," and so on were first introduced into scientific literature. According to the hypothesis of this study, children can develop economic awareness through the use of children's literature, including fairy tales. In general, the following three components are especially essential when considering the development of economic consciousness among children: Determination of the appropriate age of children; Identification of educational resources; Development of the methodology for forming economic awareness. In this study the theoretical framework for the research was developed based on Georgian and foreign scientific literature, as well as existing studies in the field of education; the research object was defined; and a mixed methodology of socioeconomic and humanities research was used to analyze the fairy tales and reach conclusions relevant to the research objectives. The work is based on research conducted in private and public kindergartens across Georgia, with both educators and children participating. Furthermore, interviews with early education experts at several Georgian higher education institutions were conducted and the research findings provided. Keywords: economics, children, formation of economic awareness, early childhood education, fairytales JEL Classification: A20; A21; I25; I26; P4;

Подходы к выбору индикаторов региональной бюджетной безопасности (на примере арктических регионов России)

The article deals with the approach to selection of regional budget security indicators in order to develop a system of parameters to assess the regional budget security. The approach is based on the principle of identifying the interests of economic agents. The satisfaction level of regional authorities, economic entities, and population is considered as a budget security indicator. The express analysis based on the materials from the Arctic regions of Russia indicated an imbalance of interests of economic agents, which is further confirmed by the decline in regional and population welfare due to reduction in regional product volume redistributed through budgets and by the decrease in businesses financial results in context of the changing world economy conditions. Balance of economic interests will be achieved by the increase in budget revenues and per capita incomes.

Perceived effects of climate change on aquaculture production in Zambia: status, vulnerability factors, and adaptation strategies

Aquaculture plays a critical role in Zambia's food and nutrition security. However, aquaculture is highly vulnerable to the effects of a changing climate which can lead to economic losses, and food and nutrition insecurity. In this study, we investigated the perceived effects of climate change on aquaculture production in Zambia, vulnerability factors, and adaptation strategies. We used semi-structured and structured questionnaires to collect data from aquaculture producers in all provinces across the country. Results revealed high (over 80%) awareness of climate change, primarily attributed to literacy levels and access to media. Producers perceived occurrence of climate-related changes such as rising temperature, altered rainfall patterns, cyclones frequency, and disease outbreaks, impacting production costs. Generally, the results indicate a high to medium perception of rising temperature and increased frequency of flooding and droughts across the country. Although rising temperature did not appear to affect aquaculture production cost, the frequency of droughts, floods, cyclones, and disease outbreaks showed a significant association with production costs. Identified vulnerability factors include reliance on a limited range of fish species, absence of insurance coverage, and low adoption of adaptation practices. Vulnerability levels vary across regions, with provinces in agroecological zone I (Eastern, Lusaka, Southern, and Western) showing higher vulnerability. Despite this, many producers aren't implementing adaptation measures due to financial limitations, species diversity constraints, and insufficient knowledge of alternative economic pursuits. Main adaptation strategies involve livelihood diversification and adjustments in fish cultivation periods and infrastructure. To foster aquaculture sustainability amid climate change, critical interventions such as farm insurance, research diversification in aquaculture species, and enhancing producer resilience are necessary.

Social and environmental reporting in China: an examination of local political and economic influences

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the role of local/provincial government in influencing corporate social and environmental reporting (CSER) in China, and more specifically, how the underlying economic and political factors associated with local government have influenced the quality of CSER.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used 234 environmentally sensitive companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges during 2013 and 2015 as the research sample to test the relationship between CSER and local government’s political connection and economic prioritisation and the potential mediating effect of local economic prioritisation.FindingsThe analysis provides evidence that local/provincial government’s political geographical connectedness with the central government has directly and positively influenced the level of CSER, while local prioritisation of economic development has a direct but negative effect on CSER in China. In addition, local/provincial prioritisation of economic development has mediated the relationship between local–central political geographical connectedness and CSER.Practical implicationsWhile local/provincial governments are heavily influenced by the coercive pressure from the central government, they also act in their own political and economic interests in overseeing CSER at the local level. This study raises the question about the effectiveness of the top-down approach to improving CSER in China and suggests that the central government may need to focus more on coordinating and harmonising different local/provincial governments’ interests to enable achieving a common sustainability goal.Originality/valueThe authors provide evidence revealing how the economic and political contexts of local government have played a significant role in shaping CSER in China. More specifically, this paper addresses a gap in the literature by highlighting the importance of local government oversight power for CSER development and how such oversight is determined by local prioritisation of economic development and political geographical connectedness of local and central governments.

The evolving developmental role of the state as public trustee of South Africa's natural resources and property

Through its environmental laws and policies, the state needs to ensure the ecologically sustainable development and use of South Africa's natural resources, while promoting justifiable economic and social development. Thus, the view that property owners may not use their property in ways that prejudice the community and other peoples' interests in environmental resources must be considered. This corresponds with the acknowledged stance that property, in its widest sense, has a "public or civic or proprietary" aspect to it that transcends individual economic interests, and that private property ownership should be inherently limited for the benefit of society at large. Property is, therefore, intimately bound up with the socio-economic security and well-being of all South African citizens. Since a developmental state actively guides economic development and the use of the country's resources to meet the needs of the people, the developmental role of the state should serve the public interest. In South Africa, though, the public function of property is frequently usurped by the government's developmental-state ambitions and influenced by political and economic considerations that affect the socio-economic fabric of the country. The South African government, as public trustee of the nation's natural resources, must regulate access to and use of natural resources by exercising its stewardship ethic. However, this is not always the case when it comes to critical resources like water and land - a situation that perpetuates the historically imbalanced distribution of wealth in South Africa.

Analisis Sejarah Penyebab Awal Konflik antara Amerika Serikat dan Iran

The conflict between the United States and Iran is one of the most prominent and complex geopolitical issues in the world. This research aims to analyze the initial causes of the conflict between the two countries from a historical perspective. It begins in the early 20th century with the increasing Western interest in Iranian oil and covers the fall of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 through a CIA-backed coup, which was a pivotal moment affecting bilateral relations. The study also examines the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which ended the US-backed Shah's regime and marked the start of open hostility. Using historical research methods and document analysis, the study identifies economic, political, and ideological factors that contributed to the escalation of the conflict. The findings show that a combination of foreign intervention, economic interests, and domestic political changes in Iran have played a crucial role in shaping the hostility between the United States and Iran. These insights provide a deeper understanding of the root causes underlying the ongoing conflict.

Regional investment potential as a factor in achieving technological sovereignty in key sectors of the Russian economy

Aim. To develop a model of interrelation of factors and tools for increasing the region’s investment potential, aimed at accelerating the processes of achieving technological sovereignty in key sectors of the Russian economy by increasing the efficiency of regional investment policy on its basis.Objectives. To study the main approaches to understanding the essence and role of technological sovereignty; to group the key factors and tools for managing the region’s investment potential, to give their generalizing characteristic; to develop an algorithmic model of the relationship between factors and tools for increasing the region’s investment potential; to identify the main discussion aspects in understanding the essence and objectives of managing the level of investment potential of the region and technological sovereignty of the national economy.Methods. The principles and approaches of general scientific methods of scientific cognition: historical, logical, comparison, dialectical, system approach, structural-functional analysis, qualitative analysis and synthesis served as the methodological basis of the research.Results. Purposeful management of factors of the region’s investment potential allows to use its objective and potential advantages as an object of investment investments more effectively. In this regard, it seems reasonable to use a complex algorithmic model of interrelation of factors and tools to increase the investment potential of the region. The model proposed by the authors includes three groups of factors and related tools for the analysis of investment potential, as well as a block of generalizing tools for its comprehensive development. Technological sovereignty in modern conditions to a greater extent acquires the role of an effective protective mechanism of national identity and subjectivity for the states facing the problems generated by the external environment. The task of ensuring technological sovereignty today is a rational response to the rapidly changing world order, in which opportunities for free trade and international cooperation are no longer guaranteed in equal proportions to the countries concerned, which becomes a significant factor in their global vulnerability; it is an opportunity for more active development of national scientific and production potential, which will contribute to a relative equalization of the existing imbalances in the levels of technological development with the international community; is the first priority need to take into account long-term systemic effects, rather than current economic benefits, when making decisions on the conscious rejection or priority development of certain competencies, technological niches, types of production at the national and regional levels.Conclusions. High dynamism due to fierce competition in the technological sphere requires from federal and regional government bodies systematic systematic work aimed at ensuring a high level of investment attractiveness of key sectors and segments of the economy. Strengthening the role and attention to the issues of investment policy management due to the achieved level of investment potential both at the level of individual regions and industries, and the country as a whole, is now associated not only with current economic interests, but also with the strategic priorities of national identity and preservation of statehood. At the national level, it is necessary to form and regularly adjust the list of critical products and technologies, key industries that require continuous development while maintaining a leading rate of investment in research and development in order to create demanded and competitive products and services on their basis.

Research of Tax Governance on Urban Village Rent: A Case Study of X Village in Dongguan City

Tax governance is an important part of the national governance system and also a significant reflection of the national governance capacity. Using X Village in Dongguan City as a case study, this paper summarizes the tax governance issues in the urban rental market through field investigations and online data collection, as well as identifies the deficiencies in current laws, regulations, and policies. The research reveals that there are practical problems such as regulatory gaps and implementation difficulties, asymmetric market information, inadequate participation in social governance, and difficulty in coordinating conflicting interests in X Village. In response to these issues, the study explores corresponding paths for governance and proposes methods such as establishing comprehensive regulations and strengthening law enforcement, creating an information-sharing platform, enhancing participation in social governance, and balancing economic interests to address the tax irregularities in urban village rentals. This will help provide a solid foundation for the sustainable development of urban villages.

Marl Mining Activity and Negative Repercussions for Two Hillside Villages (Northern Italy)

Coniolo and Brusaschetto, are two small towns located in the Monferrato area of the Alessandria Province, northern Italy. These communities have similar histories related to development and subsequent abandonment of marl quarry activity that began more than a century ago and continued until recently. Quarrying occurred until soil conditions, water infiltration, and excessive depth made cost of extracting and7 lifting material prohibitive. Quarries consisted of tunnels located directly beneath the towns at about 150 m below ground surface. Collapse of the tunnels led to surface subsidence and destruction of overlying homes and much of the municipal infrastructure. In the early Twentieth Century, regulations pertaining to mine and quarry safety were typically deficient, entirely absent, or not followed. Extractive activities of non-energy mineral resources from quarries and mines were and continue to be widespread in Italy, which currently ranks fifth among what are now countries of the European Union (EU). Mining sites are present in all regions of Italy, particularly in the northern part of the country and along coasts, often in areas of geohydrogeological risk. Consequences of anthropogenic pressures that alter the natural environment, such as the physical size of aquifer drawdowns, are linked to issues for a number of extractive sites across the country. This report analyzes historical and technical documents, conducts a geomorphological analysis of hilly slopes surrounding these communities, and examines urban planning and geophysical surveys to determine the impact of subsurface quarrying activities on the overlying ground surface. The study highlights significant problems that are applicable to other localities globally. This research demonstrates: (a) the importance of geological considerations to development and abandonment of mining activity in inhabited areas; (b) the importance of establishing and following safety protocols; and (c) the manner in which economic interests can take precedence over the well-being and lives of those employed to extract resources.

Collaborative Pricing Strategy of Distribution Network and Electric Vehicle Aggregator Based on Integral System

Scaled EVs as a new type of load have great potential to participate in the standby market. However, the uncertainty of EV users' participation in aggregator regulation affects the optimal strategy for aggregators to participate in the market. Aiming at the uncertainty of users' willingness and the conflict of interest between aggregators and the distribution network, this paper proposes an optimal scheduling strategy of master-slave game for EV aggregators to improve users' willingness with a point system. First, the second-order cone optimal current model of the distribution network is established, and then the distribution network node marginal tariff is obtained. Second, the aggregator revenue model with energy storage is established, and the price-guided demand response model is proposed, while the aggregator point system is established to guide the charging behavior of EV users, so that the cooperative operation optimization problem between the distribution grid and the aggregator can be solved, and the economic interests among EV users, EV aggregators and distribution grid operators can be effectively balanced.

The South China Sea Dispute and Regional Response

Background: Beginning in December 2013, the South China Sea dispute has emerged as a complex and highly contested issue with significant implications for regional stability in East and Southeast Asia. The Chinese military began constructing artificial islands anchored by seven coral atolls in the Spratly Islands until it had created land that it then claimed in October 2015. The construction is over 3000 acres and houses military equipment (anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems) and personnel for the People's Republic of China. Objective: From a realist perspective, the dispute reflects a struggle for power and influence among claimant states, driven by their desire to secure regional strategic interests. Neighbouring countries, recognising the implications of China's rise as a significant power, have responded mainly by using soft realist methods to accommodate or counter China's growing influence in a collective setting. This paper explores the geopolitical implications of the dispute and how other powers have chosen to engage with China and other regional actors. Methods: This article is a case study. The article analyses the case of the South China Sea dispute since 2000 through a realist lens. It first explains the lens and its focal points. Then, it examines the different facets of the dispute through this lens: economic interests, national security concerns, domestic and regional politics, and historical issues. The focus is on analysing China and ASEAN member-states as the primary parties to the conflict. Results: This lens provides valuable insights into the power struggles, self-interest, and security concerns that underlie the conflict. This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted nature by critically examining the dispute's territorial claims, legal frameworks, and historical context. It also explores the geopolitical implications and the involvement of major regional powers. Liberal solutions have largely failed, while more minor actors have cooperated on limited terms when their interests intersect using soft realist diplomacy and collective action within international arenas. Conclusion: The dispute has unveiled the limits of international diplomatic efforts brokered by organisations such as ASEAN to address aggressive behaviour consistently. Small and medium states are largely constrained from directly confronting China, have accommodated China, used international forums to advance power positions and prestige, and cooperated on other issues to indirectly address the dispute.

The Invisible Impact of Conflict: A Study of Terrorism, Regime Type, and the Shadow Economy

Does terrorism contribute to the growth of the shadow economy? While extensive literature has delved into the causes and consequences of terrorism, little has been studied on its impact on the shadow economy. Employing data on terrorism and the shadow economies of 116 countries from 1990 to 2017, we demonstrate that terrorism results in an increase in the size of the shadow economy and that the effect is larger in autocracies. We argue that the economic and social impacts of terrorism create environments that reinforce both exit and exclusion factors through the erosion of institutional trust and social capital, ultimately incentivizing or compelling actors to seek alternative methods of economic activities. Furthermore, a lack of free and horizontal information-sharing venues to address public fear and repressive counterterrorism measures in autocracies further hamper the economic pursuits of individuals, businesses, and foreign investors, facilitating their engagement in informal economic activities.

Needs or Interests: Drivers of China’s Peace Engagement in Conflict-affected Countries

ABSTRACT What drives China’s peace engagement in conflict-affected countries: does China provide peacebuilding support where its help is needed the most or to advance its own interests? Despite a growing body of literature addressing this question, the analytical scope remains limited to China’s short-term peacebuilding measures and individual case studies. In this article, we build on longitudinal large-N data addressing China’s long-term peacebuilding. We detect a strong association between Chinese peace engagement and the economic needs of recipients. Mixed results are obtained regarding the role of China’s interests. While security and diplomatic interests appear to drive its peace engagement to some extent, there is no clear evidence of its economic interests influencing the engagement in conflict-affected countries. The article makes three contributions. First, we add to the growing literature on China’s peace engagement by adopting a broad definition of peacebuilding and, by doing so, expanding the analytical scope. Second, we contribute to the literature on emerging peacebuilding actors drawing on the case of China. Last, we make a policy-relevant contribution by demonstrating the complexity of peacebuilding actors’ motivation in engaging with conflict-affected countries.