Political Framework Research Articles

Причины модификации внешнеполитических усилий Турецкой Республики в отношении государств Центральной Азии в 1991–2022 гг.

The article analyzes the reasons behind the modification of the foreign policy efforts of the Republic of Turkey towards Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) from 1991 to 2022. During this period, Turkey’s efforts were modified due to several general factors: global historical events, shifts in international relations, the emergence or decline of new actors in international relations, the evolution of ideas within the state’s political framework, rapid scientific and technological advancement, increased accessibility to information, and the development of new methods of societal engagement. The analysis identifies specific reasons for these modifications: the diversification of Turkey’s foreign relations aimed at enhancing its geopolitical role in the world, the resurgence of Pan-Turkism in Turkey’s foreign policy, the variability and frequent changes in the ruling parties within the country, the absence of foreign policy invariants and constants in the execution of its foreign policy course, the political struggle between pro-Islamic parties and Kemalists, and the multi-vector nature of the country’s foreign policy from 1991 to 2022. The results obtained may assist Central Asian states in formulating strategies and tactics for their international relations with Turkey and other actors.

Development of Internationalization Process Model of Thai Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Emerging Markets: A Study of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS)

According to modern organizational theory, the growth of companies in developing nations is due to the coming together of public and private sector interorganizational networks and globalization. Within an open system and a very dynamic environment, a corporation cannot work autonomously. Here are the objectives of the study: The goals of this research are threefold: first, to learn how Thai SMEs expanded into BRICS countries; second, to find out what kinds of inter-organizational networks Thai SMEs relied on when going global; and third, to give some advice to Thai SMEs that want to expand internationally in BRICS and to the Thai government on how to set up management networks that help with investment and internationalization. Documentary analysis of the database from the office of small and medium enterprise promotion and in-depth interviews were among the qualitative approaches employed in this study. This study examined 76 individuals from Thailand who were considered significant informants due to their extensive understanding of developing markets, namely those in the BRICS countries. A total of 63 executives responsible for overseeing their businesses' activities in the BRICS nations, together with 10 operational officers and 3 government officials, were chosen as key informants. In order to get trustworthy information for this study, the researcher used the triangulation method. Executives and government officials with operational responsibilities inside government agencies were interviewed in-depth, and their data was cross-referenced with that from pertinent papers. Thai SMEs were affected by the BRICS countries' political, legal, and socio-cultural frameworks, according to the study. Companies in the BRICS countries went global for three main reasons: to tap into untapped markets, to boost operational efficiency, and to secure access to critical resources. For Thai SMEs looking to grow their business in BRICS nations, the following factors were crucial to their success: 1) The network between different organizations; 2) the capacity to adjust to political and legal changes in BRICS countries; 3) non-formal ties; 4) the capability of local employees; 5) the appropriateness of the entrance method approach; and 6) knowledge gained from past mistakes.

Genealogies of (anti-)Blackness in the Maghreb: Africanity, Arabness, and the French colonial legacy

This essay starts with the unstable valence of the term “African” in governmental discourses and their media treatment in Morocco and Tunisia, which vacillate between a political and cultural solidarity on the one hand, and an oppositional stance on the other hand, whereby the “Arabness” of the Maghreb is posited as oppositional to the Blackness of Africa. The essay grapples with the competing historical and epistemic frames that attempt to explain this conflicting relation. The “colonialist thesis,” whereby the origin of the “tale of two Africas” is traced back to colonial racial schemes, posits pan-Africanism as an anti-imperialist political alliance, one that sought to transcend colonial categories of belonging between so-called “Arab” and Black Africa. However, if taken in isolation, a pan-African approach can also selectively sanitize the historical relation that the Maghreb entertains with the rest of the continent. The essay discusses the urgency of re-centering the precolonial Maghrebi history of the trans-Saharan slave trade, in order to fully comprehend the history of Black and North Africa, while being cautious with importing western concepts, and reinforcing orientalist notions of Islamic “tyranny.” Ultimately, taking Eugène Delacroix’s Femme d’Alger dans leur Appartement as a case study, it argues for an entangled legacy of prejudice , whereby trans-Saharan practices of slavery become palimpsestically reconfigured through the racial schemes of French coloniality. It invites a third mode of relationality, a critically reparative stance, one that posits the necessity of more fully implicating a global audience – a Maghrebi as well as a Western one – as having historically co-constituted the sociocultural and political frameworks through which racial prejudice is reproduced.

Empirical Evidence on Status of Street Vendors in Nepal amid COVID-19: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, street vending businesses faced severe disruptions, exacerbating poverty and livelihood challenges for vendors. The government's neglect of this sector has further intensified these issues, highlighting the need for a comprehensive analysis of the situation. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on street vendors in Kathmandu Valley. Specifically, it explores the relationships between poverty, unemployment, and street vending, and examines the role of migration as a mediating factor. Methods: An explanatory research design was employed, utilizing a non-probability convenience sampling technique to collect data from 202 street vendors. Data were gathered using KOBO Toolbox and a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) used to analyze relationships and impacts. Results: The analysis reveals a significant impact of poverty on unemployment among street vendors during the pandemic. Migration has a notable influence on street vending and unemployment, serving as a mediator between poverty and street vending activities. Domestic migration, in particular, has been pivotal in enhancing street vending in Kathmandu Valley. Conclusion: The study underscores the need for regulatory authorities at central, provincial, and local levels to develop a legal and political framework to support street vendors. Implementing such measures could significantly improve their status and mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on their livelihoods. Paper Types: Research Paper Keywords: Poverty, Migration, Street vending, Informal sector, Structural Equation Modelling, Nepal JEL Classification: E26, O17

National Parliaments in the European Union – Toward a More Active Role?

The Lisbon Treaty created different possibilities for national parliaments to secure their greater involvement in the overall functioning of the EU and in the law-making process at the European level. Moreover, it was the first time that an EU Treaty specifically acknowledged the role of national parliaments in the EU. Among these novelties probably the most important concerned the Early Warning Mechanism that offers to national parliaments the possibility of examining new legislative proposals from the EU for compliance with the concept of subsidiarity through the so-called yellow card and orange card procedures. The possibility for national parliaments to make more active contributions at the European level also exists inside the informal political dialogue framework that is an important channel of cooperation among EU institutions.

Incentivizing recycling in local governments: the moderating role of fiscal conditions in the adoption of Pay-As-You-Throw recycling programs

This article aims to extend the political market framework by exploring whether policy demand or supply is the key consideration for local governments’ policymaking and under what financial conditions local governments favor one over the other. We expect that local governments with good fiscal conditions are more likely to respond to public demand, but local governments with poor fiscal conditions pay more attention to supply influences. To test this idea, this study examines the moderating role of fiscal conditions within the political market framework regarding what factors account for adopting local governments’ Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) recycling programs in solid waste management (SWM). The results of the fixed-effect logistic model support that fiscal conditions play a moderating role in shifting organizational attention on the supply side based on cross-section data covering 1,840 local governments in the United States.

Measuring the sustainability of electric vehicles in Cyprus using PESTEL analysis

The high living standards and rapid urbanization have changed local infrastructure and transportation. Electric cars are introduced dynamically in the global and particularly the Cypriot market as they have lower carbon dioxide emissions during movement compared to combustion engines cars. However, a variety of obstacles to the development and acceptance of electric vehicles have emerged. To identify and overcome these obstacles, this paper applies the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal (PESTEL) framework to analyse the macro-environment of the electric vehicle industry in Cyprus. The PESTEL factors in the electric car sector were assessed according to the local and European legislation and policies, the difficulties and concerns of the public and the environmental issues in an island where the main source of electricity is the burn of fossil fuels. Finally, a seven year analysis of the fuels prices has also assisted in the identification of the drawbacks and possibilities of this emerging market.

The coevolution between the status of groups in planning London and the development of the British constitutional rights

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the coevolution between the development of British constitutional rights and the status of social and minority groups in planning London since its first post-WWII comprehensive plan. The study employed a historical document analysis by scrutinizing major London urban plans, pertinent British legislation, and constitutional rights enactments to uncover the evolution of urban planning amid a changing rights-based constitutional landscape. The study concludes that the status of social and minority groups within London’s urban planning is not solely a product of planning approaches but is significantly shaped by the prevailing political and constitutional frameworks regarding minority rights.

مكانة اللغة العربية: تحديات التراجع وآفاق الارتقاء من منظور سياسي

This study addresses the issue of the declining status of the Arabic language from a political perspective, focusing on the role of political factors in this regression. These factors are examined on two levels: externally, the analysis explores the impact of foreign influence policies and the resulting cultural infiltration in the Arab world; internally, it investigates the political frameworks of Arab regimes that often lack serious political will for cultural and linguistic revitalization, alongside the fragility of the Arab regional system and the shortcomings of educational policies that have contributed to weak language usage. The study concludes that the decline in the status of the Arabic language is attributable to both internal and external political factors. Chief among these are the absence of genuine political will for cultural and linguistic advancement, the lack of cohesion and strength within the Arab regional system, the prevalence of unilateral agreements over integrative diplomacy in Arab relations, and the inadequacy of legislation and laws necessary to regulate language usage effectively.

Christian Nationalism and Violence Against Religious Minorities in the United States: A Quantitative Analysis

AbstractThis study examines the relationship between Christian nationalism—a political theology and cultural framework that seeks to amalgamate the Christian faith and a country's political life and privilege Christianity in the public square over other faith traditions—and attacks against religious minorities in the United States. Some Christian nationalists believe that it is justifiable to undertake violent actions in order to realize the goals of Christian nationalism. We theorize that the political empowerment of Christian nationalist ideology in the form of politicians expressing Christian nationalist sentiments corresponds to physical attacks on religious minorities carried out by self‐professing Christians. We test this theory using a cross‐sectional, time‐series analysis of antiminority violence in the United States. The results provide robust support for our theory.

Transformation of the Constitutional Identity in South Africa aft er the Fall of Apartheid

Abstract This article investigates the designed transformation of South African political identity and its constitutional framework as a core aspect of the democratization of South Africa. It compares the racist and exclusive identity of the apartheid state with a redesigned identity of an inclusive and open ‘Rainbow Nation’, a concept coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and spearheaded by Nelson R. Mandela along with the African National Congress. The study considers changes in the legal framework of identity politics, from the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act of 1983 (and the previous apartheid republican Constitution of 1961) through the interim democratic Constitution of 1993 to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. It discusses the possible significance of the 18 amendments to the act regarding South Africans’ social and political identities, and establishes a complex and detailed portrayal of the republic’s legal framework of identity politics. The study combines legal, political, and cultural analysis of the role of law in formatting social and political identities, using survey results to test its impact on society. In conclusion, the paper considers the effects of post-apartheid identity transformation in South Africa.

Human developmental biology - a global perspective.

In the companion Perspective 'Past and future of human developmental biology' (Hopwood, 2024), historian Nick Hopwood proposes that the field of human developmental biology has gone through periods of attention and neglect. Development invited researchers from the field to respond to this idea. In this article, published to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Development's 'From Stem Cells to Human Development' meeting, researchers from eight countries comment on how they believe their local legal, political, regulatory, societal and technological frameworks are influencing the field's trajectory.

Political economy analysis of health: a scoping review protocol.

The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the literature on concepts, definitions, frameworks, outcomes, and applications of political economic analysis of health. The political economy of health approach seeks to understand how political and economic domains interact and shape individual and population health outcomes. A political economic analysis can provide insights into health problems and inequalities; however, there needs to be more clarity on how the political economy framework is defined and the methods adopted for conducting political economy analysis concerning health. Studies focusing on the political economy analysis addressing specific health problems will be included. The study population is not limited to any sociodemographic characteristics, and there will be no restrictions on language or the source of evidence (primary studies or secondary data studies). Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies will included, but narrative and systematic reviews will be excluded, as will conference abstracts and editorials. Studies involving sector- or country-level analysis will be included. The review will follow the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Databases to be searched include MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, ProQuest, DynaMed, and gray literature via Google Scholar and OAIster. Two reviewers will perform study screening and data extraction using a customized data extraction form. The concepts, definitions, frameworks, outcomes, and applications of the political economy of health will be summarized and discussed. The health problems addressed using political economy analysis will be enumerated. Stakeholder engagement will guide all steps of the study. Results will be presented in tabular and graphical formats accompanied by a narrative summary. Open Science Framework https://osf.io/4qaxr/.

Beyond technological flexibility: Unpacking citywide inclusive sanitation through the territorial political economy framework

Decentralisation and the flexible combination of infrastructures and technologies are advocated to expand access to safe sanitation amid rapid urbanization, worsening water scarcity, resource depletion, and climate change. Yet, narrowly technical approaches such as the citywide inclusive sanitation approach tend to underestimate social and political bargaining and the role of structural power in shaping access to basic urban services. Building on international political economy, this article develops the territorial political economy framework to explore specific sanitation systems’ distribution of structural power in security, production, and finance. Utilizing this framework, the study constructs a typology of five sanitation bargains, derived from theoretical insights, expert interviews, scientific case studies, and key policy documents. Each bargain represents an ideal typical combination of technology, organisation, and finance, with the corresponding spatial and social distribution of costs, benefits, risks, and opportunities. Together, this enables a political economy analysis of sanitation systems in cities that is sensitive to both multiscalar negotiations and distributional outcomes associated with sanitation provision in the city. When expanding sanitation services to so-far unserved areas in the cities, the paper shows how the limitations of the citywide inclusive sanitation approach in its current form can be overcome. It enables to explicitly consider the implications of embedded structural power on households when assessing and selecting technological options and organizational models for providing access to safe sanitation inclusively across the city.

The political economy of energy transitions in Africa: Coalitions, politics and power in Tanzania

The understanding of the political economy of energy transitions in lower-income African countries is little developed. A focus on coalitions has emerged as a promising approach, but it was largely developed based on experiences from higher-income countries. This article has two interrelated purposes. First, it explores and develops the coalition approach to the study of the prioritisation between energy sources in lower-income countries by combining it with a political settlement framework that has been adapted to analysing energy transitions. Secondly, it researches the promotion and implementation of non-hydro renewable energy in mainland Tanzania as a case. The article covers the period from 2008, when the first potent coalitions around private non-hydro renewable energy emerged, up until today. Until recently, these coalitions were overtaken by stronger coalitions around state-owned gas and hydropower. Only with a new president and administration in power and a donor that was pragmatic with regard to state ownership did a large-scale solar plant materialize. Based on the Tanzanian example, the article argues first, that large-scale energy projects are of such importance politically that the analysis of coalitions at the sector level must take into account how these coalitions are embedded in a country's broader distribution of power. Secondly, that for renewable energy policies and projects to get implemented they must fit with the priorities and ideas about broader development held by a country's ruling political elite. A number of implications for the study of the political economy of energy transitions are further unfolded in the article.

African Socialism and Secular State Formation

Abstract In order to trace pathways of secularisation and secularity in Africa this paper highlights a particular movement that carried great ideological weight at the time of most countries’ independence in the 1950s and 60s, namely African socialism. The development toward state secularism was structurally very similar throughout the continent independently of whether political leaders opted for the ‘West’ or the ‘East’ in the cold war. However, in opposition to Soviet ideology, African Socialism was famously antiatheist. With the wish to fend off Marxist atheism as a supposedly necessary aspect of socialism, ideologues in African socialism were among the few politicians in Africa even to address the place of religion in a secular state at all. The roots of African socialism can be traced to US-American Pan-Africanism as well as the interconnected colonial opposition movement grounded in Marxist anti-imperialism. Another argument focusses on the education of some prominent state leaders, such as Nyerere, Nkrumah, Touré and Senghor, to explain the importance of Christian mission schools and Islamic madrasahs as points of access to social, intellectual, and institutional participation in global anti-colonial movements. In the framework of one-party politics, state leaders called on (Pan-)African traditions, but ‘de-mystified’ them (Touré) in order to enhance African Socialism ‘as belief’ (Nyerere). In conclusion it is argued that state secularism in Africa at the time of independence, as demonstrated most visibly in African Socialism, is more about suppressing and/or balancing the traditional powers of religious leaders than about a fundamental critique of a religious way of life. In turn, the implicit association of socialism and Marxism with atheism needs further scrutiny in a global perspective.

Informal economy in Tunisia

Informality has been a phenomenon that has existed in Tunisia for a long time; it expanded with the Tunisian revolution. The relationship between informal economy and GDP varies in only one direction, that is to say only informality has a negative effect on growth...The expansion of the informal sector comes back to the problem of economic freedom, Tunisia is among the least economically free countries also the political institutional framework such as the problem of government efficiency, the high level of corruption and political instability are among the explanatory variables of informality.

The energy transition paradox: How lithium extraction puts pressure on environment, society, and politics

Lithium-ion batteries are essential for Europe's renewable energy transition. By 2030, the EU will need 18 times more lithium, and by 2050, 60 times more. For that reason, Europe aims to increase domestic sourcing and achieve nearly full self-sufficiency by 2030. However, lithium mining has a high environmental footprint and can have severe social impacts. This research examines the socio-environmental implications of lithium mining for the EU energy transition and identifies leverage points that alleviate tension between justice and security. The Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, and Political framework was used to systematically gather insights from experts representing various stakeholders on these issues. Subsequently, these insights were compiled into a fuzzy-cognitive map, creating a system-based overview and allow construction and comparison of four scenarios examining the future of lithium and its impacts on the environment and local communities in Europe. This reveals the importance of good governance to avoid issues of corruption and geopolitical tensions with a potential adverse impact on society and environment. However, governance alone is insufficient to mitigate negative impacts. A circular economy, where lithium is recovered from used batteries, is most favorable, reducing the demand for new material and the negative impacts of mining. This holistic overview stresses the need for increased government involvement, stakeholder alignment, and dealing with corruption as vital aspects in mitigating the negative socio-environmental impacts of lithium mining.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN IN THE NEW EDITION PROSPECTS FOR THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO PROTECTION THROUGH THE COURT

In this article, the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan provides the political and legal framework for the implementation of the new strategy of Uzbekistan aimed at building a social state, in particular, the Constitution provides for the first time in the history of our national statehood that the main goal of building a state is to build a social state.

Unmasking the Authoritarian Mob Boss: A Critical Analysis of Donald Trump’s Political Leadership

This article comprehensively examines Donald Trump’s political leadership, arguing that his tenure as the 45th President of the United States exhibited characteristics commonly associated with authoritarian mob bosses. Drawing upon various empirical evidence and theoretical political science frameworks, the study sheds light on the underlying dynamics that shaped Trump’s leadership style and its implications for democratic governance. The analysis begins by contextualizing Trump’s rise to power within the erosion of democratic norms. It explores how his rhetoric, characterized by demagoguery and the demonization of opponents, mirrors the tactics employed by mob bosses to consolidate their power and suppress dissent. Moreover, the study uncovers the striking similarities between Trump’s administration management and the hierarchical structures of organized crime, highlighting his reliance on loyalty, personal connections, and a disregard for institutional checks and balances. Furthermore, this research delves into Trump’s autocratic tendencies, as evidenced by his disdain for the free press, attacks on the judiciary, and attempts to undermine the integrity of democratic processes. It reveals how these actions align with the strategies employed by authoritarian leaders to silence opposition and perpetuate their dominance. By examining Trump’s presidency through process tracing, this study contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic institutions. The findings underscore the urgent need for continued scholarly and public scrutiny of leaders who exhibit traits akin to authoritarian mob bosses to safeguard the principles of democratic governance and protect the integrity of liberal democracies.