Global Activity Research Articles

Analyzing GAVI the Vaccine Alliance as a Global Health Partnership Model: A Constructivist Analysis of the Global Health Crisis

The ongoing debate on the conceptual underpinnings of constructivism and global health partnerships (GHPs) in global health studies has a dimension that deserves closer attention. This paper attempts to draw attention to a few aspects of the debate using Finnemore’s constructivist analysis. According to this study, global actors need to rethink their paradoxical notions of pandemic crisis survival in light of the growing demand for mobilizing diverse global health agents and the necessity of constructing complex GHPs to address challenges of international significance. A global response based on solidarity and multilateralism is the only way to effectively combat this pandemic. Against this backdrop, the article analyses this development through an ideational ontological case study of the GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. This article contributes to the debate by explaining how the GAVI Alliance fostered global collaboration and can serve as a template for future GHPs.

Editorial: Security Perspectives

Editorial: Security Perspectives

Ritual dynamics of a Northern Irish festivalscape

In this ethnography of an ephemeral public art installation in Derry-Londonderry Northern Ireland, we examine a festivalscape ritual that leads to personal and social transformation. The event, coordinated by global and local actors and co-created by sectarian participants, became a material forum for the expression and resolution of grief resulting from decades of internecine conflict. We analyze the ritual dynamics that gave rise to, maintained, and dematerialized the festivalscape; explore activities integral to the festivalscape; summarize the managerial implications of the ritual complex; and suggest future research to deepen insight into such a ritual.

The pandemic legacy of antimicrobial resistance in the USA

The pandemic legacy of antimicrobial resistance in the USA

The Developing Trade Relations Between Turkey and Africa in the Last Decade: The Case of Somalia

Today, Africa has become a centre of attraction and power for global actors with its geopolitical location, strategic trade routes, rich energy and underground resources, agricultural potential, growing and developing market. While Turkey's diplomatic relations network in Africa shows its effect in economic, political, and social fields, it also contributes to the development of trade between Turkey and Africa due to the developing economic relations. In this study, the developing trade relations between Turkey and Africa in the last decade, especially the economic and trade relations between Turkey and Somalia are discussed. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the trade between Turkey and Somalia has increased steadily in the last ten years (2011-2020). While the trade volume between the two countries was only $42 million in 2011, ten years later, in 2020, the volume of foreign trade was $270.9 million

Politics and Social Responsibility in the Bangladesh Ready-Made Garment Supply Chains

Despite the debate on the political activity and social responsibility of transnational corporations, there is little evidence in the PCSR literature on the politics of powerful global and local economic actors and how they can influence the deliberative efforts of MSIs in raising labor standards in production countries. In this article, we take a Gramscian perspective and present a large qualitative study in the Bangladesh RMG supply chain based on the experience of suppliers in the years following the Rana Plaza collapse. While detailing the political activity of the international brands and local industry association as global and local ‘hegemonies’, we show how they use their social responsibility for workers' health and safety to advance market-driven choices and silencing opposition. Hence, we conceptualize ‘glocal contestation’ as the discursive political activity of global and local hegemonies in protecting their capacity to meet their social responsibility while contesting MSI stakeholder groups and each other. This article extends the PCSR literature on MSIs in global supply chains, finally delivering important insights on the future of MSIs and labor standards in global RMG supply chains.

An Overview of Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring of Drugs and Vaccines during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Once a drug is approved in phase III of clinical trials, pharmacovigilance (PV) becomes very important for the surveillance of drug, vaccine or medical devices. PV constitutes part of the phase IV approval, which involves a study for collecting, detecting, and monitoring adverse events in any population that the drug is used. The adverse events that are reported must be assessed to ascertain the causal effects and prevent or avoid unanticipated side effects on the population. With the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vaccination has been the motor for the management of the pandemic, and through intensive health sensitization, more people are vaccinated in a short period leading to greater challenges to the PV taskforce and the PV operating centrers. Global partnerships including the international society of pharmacovigilance (ISOP), the French national agency for medicines and health products safety (ANSM), and a multitude of others are working in synergy towards putting in place a continuous collaboration work package with many sensitization, education, capacity building, and research initiatives. This is within the framework of identifying the safety and efficacy of vaccines in order to provide solutions to emerging challenging ethical questions.
 Through PV, signal detection is in progress for the identification of adverse events. The unanticipated emergence and negative impact of COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has significantly compelled global pharmacists and drug actors to collectively play an important role in the management of COVID-19. This has to be done within the framework of therapeutic strategies and guaranteed safety, efficacy and quality of new and old xenobiotics. In the current treatment COVID-19 has created health-related challenges and a shift in paradigm in drug discovery and development of new chemical entities (NCE), for vaccine or drug repurposing for different levels of treatment interventions. The accelerated interest in dynamic research and innovation have led to different approaches of treatment and this has come with potential side effects, which has led to the call for post marketing surveillance and monitory. PV is therefore a key component for phase IV study for the drugs and vaccines approved for global use. This paper gives an insight into the global PV monitoring and surveillance of new chemical entities (drugs and vaccines) and new technologies targeting the management of COVID-19.

Youth Goals? Youth Agency and the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract Youth participated in the negotiations for the Sustainable Development Goals (sdg s) as an official United Nations constituency. And yet, so far, there has been no study of their participation in these negotiations. This is even more surprising given that the 2015 sdg s are now under their review stage just as youth are emerging, through protests, as key players in sustainable development governance. In order to improve knowledge of youth as global actors, this article embraces an innovative ‘youth agency’ perspective in global politics. Borrowing from youth studies, such a perspective relies on three research questions, on the (i) identity of youth actors, (ii) their claims, and (iii) their impact at the global level. Methodologically, the article mostly relies on a qualitative assessment of youth experiences in negotiation processes through interviews of youth actors. It reveals the subjectivities of youth identity at the global level and the limits of their achievements within formal negotiation processes.

Energy as a geopolitical battleground in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT Sri Lanka has committed to achieving carbon neutrality status by 2050, but it is foreseeing more coal power plants, which has created spaces of contention locally and geopolitically. What is the role of geopolitics and local politics in shaping Sri Lanka’s decision to embark on coal at the very point in time when it has pledged a commitment to renewables? This paper explores this puzzle with particular attention to the encounters between global and local actors and the role of the state in the socio-political construction of the geopolitical battleground of energy. It traces the role and influence of international actors and agendas on domestic actors and dynamics within the state and society, and the opportunities or obstacles for geopolitical actors exerting extensive influence. The paper offers fresh insights into understanding the geopolitics of energy transition in a developing country context.

Complexity of policy making in pandemic crisis: Harmonizing national policy with global prevention pandemic policy

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the complexity of policy making in the pandemic crisis in the current situation. How do the all countries make “trial and error” policy model in dealing with the dynamic changing environment. The administrative state's exclusive ability to guide and manage public policy and administration is increasingly being challenged in both developing and developed countries. The research approach is content review of official documents and online news from each continent, which is defined by a few nations, in order to get a broad image of how complicated policymaking is. This call identifies a slew of regional and global governance actors with sway over state administrative and policy decisions. The findings are there has been a proliferation of institutional procedures and policy-making mechanisms and beyond but frequently conflicting with conventional state policy processes of the government policy delivery. Upcoming Events Formal and informal institutions and actors, often in conjunction with national public administrations, but more often on their own, are at the heart of these policy processes. Multi-stakeholder ventures, global public-private partnerships, and global commissions are all examples of this.

Turkey - Africa Institutional Cooperation: Strategic Impacts, Significance and Challenges

The development of economic cooperation, diplomacy, and political relations between Turkey and Africa in the past years is attracting many courtesies. Current trends show an increasing engagement and relations between African nations and Turkey which seems to exhibit consistent growth since Ankara declared 2005 as ‘the year of Africa.’ This study examines the institutional cooperation, strategic impacts, their significance, and challenges to Turkey-Africa relations The argument is given based on the fact that Turkish ideologically distanced itself from the global South during and after the Cold War period. However, the fast-paced collaboration in the 21st century signifies a partial revision in its foreign policy orientations towards Africa. In the background of this revisionist orientation, Turkey considers Africa as a way of not only reframing its relations with its nations but also strengthening cooperation with African political and economic institutions. Despite their historical ties, both Africa and Turkey’s cooperation have not transcended to a comprehensive and strategic level. This study finding indicates that Turkey’s growing involvement in Africa reflects its need to establish new markets for its manufactured goods, and its defense and armaments industry and present itself as a relevant regional and global actor different from traditional western players on the continent. What is more, African leaders also seek to attract Turkish Foreign Direct Investment, diversify economic and political partners to reduce dependency, and fuel their state-building projects. Currently, the political cooperation between Turkey and Africa seems to be in good health. Turkey’s endeavors in the field of development cooperation demonstrate its dedication to the efforts aimed at poverty eradication and development for a better future for all. However, both Turkey-Africa’s institutional cooperation is less effective due to a lack of commitments from both sides, inadequate technological resources, political dynamics, and instabilities in some parts of Africa.
 
 Received: 26 April 2022 / Accepted: 30 June 2022 / Published: 5 July 2022

Making history: technologies of production and the estate of knowledge in East Asia

ABSTRACT How did production, the making of things, come to be regarded as an inferior part of the process from the conceptualization of a commodity to its consumption? And how did East Asia, which has long been a place of production, come concurrently to be dismissed by other global actors on account of that fact and denied the potential for innovation? Through detailed case studies of making and doing from the early modern and modern eras, our special issue critically engages with the division between production and knowledge that lies at the heart of those dominant narratives. In this introductory essay, we suggest that our effort to return attention to production elucidates its role as an ‘estate of knowledge’ – a site deemed by individuals and societies to be where knowledge lies, where innovation is believed to take place – and helps to explain the geography of difference that has defined the global history of manufacturing and East Asia’s place within it.

Russia Resurgent? Untangling the Role and Meaning of Moscow’s Proxies in West Africa and the Sahel

Growing international concern over Russia’s military and political resurgence in Africa and the possibility of creating a renewed Cold War has been rekindled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the outbreak of war in Europe in February 2022. Russia’s growing influence in Africa through the re-establishment of old ties and the creation of new ones has been perceived as a quest to re-establish the geopolitical gains that the Soviet Union achieved before its collapse in 1989. Increasing demand for Russian weaponry and equipment, support for unpopular, illegitimate, or unconstitutionally elected leaders, and the targeting and interest in mining concessions and natural resources are considered by the West to be a threat to democratic gains and stability in an already fragile continent. Several questions arise as a result of the deepfake propaganda around occurrences on the continent. How has Russia’s resurgence or reemergence manifested on the African continent? What instruments does Russia utilise to exert its influence in Africa? What are the potential opportunities and threats of Russian presence in West Africa and the Sahel? And how will other global actors be affected? This debate article seeks to examine a particular aspect of Russia’s resurgence on the African continent, namely, the presence of Russian proxies in West Africa and the Sahel. It examines the multiple dynamics created by their presence, the potential threats that their proliferation and activities generate in an already fragile sub-region, and how such activities, if unconstrained, can impose other potential dangers on the continent and the globe.

An analysis of tax abuse, debt, and climate change risk in low-income and lower-middle-income countries

IntroductionClimate change is exacerbating a pre-existing child rights crisis. Lower- (low- and lower-middle-) income countries have borne 99% of the disease burden from the crisis, of which children under five...

The Untamed Impact of a Faraway Shock: Africa and the War in Ukraine

The combinations of multiple disruptors in the world economy have now been reinforced by the return — through the front door — of the warmongering behaviour of the great powers. This is arguably to defend geostrategic interests. The consequences for Africa are brutal. After a decade and a half of considerable progress in its macroeconomic management and social indicators, halted first by the 2008–2009 global financial crisis and now by the impact of the pandemic, the continent was at the limit of its capacity when, in February, Russian troops entered Ukraine. A finer analysis allows us to discern that Africa is simultaneously experiencing a moment of great convergence and one of divergence. The convergence is verifiable at the level of opinions and the construction of defensive positions in relation to global actors, while the divergences are related to the end of a certain notion of globalisation that is likely to deeply affect the continent. Africans’ choices in the international arena have become more limited, although that may eventually create the opportunity for a more courageous attitude.

Differentiated “Others”: Representations of the European Union and the United States From Chinese State Media in COVID-19-Related News Reports

Rarely in recent history has there been a challenge to public health as great as the COVID-19 pandemic. With newer cases still being reported on a daily basis, the media has maintained close track of the development of the outbreak in their news reports. This study analyzes representations of the European Union and the United States in China Daily, one of the major Chinese state media, through a content analysis of 88 news reports concerning the pandemic situations in 2020 from a broad perspective without explicitly elucidating the individual differences of the countries and states within these two global players. It reveals that China Daily represents the EU and the US differently within the global context of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the intensity of the outbreak, coordination and response, and most notably, their amicable and antagonistic relations with China. The results of the analysis epitomize China’s interactions with major global actors from the West, which are increasingly shifting away from the traditional “East versus West” dichotomy, and the EU and the US are viewed as differentiated “others” from China’s perspective according to the reports involved in this study.

ANALYZING THE ROLE OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS IN IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN BANGLADESH

In this globalized world, countries are highly inter-dependent for socio-economic development. It is more important for developing countries like Bangladesh because of the multidimensional nature of development issue that requires support from different corners particularly after being graduated to middle income country. Collaboration and partnerships expedite development process, enhance mutual trust, and build strong relation to explore new areas for assistance. This partnership is necessarily required when countries adopt global agenda.  The agenda 2030 is a holistic approach that philosophizes the well-being and prosperity of humankind. In order to realize the benefits of this agenda and implement all 17 goals and its 169 targets, country needs support from various stakeholders. Apart from the public and private sectors from within, global actors including international organizations, different nations must act together to bring the benefit for all. This paper aims at analyzing the necessity of collaboration and partnership among the states and assessing how partnerships can help implement Sustainable Development Goals. This review article is prepared based on the secondary data collected from the various research articles, government publications, UN reading materials. The study finds that Bangladesh needs to strengthen regional and global partnership for all SDGs specially after graduation to middle income country. 

Geleneksel Perakendeci Bakkalların Rekabetçi Stratejileri: Değer Zinciri Analizi

Türkiye’de gıda perakende sektörünü oluşturan aktörler arasında bakkallar sayıca en büyük paya sahiptir Ancak zincir marketler yabancı perakendecilerin pazara girmesi ve özellikle de ulusal zincirlerin güç kazanmasıyla birlikte son yıllarda bakkallar için önemli bir tehdit unsuru haline gelmiştir. Perakende coğrafyası alanında geleneksel gıda perakendecilerinin modern zincirlere karşı izlediği direnme ve baş etme stratejileri genellikle dayanıklılık (resilience) perspektifinden incelenirken, bu çalışmada bakkalların rekabet stratejileri değer zinciri perspektifinden analiz edilmektedir. Bu doğrultuda bu çalışmanın amacı Eskişehir ölçeğinde bakkalların rekabetçi avantajlarını Porter’ın önerdiği değer zinciri analizi modeliyle ortaya koymaktır Bu hedef doğrultusunda Eskişehir'de bakkallar, yerel/bölgesel/ulusal/küresel market zincirleri ve firma dışı aktörler ile toplam 40 derinlemesine görüşme yapılmış ve elde edilen veriler nitel yöntemlerle analiz edilmiştir. Buna göre bakkalların, organize market zincirleri karşısında kullandığı rekabetçi stratejiler saptanmıştır. Elde edilen bulgulara göre organize market zincirlerinin yaygınlaşmasıyla bakkalların rollerinde bir değişim meydana gelmiştir. Bakkallar, değer yaratmak ve/veya artırmak için esas ve destekleyici faaliyetleri başta olmak üzere faaliyetlerinde yeni stratejiler uygulamak durumunda kalmıştır. Ancak bakkalların rekabetçiliklerini koruyabilmeleri için bu stratejiler yeterli olmamakta ve bu nedenle düzenleyici çerçevenin müdahalesi gerekmektedir. Sonuç olarak perakende mekanlarının analizi değer zinciri yaklaşımın ekonomik coğrafya için yeni bir perspektif sunduğunu göstermektedir.

The spatial dynamics of deep transitions

Industrial societies are currently evolving along a fundamentally unsustainable trajectory, contributing to climate change, resource depletion and loss of biodiversity. A recent Deep Transitions framework (Schot and Kanger, 2018; Kanger and Schot, 2019) argues that this trajectory has been built up through the First Deep Transition: a 250-year co-evolution of multiple socio-technical systems. However, to date the Deep Transitions framework has completely neglected the spatial dimension of this process. This makes it unable to explain (1) how socio-technical systems emerge in, gravitate towards, become linked in and disperse from certain locations; (2) how global constraints condition actors' responses in specific locations and how these responses, in turn, reproduce or transform socio-technical systems; (3) how these processes accumulate into socio-material landscapes, posing locationally varying constraints to major transformative change. As a response this paper aims to develop a middle-range theory of the spatial dynamics of Deep Transitions. Synthesizing insights from a broad range of fields nine propositions are developed on the spatial patterns and mechanisms of long-term multi-system co-evolution. The resulting framework enables to explain the spatial genesis of the First Deep Transition and opens up a research agenda for studying the possibly emerging Second Deep Transition.

Integrating the right to food in sustainability standards: A theory of change to move global supply chains from responsibilities to impacts

AbstractTo address the undesired environmental and social impacts of agricultural export production, the agricultural industry increasingly relies on sustainability standards. These standards neglect food security, although rights‐based food security criteria were recently developed. This research analyses the responsibilities of global supply chain actors for the Right to Food and identifies a feasible implementation pathway to support the operationalization of these criteria. Based on qualitative research, a theory of change was developed and tested in six case studies across the globe. The theory of change discusses relevant stakeholders, necessary changes, expected impacts, and emphasizes the role of market demand and institutional frameworks.