International Policy Makers Research Articles

Why federalism matters: policy feedback, institutional variation and the politics of trade policy-making in Canada and Germany

ABSTRACT Sub-federal units in federal systems increasingly participate in international trade policy-making, a domain that historically represents an exclusive jurisdiction of the federal level. A first strand of research emphasised exogenous factors, most notably the changing scope and depth of trade agreements and social contestation, to explain this trend. This study, by contrast, contributes to more recent efforts that focus on endogenous factors to elucidate variation in terms of how and with what implications sub-federal units have entrenched themselves in trade policy governance. The paper makes two contributions. First, it introduces a new theoretical argument suggesting that ideational and institutional feedback effects can explain variation in sub-federal trade policy-making. Second, the paper tests this framework by using two contrasting cases of federalism: Canada and Germany. The study shows that in Canada intergovernmental institutions facilitating sub-federal participation in trade policy-making had to be created through layering, while in Germany existing institutions were activated through conversion. Although both patterns of institutional change have empowered sub-federal units, they differ in terms of their robustness.

Bi-Directional Exploitation of Human Trafficking Victims: Both Targets and Perpetrators in Cybercrime

ABSTRACT The article investigates cyber-trafficking, scrutinizing the utilization of cyberspace in generating victims of trafficking. Concurrently, it delves into the methods employed to induce trafficked individuals to participate in cyber-scams and underscores how the gains from these scams are subsequently used to fund and orchestrate sophisticated transnational organized crimes. Consequently, the article discusses the emerging bidirectional relationship between cybercrime and human trafficking, representing a significant trend within organized crime by illustrating a dynamic interaction where cybercrimes are committed to facilitate human trafficking, and conversely, the trafficking of individuals becomes a means to execute cybercriminal activities. The discussion further explores the critical intersections between cybercrime and human trafficking, contributing to a substantial increase in the number of victims of both cybercrime and trafficking. A notable aspect emphasized is the shift in human trafficking targets, expanding beyond traditional demographics to include individuals, especially men with technical education. This departure from the historical focus on women and children underscores the adaptability of traffickers in leveraging the skills of a new demographic. Furthermore, it evaluates the actions taken by international governmental bodies and policymakers to address this ongoing issue and discusses additional measures that could be implemented. The article aims to offer valuable insights for policymakers, law enforcement professionals, and researchers grappling with the intricacies of this evolving nexus and, therefore, advocates for an intensified focus on research in this field and urges collaborative efforts to proactively address the issue before it surpasses current capabilities.

Consumption-Based Energy Footprints in Iceland: High and Equally Distributed

With the urgent global need to limit warming to 2 °C as well as a localized need in our case study to address rising energy demand amid electrical and thermal network limitations, a critical examination of demand-side energy reductions and the concept of energy sufficiency is needed. This paper contributes to the sparse literature on bottom-up analysis by utilizing Iceland—a leader in renewable energy generation—as a case study to explore the socio-economic factors influencing energy footprints. Our findings reveal significant energy footprints across various consumption domains, particularly housing and mobility, influenced by income levels, urbanization, and lifestyle choices. The study highlights the paradox of a high renewable energy supply leading to potential misconceptions regarding abundant and low-cost energy, resulting in substantial energy consumption-related environmental impacts. Using detailed household consumption survey data, this research provides insights crucial for developing sustainable energy policies that not only target technological advancements but also address the need for a reduction in energy demand and a shift towards energy sufficiency. This work marks a contribution to the literature through the provision of a case study of low income inequality and high energy footprints in a highly renewable energy system context. Further, this work is useful for Icelandic and international policymakers to understand in such high-demand contexts which consumption domains would be most relevant for sufficiency policies. This comprehensive analysis opens pathways for future research to further explore the intersections of energy consumption, socio-economic factors, and well-being, offering a nuanced understanding necessary for crafting sufficiency and demand-side policies aimed at a sustainable energy future.

Recent developments in higher education in Africa: partnerships for knowledge transformations

PurposeThis paper explores some of the recent developments and transformations in Africa's higher education.Design/methodology/approachIt employs an extensive review of literature based on some dominant thematic areas characterizing the main trends and developments in Africa's higher education.FindingsThe paper mainly highlights the impacts of academic partnerships on these transformations, with a focus on research, postgraduate training, mobility and some new intra-African initiatives. Following the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, digitalization comes out as an important turning point for Africa's higher education, which should be exploited for more opportunities. The paper calls for collaborative efforts to address the challenges facing Africa's higher education for the repositioning of Africa as a meaningful player in the unfolding global knowledge society.Practical implicationsThe outcomes could be useful to researchers focused on international education, policymakers and higher education leaders and international development partners working on higher education in Africa. It could also be useful for structuring future collaborations between Africa and other regions of the world.Social implicationsThe paper calls for enhanced and mutually beneficial collaborations and disruption of the imbalances that have characterised North–South collaborations. It proposes some possible approaches and alternatives that could be used for redress.Originality/valueThe paper is original and relies on some of the new developments in Africa, including the impacts of COVID-19 and digitalization on the future of higher education collaborations with Africa.

The impact of the world’s first regulatory, multi-setting intervention on sedentary behaviour among children and adolescents (ENERGISE): a natural experiment evaluation

BackgroundRegulatory actions are increasingly used to tackle issues such as excessive alcohol or sugar intake, but such actions to reduce sedentary behaviour remain scarce. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on sedentary behaviour call for system-wide policies. The Chinese government introduced the world’s first nation-wide multi-setting regulation on multiple types of sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents in July 2021. This regulation restricts when (and for how long) online gaming businesses can provide access to pupils; the amount of homework teachers can assign to pupils according to their year groups; and when tutoring businesses can provide lessons to pupils. We evaluated the effect of this regulation on sedentary behaviour safeguarding pupils.MethodsWith a natural experiment evaluation design, we used representative surveillance data from 9- to 18-year-old pupils before and after the introduction of the regulation, for longitudinal (n = 7,054, matched individuals, primary analysis) and repeated cross-sectional (n = 99,947, exploratory analysis) analyses. We analysed pre-post differences for self-reported sedentary behaviour outcomes (total sedentary behaviour time, screen viewing time, electronic device use time, homework time, and out-of-campus learning time) using multilevel models, and explored differences by sex, education stage, residency, and baseline weight status.ResultsLongitudinal analyses indicated that pupils had reduced their mean total daily sedentary behaviour time by 13.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -15.9 to -11.7%, approximately 46 min) and were 1.20 times as likely to meet international daily screen time recommendations (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.32) one month after the introduction of the regulation compared to the reference group (before its introduction). They were on average 2.79 times as likely to meet the regulatory requirement on homework time (95% CI: 2.47 to 3.14) than the reference group and reduced their daily total screen-viewing time by 6.4% (95% CI: -9.6 to -3.3%, approximately 10 min). The positive effects were more pronounced among high-risk groups (secondary school and urban pupils who generally spend more time in sedentary behaviour) than in low-risk groups (primary school and rural pupils who generally spend less time in sedentary behaviour). The exploratory analyses showed comparable findings.ConclusionsThis regulatory intervention has been effective in reducing total and specific types of sedentary behaviour among Chinese children and adolescents, with the potential to reduce health inequalities. International researchers and policy makers may explore the feasibility and acceptability of implementing regulatory interventions on sedentary behaviour elsewhere.

Green finance and food production: Evidence from cities in China

In the domain of global socio-economic dynamics, the pivotal role of food production (FP) cannot be overstated. It constitutes the bedrock of fundamental human necessities while being inexorably linked with critical aspects such as economic expansion, societal equilibrium, and geopolitical interplays. The multifaceted nature of FP appears through its direct impact on macroeconomic indicators and its latent influence on international relations and policy-making. This critical nexus underscores the imperative for a comprehensive understanding and strategic management of food production processes to sustain and enhance global socio-economic stability and growth. Investigating the nexus between green finance (GF) and FP is pivotal for ensuring national security and promoting sustainable economic development. This research thus paper examines GF's impact on FP in China as outlined in the 2017 green finance policies. It employs the difference-in-differences (DID) method and analyzes a balanced panel dataset comprising 282 cities in China from 2009 to 2020. The results show that GF has an inhibitory effect on FP, and this remains valid after a range of reliability checks, including parallel trend assessments and placebo tests. Further findings of transmission mechanism analysis indicate that non-agricultural factors and financial exclusion are critical for GF's inhibitory effect on FP. Heterogeneity analyses show that GF's inhibitory effect on FP is more pronounced in the main food-producing areas, the main food-marketing areas, and cities with better infrastructure. The empirical results of this paper comprehensively illustrate GF's impact on FP and how it contributes to the achievement of food security objectives.

Interest Groups and EU-Turkey Relations: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Labor Unions and Employers’ Associations

This study delves into the perspectives of Turkish labor unions (TÜRK-İŞ, HAK-İŞ, DİSK) and employers' associations (DİSK, TİSK) about Turkey's EU accession. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis, it uncovers how these narratives mirror the intricate interplay of economic, political, and social elements in EU-Turkey relations. Analyzing speeches and documents, the research spots common and differing viewpoints. The findings reveal a universal desire for just EU integration, but with distinct emphases on sovereignty, economy, and social justice. This work sheds light on Turkey's unique position in EU affairs and the influence of various interest group narratives on international policy-making.

The Devil in the Details: Changes Under Stable Trends of Femicide in Italy During COVID-19 Lockdowns

In recent decades, the issue of violence against women has increasingly drawn the attention of international and national legislators and policymakers. The term “femicide” became widespread in the early 2000s and was incorporated into the criminal codes of several countries. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent social distancing measures raised significant concerns about their impact on women’s safety. This study examines the effect of COVID-19 confinement measures on femicide trends in Italy, a country which adopted stringent COVID-19 confinement measures and, since 2019, implemented new legislation to counteract violence against women. Using two data sets—one from the Italian Ministry of Interior containing 1,382 cases of female homicides (2013–2022) and another from Italian NGOs detailing 1,253 femicides according to media coverage (2012–2022)—the study employs autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) analysis to assess monthly trends alongside the stringency index for COVID-19 containment efforts. The findings reveal that, although overall femicide rates remained stable during lockdowns, there was a significant shift in victim–perpetrator relationships. Specifically, from March to May 2020, there was a decline in femicides by former partners, offset by an increase in those by cohabiting partners. These results underscore the complexity of femicide and the need for further research on various facets of violence against women. This includes the potential escalation of physical and psychological violence during lockdowns, influenced by forced proximity and substance abuse in domestic environments.

Volatility Spillovers among Sovereign Credit Default Swaps of Emerging Economies and Their Determinants

This paper aims to investigate the volatility spillovers among selected emerging economies’ sovereign credit default swaps (SCDSs), including those of Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, and Turkey. Using data from January 2010 to July 2023, we apply the time-domain and the frequency-domain connectedness approaches.Empirical results show that (i) Indonesia, followed by China and Mexico, are the main transmitters of sovereign credit risk volatility. (ii) Among global factors, the volatility index (VIX), economic policy uncertainty (EPU), and global political risk (GPR) positively impacted spillover on lower and higher quantiles. The results offer critical insights for international investors, policymakers, and researchers, emphasizing the importance of risk-aware investment strategies and cautious policy formulation in the context of financial crises and political events.

Quantum International Law Theories: Towards an Inclusive International Investment-Security Construct

Abstract In recent years, there have been significant changes in the foreign investment landscape that have affected investors and States around the world. These transitions can be broadly categorised into two hypotheses: international to domestic in the liberalisation continuum and legalisation to politicisation in the geoeconomic order. While these hypotheses seek to capture the changing investment-security dynamics, none satisfactorily comprehend classical irreconciliation. In response, this study proposes a novel trinity of quantum international law theories that extrapolates quantum entanglement, measurement, and holism theories through analogy, ontology, and post-critique approaches to inspire multidisciplinary insights. It outlines the justifications for using quantum theories in international law-making and policymaking, the extrapolated fundamentals, and the trinity application approaches by testing two variations of the trinity. The study results help move beyond unproductive debates on ‘economics versus security’ and offer international lawmakers and policymakers a new thinking model that can be applied to ‘everything’ multidisciplinary.

Sectoral uncertainty spillovers in emerging markets: A quantile time–frequency connectedness approach

This study investigates the sectoral expected uncertainty connectedness in emerging markets across different frequencies and quantiles using the novel quantile time–frequency connectedness approach of Chatziantoniou et al. (2022a). The employed dataset spans from January 1st, 2003 to October 4th, 2022, encompassing 10 key sectors. The findings reveal a robust and notable interconnection among these sectors, with a substantial total connectedness index of 91.01%. We also note that the largest proportion of the sectoral total connectedness is associated with long-term spillovers. Consumer Cyclicals emerges as the primary source of net risk transmission. Conversely, the Communications & Networking and Healthcare appear to be the greatest net receivers of shocks at the median level. Furthermore, we find that the degree of interconnectedness substantially varies over time, frequency, and quantile, and by economic events. In addition, we find suggestive evidence of asymmetric sectoral uncertainty connectedness effects as the uncertainty spillovers are higher during turbulent market conditions than normal market conditions. A positive relationship between uncertainty measures and sectoral connectedness is also observed during periods of smooth and normal market conditions. Besides, we also conduct different portfolio analyses illustrating the importance of risk diversification to reduce investment uncertainty. This has important implications for international investors and policymakers in forming optimal investment portfolios reducing adverse risk spillovers.

A Cross-Cultural Study on the Effects of Government Control Policies on Mobility in COVID-19

This study sought to explore the impact of government policies aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing and quarantine, on the reduction in the mobility of people and the role of national culture in moderating this effect. To test this hypothesis, this study collected 21,150 sets of data from 57 countries worldwide and analyzed them using a multilevel growth model. In addition, the number of COVID-19-infected people, the number of people vaccinated, number of days since the first COVID-19, median age by country, population density, total population, and GDP per capita, which can affect mobility, were added as control variables in the study model. Notably, the results of our analysis revealed that the stringency of government policies had a negative effect on mobility and that this effect differed according to cultural characteristics. The findings of the current study have the following implications. First, differences between countries were explained by exploring the effectiveness of government policies in preventing the increase in infectious diseases based on a cultural perspective. Second, the results of this study provide policy implications that international policy makers can refer to apart from the context of the COVID-19 epidemic by presenting country-specific differences in government policies.

The Role of Self-Efficacy and Competence in International Student’s Sociocultural Adaptation

This study examines the role of self-efficacy in intercultural communication as a mediator between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation among international students in Japan. The research uses a quantitative approach with convenience sampling technique, and obtains 92 international student participants. Several validated questionnaires are utilized, namely the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS), a = 0.874 by Ward & Kennedy (1999) adapted by Simic-Yamashita & Tanaka (2010); Self-Efficacy in Intercultural Communication (SEIC) a = 0.914 by Peterson et al., (2011); Japanese Proficiency by Iwao & Hagiwara (1988); and Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC), a = 0.691 adapted by Gonçalves et al. (2020) from Arasaratnam (2009). A hypothesis model is constructed with competence perception as the predictor, self-efficacy as the mediator, and sociocultural adaptation as the dependent variable. Competence perception is a latent variable measured by two manifest variables: intercultural communication competence and Japanese language proficiency. Data analysis is conducted using Path Analysis, a form of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with results indicating that the hypothesis model has an acceptable fit index. Although the proposed hypothesis model as a whole can be confirmed, a significant effect is found in the direct path between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation, while the indirect path is not significant. This means that self-efficacy does not act as a mediator, but rather as a predictor in sociocultural adaptation. The practical implications of this study emphasize the importance of stakeholders, such as international offices at universities, paying attention to the role of language proficiency, intercultural communication competence, and self-efficacy in international migrant students, especially in taking preventive or curative actions for adaptation problems.

Deficit Beliefs and Cultural Responsiveness in a Bilingual International School

International schools exist in almost every country of the world, and international school educators come from a variety of countries, often teaching students from cultural and linguistic backgrounds different from their own. This article reports on a study that examined English-speaking educator beliefs about their Arabic-speaking students in a bilingual, international elementary school in the Middle East Near Africa region. Using mixed methods, the study also explored English language educators’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy. Educators expressed high levels of self-efficacy in using culturally responsive teaching practices, but were unsure how to bridge the differences between home and school cultures. Additionally, educators expressed deficit beliefs about their students. These beliefs framed students as victims of their own culture, held back from academic success by home cultural practices, beliefs, and norms. Results suggest educators at the school may not be prepared to facilitate students’ negotiation of identities, bridging home and school languages and cultures, due to deficit beliefs about students’ home culture that lower educator expectations and students’ opportunities to learn. The article concludes with discussion of the effects of these educator beliefs on students and ways in which international school leaders and policy makers may productively address them.

The dilemma of water, food, and greener energy nexus: A novel context of COP27 for G20 economies

AbstractIn the contemporary world, achieving sustainable food production has become an urgent task for the international community and policymakers due to the rapidly growing social challenges of mankind. Sustainable food production practices aid countries in adapting to the challenges posed by climate change, thereby ensuring a better and more sustainable future for all. This study examines the impact of land use, energy efficiency (ENE), water productivity (WP), renewable energy consumption (REC), and gross domestic product (GDP) on sustainable food production in G20 nations over the period of 1998–2020. We use quantile regression approaches to capture potential heterogeneity across various food value‐added distribution quantiles. The results show that arable land, WP, GDP, ENE, and REC are important factors affecting food value added in G20 nations. However, the nature of the relationship varies across different quantiles, suggesting heterogeneity in the relationships. The results show that ENE, renewable energies, and GDP are positively related to food production. However, arable land and WP are negatively related to food production. The findings can assist policymakers and stakeholders in making informed decisions to increase value added in the agricultural sector while promoting resilience and sustainability.

Greenhouse gas emissions patterns and insertion in global value chains: a comparative study between Brazil and China (2000–2016)

PurposeThis study aims to analyze and compare the relationship between international trade in global value chains (GVC) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Brazil and China from 2000 to 2016.Design/methodology/approachThe input-output method apply to multiregional tables from Eora-26 to decompose the GHG emissions of the Brazilian and Chinese productive structure.FindingsThe data reveals that Chinese production and consumption emissions are associated with power generation and energy-intensive industries, a significant concern among national and international policymakers. For Brazil, the largest territorial emissions captured by the metrics come from services and traditional industry, which reveals room for improving energy efficiency. The analysis sought to emphasize how the productive structure and dynamics of international trade have repercussions on the environmental dimension, to promote arguments that guide the execution of a more sustainable, productive and commercial development strategy and offer inputs to advance discussions on the attribution of climate responsibility.Research limitations/implicationsThe metrics did not capture emissions related to land use and deforestation, which are representative of Brazilian emissions.Originality/valueComparative analysis of emissions embodied in traditional sectoral trade flows and GVC, on backward and forward sides, for developing countries with the main economic regions of the world.

Improving figures for climate change communications: Insights from interviews with international policymakers and practitioners

Nearly 200 governments rely on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for scientific assessments of climate change. IPCC figures are important for conveying key findings, but can be difficult for policymakers and practitioners to understand. Best practices in graph design, summarized in the IPCC’s visual style guide, recommend conducting interviews with members of the target audience before finalizing figures. Therefore, we interviewed 20 policy makers and practitioners from different countries about three figures drafted for the second order draft of the summary for policymakers associated with IPCC’s Working Group III Sixth Assessment Report. Half were frequent users and half were occasional users of climate science, but similar comments emerged from both groups. The figures received a median rating of 3, on a scale from 1 (= not easy at all to understand) to 5 (= very easy to understand). Showing the caption did not always improve these ratings. Overall, two types of recommendations emerged. First, participants suggested focusing each figure on one key message for policymakers, and removing irrelevant details. For IPCC authors, this involves making hard choices about what to show in the figure and what to leave for the text. Additionally, participants suggested straightforward fixes such as using clear titles, labels, and captions that support the key message. Based on our findings, we present recommendations for the design of climate change figures, and examples of revised figures. These recommendations should be useful for the next round of IPCC reports, and for other organizations that communicate about climate science with policymakers and practitioners.

The rise of for-profit teacher preparation programmes: investigating career outcomes for novice teachers

ABSTRACT The increased privatisation of educational systems is a global trend with several important implications for teachers’ preparation and workforce outcomes. With many countries facing teacher shortages, retention for novice teachers is a key area of focus for educational leaders and policymakers – yet there is a lack of evidence related to the relationship between new alternative pathways into the profession and retention patterns. In this paper, we add to the limited literature on for-profit teacher preparation Programme outcomes. Our results extend work related to educational market deregulation and contribute to research about novice teachers. Drawing on longitudinal employment files and certification records for over 160,000 individual teachers, our results demonstrate meaningful variation in the demographic characteristics and retention outcomes of for-profit prepared novice teachers. Our findings have implications for educational leaders, preparation Programme leaders, and state/district, national, and international policymakers. The realities of for-profit Programmes may have global implications.

Integration of digital health applications into the German healthcare system: development of "The DiGA-Care Path".

Since 2019 people who have insured in the German statutory health insurance are entitled to use certified apps called the Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen [Digital Health Applications (DiGAs)]. The prerequisite for this is that an app certified as DiGA and suitable for their diagnosis exists. The DiGA can then either be prescribed by a physician or psychotherapist or requested by the patient from the statutory health insurance fund. Given the novelty of this type of healthcare, the implementation of a DiGA should be closely monitored to identify potential weaknesses and achieve quality improvements. To enable an analysis of the supply of DiGAs step-by-step, we aimed to create the DiGA-Care Path. We conducted three steps to create the DiGA-Care Path. First, a knowledge base was created based on a structured literature research matched with knowledge gathered from the superordinate research project "QuaSiApps" funded by the German Federal Joint Committee. Second, we aimed to create an "ideal-typical" DiGA-Care Path using a flowchart. Third, based on the first path, a final path was developed using the graphical modeling language "Event-Driven Process Chain." The DiGA-Care Path was developed to depict the supply of DiGAs in Germany. The final path is constituted by a "main path" as well as a corresponding "sub-path". While the "main path" focuses more on the supply environment in which a DiGA is used, the "sub-path" depicts the supply delivered by the DiGA itself. Besides the process itself, the paths include relevant actors to indicate responsibilities for individual process steps. The DiGA-Care Path helps to analyze the current supply of DiGAs step-by-step. Thereby, each step can be investigated in detail to identify problems and to detect further steps where quality improvements can be enabled. Depending on the perspective, focused either on the supply environment, or the supply delivered by the DiGA itself, the "main path" or the "sub-path" can be used, respectively. Besides the potential of the DiGA-Care Path to improve the current supply of DiGAs, it can help as an orientation for international policymakers or further stakeholders either to develop their own integration of apps into healthcare systems or for international manufacturers to consider entering the German market.

International investment agreements and the global minimum tax: of treaty troubles and investment incentives

Abstract Statutory and effective tax rates have witnessed a marked decline over the past decades, prompting international tax policymakers to grapple with the challenge of tax competition. The latest tool in this struggle is the global minimum tax (GMT). This paper examines the intersection between the GMT and International Investment Agreements (IIAs). It first briefly explains the operation of the GMT and reviews how IIAs address domestic tax measures. It goes on to argue that multinational enterprises (MNEs) affected by the GMT are unlikely to file large numbers of investor-State dispute settlement cases to challenge its implementation. Instead, MNEs will leverage IIAs in seeking to replace corporate income tax incentives captured by the minimum tax with alternative economic benefits. Given how income-tax-based investment incentives are administered in practice, many MNEs could plausibly argue that the withdrawal or undermining of these incentives through top-up taxes violates IIA protection standards. The paper concludes by outlining the potential motivations and options for MNEs seeking to replace tax incentives and the implications for the ongoing global effort to address tax challenges. Ultimately, the GMT’s design means that the race to the bottom is likely to shift elsewhere.