Policy Issues Research Articles

To manage or abolish energy poverty? A governmentality analysis

This article examines energy poverty in England with a focus on community energy actors providing energy advice in food banks and an immigration advice centre in the South East. It employs a governmentality perspective using a four-part analytical framework examining visibilities, techniques and technologies of government, political rationalities and subjectivities. The specific methods employed were participant observation and semi-structured interviews. I found a distinct difference in how government and funders see and act on this problem, to how community energy and associated actors see and act on this problem. The former see energy poverty as an issue of individual households' energy inefficiency and policy is focused on this, although without really addressing the problem. The latter see energy poverty as connected to the broader issue of multidimensional poverty, or many aspects of the current political economy impoverishing people. These differing ways of constructing the problem/solution lead to very different broader questions. On the one hand, the governance perspective asks how to manage energy poverty, which assumes this problem will and should continue. On the other hand, community energy and associated actors question the purpose of our energy system and by implication the wider political system. It is in the latter's questions that we will find a just transformation this country and the wider world needs.

How do parties use political advertising in election campaigns? Examining issue competition in advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram for the 2021 federal election in Germany

ABSTRACT We examine how political parties use advertising on Facebook and Instagram to compete over policy issues in the 2021 German federal election. Using data from the Meta Ad Library, we apply a semi-supervised topic model to examine how parties’ issue attention differs between parties and over time. We find that most parties focus on owned issues in their advertising campaigns, but also engage in rival parties’ issues to larger degrees than expected. The extent to which parties emphasize owned issues throughout the campaign is related to ideological positions, targeting sophistication, and the roles social media played in overall campaign strategies.

Capturing food insecurity data and implications for business and policy.

Food insecurity (also known as food poverty) is the inability to afford or access a healthy diet. It has become recognised as a public health emergency and is a priority in the context of the environmental, geopolitical and socio-economic implications on businesses, households and civic society. This review paper aims to discuss the merits of collecting food insecurity data and its importance in informing cross-sectoral government and others' understanding, policymaking and action on hunger. The review paper's key findings are that concerted action on measuring and mapping food insecurity with the aim of eliminating or reducing its prevalence represents a triple win for government, business and citizens. However, measurement does not provide solutions to food insecurity but contributes importantly to understanding its extent and severity to inform and evaluate proffered solutions. Government, business and food insecurity researchers and commentators cannot merely continue to simply describe food poverty - but must effect meaningful change amidst our communities to improve life quality in a timely way for those experiencing acute and chronic hunger. This is best done by addressing the structural causes of food insecurity through economically, socially and culturally fair and appropriate policy levers, requiring cross-sectoral collaboration. Ultimately, food insecurity requires a long-term, sustainable solution that addresses the policy issues under focus: low income, under/unemployment, rising food prices and Welfare Reform, informed by routine, Government-supported monitoring and reporting of the extent of food poverty among our citizens.

Rhetorical Promises: Gender Diversity Among Congressional Black Caucus Members’ Representation on Twitter

ABSTRACT In 1971, Shirley Chisholm (D-NY) was the only female founder of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Today, Black women comprise about half of the legislative caucus. As the members of the CBC become more diverse and prioritize intersectional identities in the political representation of Black communities, race as the single-axis priority of the caucus may complicate the coalition’s ability to form consensus. Building on extant studies focusing on the diversity within the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), we find substantial differences in how Black Congresswomen and men communicate on Twitter. Relative to Democratic Black men, Democratic Black women are more likely to discuss substantive public policy issues and to frame them as raced and gendered. Our findings have implications not only for the CBC but also for any single-axis legislative caucus’ ability to represent their constituents.

Mental health law in Philippines: health policy issues governing mental health promotion among Filipino older adults with serious mental illnesses

Purpose This study aims to discuss the mental health in the Philippines and the existing laws and health policies governing mental health care among Filipino older adults with serious mental illnesses. Design/methodology/approach The study used health policy research to understand the issues and gaps in the Philippine mental health-care system among older adults. The study used deductive methods (based on testing specific hypotheses) and inductive methods of inquiry (based on the formation of general inferences), which are necessary but insufficient for theory development without retroductive reasoning. The researcher believes that critical realism provides a philosophically grounded theoretical framework that can be used to underpin research into causal mechanisms such as in health policy analysis. Findings Mental health is integral to holistic health. The commitment to improve mental health services is highlighted in the recent legislative actions of policymakers. Mental health professionals and experts suggest that failure to address mental health and psycho-social problems in a population will hinder attempts to increase social capital, promote human development and reduce poverty. Originality/value A disregard for mental health is still apparent. The norm in the Philippines continues to include a chronic shortage of mental health professionals, an inadequate number of mental health facilities and hospitals, a lack of accessible and equitable mental health-care services and treatment, especially for marginalized sectors, and stigma, discrimination and social exclusion against people with mental health conditions are still very widespread. Some people refuse even to get help and treatment for their mental disorders not because of the high cost of treatment but because of the stigma attached to mental disorders.

Developing Strategies for After School Sports Services under the “Double Reduction Policy” of Primary Schools in Chengdu City, the People’s Republic of China

Background and Aims: In 2021, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council also introduced “The Opinions on Further Reducing the Burden of Homework and Off-campus Training for Students in Compulsory Education”. The main objective of the study is to construct strategies for after-school sports services under the “double reduction policy” of primary schools in Chengdu. Methodology: There are 647 public primary schools and about 5500 professional physical education teachers in primary schools in Chengdu by the end of 2022. A total of 12 public primary schools are randomly selected from 6 administrative regions (2 schools in each region) using the random sampling method as the survey object. 300 relevant teachers and 600 students’ parents were selected from the surveyed schools. The research methods used include a literature review and questionnaire method. Result: Under the “double reduction policy”, the overall development of after-school sports services in primary schools in Chengdu is good and meets the relevant requirements of the policy. However, there are still problems in terms of teaching staff, venue equipment, and evaluation system. In response to the above issues, this study proposes a series of innovative and practical strategies by analyzing the affecting factors of after-school sports services. Conclusion: In summary, although Chengdu's primary school sports services comply with the "double reduction policy," staffing, facilities, and assessment issues still exist. This research makes specific recommendations for how to deal with these problems and improve efficacy in general.

Research on Vietnamese Cultural Tourism

Vietnam is a country with great potential and advantages in building and developing cultural tourism with more than 40000 relics, including more than 10000 provincial relics, more than 3600 national relics, 128 special national relics, 15 intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO. On the basis of exploiting and promoting the values ​​of cultural heritage, many localities in Vietnam have been forming and developing quite diverse cultural tourism products, such as the tourism route connecting the world heritage of ASEAN countries, the Central heritage tourism route, Hue festival, Nha Trang sea festival, Ha Long sea carnival festival, Da Lat flower festival... This study focuses on analyzing the practical development of cultural tourism in Vietnam based on a survey of localities with unique features, cultural diversity and a great role and influence on the development of the country, that is the capital Hanoi. Besides studying the core content of cultural tourism development, the author surveys and evaluates the factors affecting the cultural tourism development of Hanoi Capital, thereby discussing policy issues for reference and application to many localities in Vietnam.

Evaluating the Implementation, Challenges, and Solutions of Policies for Cultivating New Professional Farmers: A Policy Network Theory Perspective

Cultivating new professional farmers is key to promoting agricultural and rural modernisation. The governments issue policies for cultivating new professional farmers and have gradually shown a network structure in the implementation process. With the help of policy network theory, this paper analyses the policy implementation network structure of the new professional farmer cultivation policy, including policy communities, professional networks, intergovernmental networks, producer networks and issue networks. Under the influence of the interaction between various networks, my country's new professional farmer cultivation has achieved specific results regarding overall goals, influence and recognition. However, there are also difficulties, such as prominent contradictions between policy communities and intergovernmental networks, weak internal coordination of intergovernmental networks, and marginalisation of professional and issue networks. To this end, it is necessary to regulate and balance the interactive relationship between various network entities to seek a solution: first, clarify the responsibility boundaries of policy communities and intergovernmental networks, improve the quality of interaction, enhance the collaborative ability of intergovernmental networks, and innovate governance models; third, pay attention to the diverse demands of professional networks and issue networks, and increase public discourse power.

Recent Findings in Vietnamese Studies: Analytical Summary

This review analyzes latest findings of research on Vietnam presented at the international scientific conference "Actual Problems of Vietnamese Studies" (October 2024) at the ICCA RAS. The forum touched upon both the modern problems of Vietnam's development, as well as historical topics, and traditional society. The scholars examined a wide range of issues of domestic and foreign policy of the SRV, economic cooperation with its main partners, including Russia, China, and the United States. The results of the studies on philology, culture, history and archaeology are presented too.

Climate Smart Agriculture in Food Insecurity Mitigation in Nigeria: A Conceptual Evaluation

Climate-Smart agriculture and its impact on food security have been topical issues in policy and food security discusses by successive governments in Nigeria however, the extent of its awareness among the farmers as a food insecurity mitigation measure has not been adequately represented in contemporary local literature hence the need for this research to ascertain the extent of awareness through: an examination of literary works by scholars in the field, assessing the extent of climate-smart procedures in agriculture and suggest where possible ideas to enhance its adoption. The study therefore evaluated secondary data and studies on the impacts of climate change on agriculture and how it can be mitigated through the adoption of climate smart approaches. Climate-Smart Agriculture is an emerging agricultural strategy initiated to tackle the consequences of climate change in food security and sustain agriculture. It involves the combination of approaches in the management of agricultural lands, forests, fisheries and livestock. The study in this regard took a holistic view of the adoption of climate smart agriculture by the farmers, its benefits and approaches and considered objectives such as accessing and assessing other scholars works and views on climate smart agricultural practices utilized by rural farmers in parts of Nigeria, discussing climate smart agriculture and food security, deliberating on climate smart agriculture and resource use efficiency and, viewing the constraining factors hampering the adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural practices in Nigeria. This is because climate change presently is one of the challenges and problems facing the world and an important factor in agricultural productivity. Variations in climatic factors will have ripple effects on crop yield and animal production. Farmers may have been facing weather variability and uncertainty patterns, however, the increasing pace of these uncertainties caused by climate change exacerbate food insecurity and hunger incidences and will require some degree of flexibility and rapid response capacity that climate smart agriculture offers. Building resilience in agricultural and farming practices will reduce the risk of food insecurity outside increasing the adaptive capacity and coping capabilities of the farmers.

Вплив виробництва та вживання синтетичних наркотиків на навколишнє середовище

Extremely high volumes of drugs production and consumption have become a global problem of modern times, which determines negative impact on human health and the living environment. Aim: generalization of international best practices in monitoring the impact of production and consumption of synthetic drugs on the environment. Materials and Methods. the reports by the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Narcotics Control, the National Police of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine, UN, WHO, materials from scientific libraries PUBMED, Elsevier were studied. Results. According to the results of the latest monitoring in Ukraine, the dynamics of illegal drugs and psychoactive substances use per 10,000 population remains negative: from 14.7 in 2017 to 17.0 in 2022. However, under the conditions of martial law and due to active hostilities in some regions of Ukraine, as well as because of limited access to relevant resources in these territories, individual monitoring subjects do not have the opportunity to exercise their powers in full. Therefore, obtaining comprehensive information on the volume of production and use of illegal drugs is not considered possible today. At the same time, according to the National Police of Ukraine, 94 drug laboratories were closed down in 2021 alone; four international channels of entry of illegal drugs into Ukraine were exposed; tons of drug materials and psychotropic substances were seized from illegal circulation as a result of completed investigations in criminal proceedings. The experience of EU countries proves that monitoring the concentration of synthetic drugs in environmental objects allows solving the following issues: assessing the nature and scale of drug use over time; identifying basic trends in drug consumption; determination of measures to control and mitigate the consequences of the production and consumption of synthetic drugs, which will effectively protect the environment from dangerous biologically active substances. Conclusions. Although little is known about the actual extent of damage to the environment of illegal synthetic drugs, monitoring their presence in environmental objects is a relevant area of scientific research and should be a separate issue of public health policy. Keywords: drugs, environment.

Understanding the Policy Priorities of Republican Women in the US House of Representatives

Abstract We take a deep dive into the sponsorship and cosponsorship activity of Republicans in the US House of Representatives from 1993–2014 to examine how ideology and gender influence the policy priorities of Republican legislators on issues associated with women, as well as on the party-owned issue of tax policy. We expect that Republican women are cross-pressured since assumptions about their policy expertise as women conflict with the policy reputation of the Republican Party. As a result, Republican women’s policy choices are impacted by their ideology in a way that is different from their male counterparts. Moreover, our analysis of which members’ bills move through the legislative process demonstrates that beyond their own policy preferences, women are strategic party actors. Thus, women are only more likely to see action on their women-focused and anti-abortion proposals, the two areas that define the partisan divide over women’s place in society.

Effects of land management technology adoptions on land use land cover dynamics using GIS and remote sensing: the case of Goyrie watershed, southern Ethiopia.

Understanding land use/land cover (LULC) changes is crucial for informing policymakers and planners on the dynamics affecting environmental and resource management. Most past studies highlighted the significance of LULC changes and their driving forces in various locations. However, comprehensive analyses that combine the impact of land management technologies (LMTs) on LULC changes using GIS and remote sensing tools have not been widely addressed. Thus, the study analyzes the effects of LMT adoptions on LULC dynamics and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Goyrie watershed from 1993 to 2022. It also examines household perceptions of the cause of LULC changes. Methodologically, Landsat 5 TM (1993), Landsat 5 ETM + (2008), and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS (2022) images were employed to analyze LULC changes and NDVI. Binary logistic regression models were used to identify households' perceptions of the causes of LULC changes. The findings revealed that the Goyrie watershed has experienced significant LULC changes since 1993. During the entire study period, the shares of grassland, shrub land, cultivated land, and settlement areas increased by 89.4%, 8.5%, 53.6%, and 1613.4% from their original sizes, respectively. Conversely, the coverage of bare land and forest land declined by 99.5% and 99.7%, with annual rates of decline of 3.29% and 3.3%, respectively. Throughout the study period, the increasing trends in grassland and shrub land, along with the decline in bare land, were attributed to LMT practices. The NDVI values of moderate and dense vegetation density decreased by 81.8% and 92.2%, respectively, from 1993 to 2022 due to the expansion of settlement areas and cultivated lands. Population pressure, expansion of settlements and agriculture, fuel extraction, LMTs, and policy issues significantly influenced the LULC changes. The study concludes that more sustainable and integrated LMT practices should be essential to managing the related risks of LULC changes.

Trends and Drivers of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in India: A Decadal Analysis (2010-2020)

This paper analyses trends and determinants of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in India in 2010-2020, the decade with some of the fastest economic growth rates and the increased awareness of environmental issues. The research pays attention to India, the world's third-largest emitter of GHG, which will be analysed regarding emissions in four sectors: energy, industry, agriculture, and waste management. A time series analysis of data drawn from national and international agencies, such as the World Bank and India's Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change, was applied in this study. Statistical analysis and data visualisation were performed using the R software. The key findings show an increase of 42% in the total emissions of GHG over the last decade, with the energy sector dominating at 68% in 2020. Other significant contributors were industry (20%), agriculture (9%), and waste (3%). Growth in population, along with accompanying urbanisation and industrial expansion, is cited as the main factor responsible for emission rise. However, there are also indications of decoupling between growth in the economy and emissions intensity. The study analyzes the greenhouse gas emission trends for major emitters between 2010 and 2020, in India. The dynamic panel data model analyses indicate signs of decoupling of emissions from economic growth in developed economies and the role of renewable energy and carbon pricing. Research findings further indicate that stronger climate policy and investment in clean energy is the necessity to decrease global emissions.The paper identifies policy issues that require strong activity in enforcing efficiency measures, fastening the shift toward krenewable sources of energy, and effective sustainable planning and waste management practices in urbanisation processes. In that respect, examination of policies like the PAT scheme and promotion of electric vehicles has shown where more aggressive implementation may be seen as necessary to ensure India's climate commitments. This elaborate decadal review finds most of its utility within the framework of policy designing for sustainable development and climate change mitigation by policymakers and stakeholders in the Indian scenario.

Digital Regulation and Questions of Legitimacy

ABSTRACTGovernments across the world have introduced or are considering new digital regulation to address a range of policy issues, from long‐standing concerns about illegal and harmful content online to more recent debates about the risks and benefits of generative AI. As new regimes of digital regulation take shape, questions about their legitimacy are likely to become ever more central. Focusing on the model of independent regulation favoured in liberal democracies, this article notes that the general problems of legitimacy regulators faces may be aggravated in the case of digital regulation, since the factors believed to make regulation effective (technical expertise, agility, adaptability and collaborative relations with industry) widen the gap between regulators and democratic publics and increase the likelihood of ‘capture’ by powerful stakeholders and ideologies. Rejecting both technocratic and populist‐decisionist responses to these legitimation problems, the article draws instead on work that rethinks regulation along more deliberative democratic lines. To improve the legitimacy of digital regulation, the focus should be on increasing the quality of justification between regulators and their publics, ensuring not just that those involved in regulation justify their decisions to those they affect and are supposed to serve, but that members of the public are empowered to reflect on, test and contribute to shaping these justifications.

Transnational academic mobility and knowledge production: learning and being differently in the global education policy field through multiple selves

ABSTRACT Enthused by the invitation to bring narrative and autoethnographic data to engage critically (with) key global education policy issues, I present a rather unconventional way of scholarly writing, in which there is neither a showcase of a generic formulaic academic article nor an exclusive report of a specific research study. Instead, anchored in my original theorisation of ‘multiple selves' informed by my academic and creative works, this article shapes itself through multiple conversations and interactions between me and my Inner-Voice. We engage each other and others in debates, observations and scholarly developments central to transnational academic mobility/ies – one of the most written/talked about phenomena in global higher education. The means and mode of engagement present in the article show the importance of learning and being differently in the global education policy field and the associated knowledge production.

Analysis of the Effect of Artificial Intelligence on Employment Relationships in South Africa: Ethical Implications for Workers’ Rights, Privacy and Policy Frameworks

The sharp rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically changed the employer and employee relationship. The advantages are, for example, an increase in efficiency and improved decision making. However, it has also given rise to challenges relating to ethical and policy issues, primarily regarding privacy, bias, accountability, and job safety. AI systems rely on datasets. These datasets include sensitive personal information that can raise privacy concerns within a working environment. Another concern is bias in AI algorithms, which can unwittingly perpetuate discrimination. This may result in unfair outcomes in respect of hiring, performance assessments, and promotions that would solidify disparities in the workplace. In addition, the computerisation of tasks through AI poses threats to job security, as it could disrupt workers’ stability. These ethical concerns compel employers and policymakers to alleviate the negative consequences of AI. This article addresses the ethical implications of AI in the workplace, with a focus on South African labour law. It discusses current relevant legislation, such as the Labour Relations Act, to assess its efficacy in addressing AI-related issues as well as the new National Artificial Intelligence Framework Policy 2024. A comparative analysis of AI legislation in the European Union and United States is also included in which best practices are identified. The article suggests a balanced regulatory approach that supports innovation while providing clear guidelines to protect employee rights and maintain fairness.

Carbon stock quantification and climate mitigation potential of a tropical moist forest in Ethiopia.

The significance of forests in absorbing and storing carbon plays a crucial role in international greenhouse gas policies outlined by the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCC). This study was conducted in a typical tropical moist forest of Ethiopia to assess its carbon stock, a critical issue in climate policy. The study domain was divided into six strata using elevation criteria. Ninety sample plots were used to gather relevant data from all carbon pools (above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, litter, herbs, lying dead woods, and soils) following the standard operating procedure. ANOVA, post hoc analysis and correlation tests were used to analyze the collected data. The finding revealed that carbon stock in Sele-Nono forest varies not only within its carbon pools but also across environmental factors. Moreover, the study indicated that soil, above-ground biomass, and lying dead woods store the majority of the carbon. The forest stored 284.81±107.81 tons of carbon per hectare, which is equivalent to absorbing 157.12 Megatons of CO2 from the atmosphere. This highlights the critical role of the forest in mitigating climate change on a global scale. The finding from this study encourages policymakers to rigorously focus on forest conservation as a strategy for sustainable climate mitigation. Moreover, conserving forests through strengthening UN initiatives like REDD+ is imperative to prevent potential emissions from land use changes, such as deforestation or degradation.

"Transport Axes and Corridors in Romania - Policy Issues and Opportunity for Territorial Development "

Without strong cities and efficient transport infrastructure, countries cannot benefit from developed regions and robust economies. The slow development of the road transport infrastructure (46 km/year) hampers the development of Romanian cities, especially those connecting peripheral areas, which are affected by population decline and stagnant growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that transport axes/corridors policy and other relevant planning policies could have on the national territory in terms of stimulating regional growth and reducing spatial disparities. To achieve this, the research consisted in analysing a set of economic and social indicators for all 41 county capital cities in Romania and the capital city Bucharest, as well as traffic data for the national road network. Results showed that economic indicators such as entrepreneurial density and firm turnover have higher values in main urban centres, where infrastructure supports the location of businesses and attract investors that generate economic growth, whereas cities with low accessibility to high quality transport infrastructure have fewer opportunities to grow, evidence that the transport axes/corridors policy could be a relevant territorial planning instrument. Moreover, the findings of this research revealed the incipient stage of integration of development axes policy in Romania due to the fragmented administrative and planning capacity of governmental stakeholders. It is recommended to prioritize multi-level governance reforms to strengthen strategic planning and administrative capacity with a focus not only to connect major cities but also the secondary nodes and peripheral regions, thus promoting inclusive and sustainable development.

Az egyetemi hallgatók vállalkozási hajlandósága és motivációi

In recent decades, the concepts of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship have become key players in modern economic development and have received increasing attention both in the European Union and in our country. At present, the SME sector accounts for more than half of the workforce, which is why it is important to monitor their development and performance, as they have a significant impact on the performance of the domestic economy, and thus entrepreneurship and the promotion of entrepreneurial activities are a priority economic policy issue, and can contribute significantly to economic growth, job creation and the competitiveness of the country. As a result of our research on entrepreneurship and its determinants, it can be concluded that entrepreneurship depends on a number of factors, including personal characteristics, attitudes, motivations, educational and cultural background, economic and legal environment, market opportunities and challenges. The results show that more than 90 percent of university students have a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship and nearly 10 percent of them already have a business during their university years. Among the personal motivational factors, the most common responses from those surveyed were financial security, self-fulfilment and social recognition and challenge. This suggests that university students perceive self-employment as more stable than employment. The high influencing factors of self-fulfilment and challenge factors clearly show that university students are not self-employed by necessity, but would start a business for a good business opportunity, to achieve their own plans and goals. The most negatively influencing factors for starting a business according to respondents are financial risk, lack of start-up capital and lack of information, all of which could be addressed by government grants and start-up tenders and other funding opportunities. Despite the fact that the vast majority of students are open to starting a business, very few are aware of the public grants and other funding opportunities available to support entrepreneurship. When asked whether they would like to receive information on starting a business or developing a business idea in the future, nearly 90% of students would like to receive information in the context of compulsory university courses, optional courses and dedicated events.