Government Forces Research Articles

Spatial Reconstruction and Determinants of Industrial Land in China’s Urban Expansion: A Theoretical Framework

The evolution of industrial land layout is a significant feature of changes in urban land use types during rapid urbanization. However, the theoretical studies investigating the evolution mechanism behind industrial land are scarce. This study developed a dynamic theoretical framework examining the relationship between government and market forces. Furthermore, this study examined the determinants of industrial land evolution in Xi’an from 1994 to 2019 by using a logistic regression model. The results showed that industrial land area increased from 55.02 km2 to 126.63 km2 from 1994 to 2013 but later rapidly reduced to 106.61 km2 in 2019. The spatial distribution of industrial land exhibited significant deindustrialization and suburbanization during park-orientated agglomeration and showed a shift from large-area small-patch to multi-center large-patch agglomeration. Factors such as development zone policies, land prices, agglomeration benefits, land supply, and transportation infrastructure are key determinants of suburbanization, while land prices and agglomeration benefits are key determinants of deindustrialization. This study reveals the mechanisms driving industrial land evolution and offers guidance in improving the rationality of urban land layout and achieving industry–city integration.

PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES AND SECURITY PROVISIONING IN NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM OTHER CLIMES

Insecurity in the form of terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, armed banditry, cattle rustling, armed robbery, murder, rape and other violent crimes are on the increase in Nigeria in spite of government efforts to contain them. There is no gainsaying that government forces are seemingly incapacitated to tackle the upsurge of insecurity across the country as terrorists, kidnappers and armed bandits specifically operate with impunity openly as if government security forces are non-existent. Although, insecurity is a global social problem, Nigerian situation is becoming overwhelming, thereby necessitating the proliferation of private security companies into the security arena to lend support to government security force efforts. Since their emergence into the security architecture, private security companies (PSCs) are creating great impact in security provisioning across the globe thereby complementing the efforts of government law enforcement agencies. In Nigeria, they have made great inroads in security provision such that their presence is felt in all nooks and crannies of the country. This paper examined PSCs and security provisioning in Nigeria with reference to lessons from other climes. The paper utilized exploratory analysis relying largely on qualitative content analysis from secondary sources of data collection through journal articles, books, periodicals, news prints and internet materials. The situational crime prevention and problem-oriented policing theories were used as theoretical framework. The paper showed that private security companies in Nigeria have contributed immensely to checkmating crimes in their areas of operations but lack global relevance as their activities are limited to Nigeria since they are not allowed to bear firearms. PSCs in Nigeria are overburdened with regulations that dwarf their operations cum lacking legislative recognition as components of the national security architecture. The paper underscored the global relevance of private security companies and their emergence and proliferation in Nigeria and concludes that PSCs in Nigeria, though very crucial in security provisioning need to be properly positioned for relevance in the global security market. The paper recommends among others, that relevant legislations should be enacted to allow PSCs in Nigeria bear firearms to enable them participate fully in security provisioning while intra-inter agency collaboration and networking is necessary to strengthen the private security sub sector. This is in addition to allowing PSCs to participate in private detection and prosecution in Nigeria.

Internalised and Externalised Problems and Perspectives for Wellbeing During Emergency: Reflections on The Psychological Impacts of The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

The socio-political crisis rocking the English-speaking regions of Cameroon has degenerated into an armed conflict, pitting government forces and separatist, and leading to severe human and material damage. The psychological impacts of the crisis on affected populations is neck-breaking. Many victims are dealing with either internalised or externalised psychological problems or both, as a consequence of the crisis. Internalised psychological problems consist of the deep emotional trauma experienced by victims of the crisis such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Meanwhile, those externalised manifest as aggressive behaviour, violence, substance abuse, strained family dynamics, and social fragmentation. In their various forms of manifestation, these psychological issues present distinct yet equally significant challenges to individual well-being and societal stability. Affected residents, internally displaced victims, refugees and communities have each in their own category suffered these psychological impacts that also grossly affect their wellbeing. Internalised problems often lead to chronic mental health conditions that impair victims’ ability to function and diminish their quality of life over the long term. While internalised problems lead to a cycle of persistent psychological distress, less productivity and strained relationships among people, externalised problems disrupt social harmony and contribute to increased violence and erosion of trust among people and within communities. These problems can hurt mental hurt and foster environments of fear and instability. They can also eventually hinder positive and productive human development and wellbeing. Therefore, addressing them is crucial for promoting mental health, enhancing individual wellbeing and quality of life, and fostering safer, more resilient people and communities. Promotive interventions require a nascent understanding of the root causes, manifestations, and impacts of these problems, as well as a collaborative approach involving key stakeholders in mental health care.

Research on the innovation of early warning mechanisms of major public health emergencies for poverty alleviation and marginal populations: a case study of Fujian Province.

Poverty alleviation is critical for sustainable development. Establishing a major public health emergency warning and prevention mechanism for poverty alleviation and marginal populations can effectively determine the overall risk situation and primary risk components in diverse regions. It is conducive to formulate specific policies for risk prevention and control of public health emergencies to prevent the occurrence of poverty relapses. Expert evaluation method is used to grade the risk impact and risk probability. Combined with the Borda ordinal value method to rank the importance of risk factors, a judgment matrix is constructed. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method is used to determine the weight of the risk module. And the impact risk of major health emergencies on poverty alleviation and marginal populations is comprehensively evaluated based on the quantified value of the risk impact level. The results indicate that the production and operation risks and unemployment risks in the case area have a relatively significant impact on poverty alleviation and marginal populations. Different regional government forces and regional economic development characteristics may also form different risk weights. Therefore, risk warning models should match government development and regional development goals and be established based on the characteristics of different regions. Effective risk control mechanisms and policies can only be developed based on the characteristics and behavioral traits of different populations in the region.

Armed Forces’ Role in the Higher Education Governance: Quest for Enhancing Human Resources Development in Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Armed Forces frequently participate in nation-building initiatives, such as infrastructure development, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance. They strive to introduce innovative technology, medicine, and logistics for wider applications and contribute to advancements in various sectors. They have expanded beyond their traditional defence roles to actively engage in education, establishing public and private universities, medical colleges and affiliated educational and training institutions. This study examines the role of the Bangladesh Armed Forces in higher education governance and its contribution to the national human resources development. It employs a qualitative research approach based on secondary data to explore the Armed Forces' capacity in higher education governance. The study finds how the Armed Forces governed higher education institutions are contributing to enhancing access to quality education, fostering leadership and professional development of the graduates, and stressing their impact on technological, medical, business, and strategic fields. Bangladesh Armed Forces play a pivotal role in promoting innovation, discipline, and academic excellence by ensuring efficiency in the governance of higher education institutions. The study also highlights the Armed Forces' capability to achieve their educational objectives, which align with the national demand for quality human resources and contribute significantly to national development. As an exploratory study, the research provides a foundation for further investigation, with future research recommended to adopt empirical and quantitative approaches to validate and expand upon the findings presented.

Governance and Opposition in the Russian Federation: General Trends of Interaction

The article features the analysis of political and legal foundations of interaction between the government and opposition. According to the author, currently, the processes of perception and interpretation of democracy development, strengthening parliamentarism, and affirming pluralism of ideas, positions, views and opinions are taking place in the Russian Federation. The opposition is considered a necessary component of a political process. However, under the current conditions, there is a problem of building relationships between the government and the opposition, represented by individuals, political parties and non-profit organizations. For the further successful development of the constructive op- position, it is necessary to establish a channel of interaction between the government and opposition forces: to identify ways of interaction between the government and the opposition, to study the influence of the opposition on civil society, to take legislative measures to jointly constructively solve the problems the state and the society are both facing. The article offers practical recommendations for improving communication between the government and opposition forces.

A decisive factor? Pro-government external interventions in civil wars

Civil wars have been the most prevalent type of armed conflicts post-World War II. Despite the internal nature of such conflicts, foreign assistance is frequently provided to one of the parties involved, with official governments being the most frequent beneficiaries. This study employs extensive empirical evidence to analyze how external involvement in support of government forces influences the outcome of civil wars. Drawing on the bargaining model of war, a civil war is portrayed as a continuous process where the parties constantly reassess their chances of success based on individual battle outcomes. One-sided foreign intervention complicates this evaluation by exacerbating power and information asymmetries inherent to internal conflicts, leading to increased uncertainty about the opponent’s capabilities and intentions, as well as doubts about their ability to credibly commit to peace agreements. Using Cox proportional hazards model, the author finds that external pro-government support primarily serves to sustain the recipient’s ability to continue fighting rather than significantly enhance its chances of victory in a civil war. Furthermore, the impact of such support varies depending on the type of intervention: indirect assistance is associated with a reduced likelihood of the opposition prevailing, whereas direct military intervention does not have a statistically significant influence on the outcome.

Peace and Security Dynamics as A Result of Conflict Intervention by United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The study examines chronology and nature of external interventions, including peacekeeping missions, diplomatic initiatives, and economic engagement. By assessing both positive and negative consequences, the study explored how the conflict intervention has shaped the political landscape, security dynamics, and socio-economic conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Studies on or and around United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo with respect to conflict, peace and security, portray shortcomings bordering on ineffectiveness. This presents a serious paradox and a question on conflict intervention by MONUSCO’s peace and security processes. The study objective was to interrogate peace and security dynamics in the DRC as a result of the conflict intervention by MONUSCO. The study explored Liberal Theory, Power Theory and Theory of Functionalism from which a conceptual model was drawn. The study was conducted in Eastern DRC. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The target population was 49,871 with a unit of analysis of 21,105 civilians comprising 5052 refugees, 4053 internally displaced persons and 12,000 local traders, 16,161 MONUSCO staff, 7,895 from major none governmental organizations (NGOs), and 4,710 from the political class, the rebel groups, and immigration. The study adopted simple random stratified sampling, snowballing and purposive sampling strategies. The sample size was 384. The primary and secondary data were collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions, observation guides, and key informant interviews. Content analysis was done for all qualitative data; statistical data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings of the study indicate that, MONUSCO is occupational and not an interventional force and that the government forces could handle the conflict in the DRC without MONUSCO. MONUSCO is ineffective due to the long chain of command within the UN security system and that the International community wants MONUSCO to exit DRC. The study concludes that MONUSCO should exit the DRC in order to achieve peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). That MONUSCO’S presence in the DRC is both occupational and inconsequential. Therefore, MONUSCO has failed to intervene effectively in DRC and restore peace and security to a large extent. The study recommends that MONUSCO's Operational Capacity be boosted to enhance its mandate to include more robust peace enforcement measures, including disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs for ex-combatants.

Does government digitalisation alleviate corporate environmental violation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of the government forces in environmental governance, it remains unclear whether government digitalisation, an important governmental transition triggered by the integration of digital technologies into regulatory process, can alleviate corporate environmental violations. Drawing on institutional theory, we propose that government digitalisation has a negative relationship with corporate environmental violation, while this negative relationship depends on the regulative, normative and cognitive factors that shape the institutional environments. We test these ideas by examining the response of publicly listed firms to the reform of digital government in China. Our findings contribute to the understanding of institutional theory on environmental governance by highlighting the positive role of government digitalisation and provide important practical implications.

Who takes the lead: Synergistic emission reduction effects of proactive government and efficient market in atmospheric pollution mitigation

In environmental protection, government and market forces must work together. However, existing literature often separates the two and discusses their roles independently. Therefore, this study incorporates both the market and government into a unified analytical framework. It redefines government force as environmental regulation and market force as allocation efficiency in environmental protection. The study empirically examines the synergistic emission reduction effects of active government and efficient market on air pollution, using data from 272 prefectural-level cities in China from 2003 to 2019. The results show: (1) Both government and market interventions can significantly reduce air pollution levels, and their combination achieves a synergistic emission reduction effect.(2) Within this synergy, government intervention remains dominant, while the market plays a supportive role. (3) Analyzing the heterogeneous effects under different scenarios reveals that collaboration and mutual monitoring between the government and the market can effectively counteract the adverse effects of economic policy uncertainty and corruption on the environment. Furthermore, when a single entity undertakes environmental protection, it may encounter issues of diminishing effectiveness over time. However, the synergistic effects of government and market cooperation can mitigate these challenges. (4) The synergy exhibits a threshold effect based on the varying strengths of government and market forces. (5) Public participation enhances the synergistic emission reduction effect of government and market, acting as a vital complement to their environmental protection efforts. This study provides new empirical evidence on the synergistic effect of current environmental protection measures in improving air pollution control.

Targeting telecommunications: Why do rebel groups target information and communication technology infrastructure?

Although there has been much interest in how communication technology can shape conflict, the deliberate targeting of the telecommunication infrastructure by rebel groups has been largely overlooked. This article demonstrates that while some rebel groups systematically target telecommunications, others do not. It is argued that this reflects deliberate choices, and that rebel groups adapt their strategies based on cost–benefit analyses. Given the aim of avoiding detection and being targeted themselves, rebels may be more likely to target the telecommunication infrastructure when faced with a government with a technologically sophisticated military. However, a further increase in the opponent’s technological capabilities beyond a certain tipping point may compel rebels to employ preventive measures other than targeting telecommunications. Marxist-socialist or religious groups are expected to be more likely to target telecommunications to maintain a homogeneous propaganda space directed at their constituency, facilitating indoctrination and propaganda. These expectations were evaluated in an analysis of all rebel groups for the period 1970–2013. The results showed a non-linear relationship between rebel targeting of telecommunication infrastructure and the technological capabilities of the government forces, while Marxist-socialist and ethno-religious groups were more likely to target telecommunications compared with other groups.

The Chinese idea of a university in flux: academic freedom and institutional autonomy under entrepreneurial reforms in the GBA

ABSTRACT The complexity of the idea of a university has been intensified globally as more universities pursue entrepreneurship. For modern universities in China as latecomers, contemporary entrepreneurial reforms are implemented against a backdrop of ongoing interactions between Chinese and Western ideas of a university, with the Western established as the formal system and the Chinese functioning informally yet powerfully. Through 71 semi-structured interviews at four universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, this study explores how academic freedom and institutional autonomy are perceived by Chinese academics under entrepreneurial reforms. The study has two major findings through Clark’s analytical framework of academic, government, and market forces: (1) A novel form of statist academic freedom is emerging, merging traditional Chinese scholarly values with state-driven entrepreneurial demands; (2) The adapted triple helix model in China emphasises competition and excellence, shaped by a unique blend of state influence and market dynamics. It offers a nuanced perspective on academic freedom and institutional autonomy amidst entrepreneurial reforms in China, highlighting a compatibility with Chinese idea of a university and a response to global entrepreneurial pressures.

Moderating effect of business environment on the relationship between fiscal science and technology expenditure and venture capital

This study examines the nexus between fiscal science and technology (S&T) expenditure and venture capital growth using panel data from 293 prefecture-level cities from 2005 to 2022. Findings reveal that fiscal investments in S&T promote the development of venture capital. Furthermore, favorable business and financial environments positively moderate the stimulatory effect of fiscal S&T expenditure on venture capital. The impact of fiscal S&T expenditure on venture capital varies by region. This study bridges the theoretical gap in understanding the implications of the government's indirect support policies for venture capital and offers a fresh perspective on the dynamics between government and market forces.

Waste Governance and Empowerment: Evidence from Ponorogo, Indonesia

This research is a case study with a qualitative descriptive approach, aiming to describe and analyze Waste Governance on community empowerment in waste management in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia. This research designs a recommendation model, taking into account empirical conditions in the field. Data collection in this study used interviews, observation, documentation, and focus group discussions. This research involved informants from various elements in Waste Governance, including government, community, industry, academics, mass media, NGOs/Communities, and regulators. This research stems from the low community empowerment in managing community-based waste management facilities in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia. This condition is caused by the low participation and involvement of the community in various community empowerment programs in waste management, resulting in the community's role becoming less than optimal in Waste Governance. This study illustrates the weak aspects of Waste Governance in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia, such as: weak collaboration between the community and academics in community empowerment in waste management, failure to accommodate waste governance in business, education, and environmental interests, and not maximizing the institutionalization of the waste management agenda through the Clean Friday Movement. This research recommends strengthening aspects of Waste Governance, namely encouraging local leadership as a driving force in waste governance. This aspect relates to the role of local leadership and community leaders in mobilizing various community-based waste management facilities. The results of this research are expected to contribute to developing Waste Governance theory, as well as provide practical benefits in the practice of Waste Governance in Indonesia.

Resident Participation in Environmental Governance of Sustainable Tourism in Rural Destination

The rapid development of rural tourism has placed significant pressure on the rural environment, and relying solely on the government and market forces is insufficient for effective governance. It is urgent to integrate endogenous rural forces into environmental governance. The development of social behavior theory offers new insights into exploring sustainable approaches for resident participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas. This paper, based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theoretical framework from social behavior theory, outlines the entire process of rural tourism residents transitioning from individual stimuli to psychological responses and ultimately to participation in environmental governance. This study combines the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model to analyze the stimulus factors affecting local residents and jointly constructs a path mechanism model for resident participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas. A total of 462 valid questionnaires were collected through a survey, and the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used for empirical testing to determine the path coefficients between variables. On this basis, a system dynamics model was constructed to simulate the dynamic evolution of the relationships between variables. This study found the following: (1) In the process of rural tourism, residents’ participation in environmental governance relies on motivational factors at the stimulus level to play a core leading role; opportunity factors act as catalysts, and ability factors serve as auxiliaries; participation willingness at the organism level plays a crucial role. (2) Material pursuit and formal institutions are the strongest single sustainable factors for residents’ participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas; combinations of variables such as local attachment, governance knowledge, and governance identity have significant effects. It is recommended that future rural tourism leverage government guidance, coordinate interests, and adhere to a collaborative development approach to ensure the sustainable development of the rural tourism environment.

The Impact of Environmental Protection Investment and Equity Balance Degree on Economic Performance and Eco-Autonomy: An Empirical Study of China’s A-Share Listed Companies

Enterprises are not only the main source of energy consumption and pollution emissions but also a key force in environmental governance. There is no doubt that the positive impact of enterprise environmental protection investment (EPI) on other stakeholders, but the impact on its own economic performance is the key to determining the scale of EPI and increasing the motivation for Eco-autonomy. This paper selects 691 companies listed on China’s A-share market from 2012 to 2022 as research samples, introducing the equity balance degree as the moderator variable, and empirically investigating the impact of the relationship by using a panel multivariate regression model. The results show that the relationship between EPI and its economic performance is a U-shaped curve, and it is related to Eco-autonomy. The equity balance degree can mitigate the negative influence of the relationship, but it is significantly different between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises. Accordingly, it prompts the following policy implementation: the Chinese government should develop differentiated environmental incentives and regulatory policies. It should focus on private enterprises with high-equity balance degrees and high pollution levels, and it should encourage state-owned enterprises to increase the scale of ex ante preventive investment through policy incentives.

튀르키예 아동문학에 나타난 디아스포라 의식: 소설 『전쟁에서 도망친 나무』를 중심으로

For more than a decade, Syria has been embroiled in a civil war that has pitted Syrian rebels against government forces. Syrian refugees who have crossed the border have found shelter in neighboring countries, including Türkiye. As the country hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world, 21st-century Turkish literature has seen the emergence of a significant body of diasporic literature that explores the lives and stories of Syrian refugees. In this study, we wanted to examine various refugee issues, focusing on the novel If I were a bird, I'd fly home, which vividly depicts the pain and inner conflicts that Veşir, a refugee boy who fled from Syria to Türkiye, experiences in diaspora. The novel describes the search for a new identity as a refugee, the lack of basic human needs such as food, discriminatory attitudes towards refugees and economic poverty. In particular, the novel explores the difficult lives of refugees who have been forced to flee their homeland due to civil war and are now in an unfamiliar environment through the unadorned eyes of a child.

Communication, coordination, and surveillance in the shadow of repression

AbstractCommunication technology helps protesters organize, but also allows the government to monitor and repress their actions. We study this trade‐off in a model where protesters want to show up at the same time and place, but also want to avoid government forces. If leaders of a movement can send messages observed only by other protesters, they can successfully coordinate on a variety of sites and force the government to spread resources thin, helping the success of the movement. If the government always observes the messages too, protesters can do no better than always going to a “focal site” knowing that the government will send all resources there as well, and thus experience higher levels of repression for the sake of coordinating tactics. Intermediate cases where messages are partially observed generate dynamics where new technologies and media that are relatively known to other protesters and not the government are used until the government can reliably infiltrate them and the protesters move on to a new medium. When some protesters are more informed than others, the model can explain protest tactics observed in recent prominent cases like having smaller “parallel” protests at the same time but different location of the main gathering.

Representation of Turkey in Yemeni Media: A Case Study of El-Mesira Channel and Aden Independent Channel

This study aims to examine the representation of Türkiye in news and news programs broadcast by private Yemeni television channels, focusing on discourse type, ideological frameworks employed in news coverage and the editorial policies followed by these channels. For this purpose, discourses from news and news programs published on the websites of El-Mesira, affiliated with Ansar Allah (Houthis) and Aden Independent Channel, aligned with the Southern Transitional Council, were analyzed using van Dijk’s Critical Discourse Analysis model for the period from July 1 to December 31, 2020. The analysis revealed that Aden Independent Channel concentrated on Turkish-Qatari relations accusing both countries of providing financial and military support to the legitimate government forces, which the channel deemed affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Islah Party). The channel also asserted that the legitimate government was aligned with Türkiye and Iran, implementing Qatar’s agenda in Yemen. Simultaneously, the channel considered the forces of the Southern Transitional Council as the sole faction fighting against the legitimate government forces and Ansar Allah (Houthis), who aimed to thwart the council’s project of establishing an independent state in southern Yemen. On the other hand, El-Mesira reacted negatively to the presence of Turkish armed forces in Syria. Regarding the Yemeni crisis, the channel viewed Türkiye positively, particularly in light of Türkiye’s criticism of the negative role played by the United Arab Emirates in Yemen, which resulted in the deaths of thousands and the spread of famine among millions of Yemenis.

ELECTORAL PROCESS AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE: CAUSES AND CHARACTERISTICS

The article is devoted to the study of the main causes, mechanisms and patterns of political violence in the context of electoral struggle. It has been found that under conditions of significant competition and uncertainty of election results, political elites may choose illegal tools and strategies to maintain power: violence, bribery, fraud, intimidation, and persecution of opponents. It has been proven that the use of violence during the electoral process can significantly distort the voting results, undermine the legitimacy of the elections, and limit the participation of opposition candidates and voters.It has been determined that electoral violence involves the use of organized physical coercion, repression, intimidation, persecution, and destruction of property before, during, and after elections in order to influence the electoral process, voter behavior, and voting results. Such violence becomes an obstacle to holding democratic, fair, free, and competitive elections, hinders the establishment of consensus between government and opposition forces, and can provoke a large-scale armed conflict. It has been proven that the causes of electoral violence include the participants’ desire to influence voting results, increase their advantage over competitors, intimidate disloyal voters, deprive opposition supporters of the opportunity to vote, delegitimize the electoral process, and discredit the government’s ability to maintain security and the functioning of political institutions. As a result, it was found that political competition, unpredictable election results and ethnic polarization of society increase the likelihood of electoral violence, deep political crisis and armed confrontation, which can have critical consequences for political security and the sustainability of democracy.