North South Dynamics Research Articles

Vlogging gastronomic tourism: understanding Global North-South dynamics in YouTube videos and their audiences’ feedback

Gastronomic tourism is a developed research stream in tourism studies. Previous literature, however, has mainly shed light either on the micro-context of food itself or on meso-contexts such as heritage and regional food sourcing. Given this situation, previous research has called for examining this aspect of food tourism, aptly named the ‘cultural turn’ in food tourism. This paper adds to extant theoretical conversations by studying popular international gastronomic tourism videos. As the world becomes increasingly globalized and cultural products suffuse across borders, travellers, particularly those from the Global North, sample and judge local cuisine and this incurs reactions from onlookers. Watched by millions of people, vlogs provide a virtual immersive socio-cultural experience to a tourist site. In this regard, this article asks the following research question: how does the Global North-South divide manifest in vlogged gastronomic tours and what responses do such phenomena provoke among international audiences? Using the approaches of textual analysis, content analysis and sentiment analysis, this study explores the afore-mentioned research question using the canvas of nine gastronomic vlogging tours as played out on YouTube. The authors analyse the most popular food vlogs of all time and use a gamut of more than three hours of video (with more than 215 million views) and more than 128,000 comments. The results show how vlogs may provide authentic cultural experiences and how the Global North-South divide is ameliorated through vlogging gastronomic tours. The question is important not only helpful for guiding destination marketers and tourism service providers about the multifaceted aspects of a destination, but also for understanding how particular social phenomena can foster connections among different peoples.

Rare Earth and Platinum Group Elements In Sub-Saharan Africa and Global Health: The Dark Side of the Burgeoning of Technology.

Despite steady progress in the development and promotion of the circular economy as a model, an overwhelming proportion of technological devices discarded by the Global North still finds its way to the Global South, where technology-related environmental health problems start from the predation of resources and continue all the way to recycling and disposal. We reviewed literature on TCEs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), focussing on: the sources and levels of environmental pollution; the extent of human exposure to these substances; their role in the aetiology of human diseases; their effects on the environment. Our review shows that even minor and often neglected technology-critical elements (TCEs), like rare earth elements (REEs) and platinum group elements (PGEs), reveal the environmental damage and detrimental health effects caused by the massive mining of raw materials, exacerbated by improper disposal of e-waste (from dumping to improper recycling and open burning). We draw attention of local research on knowledge gaps such as workable safer methods for TCE recovery from end-of-life products, secondary materials and e-waste, environmental bioremediation and human detoxification. The technical and political shortcomings in the management of TCEs in SSA is all the more alarming against the background of unfavourable determinants of health and a resulting higher susceptibility to diseases, especially among children who work in mines and e-waste recycling sites or who reside in dumping sites.This paper demonstrates, for the first time, that the role of unjust North-South dynamics is evident even in the environmental levels of minor trace elements and that the premise underlying attempts to solve the problem of e-waste dumped in Africa through recycling and disposal technology is in fact misleading. The influx of foreign electrical and electronic equipments should be controlled and limited by clearly defining what is a 'useful' second-hand device and what is e-waste; risks arising from device components or processing by-products should be managed differently, and scientific uncertainty and One Health thinking should be incorporated in risk assessment.

Criminalizing Human Rights

Abstract The priorities reflected in the overarching system that includes the regimes dealing with international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law are currently undergoing a gradual but highly significant transformation. The cause is a growing preoccupation with ‘atrocity crimes’ in each of the three fields, along with the imposition of criminal sanctions in response to an ever increasing range of violations, the recasting of other violations as crimes (ecocide), and the urge to describe a great many situations as involving genocide. These developments have diminished the attention given to non-criminal violations and to techniques other than prosecution, and facilitated continuing neglect of the structural dimensions underpinning violations. In the foreign policies of key western states, sanctions against individuals now attract more attention than other human rights responses. The risk is that these trends will entrench an atrocity-centred normative hierarchy, empower judges and criminal lawyers at the expense of social movements, shine a spotlight on individual rather than collective responsibility, reinforce problematic North-South dynamics, and distort resource allocations at the international level.

North-South type dynamics of relative atoroidal automorphisms of free groups on a relative space of currents

This paper, which is the second of a series of three papers, studies dynamical properties of elements of Out ⁡ ( F n ) \operatorname {Out}(F_{\mathtt n}) , the outer automorphism group of a nonabelian free group F n F_{\mathtt n} . We prove that, for every exponentially growing outer automorphism of F n F_{\mathtt n} , there exists a preferred compact topological space, the space of currents relative to a malnormal subgroup system, on which ϕ \phi acts by homeomorphism with a North-South dynamics behavior.

Expanding carbon removal to the Global South: Thematic concerns on systems, justice, and climate governance

Conversations on how to assess, innovate, and develop policies for carbon removal are for now largely confined to the Global North – reflecting a concentration of academic interest (and concern), innovation capacity, early funding initiatives, and policy path-dependence in climate, energy, and land-use. However, future population growth, emissions trajectories, and even concentrations of economic (and technological power) are shifting to the Global South. Here, after explaining the positionality of the author, this paper summarizes the perspectives and concerns of 90 key academics, technologists, and policy entrepreneurs on expanding carbon removal assessment, innovation, and policy beyond early foci within (northern) Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia. It explores how concerns about systems (coupling and infrastructure deployment), justice (equity and inclusion), and governance (including pledges, funding, and offsets) markedly differ across Global North and Global South dynamics. It discusses how such issues intersect with each other, and concludes with insights for research and policy.

Iterated Minkowski sums, horoballs and north-south dynamics

Given a finite generating set A for a group \Gamma , we study the map W \mapsto WA as a topological dynamical system – a continuous self-map of the compact metrizable space of subsets of \Gamma . If the set A generates \Gamma as a semigroup and contains the identity, there are precisely two fixed points, one of which is attracting. This supports the initial impression that the dynamics of this map is rather trivial. Indeed, at least when \Gamma= \mathbb{Z}^d and A \subseteq \mathbb{Z}^d is a finite positively generating set containing the identity, the natural invertible extension of the map W \mapsto W+A is always topologically conjugate to the unique “north-south” dynamics on the Cantor set. In contrast to this, we show that various natural “geometric” properties of the finitely generated group (\Gamma,A) can be recovered from the dynamics of this map, in particular, the growth type and amenability of \Gamma . When \Gamma = \mathbb{Z}^d , we show that the volume of the convex hull of the generating set A is also an invariant of topological conjugacy. Our study introduces, utilizes and develops a certain convexity structure on subsets of the group \Gamma , related to a new concept which we call the sheltered hull of a set. We also relate this study to the structure of horoballs in finitely generated groups, focusing on the abelian case.

Dynamics on the Morse boundary

Let X be a proper geodesic metric space and let G be a group of isometries of X which acts geometrically. Cordes constructed the Morse boundary of X which generalizes the contracting boundary for CAT(0) spaces and the visual boundary for hyperbolic spaces. We characterize Morse elements in G by their fixed points on the Morse boundary $$\partial _MX$$ . The dynamics on the Morse boundary is very similar to that of a $$\delta $$ -hyperbolic space. In particular, we show that the action of G on $$\partial _MX$$ is minimal if G is not virtually cyclic. We also get a uniform convergence result on the Morse boundary which gives us a weak north-south dynamics for a Morse isometry. This generalizes the work of Murray in the case of the contracting boundary of a CAT(0) space.

On continuity of drifts of the mapping class group

A random walk on a countable group $G$ acting on a metric space $X$ gives a characteristic called the drift which depends only on the transition probability measure $\mu$ of the random walk. The drift is the `translation distance' of the random walk. In this paper, we prove that the drift varies continuously with the transition probability measures, under the assumption that the distance and the horofunctions on $X$ are expressed by certain ratios. As an example, we consider the mapping class group $\mathrm{MCG}(S)$ acting on the Teichmuller space. By using north-south dynamics, we also consider the continuity of the drift for a sequence converging to a Dirac measure. As an appendix, we prove that the asymptotic entropy of the random walks on $\mathrm{MCG}(S)$ varies continuously.

North-South dynamics in academia

In his landmark book, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney argued that the irreconcilable contradictions of the colonial system facilitated its collapse (Rodney 1972, 273).We live at a m...

North–South dynamics of hyperbolic free group automorphisms on the space of currents

Let [Formula: see text] be a hyperbolic outer automorphism of a non-abelian free group [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] admit absolute train track representatives. We prove that [Formula: see text] acts on the space of projectivized geodesic currents on [Formula: see text] with generalized uniform North-South dynamics.

Hyperbolic extensions of free groups from atoroidal ping-pong

We prove that all atoroidal automorphisms of $Out(F_N)$ act on the space of projectivized geodesic currents with generalized north-south dynamics. As an application, we produce new examples of non virtually cyclic, free and purely atoroidal subgroups of $Out(F_N)$ such that the corresponding free group extension is hyperbolic. Moreover, these subgroups are not necessarily convex cocompact.

Topology and dynamics of the contracting boundary of cocompact CAT(0) spaces

Let $X$ be a proper CAT(0) space and let $G$ be a cocompact group of isometries of $X$ which acts properly discontinuously. Charney and Sultan constructed a quasi-isometry invariant boundary for proper CAT(0) spaces which they called the contracting boundary. The contracting boundary imitates the Gromov boundary for $\delta$-hyperbolic spaces. We will make this comparison more precise by establishing some well known results for the Gromov boundary in the case of the contracting boundary. We show that the dynamics on the contracting boundary is very similar to that of a $\delta$-hyperbolic group. In particular the action of $G$ on $\partial_cX$ is minimal if $G$ is not virtually cyclic. We also establish a uniform convergence result that is similar to the $\pi$-convergence of Papasoglu and Swenson and as a consequence we obtain a new north-south dynamics result on the contracting boundary. We additionally investigate the topological properties of the contracting boundary and we find necessary and sufficient conditions for $G$ to be $\delta$-hyperbolic. We prove that if the contracting boundary is compact, locally compact or metrizable, then $G$ is $\delta$-hyperbolic.

Chasing the Halcyon Light – Human-Kingfisher Relations in Eastern Han-Dynasty China (CE 25–220) and Their Material, Sociocultural and Ecological Articulations

ABSTRACTThis article takes a fresh look at human-kingfisher relations in Eastern Han-dynasty China (CE 25–220). It argues that the confined appearance of kingfisher figurines in graves excavated in the southwest of the modern-day People’s Republic of China reflects the structural differences in human-kingfisher interactions between the centre(s) of the Han empire and its peripheries. By re-visiting the archaeology of the figurines and placing them into the wider cultural and ecological context, it is shown that distinct sociocultural transformations such as urbanisation processes and infrastructural projects profoundly changed the exposure and interactional dynamics between humans and kingfishers in the northern parts of the realm. This situation contrasted sharply with human-kingfisher interfaces in the southwest, where relatively ‘untamed’ environments harbouring a great number and diversity of kingfishers provided more favourable conditions for encountering them. I propose that this framework, in turn, fostered conceptualizations of kingfishers in which the birds came to encapsulate an experience fundamentally opposed to the type of human preponderance showcased in the core areas. By discussing a set of local practices and beliefs that might have further promoted this view, I suggest that they served as catalysts for the emergence of the kingfisher figurines at a particular time in a specific place. In this wider context, the article finally considers whether the southward expansion of the Eastern Han, with which the appearance of the figurines coincides, contributed to a re-configuration of north–south dynamics, shaping the general logic of human-kingfisher relations at the time.

Relative currents

In this paper we define currents relative to a free factor system. We prove that a fully irreducible outer automorphism relative to a free factor system acts with uniform north-south dynamics on a subspace of the space of projective relative currents.

Slow north-south dynamics on $\mathcal {PML}$

Note by the authors: This article is in the public domain. We consider the action of a pseudo-Anosov mapping class on \mathcal {PML}(S) . This action has north-south dynamics and so, under iteration, laminations converge exponentially to the stable lamination. We study the rate of this convergence and give examples of families of pseudo-Anosov mapping classes where the rate goes to one, decaying exponentially with the word length. Furthermore we prove that this behaviour is the worst possible.

Negotiating North–South dynamics and the Philippine experience in the WTO

This paper elucidates how domestic and external factors have shaped the negotiating policy of the Philippines in bringing about incremental gains not only for its benefit but also for other developing countries during the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture Doha Development Round (DDR). The internal factors include the following: (1) executive monopoly of the WTO negotiations; (2) issue-based fragmentation and dispersal of authority; (3) the autonomy and flexibility of the Philippine WTO negotiator; (4) the involvement of civil society in the WTO negotiations, and (4) the central role of the Department of Agriculture as the lead agency in the WTO negotiations. A major reason for this is attributed to an external factor which is the centrality of agriculture as a major WTO issue among developing countries. Other external factors, on the other hand, include the following: (1) the strong solidarity among developing countries and (2) the confinement to particular issues with regards to coalition-building. These factors helped to strengthen the bargaining leverage of the Philippines, a seemingly ‘weak’ country, vis-à-vis the developed countries in the WTO.

Dynamics of hyperbolic iwips

We present two proofs of the fact, originally due to Reiner Martin, that any fully irreducible hyperbolic element of O u t ( F N ) Out(F_N) acts on the projectivized space of geodesic currents P C u r r ( F N ) \mathbb {P}Curr(F_N) with uniform north-south dynamics. The first proof, using purely train-track methods, provides an elaborated and corrected version of Reiner Martin’s original approach. The second proof uses the geometric intersection form of Kapovich and Lustig and relies on unique ergodicity results from symbolic dynamics.

Generalized north–south dynamics on the space of geodesic currents

We prove uniform north-south dynamics type results for the action of $\varphi\in Out(F_{N})$ on the space of projectivized geodesic currents $\mathbb{P}Curr(S)=\mathbb{P}Curr(F_{N})$, where $\varphi$ is induced by a pseudo-Anosov homeomorphism on a compact surface S with boundary such that $\pi_{1}(S)=F_{N}$. As an application, we show that for a subgroup $H\le Out(F_N)$, containing an iwip, either $H$ contains a hyperbolic iwip or $H$ is contained in the image in $Out(F_N)$ of the mapping class group of a surface with a single boundary component.

Global Environmental Governance and North—South Dynamics: The Case of the Cites

This paper addresses a gap in our understanding of how links between states and nonstate actors intersect with North—South dynamics. It draws together the literatures on NGOs with the debates on privatised forms of global governance to provide a deeper understanding of the growing role of nonstate actors in managing transnational environmental issues. I argue that the inclusion of nonstate actors can serve to reinforce and deepen existing global inequalities. I use the example of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to shed light on the complex dynamics that surround (apparently) interstate environmental governance mechanisms. The CITES is one of the earliest examples of engagement with nonstate actors as shapers and drivers of environmental governance. As such, it provides us with important lessons about the problems associated with including a wider range of actors in global environmental governance mechanisms, especially engagement with Southern partners.

Reframing Sustainability? Climate Change and North–South Dynamics

Climate change is a major global challenge that elicits diverse and often conflicting views from researchers, policy-makers and civil society activists. Accordingly, the theme of climate change has...