Political Constraints Research Articles

An Analysis of the Economic and Policy Impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative on Participating Countries: A Case Study of Pakistan, Djibouti, and Sri Lanka

Abstract: The project, which the Chinese Government calls BRI, was launched in 2013 to promote global connectivity alongside economic development through long-term infrastructure projects in Asia, Europe and Africa. This paper assesses how the growth of BRI has impacted several beneficiary countries through case studies in Pakistan, Djibouti and Sri Lanka. In Pakistan, CPEC stimulated economic growth by promoting infrastructure development. The port development in Djibouti was facilitated by BIS funds, transforming the city into a major trading hub. In Sri Lanka, the Hambantota port project illustrates the problems of increasing debt and political constraints. This comparison of BRI projects in different countries reveals a range of achievements, but also challenges common to the public sector, such as debt management, economic dependency and the strategic implications of foreign investment. recommendations for optimizing BRI performance include strategic planning and diverse partnerships include. This study highlights the complex dynamics of large-scale international development initiatives between states and their relevance for participating countries.

Shooting a moving target: Evaluating targeting tools for social programs when income fluctuates

A key challenge for policymakers in low- and middle-income countries is to design a method to select beneficiaries of social programs when income is unobservable and volatile. We use a unique panel dataset of a random sample of households in Colombia’s social registry that contains information before, during, and after the 2020 economic crisis to evaluate a traditional static proxy-means test (PMT) and three policy-relevant alternatives. We consider targeting metrics and social welfare under different curvatures of governments’ social welfare function, aggregate economic environments, and budgetary and political constraints. Updating the PMT data does not improve social welfare relative to the static PMT. Relaxing the eligibility threshold reduces the exclusion error, increases the inclusion error, and increases social welfare. A dynamic method that uses data on shocks to estimate a variable component of income reduces exclusion errors and limits the expansion in coverage, increasing social welfare during the economic crisis.

Hyped or Transformational? AI in Higher Education

This paper explores the difference between the transformation idea and the reality of how colleges and universities leverage technologies for teaching, learning and assessment. We seek to understand why a structural and operational transformation of these institutions rarely happens and offer an understanding of the structural, operational, financial, and political constraints that prevent transformation but encourage continuous improvement. More specifically, we suggest that AI will not deliver on its promise to finally “solve” the so-called “two sigma” problem, which arises from the work of Bloom (1984), who showed that students taught through tutoring performed better by two standard deviations than those taught in a traditional classroom.

Gobierno de partidos y designación de ministros en Uruguay, 1985-2024

Objective/Context: The article analyzes the partisan nature of ministers in Uruguay (96 % of the total) during the period 1985–2024, based on the institutional and political constraints of cabinet appointments. Given that the president has moderate legislative powers, nominations are used to build majorities capable of approving government initiatives and preventing the opposition from censuring ministers in Parliament. As the political system operates based on the logic of the party government model, the article explores the consequences of its application by analyzing the behavior of the ruling party’s caucus in a sample of ministerial interpellations conducted in Parliament. Methodology: The research is a case study based on statistical analysis of original data. The main hypothesis considers four independent variables (size of the president’s legislative contingent, party cohesion, type of government, and evolution of the government period) and a series of control variables. Conclusions: The study confirms that Uruguayan presidents make strategic use of ministerial appointments, based on the assumption that the relationship between powers functions as a typical party government model, similar to that observed in parliamentary regimes. Presidents appoint high- ranking partisan ministers when they have support in Parliament and the party is strongly cohesive. They appoint mid- and low-ranking partisan ministers when the president forms coalitions and when the party is less cohesive. Finally, they prefer new or discreet partisan ministers when the president loses his coalition or during the last years of the mandate. Originality: It analyzes the appointment of ministers in Uruguay under a presidential system that, despite not having excessive legislative powers, resembles the typical party government model of parliamentary regimes.

Estimation of inflow discharge to Lake Baikal at upstream section using different satellite-based precipitation and runoff datasets from Upper Angara and Kichera River basins in East Siberia, Russia

Accurate basin-level river discharge estimation is of vital importance across various fields, including water resources, climate change, natural hazards, biodiversity, and energy production. Normally, gauging stations are deemed the most reliable data source for measuring river discharge. However, a significant proportion of the world’s rivers remain ungauged due to a combination of technical, economic, and political constraints. Encouragingly, recent advancements in remote sensing and satellite observation have opened new avenues for global river discharge monitoring, even in ungauged basins, and the availability of extensive datasets and advancements in computing technologies have facilitated the development of numerous modern data-driven techniques. The general objective of this study is to estimate inflow discharge to Lake Baikal at upstream section from Upper Angara and Kichera River Basins using different satellite precipitation and runoff datasets. According to the calculation result, a higher discharge was observed for the power dataset. The obtained results were used to mitigate floods, droughts, bridge design, manage urban drainage systems, and manage the lake ecosystem.

“Making a difference”: Interpreting responsivity ambience for parole work

In this article, we draw on qualitative interview data (n = 150) from parole officers (POs) employed in Canada's federal correctional service. Our analysis interprets job satisfaction, accountability, and relational aspects of POs' work, taking a semi-grounded constructivist approach. We discovered correctional workers, such as probation and parole officers, engage in transformational relationships within their workplace environments. However, given economic, social, and political constraints, we question how these change agents actually ‘make a difference’ in practice. Fidelity to core correctional practices suggests therapeutic alliances are fundamental to intervention. Emergent in our discoveries is how the workplace environment, organizational climate and culture, and penal atmosphere mediate reflexive experiences that inspire motivation, morale, and change. However, our interpretation and situational awareness of parole adds to a lacuna in knowledge about therapeutic relationships in correctional work generally and the responsivity principle specifically for sensemaking about how interventions may sometimes become iatrogenic. We found that POs negotiate their relationships with those under supervision as much as with fellow correctional workers. Responsivity ambience pertains to consolidation and conceptual clarity concerning how corrections, in its public safety mandate, induces in/efficacy. Through discussion, we theorize how securitized settings affect well-being and provide practical insights to converge on the rehabilitative ideal and criminal desistance.

The Ethiopian State, Foreign Policy and Participation in International Peacekeeping: Continuities and Changes

Abstract This article examines the continuities and changes in Ethiopian peacekeeping practices since its inception in the early 1950s to the present. It focuses on how international operations have interacted with historical, structural and ideational factors to shape Ethiopia’s involvement. Drawing on archival sources, policy papers, and media material as well as interviews with officials in Ethiopia, it singles out four distinct periods that have influenced Ethiopia’s participation in peacekeeping mission. It shows that all were characterised by the interplay between geopolitical factors, regional developments in Africa and domestic political changes. By identifying the major shifts in Ethiopia’s foreign policy orientation and involvement in peacekeeping, the article seeks to explains the rise of Ethiopia’s as a major actor in international peacekeeping since the early 2000s. It concludes by highlighting uncertainties facing Ethiopian peacekeeping due to regional complexities and political constraints resulting from internal conflicts.

Political and Legal Disarrays of Separation of Powers in the Oromia Regional State Structure

In principle, a functional division of powers is a prerequisite for limited government. Oromia Regional State, the largest sub-national state in the Ethiopian federation, can exercise upward influence if it develops a limited government with a strong separation of power within its borders. The purpose of this paper is to make an effort to look into the political and legal difficulties that threatened separation of power among the major participants in the region's power dispersion structure. In order to achieve this, the study employed interviews with a few specifically chosen experts and officials from the three arms of regional government, as well as a pertinent literature analysis and personal observation. This led to the discovery that several political and legal constraints significantly restrict the power structure in the region. Ultimately, it was proposed that in order for the region to ensure genuine separation of powers, political players would need to work together to create a political culture that supports constitutionalism and maintain their commitment to the rule of law.

Transforming and Modernizing Population and Housing Censuses in Africa: Experiences from the 2020 Round (2015-2024)

The objective of our organization is to assist African National Statistical Offices (NSOs) to transition from manual to digital systems, use better methods and new technologies, and increase the reliability and accessibility of their statistics. Innovative approaches adopted to support the transformation to digital censuses include: Use of hand-held devices at the enumeration and dissemination stages to improve data collection and usability respectively. Use of GIS, GPS and digital remote-sensing to enable census-mapping. Provisioning of tablets – sourcing and sharing. Electronic operations dashboards to enable real-time monitoring of progress and quality of enumeration. Automatic data linkage algorithms for census to post-enumeration survey matching. Capacity building initiatives for NSO staff. As a result, to date 29 censuses have been carried out in the 2020 Round, with another 19 planned for 2024/25. Delays have been caused by economic, security and political constraints, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. The implications of adopting new technologies are clear. Electronic data collection improves quality, reduces processing time and enabled enumeration during the pandemic by minimizing face-to-face contact. We will support documentation of experiences and lessons learnt in the current census round to contribute to the 2030 round. In conclusion, the challenge of working during the pandemic gives NSOs an opportunity to ‘build back better’ and transition to full digital systems. There is a need to focus on the types of results that make the most difference e.g., on disaggregation, small area statistics, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reporting, Agenda 2063 reporting, and monitoring of national development plans.

Navigating controversial discussions: the role of talk moves in dialogic teaching

Despite its importance for students’ learning, engaging students in dialogic discussions, especially about controversial, justice-oriented topics, can be difficult for U.S. teachers to enact due to current political constraints. In this study, we explore how three middle school teachers engaged their students in curriculum-embedded discussions on a controversial topic and highlight their deployment of talk moves to invoke or extend discussions, assert authority, and interrogate. Using the Low-Inference Discourse Observation tool, we also identify how teachers used specific talk moves for each of these purposes during discussions. Our work underscores how teacher talk moves, coded along a spectrum of dialogicity in form, can function differently in the context of dialogic discussions about controversial topics.

In Defense of Central Bank Independence against its Enthusiasts

The problem of time inconsistency provides the basic economic rationale behind the independence of central banks, understood as the most suitable institutional mechanism for ensuring price stability. According to the consensus that emerged in the 1990s and the 2000s, endowing the central bank with independent decision-making authority over the use of monetary policy instruments, with a mandate for price stability, enhances the effectiveness of monetary policy and reduces the inflation volatility. It may be surprising that criticisms of the once almost sacrosanct independence arise after the Great Financial Crisis, when it is widely recognized that central banks “saved the world” from repeating the Great Depression of the 1930s. The paper is an attempt to explain the rationale why these cracks in the consensus have arisen and offers suggestions what to do about it. Independence has an economic basis that is as solid as its political foundation is fragile, because central banks are unelected power. And in the realm of economics and politics, the political economy of central banking may help us understand the evolution of the degree and the specific form of independence because of both internal and external political and economic constraints. The paper examines these issues in some detail, to contextualize the economic and non-economic threats to independence and discusses possible mitigants. Properly assessing the challenges is a prerequisite for preserving the value of this institution, which is perhaps the most important and effective institutional innovation of our time in macroeconomic policy.

Abordagem da teoria fundamentada: revelando novas perspectivas sobre a participação em esportes por meio da realização de eventos no Irã

AbstractObjective of the Study: This research aims to examine the impact of hosting sports events on Iranian society, seeking to establish a correlation between event hosting and sports participation across diverse demographic segments.Methodology: Employing a qualitative approach, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 experts. The interview questions were meticulously designed to address the central research question comprehensively. Grounded theory analysis, involving open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, was applied to the collected data, ensuring a thorough exploration of emerging concepts and themes. Originality/Relevance: This research is distinctive in its approach by not delineating boundaries, instead aiming to comprehensively explore the effects of hosting sports events on all segments of the Iranian population. Despite recent political constraints limiting Iran's ability to host major international events, the study critically evaluates the significance of such occurrences and elucidates missed opportunities for societal advancement. The study's focus on diverse demographic segments and its exploration of causal, contextual, and intervening factors contribute to its originality and relevance.Main Results: The study unfolds a nuanced interplay of social, cultural, techno-managerial, legal, economical, and socio-cultural factors, shedding light on the multifaceted relationship between event hosting and sports participation. While recognizing the significance of regular physical activity in promoting overall health, the main results highlight the motivational impact of sports events on individuals' increased physical engagement.Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: The research makes theoretical contributions by developing a coherent framework grounded in the qualitative data, explaining the complex relationship between sports events and sports engagement.

Lula, the people’s guy: populism, liberal democracy and voting in Brazil

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with Workers’ Party supporters in Northeast Brazil, and analysis of electoral campaign materials, I show that left-wing populist discourse can activate aspects of a traditional and apparently illiberal political culture that are compatible with liberal democracy, particularly the principles and ideals of representation, accountability and redistribution of economic growth. By political culture, I refer to the intersection between, on the one hand, cultural aspects such as religion, power relations rooted in history and life trajectories dictated by political and economic constraints, and, on the other hand, political discourses, leaders and policies. Moreover, I show that Workers’ Party voters are not irrational actors, as some scholars of populism argue, but vote for politicians and parties that radically transformed their lives. Using Northeast Brazil as a case study, the paper contributes to debates about the relationship between populism and liberal democracy, showing how the two are not incompatible.

The Impoverished Publicness of Algorithmic Decision Making

Abstract The increasing use of machine learning (ML) in public administration requires that we think carefully about the political and legal constraints imposed on public decision making. These developments confront us with the following interrelated questions: can algorithmic public decisions be truly ‘public’? And, to what extent does the use of ML models compromise the ‘publicness’ of such decisions? This article is part of a broader inquiry into the myriad ways in which digital and AI technologies transform the fabric of our democratic existence by mutating the ‘public’. Focusing on the site of public administration, the article develops a conception of publicness that is grounded in a view of public administrations as communities of practice. These communities operate through dialogical, critical and synergetic interactions that allow them to track—as faithfully as possible—the public’s heterogeneous view of its interests, and reify these interests in decision making. Building on this theorisation, the article suggests that the use of ML models in public decision making inevitably generates an impoverished publicness, and thus undermines the potential of public administrations to operate as a locus of democratic construction. The article thus advocates for a reconsideration of the ways in which administrative law problematises and addresses the harms of algorithmic decision making.

Sovereignty of and through food:

“Food sovereignty,” a term conceived by peasant agriculturalists in South America, has become ubiquitous worldwide in academic and activist circles advocating for greater local control over local food. Its use has been adopted by various actors in North America, most notably by agriculturalists that tend to be small-scale, family-run, or permaculture focussed. While Indigenous food sovereignty has emerged as an adaptation of this concept, ecological, economic, social, and political opportunities and constraints in different locations across Turtle Island make its widespread application challenging, especially in contexts where communities do not want, or cannot (for a variety of reasons) eat exclusively from the land. In addition, “food sovereignty” can become a chimera in contexts where the “Crown” has absolute and final “sovereignty” over the land, which they have demonstrated through multiple enforcements across Turtle Island. Using a decolonial feminist lens within a political ecology community of practice, this paper describes and critiques current and historic framings of northern Ontario boreal forests as variously and simultaneously scarce and abundant. It also analyzes the ways that these framings have been discursively and materially constructed through colonial social, ecological, economic, and political impositions. It asks whether the concept of food sovereignty adequately challenges these constructions. Ultimately, this paper suggests that thinking about Indigenous food sovereignty as sovereignty of and through food may better describe the process, importance, and potential inherent in traditional and alternative Indigenous food harvesting and distribution practices in First Nations communities in northern Ontario, and indeed, beyond.

Resistance to protease inhibitors among persons living with HIV in Ghana: a case for viral load and drug resistance monitoring

ObjectiveRoutine viral load and drug resistance testing are well supported in most resource-rich settings and provide valuable benefits in the clinical care of PLWH in these communities. Undoubtedly, there exist financial and political constraints for the scale-up of viral load and drug resistance testing in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve the global UNAIDS 95/95/95 targets, there is the need to bridge this inequity in patient care and allow for a universal approach that leaves no community behind.MethodsVenous blood from 96 PLWH on second-line ART from Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were collected and processed into plasma for CD4+ T- cell and viral load assessments. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from stored plasma and the protease gene amplified, sequenced and analyzed for subtype and drug resistance mutations using the Stanford HIV drug resistance database.ResultsOut of the 96 PLWH, 37 experienced virological failure with 8 patients’ samples successfully sequenced. The predominant HIV-1 subtype identified was CRF02_AG (6/8, 75.0%) with 12.5% (1/8) each of CFR06_cpx infection and one case unable to subtype. The major PI resistance mutations identified were; M46I, I54V, V82A, I47V, I84V and L90M.ConclusionsPersons living with HIV who had experienced virologic failure in this study harboured drug resistance mutations to PI, thus compromise the effectiveness of the drugs in the second line. Resistance testing is strongly recommended prior to switching to a new regimen. This will help to inform the choice of drug and to achieve optimum therapeutic outcome among PLWH in Ghana.

The Role of International Organizations in Global Governance: Challenges and Opportunities

International organizations play a crucial role in global governance, serving as forums for cooperation and coordination among nations to address shared challenges and opportunities. This article explores the multifaceted role of international organizations in global governance, focusing on the challenges they face and the opportunities they present. Employing a qualitative approach, this study conducts an extensive literature review and library research to examine the contributions, limitations, and evolving dynamics of international organizations in the realm of global governance. Through the review of existing literature, various roles of international organizations are identified, including policy formulation, norm setting, capacity building, conflict resolution, and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the study assesses the challenges faced by international organizations, such as political polarization, resource constraints, legitimacy concerns, and institutional inefficiencies. Furthermore, the study identifies opportunities for international organizations to enhance their effectiveness and relevance in global governance, including promoting multilateralism, fostering partnerships with non-state actors, harnessing digital technologies, and addressing emerging global issues. The findings highlight the importance of international organizations as key actors in shaping the global governance landscape and emphasize the need for continuous adaptation and innovation to address complex global challenges effectively. By elucidating the challenges and opportunities faced by international organizations, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of global governance in the contemporary world.

The formation of a “model city in the Anatolian steppes”: Leapfrogging effects of spatial fix in Eskişehir, Turkey

AbstractThe prevalence of neoliberalism has produced varied effects on cities ranging from rapid growth to gradual disempowerment. Instead of considering neoliberal urbanization as a fixed, predetermined process, I discuss the possibility of leapfrogging in urban repositioning. Particularly, I examine Eskişehir's repositioning process in response to disempowerment, placing particular emphasis on the “spatial fix.” Rather than being passive recipients of neoliberalization, local ruling elites might develop political agency to not only counter but also capitalize on disempowerment. To overcome financial and political constraints vital for the spatial fix, Eskişehir's mayor leveraged multiscalar networking strategies and symbolic revitalizations at particular historical conjunctures. Accordingly, Eskişehir's municipality, ruled by the center‐left opposition party, sought to redefine the city as a stronghold of secularism with the claims of Europeanization and modernization. They introduced the “Eskişehir model” as a contrasting narrative to the ruling AKP's urban vision rooted in Islamist‐nationalist agenda. These mechanisms reveal that ideological‐political clashes at the national level can serve as windows of opportunity for local ruling elites to counter disempowerment. As the ethnographic research shows, these mechanisms had leapfrogging effects not only on repositioning and fostering political power but also dissembling existing inequalities, disparities, and segregation beneath the celebrated Eskişehir model.

Counteraction of Russian Finance Market Against External Sanctions Pressure

The article shows the impact of external economic sanctions on the Russian financial market. Special attention is paid to the currency, commodity and derivative markets of the Moscow Stock Exchange. The main focus of the work is the analysis of changes in market dynamics and pricing under the influence of political and economic constraints. Methodologically, the study is based on a comprehensive analysis of trade session data, including statistical processing and modeling of market reactions. The use of actual analytical methods made it possible to identify nonlinear dependencies and hidden patterns of behavior of market participants. The results of the study demonstrate that sanctions have had a significant impact on volatility, liquidity and market structure. The authors show the influence of political factors on financial instruments in a crisis, as well as develop new methodological approaches to analyzing financial market data. The results of the work can be used to coordinate trading strategies, develop market regulation policies and assess risks in conditions of political instability. The study also provides a basis for further analysis of the consequences of economic sanctions and the development of strategies to adapt to changing market conditions.

Commanding heights: the role of wealthy ‘starchitects’ in city remaking

Censuses of the world’s super-rich now include among their ranks several architects whose personal financial position stems from their status as influential ‘starchitects’. We discuss the economic, political and social forces that concentrate fortunes in the hands of a professional elite who are increasingly also members of a global wealth elite. The rise of such starchitects exemplifies how capital flows are generative of subsidiary but important classes of professional agents who have accumulated significant fortunes as a result of city (re)making. Thus a select few in this field possess the kind of ‘money power’ that is generative of a capacity to direct changes in the built environment. Courted by city administrations and super-rich clients starchitects are increasingly charged with delivering symbolic projects that reinforce expansionary circulations of capital. We develop a concept sketch of how a global cadre of starchitects and their practices are fundamentally aligned with the shift of many cities to plan star-driven vehicles in order to capture capital. We discuss three elements that are crucial in determining the agency of starchitects: first, economic and political constraints or opportunities; second, normative conditions within industry and city institutional contexts; and, third, the important role of professional and power networks.