Political Leaders Research Articles

Impact of Nepal-India Relations on Arun III Hydroelectric Project Implementation

The Arun III Hydroelectric Project, Nepal's largest hydropower enterprise, is a cornerstone of Nepal-India bilateral ties, demonstrating the intricate interaction of energy diplomacy, political dynamics, and economic cooperation. This paper investigates how these bilateral ties have impacted the implementation of the Arun III project, from its inception to its current evolution. It examines the historical framework of Nepal-India interactions, including political agreements, economic interdependence, and regional geopolitics, which have influenced the project's progress. The article also discusses the obstacles that have hampered the project's timely completion, such as border conflicts, economic blockades, and changes in political leadership. It also looks at the opportunities that come with effective partnership, with a focus on energy commerce and sustainable development in South Asia. This paper, using international relations theory and detailed case studies, provides a comprehensive understanding of how bilateral relations between Nepal and India have shaped the Arun III project's trajectory, as well as insights into the broader implications for cross-border infrastructure development in the region.

Challenges and Opportunities in Empowering Leadership: An Emerging Trend in Musikot, Rukum West

Indigenous communities in Nepal have historically faced marginalization, with limited access to resources and decision-making roles. However, recent years have seen a notable change, particularly in Musikot, Rukum West, where indigenous women are increasingly assuming leadership roles across various sectors. This study delves into the rise of indigenous women's leadership examining the patterns of its emergence, the factors promoting their political engagement, and the primary challenges they encounter. Despite the increasing presence of indigenous women in leadership, they continue to face significant obstacles rooted in deep-seated patriarchal norms and structures, particularly in political and governmental arenas. These impediments include discouraging organizational dynamics, societal biases, familial obligations, and cultural stereotypes that perpetuate their underrepresentation. Challenges specific to political parties, such as limited opportunities for advancement and insufficient support mechanisms, further complicate these issues. To foster indigenous women’s leadership, which is vital for social inclusion and democratic governance, comprehensive strategies are necessary. These include promoting equal opportunities, economic empowerment, enhancing access to education and healthcare, and adhering to international norms. Implementing targeted policy interventions is essential to ensure the sustainable political involvement and leadership of indigenous women in Musikot, Rukum West.

Global Climate Change: Challenges, Opportunities, and Multilateral Strategies for Sustainable Development

Background: Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges, demanding collaborative action from both developed and developing countries. Despite numerous international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, political will and leadership commitment have been inconsistent, hindering effective global climate action. Private actors and global partnerships have emerged as critical players in addressing climate risks, but geopolitical and economic tensions continue to impede progress. Objectives: This research explores the key challenges and opportunities in combating climate change, emphasizing the role of international cooperation, the involvement of private and public sectors, and the need for innovative solutions. It also seeks to examine the responsibilities of developed and developing countries in contributing to global climate goals. Methods: A qualitative analysis was conducted by reviewing relevant literature, international agreements, and case studies. Data from climate summits, reports, and expert opinions were integrated to understand the political, economic, and environmental dimensions of climate change. Findings: The study identifies several challenges, including a lack of political will among major powers, economic competition, and inconsistent global leadership. It also highlights opportunities, such as the potential for technological innovation, investment in renewable energy, and the strategic role of private actors in promoting sustainable development. The findings underscore the importance of global partnerships and multilateral platforms like the United Nations in fostering cooperation among nations. Conclusion: Addressing climate change requires a holistic approach involving state and non-state actors, strong political leadership, and global partnerships. The transition to a low-carbon economy will require significant economic restructuring, but it presents opportunities for innovation and sustainable development. The study emphasizes the need for developed countries to fulfill their financial commitments to support adaptation in developing nations. Novelty: This research contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of both the challenges and opportunities in combating climate change. It highlights the critical role of private actors and international cooperation, offering a framework for future global actions.

Historical analogies, traumatic past and responses to the war in Ukraine

Abstract This article examines the use of historical analogies by political leaders during foreign policy crises. Specifically, we focus on the German, Polish and Czech leaderships' reactions to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and investigate the historical analogies which leaders invoked to justify their responses to Russia's aggression. The existing scholarship recognizes the importance of historical analogies in foreign policy decision-making, but the literature focuses predominantly on several high-profile analogies (i.e. the Munich Agreement or the Vietnam War) and lacks comparative perspective. We employ a dual-method approach that combines qualitative coding with semantic network analysis, and conduct a comparative analysis of the full spectrum of analogies used by Polish, Czech and German policy-makers. We find that politicians did not focus on a single overarching analogy, but employed a wide array of historical references. We also find that even though the countries' policies largely aligned and that their leaders often invoked the same events, the meaning of analogies and the signals they sent differed substantially across cases. Analysing the full spectrum of analogies demonstrates that justifications for supporting Ukraine were shaped more by these states' own historical traumas than by their sympathy for Ukraine, support for international law, or desire to uphold the rules-based international order.

Political leader's background and innovation in developing countries

Studies of innovations in developing countries remain mitigated. Those that have tackled the quest for determinants have been limited to the profiles of business leaders, thus neglecting those of presidents. Yet they are the main drivers of their countries' economic policies. In order to overcome this shortcoming, this article aims to verify, in the light of the political leader theory, the effect of the profile of national leaders on innovation indicators. We formulate the following hypothesis: the preferences of political leaders are defined by their background. We test this hypothesis on a panel of 48 developing countries, covering the period from 1995 to 2018, using the GMM estimation. Results indicate that militaries spend more on R&D than other professions and enhance patent demands, while political horizon hinders innovations. The robustness of the results is verified by using other innovation indicators, in particular domestic patent applications, foreign applications, and the political regime. This article contributes to the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 9 by providing a new tool for policy‐makers to rely on.

Impact of prosperity gospel on the political aspect in selected neo-pentecostal movements in Karingani ward, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

This study sought to investigates how prosperity gospel influences the political aspect of followers. The prosperity gospel is a teaching that is highly taught in neo-Pentecostal movements, finding acceptability and adaptability in the world, attracting many in neo-Pentecostal movements, hence, how does the gospel influence adherents' political aspect? Neo-Pentecostal movements have increased in numbers over the past decade in Karingani Ward Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The Functionalism Theory guided the study to analyse the influence of prosperity gospel on the political aspect of its followers. The study applied the descriptive survey design. Yamane’s formula was applied to obtain a sample size of 281 respondents. In addition, six pastors were selected from the churches, and the total sample was 294 respondents. The research instruments utilised were questionnaires and interviews. The study's findings revealed that prosperity teachings in Neo-Pentecostal movements had positive and negative impacts on the political aspect of followers, which is, voting and supporting specific political leaders and a given political party. On the other hand, the teaching of prosperity in these movements resulted in disunity in the church, ethnic tension, members leaving the church, and fights extending to communal daily living. The study concludes that the involvement of prosperity gospel preachers in political discussion in church significantly influences the political conviction, choices, voter turnout, and social interaction of members of these movements. Therefore, a policy formulation should be recommended that controls direct clergy influence on politics.

Reclaiming what is ours: Elite continuity and revanchism

Abstract What explains the revanchism of (post-)imperial states? This question has renewed salience amid Russia’s expanded war against Ukraine in 2022. In this article, we conceptualise revanchism as a foreign policy preference that involves reclaiming territory once controlled. We also advance a new explanation for revanchism that emphasises elite continuity in those states that experience territorial loss. Elite continuity matters because the ruling political class in (post-)imperial states, which was socialised under the old regime, preserves certain beliefs about world politics and the perceived legitimacy of their territorial claims. We show that elite continuity between the Soviet and post-Soviet political leadership in Moscow helps explain Russia’s revanchism better than those alternative explanations that we derive from the International Relations literature. To substantiate our argument, we compile a novel dataset to operationalise elite continuity across regimes and use discursive evidence and other indicators of elite attitudes towards the desirability of reclaiming lost territory. We also discuss the applicability of our theory to other cases.

Tradition Meets Democracy: Perceptions of Women’s Political Leadership in Samoa

Tradition Meets Democracy: Perceptions of Women’s Political Leadership in Samoa

The (Il)legitimacy of Constitutional Amendments in Africa and Democratic Backsliding

Abstract In many African countries with hegemonic-party or de facto one-party systems, political leaders have historically exploited ostensibly proper constitutional amendments to undermine constitutionalism, a practice raising questions about the legitimacy, or lack thereof, of such amendments. This article argues that amendment legitimacy is contingent on achieving ‘broad consensus’, a concept endorsed by the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. Traditional amendment procedures, such as supermajorities and referendums, while crucial, have proven to be imperfect proxies for ensuring such broad consensus. To more effectively safeguard the core constitutional rules of democratic governance, this article contends that political parties must be recognised as key sites of power division and checks and balances. Accordingly, constitutional amendment procedures should require some level of cross-party approval for key amendments, thus preventing individual political groups, regardless of their dominance, from unilaterally altering fundamental rules of the game. This approach would not only enhance the legitimacy of amendments but also serve as a safeguard against contemporary forms of democratic backsliding, where incumbents exploit formal processes to undermine democratic competition. While this process might make constitutional changes more difficult, it would apply only to a narrow set of fundamental aspects of constitutional democracy. Moreover, it does not necessarily conflict with popular self-governance (and its majoritarian expression), but instead calls for an inclusive re-imagining of majoritarianism.

Morocco’s Distinctive Islam at a Crossroads: The State’s Support for Sufism

In the aftermath of the 2003 Casablanca bombings, the Moroccan state emphasized, through official public discourse, the components that constitute “official Moroccan Islam” to combat extremist ideologies. These religious elements include Mālikism in jurisprudence, Ashʿarism in theology, and the Sufism of Imam Al-Junayd (d. 298/910), all balanced by the pledge of allegiance to King Mohammed VI (a descendant of the Sharifian lineage), the constitutionally designated Commander of the Faithful and sole religious leader. Since the reform policy initiated in 2004, the Moroccan state has constructed a narrative on the distinctiveness of Moroccan Islam—moderate and tolerant—and promoted it among its own citizens and beyond its borders. However, while the Moroccan state claims to have a unique form of Islam, controversial arguments have been raised questioning the nature of the state’s purported Islam. Other criticisms include investigating the state’s endorsement of Sufism and its broader policy of institutionalization. Yet, this article argues that the state supports any form of Islam, not necessarily Sufism, that aligns with its religious and political leadership. Like other Arab and Muslim states, Morocco’s religious policy is impacted by the global context, where Salafism is now perceived as a threat to established worldviews. In addition, this article argues that Morocco’s support for Sufi Islam is based not merely on its perceived political passivity, but because it complements the state’s policies and gains advantages from this support. It concludes that the official narrative of Moroccan Islam, which emphasizes a Sufi-oriented approach to counter extremism, is open to question, particularly given that Salafism was the state’s preferred form of Islam in post-colonial Morocco. This highlights the complex and often conflicting relationship between political actors and religious leaders in shaping Morocco’s religious discourse.

The Economic and Geopolitical Significance of the Brics Nations: A Comparative Analysis of Their Global Influence in the 21st Century

The research investigates how BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) influence global economics and political leadership while noting the opportunities and obstacles the alliance encounters. As a powerful influence in finance and trade globally, BRICS confronts the Western institutions that used to dominate. The collective has challenges from its members' vast economic and political variation, even with important milestones like the setup of the New Development Bank. In addition, outside influences from political tensions, mainly with the G7 and global competition, obstruct detailed cooperation. This research examines how the future of BRICS might develop, especially with the BRICS+ initiative, which is designed to include members from the Global South. The growth shows BRICS's purpose to shape global governance more strongly. The study recognizes a requirement for better political and economic integration among BRICS and points out that greater collaboration within the group may promote sustainable growth and financial strength. Limitations in methodology and data quality are recognized along with time constraints relating to the trustworthiness of macroeconomic information from the BRICS countries. This study ends by suggesting ways to enhance BRICS collaboration and identifies new research inquiries regarding the alliance's future direction and its impact on a more diverse world order

Shaping reflective political leaders

ABSTRACT Unlike many other countries, in Sweden there are more significant paths to political leadership than the university degree. Most Swedish political parties offer leadership training programmes that include practical and ideological content and several have a design rooted in the popular education movement. This article explores how party political training for leaders happens in practice, using data from interviews, surveys, text files and ethnographic field notes. Using reflection and ideology as theoretical concepts, the study shows how reflection is used for different aims, and how it can shape participants ideologically. Ideology, in terms of describing what is good, is communicated from the top down in these courses in a general way. In terms of showing what is possible and desirable to either legitimise or challenge, these programmes leave that open to negotiation among the participants, which implies a confidence in their competence by virtue of being elected. Allowing different interpretations risks undermining the party's ideological core; however, since popular education methods are not negotiated, participants are required to reflect deliberately and listen to each others views on the issues under discussion. This can be understood as a safety line as it most likely leads to self-sanitation from the party's perspective.

The political economy of national health insurance schemes: evidence from Zambia.

Governments in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are increasingly considering the introduction of national health insurance scheme (NHIS) as a strategy to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) targets. The literature has widely documented the technical challenges associated with implementing UHC policies in LMICs but much less is known about the political process necessary to pass UHC legislation. In this article, we document the political economy issues surrounding the establishment of the Zambia NHIS in 2018. We adapted a political economy framework incorporating, semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders and document analysis of policies, operational reports, and legislatures from 1991 and 2018. Our findings show the 26-year journey towards the establishment of the NHIS in Zambia involved a long sequence of policy dialogue, technical review and stakeholder engagement. Our interviews with key stakeholders suggest that the act was eventually passed due to strong political will and dominant leadership of the Ministry of Health. Passing the law required trade-offs between choices influenced by stakeholder pressures and recommendations from research and actuarial studies. Another equally critical factor was the high public support and legacies of past policies, such as the removal of user fees that had created quality gaps and inequities in the health system. Furthermore, global ideas about UHC and initiatives implemented by other countries also generated support for Zambia's NHIS. Overall, this study highlights the complex set of political economy factors that need to align in order for governments to be able to adopt health insurance in low-income settings. We show that political leadership and commitment to getting reforms passed is crucial. We also highlight how certain narratives about countries in the global health sphere can shape policies in other countries.

Shifting from top-down to bottom-up nationalism: an analysis of YouTube speeches from the 2016/17 candlelight revolution in South Korea

ABSTRACT While the ‘top-down’ variant of nationalism is engendered by elites and emphasizes loyalty to the state and ethnic solidarity, little is known about the ‘bottom-up’ variant, which focuses on people’s interest in the state’s and political leaders’ care for the masses. South Korea’s ‘Candlelight Revolution’ of 2016/17 ignited a national protest against the abuse of power by then-President Park Geun-Hye, the unfair distribution of wealth, and changes to Korean culture. This article explores grassroots’ expressions of bottom-up nationalism by analysing YouTube speeches from the Candlelight rallies. Protesters criticized the corruption and abuse of power by Korean leaders, which were seen to perpetuate the structure of injustice for decades. Some aspects of the Korean cultural contexts were politicized by national leaders, such as conservative leaders labelling their critics ‘commies’. By contesting the structure and culture of Korean society, protesters transformed themselves into social actors at the personal level and then called for long-term rather than temporary remedies at the societal level. By espousing ‘calculated nationalism’, protesters illustrated their interest in what they can get from the Korean nation-state, rather than what they can do to the state.

Gender and Political Leadership in Samoa: Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa and the 2021 Election

ABSTRACT The election of Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa to the office of prime minister of Samoa has attracted attention on the grounds that it represents a victory for women across the Pacific region. But there is limited gendered analysis of her campaign and the highly contested formation of government process that followed. We fill that gap. Drawing on a range of empirical material, including interviews with Fiame, we argue that while her win was unequivocally one for women, she was not elected because she was a woman. We acknowledge that gender had some significance for the way she mobilized support, but find that her traditional status, experience, and the salience of the issues on which she campaigned were much more important in the minds of voters. These findings matter because the disjuncture between the dynamics of domestic politics and international commentary can be perceived as reinforcing the claim that a feminist agenda is being ‘imposed’ by outsiders.

Do political elite endorsements influence online mobilization? A study of Twitter behavior in Narendra Modi’s 2019 election campaigns

ABSTRACT Modern campaigns increasingly rely on social media to influence voters, with Twitter offering affordances that enable direct communication between politicians and the public. However, scholars remain divided over the effectiveness of engaging ordinary Twitter users for mobilizing support online. This article seeks to address this issue by examining whether endorsements from political elites influence the tweeting behavior of ordinary users. Using a quasi-experimental design, we analyze an original dataset of tweets made by users who were mentioned (N = 27,634; 36.62 million tweets) and not mentioned (N = 27,672; 16.30 million tweets) by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16th March 2019, during his national election campaign. Our analysis reveals that, on average, users mentioned by Modi exhibited a greater increase in tweet activity compared to those not mentioned. However, this surge in activity proved to be only temporary, suggesting that mentions by political elites facilitate immediate mobilization but are not necessarily self-sustaining. Furthermore, no evidence was found of a differential effect based on users’ pre-existing engagement levels. Our findings offer important insights into political leaders’ strategic use of Twitter in campaigns and contribute to the theoretical understanding of Twitter's role in mobilization and interactivity by bringing in diverse perspectives from the Global South.

President Wonder Woman and Congresswoman Batgirl: the authoritarian Überfrau and democratic resilience in superheroine comics

ABSTRACT Comic books are important sites where norms related to gender, leadership, and democratic engagement are negotiated. In this essay, we examine two comic book depictions of women’s political leadership: Diana Prince/Wonder Woman’s stint as US president, published in 1944, and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl’s tenure as a member of US Congress, published between 1972 and 1980. We contrast Wonder Woman’s tale of democratic fragility and gendered conflict with a Batgirl narrative that promotes a more complex view of women’s political agency and subordinates superheroism to the strength of democratic community. We contend that Wonder Woman #7 reflects the fascist tendencies observed in other Golden Age comics and theorize Überfrau as a counterpart to Übermensch, rooted in an ostensible ethic of protection and authoritarian white femininity. Reading Wonder Woman #7 through the lens of the Überfrau reveals the contours of an antidemocratic white women’s authoritarianism that continues to resonate in twenty-first century politics. An antidote to the reactionary Überfrau is offered by Batgirl, who eschews the role of super savior and puts the responsibility for democratic health into voters’ hands. We conclude by examining how these contrasting visions of women’s political leadership are echoed by women politicians in contemporary political culture.

The Qualitative Election Study of Britain Party Leader Evaluations Database, 2010–2019

Abstract The authors describe the Qualitative Election Study of Britain (qesb) Party Leader Evaluation Database, a database containing 4,119 words and phrases evaluating British political party leaders. The data were collected during pre-election focus groups and interviews with participants from England, Scotland, and Wales during the General Election campaigns of 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019. A supplementary dataset of leaders’ evaluation data from Dundee residents after the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 is also provided. To collect the data, participants viewed headshot pictures of major and minor party leaders (depending on where in Britain they lived) taken from party websites. Participants wrote down words or phrases they associated with each leader and coded their assessment as positive, negative, or neutral. These data are suitable for content, sentiment, and discourse analysis or analytic generalization.

The Nexus between Electoral Management System and Post-Election Violence in Kenya Since 1963

The study investigates the relationship between Kenya's electoral management system and post-election violence, which has persisted despite numerous reforms since the country's independence in 1963. The primary aim was to identify structural issues within the electoral administration that contribute to violence following elections. The research analyzed key components of the electoral management system and the causes of post-election violence. Utilizing consociationalism theory, voting theory, and rational choice theory, the study employed a historical design with both qualitative and quantitative methods. The research was conducted from July to December 2022. The target population included eligible voters (260), politicians (50), IEBC officials (40), political analysts (60), humanitarian-aid organizations representatives (10), local election observers (5), international election observers (5), security personnel (10), and county administrative staff (10). A stratified random sampling method was employed to collect data using both questionnaires and interviews. The targeted population established the strata of 641,396, and a random sample was taken from each stratum, arriving at a sample size of 450 respondents. The findings revealed that Kenya's electoral system is primarily based on the First Past the Post (FPTP) model, which is a plurality/majority system. The study identified several key factors contributing to post-election violence, including the "winner-takes-all" nature of elections, disputes over election results due to perceived bias in the electoral management body, and voter incitement by politicians. A statistically significant correlation was established between the electoral management system and post-election violence (β=.685, t = 16.225, Sig. =.000). The findings indicated that the self-interest and impunity of political leaders, along with ethnic divisions and mistrust, hinder the IEBC's ability to conduct fair and credible elections. A significant association was also found between the causes and consequences of post-election violence (β=.757, t = 19.088, Sig. =.000). The study recommends exploring alternative electoral systems, such as proportional representation and mixed-member models, to promote inclusivity and fair representation. By establishing a connection between the electoral management system and post-election violence, this research contributes to peace and conflict studies, addressing a relatively understudied area in Kenya and the broader region.

Embodied national history: leaders, regime change, and regional historiographical trends of independent Cambodia

Abstract Post-independence national historical writings have often been seen as a product of nationalist advocacy and modern nation-state formation. Moving beyond this perspective, this article considers how political leaders took a direct role in promoting different kinds and forms of collective historical thoughts to strengthen their leadership. Specifically, the article explores an active engagement of independent Cambodia's leaders such as Prince Sihanouk, Lon Nol, and Pol Pot, who independently saw national historical understanding as one's own monopolized source of power. It also discusses how different historical accounts in the country were shaped by, and kept up with, other important factors such as Cold War confrontations and regional and global historiographical trends, including “Modernist” and “Marxist” approaches. Discussing these factors helps us understand more critically national historical accounts, which were closely intertwined with specific socioreligious and political circumstances such as political rule and legitimacy, widespread public anxieties, and geopolitical tensions. It also sheds light on the substantial impact of state-imposed historical interpretations on society. As informed by the Cambodian case, this impact can be seen in the implementation of state projects stirred by certain kinds of historical understanding which consequently transformed the living conditions of thousands of people.