Moderate Research Articles

Community‐Level Food Sovereignty and Wellbeing in the Upper Yakima River Basin: Framing Lived Experiences within Multi‐Scalar Food Systems Discourse

Food sovereignty, a framework focused on systemic change in the food system that accounts for food access, food justice, and food security, is an important driver of community wellbeing. However, the complex determinants of food sovereignty are not fully understood. Interdisciplinary assessments of food systems are needed to establish the impact of socioeconomic status, race, gender, and other social identities on food access. Understanding the goals and lived experiences of diverse communities and community members is critically important to advancing research on the sociology of food and agriculture. Drawing from community interviews addressing local food systems in six different communities in Washington's Upper Yakima River Basin, a qualitative assessment of expert perspectives on local and regional food systems illuminates perceived connections between food sovereignty and wellbeing. Findings suggest that food access and dependence on local agriculture varies across and within communities. Additionally, we find that agriculture is undergoing social, economic, and political transitions that may have immense community impacts moving forward. Given the diverse array of both agricultural and recreational economies in the study site, qualitative data informs our understanding of stakeholder perceptions at multiple levels of the food system. The implications of these findings lead to a forward‐looking discussion of linkages between food dimensions and other variables that impact local and regional wellbeing.

Traveling Through Different Transitions in Latin America and Post-Socialist Europe

Abstract Examination of the multifaceted dynamics of political and economic transitions in post-socialist Eastern Europe and Latin America reveals their implications for gender equality. By employing the concept of “transition” as an analytical lens, we explore the interplay between sociopolitical upheavals, institutional reconfigurations, and feminist activism. We highlight how transitions—marked by democratization, neoliberal reforms, and social movements—both advance and constrain gender equality, reflecting region-specific trajectories and universal challenges. We critically evaluate feminist frameworks, regional differences, and the role of global and local forces in shaping progress and setbacks in gender justice. Through comparative and contextual analyses, we challenge Western-centric narratives, advocating for a pluralistic and context-sensitive understanding of feminist practices, policies, and discourses in transitional contexts.

Parliamentary Elections in Jordan: An Analytical Study of the Development of the House of Representatives and Its Impact on the Democratic Process from 1921 to the Present

This study examines the evolution of parliamentary elections in Jordan and evaluates the role of the House of Representatives in the country’s democratic process since the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan. The study seeks to answer key questions: How has the Jordanian parliamentary system developed over time? What are the main drivers of change? And how has the parliament influenced Jordan’s democratic trajectory? Using a qualitative approach, the research analyzes data from primary and secondary sources, covering the period from 1921 to 2024, divided into five key phases: the Emirate period (1921-1945), the independence period (1946-1967), the martial law period (1967-1988), the political thaw period (1989-2010), and the Arab Spring period (2010-2024). The findings reveal that popular protests and struggles were key drivers of democratic reforms. However, the parliament’s power has remained limited due to executive dominance, frequent dissolutions, electoral laws, and security interventions. Despite regular elections, Jordan continues to be classified as an "authoritarian regime" by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index. The study concludes that Jordan’s political system remains in transition, requiring significant reforms to ensure a fully democratic system with the capacity for peaceful political transitions.

ROLE OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN INDIAN POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

The domain of political advertising and marketing campaigning has transformed significantly in India over the last decade. Political awakening campaigns transition from traditional tools like newspapers, posters, rallies, public gathering, door to door campaigning, television and radio towards the modern tech savvy tools have now predominantly moving and occupying a strong place on digital platform. This change has occurred largely due to the increase in mobile phone users in India, facilitated by affordable internet plans and access to social media such as facebook, instagram, twitter etc. Despite on spending huge promotional budget on newspapers advertisement and getting a slot of 3-5 seconds, the parties are not able to get attention of public on their advertisements while an average user screen time is 6 hours and 40 minutes per day across various devices. This paper emphasizes on the journey of election promotional campaign from conventional modes to the digital platform. It will conclude with the discussion of various strategies and plans adopted by political parties to increase transparency and develop confidence among their target audiences.

State-dependent local projections– the dynamic effects of regime transitions

This article proposes using state-dependent local projections (SDLP) to forecast the dynamically asymmetrical effects of political regimes or policy transitions. By conditioning on the ex ante status, the SDLP method estimates first-differenced local projections that depend on the previous regime type, allowing for asymmetric regime transitions and reversals. Monte Carlo simulation results demonstrate that the SDLP estimator involves a smaller bias than existing local projections and performs well with small samples. We apply the proposed SDLP method to examine the effects of democratization and autocratization on economic growth. Our empirical results suggest that the accumulated impacts of democratization on economic growth are positive and increase over time, while the negative effects of autocratization are more substantial and increase over time. These findings suggest that democracy promotes economic growth, whereas reversals to autocracy have an even greater detrimental impact on growth.

“Our Own and Our Country’s Ruin”: Public Credit, War Markets, and Political Transition in the Colonial American Northeast, 1758–1768

Abstract In British North America, imperial sovereignty required peripheral cooperation in public finance. However, because of limited coercive British state capacity, local colonial assemblies and town governments operated with substantial autonomy. The interests of colonial subjects did not align exactly with those of politicians and military officers in the center of British imperial authority in London. Short term success in colonial war between 1754 and 1763 required policies that incentivized colonists to buy into the imperial project. After 1758, Parliament and royal departments managed to incentivize greater provincial participation and resource allocation to the military by co-opting existing colonial merchant networks using lucrative public contracts. The contracts requested a small number of merchant firms in colonial cities take on large debts to circulate notes of credit in exchange for commissions. Merchant financiers could use these notes to pay for military expenses. The contracts promised bullion remittances from England to cover the debts, but these funds ultimately proved insufficient to cover outstanding obligations. Failures to remit led to a colonial credit crisis between 1762 and 1768 which shook colonists’ faith in the credibility of the British fiscal state in the decade leading up to the American Revolution.

How political regimes affect national cybersecurity: the polity flux effect

ABSTRACT The confluence of political regimes and cybersecurity presents substantial potential and challenges in the rapidly evolving digital realm. This study investigates how different political systems – democracies, autocracies, and transitional regimes (anocracies) – influence national cybersecurity performance. By integrating fourteen renowned cybersecurity indices, such as the Global Cybersecurity Index and National Cyber Security Index, with three key measures of political regimes – Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), Freedom in the World Index, and polity2 score with regime durability – the research provides a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics. The study reveals that democracies typically exhibit stronger cybersecurity due to their transparent institutions and robust legal frameworks via various statistical analyses. While less effective overall, autocracies benefit from centralized control, allowing rapid implementation of cybersecurity measures. Anocracies face significant challenges, often posing the highest cyber risks to other states, and the “Polity Flux Effect on Cybersecurity” is introduced to describe their dynamic and unstable cybersecurity landscape. These findings highlight the critical role of stable democratic institutions in enhancing national cybersecurity and offer valuable insights for policymakers to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks during political transitions.

China's State‐Capitalist Development Model: Is It Viable in Ghana?

ABSTRACTThe relative success of China's state‐capitalist model has reignited debates about state centrality in economic growth and the feasibility of replicating the model in developing countries. Shedding new light on the ongoing dialogue, this study examines the viability of China's model in Ghana and applies the property rights, public choice, and principal‐agent theories to analyze State‐Owned Enterprise (SOE) reforms in Ghana and China. It argues that although Ghana's SOE sector under erstwhile President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo‐Addo saw promising reforms mirroring China's early SOE reforms, the long‐term viability of a state‐capitalist approach is bleak. This is attributable to the non‐facilitatory political practices like regular political transitions and winner‐takes‐all politics, as well as the persistent operational inefficiencies in Ghana's SOE sector. The article contributes to the scholarly narrative suggesting that a wave of China's state capitalist model is gaining prominence in developing countries and potentially overshadowing the neoliberal economic systems prevalent in those countries.Related ArticlesDuggan, N. 2020. “China—The Champion of the Developing World: A Study of China's New Development Model and Its Role in Changing Global Economic Governance.” Politics & Policy 48, no. 5. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12377.Ganda, W. D. 2020. “The China Model in Zimbabwe: The Belt and Road Initiative and Beyond.” Politics & Policy 48, no. 5. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12373.Kinyondo, A. A. 2020. “Does Tanzania's Development Trajectory Borrow from the China Model?” Politics & Policy 48, no. 5:960–987. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12372.

An Anatomy of Ethnic Gangsterism and Militant Nationalism in Kenya: The Case of Nairobi, 1940-1963

Towards the end of the 1940s, Nairobi was characterized by momentous political conflict. A large proportion of Africans were said to be living outside the confines of colonial supervision, a situation that resulted in gangsterism and serious anarchy. Extensive research has been carried out on various dimensions of this episode, revealing that militarism and anarchy were deeply rooted in unresolved issues revolving around economic deprivation and the political exclusion of Africans by the colonial authorities. Some aspects of this violent agitation however remain unexplored. It’s demonstrated in this study that the urban poor in post-1945 Nairobi, pushed to the limits of human endurance, created their own alternative society in clandestine opposition to the forces of law and order. Examining the anarchy, however, reveals a nexus between anti-colonial militancy and ethnic acrimony. The study reveals that tribalism remained an important influence on daily life and political allegiances in the African locations. Armed with various weapons, Kikuyu gangs roamed the streets, terrorizing people of other communities. The spate of militant activity in Nairobi alienated the non-Kikuyu elements in the African population. Anti-colonial militarism thus had far-reaching implications on inter-ethnic relations in Nairobi. The ethnic question remained critical in political transitions that took place in Nairobi city in the post-Mau Mau period. The study was carried out in Nairobi County, particularly in the colonial ‘African locations’ of Pumwani and Shauri Moyo. It entailed the collection and analysis of data from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected from oral informants and the Kenya National Archives while secondary data came from newspapers, books, magazines and dissertations. Data was then corroborated and both context and content analysis were done to guarantee consistency, reliability and validity of the information. A historical research design based on qualitative procedures was employed. Interpretation was done within the Marxist theoretical framework. Marxists hold that social and political behaviour can be reduced to economic motives, and ethnicity is an important force in political behaviour.

Political Transition, Erosion of Trust, and Health-Protecting Behaviors

ABSTRACT This paper investigates how Myanmar's 2021 military coup, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced citizens’ trust in government and health-protecting behaviors. Based on an original survey conducted in 2022, we find that: (1) trust in government significantly declined after the political change; (2) adherence to health-protecting behaviors also decreased after the coup; (3) in both pre- and post-coup periods, the level of trust in government is positively associated with people’s health-protecting behaviors; and (4) individuals who experienced a greater decline in trust also reported a more substantial reduction in health-protecting behaviors.

The Cycle Continues: An Assessment of Democratic Transitions in Latin America with New Data and Indicators

This study examines how theoretically driven indicators modify our understanding of transition dynamics in Latin America. Our indicators show that a noticeable wave of reversion to authoritarian rule in Latin America occurred during the last two decades. Moreover, unlike the past, where authoritarian regimes were established with military coups, the Democracy-Dictatorship Reprise for Latin America (DDRLA) confirms that the region's recent experience with democratic reversion has been brought about by presidents who secured office through elections and who manipulated rules to remain in office for more than two terms. For the period from 1946 to 2022, we discuss how the minimalist conception of democratic regimes can be further advanced with our reformed political regime indicator, as well as measures of initial elections and political regime transitions. We then demonstrate the utility of the DDRLA by replicating studies recently published in leading journals.

Konflik Sosial dalam Puisi Mata Luka Sengkon Karta Karya Peri Sandi Huizche dan Relevansinya bagi Pembelajaran Prosa

This study aims to describe social conflicts in the poem "Mata Luka Sengkon Karta" by Peri Sandi Huizche. The poem narrates the events surrounding the G30S-PKI incident and the aftermath of the ensuing bloodshed, which led to oppression and injustice experienced by the lower-class society, specifically the lives of Bojongsari farmers. These farmers, Sengkon and Karta, were falsely accused of murder and robbery despite being innocent.The research method employed in this study is a qualitative descriptive approach, where the data presented consists of words rather than numbers. The findings of this study reveal the social conflicts depicted in the poem "Mata Luka Sengkon Karta" by Peri Sandi Huizche, which include poverty, political leadership transitions, murder, oppression, and injustice. Additionally, the results of this analysis can serve as teaching material for prose lessons in schools.

Reforming Bangladesh: Ecological and Societal Change in Democratization

The current political transition in Bangladesh since the end of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule has led to reformation, marking a new turning point in the political landscape. This short commentary analyzes the journey to democracy in Bangladesh from its independence in 1971 to the transition from the Hasina regime. This commentary delves into the potential political and ecological aspects of the democratization process, starting from describing the relevance of the current political and ecological crisis. It then recommends the next step forward, which involves ensuring a democratizing environment, building resilience in political institutions, and implementing more substantive democracy.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE STRUCTURE BY AGE GROUPS AND THE AGEING OF THE POPULATION IN ROMANIA BETWEEN 1992-2021

The ageing of the population has become a problem of maximum interest, in the context of the completion of the demographic transition, especially in European states. Romania, like all of Eastern Europe, is facing the acceleration of this process, against the background of a strong demographic decline after 1990, generated by the drastic decrease in fertility and the massive migration of labor force abroad. The present study proposes a diachronic analysis of the evolution of the age group structure and, implicitly, of the ageing process, based on the four censuses carried out after 1990. The main objective is to detect territorial disparities, on various levels, with the hypothesis of the differentiated action of of factors that can stimulate or inhibit demographic aging. The double analysis (descriptive, respectively factorial) highlighted a series of regional models of evolution that express various ways of adapting to the socio-economic and political transition. The faster expansion of the process studied in cities is an observation that can be the basis of specific studies. On the other hand, the relative rejuvenation of the population in the metropolitan areas expresses a population transfer generated by the change in lifestyle, the relocation of economic activities and the increase in mobility. At the same time, the isolation, the predominance of agricultural activities and the decline in the exploitation of some resources constitute the motive of an ageing without precedent, illustrating certain trends of depopulation of vast areas.

Latin America, the Middle East & North Africa, and Europe: Present Inclusionary and Exclusionary Forms of Rightist and Leftist Populism

The study examines current left-wing and right-wing political behaviour and inclusionary and exclusionary practices in MENA, Latin America, and Europe and its outcomes on political developments and changes in comparative method. This study investigates the evolution and transition of contemporary rightism and leftism in these dissimilar Regions and the diverse degrees of inclusionary and inclusionary populism features of the political parties. First, it questions political conditions, behavioralism, and transitions of populism. Second, in which forms of inclusions and exclusions populism arrive on the political scene. Thus, the focus is on the latest decade from the cross-continental and cross-regional perspective. Although there is scholarly debate about contemporary populism in the European Continent (in general) and, lately, some in Latin America and MENA (Middle East and North Africa), cross-continental and regional research is lacking.

Beyond democracy? Towards a post-democratic vision of governance

This essay explores elements of a solution to the crisis of the current degrading of contemporary democracies through populism. It does this through arguing that the political transition from kingship to democracy has neglected important resources that are once again required for governance in the contemporary era. In recovering these resources of a vocational mandate, a teleological orientation and an exemplary witness, I conclude that together with developing new approaches to the cultivation of leaders, through critically adapting the ancient insights of Plato’s formation of political leaders, we can open up currently unrealised potential for moving beyond the blockages of secular democracies as exemplified by the rise of charismatic demagogues. Employing the model of the Deuteronomic King, I illustrate how a religiously informed institution of governance can preserve the positives of the secular modern democratic experiments and move beyond them in a post-democratic model of governance. This vision is motivated by a kenotic teleology of love that is anchored in both the person and the institution of the exemplary model of the leader.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and His Excellence in Modern Science in the Post-Caliphate Era

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi was a Turkish scholar who experienced three critical phases of political transition; the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye, and the Islamic resurgence. During this period, he actively defended Islam, which was threatened by secular ideologies, through the application of science and scientific thought. The disintegration of the post-caliphate education system, which separated science from religious and divine perspectives, left the Muslim community in Türkiye in a state of dilemma and confusion without proper guidance. Amid this tension, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi challenged the dominance of Western science through his Risale-i Nur writings—a thematic interpretation of the Quran that incorporates the values of natural sciences and astronomy. Thus, this study aims to explore his background in natural sciences in light of the educational weaknesses of that time. To achieve this objective, the study employs a qualitative research framework with library research as the primary method of data collection. Data analysis is conducted using conventional text analysis methods. The findings reveal that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's excellence in science developed organically, uninfluenced by specific individuals or circumstances. Indeed, he deserves recognition as a modern scientific figure who carries forward the legacy of scientists from Islamic civilization.

The hybrid status of translators: Pierre-Vincent Benoist between literature, politics and administration

ABSTRACT In the tumultuous period spanning the French Revolution to the Restoration, individuals coped with the challenge of navigating successive political transitions, showcasing exceptional adaptability. Pierre-Vincent Benoist (1758–1834) epitomised this versatility, assuming diverse roles as a lawyer, translator from English, secret agent, Napoleonic official, and ultra-royalist deputy. His biography not only sheds light on the experiences of translators disseminating radical content, despite conflicting beliefs, but also illuminates their ‘hybrid status’ as traducteurs-commis, straddling the literary and administrative realms. Benoist’s multifaceted profile facilitated his integration into various networks of artists, hommes de lettres, bureaucrats, and politicians. By examining both aspects of his life that resonated with those of his contemporaries and aspects that made him unique, this contribution aims to use his case as a prism for understanding political, social, and cultural change at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

2012 թ. իշխանափոխությունը և նրա ազդեցության հետևանքները Թուրքիա-Վրաստան հարաբերությունների վրա / The Change of Power in 2012 and its Impact on Turkish-Georgian Relations

The change of power in 2012, marked by the political shift from Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Giorgi Margvelashvili, with the pivotal role of billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream party, had significant implications for Turkish-Georgian relations. This article explores how the political transition in Georgia reshaped the dynamics of Turkish-Georgian cooperation, particularly in the context of diplomacy, trade, energy, and regional security. By analyzing key events and policy shifts following the 2012 elections, the study examines how Ivanishvili’s leadership and the Georgian Dream's foreign policy priorities impacted bilateral relations with Turkey. The article highlights both the continuity and transformation in areas such as regional stability, energy transit, and security cooperation, while also considering the evolving geopolitical landscape, particularly regarding Russia's influence in the region. Despite some changes in approach, Turkish-Georgian relations remained robust, with both countries navigating common interests in the South Caucasus, the Black Sea region, and beyond. This study argues that the 2012 transition, under Ivanishvili's guidance, marked a significant reorientation in Georgian foreign policy, but one that largely preserved the strategic partnership with Turkey.

The world in 2025: ten issues that will shape the international agenda

2025 begins with more questions than answers. The world has already voted and now it is time to see what policies await us. What impact will the winning agendas have? How far will the unpredictability of Trump 2.0 go? And, above all, are we looking at a Trump as a factor of change or a source of commotion and political fireworks? In 2025 there will be talk of ceasefires, but not of peace. The diplomatic offensive will gain ground in Ukraine, while the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad opens an uncertain political transition. These movements will test an international system incapable of resolving the structural causes of conflicts. The world is struggling with the posturing of new leaderships, the shifting landscapes that are redefining long-running conflicts and a Sino-US rivalry that may develop into a trade and tech war in the near future. Fear, as a dynamic that permeates policies, both in the migration field and in international relations, will gain ground in 2025.