Poor Economic Prospects Research Articles

Perilous Journeys Across the Sea in Search of Prosperity: Causes of Illegal Migration from Sri Lanka and Present Trends (A Case Study of Illegal Immigration to Australia

Illegal migration is a vexing contemporary issue for the countries from which these illegal travelers originate as well as the destination countries where they hope to settle. Therefore, countries now struggle to curb illegal migration across the world. After the end of the civil war in 2009, the favorite destination of Sri Lankans planning to migrate illegally has turned out to be Australia. Attempts by people from Sri Lanka to travel to Australia illegally have turned out to be a veritable phenomenon in recent years. This is mainly attributed to certain causes and trends that have prompted people to make attempts to reach Australia illegally. The research problem of this study is to figure out why people try to migrate to Australia by illegal means. The main objective of this study is to propose a feasible solution to mitigate the negative impacts of illegal migration to Australia. To answer these questions, this study has used both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In addition to the secondary data collected from written sources, 10 case studies were undertaken, in which in-depth interviews were carried out using open-ended and unstructured questions. Discourse analysis and phenomenological data analysis tools were used to analyze the data. Findings of the research showed that a variety of causes, such as poor economic prospects, social problems, and political marginalization, were responsible for the increasing trend towards illegal migration to other countries. This study also found a paradigm shift in the illegal migration of Sri Lankans from Australia to New Zealand.

Trends in a European coastal fishery with a special focus on small-scale fishers – Implications for fisheries policies and management

Worldwide, commercial small-scale fisheries are under increasing pressure. The study examines trends in a commercial Baltic Sea fishery with a special focus on the German small-scale fishery (both part-time and full-time fishery) over a period of 21 years (2000–2021) against the background of the declines in the two main target species of the fishery, namely western Baltic spring-spawning herring (Clupea harengus) and western Baltic cod (Gadus morhua). Landings, revenues, and the number of fishing businesses and vessels of the commercial fishery decreased over the past 21 years although the decline of the number of vessels was less pronounced for the small-scale fishery. The proportion of part-time fishers slightly increased locally. Fishers less dependent on cod and herring responded to declining revenues by diversifying their catches, and the proportion of revenues from flatfish, freshwater and diadromous fish species increased. The study was supplemented by a questionnaire sent to part-time fishers and excerpts from in-depth interviews with full-time fishers to add context to the study. The interviews indicated that family tradition, self-actualization, and nature experience but also a lack of alternatives due to the old age of fishers caused them to continue fishing despite poor economic prospects. A realistic assessment of the challenges and opportunities facing small-scale fisheries and the inclusion of social dimensions in fisheries policies are necessary, not least to develop incentives for small-scale fishers at the regional and local level to promote sustainable fisheries and facilitate fisher’s diversification.

Demography and insecurity: Youth bulge and the Lake Chad Basin security quandary

ABSTRACT Insecurity is a prominent phenomenon that threatens the peace and development of Africa in general and particularly, the Lake Chad Basin [LCB]. One of the factors driving the menace is the phenomenon of youth bulge. This article argues that young people with poor economic prospects are liable to be recruited for violence. Situated within the grievance model, the article shows how youth make up the larger percentage of protesting, violent and armed groups in the region and presents evidence of how grievance against deprivation moves demography to exacerbate insecurity. The article adopts a qualitative approach and relies on secondary data sourced from briefs, government reports, peer-reviewed journal articles and internet sources. The findings show that the endless supply of children and young people in the LCB is a major factor driving insecurity. By examining the phenomenon of Almajiri, child soldiers and youth radicalisation as enablers of conflict and insecurity in the LCB, the article concludes that population explosion amid a lack of resources leads to grievance and fuels insecurity. This is significant given the paucity of literature on the incidence of demography and insurgency in the LCB; which has become a theatre of insecurity in Africa.

Demography and the Future of Democracy

The world is in the midst of a demographic recession. This counters what should be a long-term trend toward greater democracy. Recent research has shown that progress toward stable democracy is strongly associated with progress in the demographic transition. Since most of the world is rapidly dropping in fertility as more countries complete this transition, democracy should be spreading. However, a resurgence of anxiety, nationalism, and support for strong-man governance is associated with sudden waves of immigration from unfamiliar sources. Because certain parts of the world—mainly Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East—still have very young and rapidly growing populations who suffer from poor economic prospects, adverse climate change, and bad governance, those regions are sending waves of migrants seeking asylum to Europe and the United States, raising anxieties that undermine liberal democratic governance. Global democracy is thus being tugged in opposing directions by current demographic trends. Improving governance in poorer countries to cope with the negative impact of climate change and to create better economic prospects, as well as efforts to reduce fertility, are essential to diminish the surges of migrants and restore the impetus toward democracy that should prevail in mature societies.

The Economy in the Constitution: An Appraisal of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution as an Economic Charter

The idea of constitutions as instruments of political governance or ‘power maps’ is well established. Constitutions set down the foundation for political governance, establish organs of the state, allocate them power, define their relationships inter se, and most importantly, limit public power. The conception of constitutions as instruments of economic governance has not received as much scholarly attention. The lack of constitutionalism and rule of law has tended to coexist with poor economic prospects in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa, suggesting a link between them. This has made the question of whether constitutions and the idea of constitutionalism can contribute to better economic governance besides political governance, more important. While it cannot be assumed that the stipulations in a constitution on economic governance automatically translate into good governance and economic growth, such provisions are nonetheless important as they provide an encouraging impetus for sound economic governance that is indispensable in achieving growth and development. This article appraises Kenya’s Constitution as an economic charter that dedicates significant attention to regulating economic affairs through setting a foundation for the country’s economic orientation, protecting private property and enterprise, securing the rule of law and good governance, including economic governance, and making provisions on other economic concerns such as labour relations, consumer protection and competition.

IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 36 - Who works in agriculture? Exploring the dynamics of youth involvement in the agri-food systems of Tanzania and Malawi

This analysis examines the dynamics of youth employment in agriculture and the agri-food system in Tanzania and Malawi - in and out of agriculture and the agri-food system. The study finds that when extending the definition of a farmer beyond household heads, that the average age of individuals participating in agriculture is 34 years in Tanzania, and 31 years in Malawi. In addition, there is a high degree of short-term stability in farming in both countries. 59 per cent of rural youth in Tanzania and 56 per cent in Malawi are consistently engaged in farming. While the figures are encouraging, it is likely that the poor economic prospects outside farming are what is driving strong participation in single-occupation farming. To increase youth employment, it is recommended that Tanzania and Malawi diversify the rural economy by creating opportunities in the agri-food system.

Conceptual commentary of public spaces in Durban, South Africa

Within the context of African cities that are considered to have poor economic prospects and are failing its inhabitants, this article explores and assesses the quality of Durban’s open public spaces through a phenomenological lens, by applying the concept of the sociality of public space and drawing on different theorists’ ideas of what constitutes a good open public space. Various factors have led to the corrosion of open public spaces, including modernism and globalisation and their resultant effects as well as spatial apartheid in South Africa. The following theories are used to understand open public spaces: Jacob’s “eyes on the street”, which supports safer public spaces; Massey’s theory of thrown-togetherness, which advocates for a range of different elements present in public spaces, and Parkinson’s democracy of public space, which encompasses the way in which people express themselves in public spaces. The research methodology includes a literature review, phenomenological ethnographic observations, mapping, and drawing with written narrative. The spaces considered in the study include a range of Durban’s successful and less successful public spaces, including the beachfront, parks, gardens, and a public square. The article concludes that open public spaces are a necessity for quality civic life and are still considered a luxury in Africa. Keywords : Durban open public spaces, sociality, thrown-togetherness, democracy of space

Local Economic Hardship and Its Role in Life Expectancy Trends

Recent research has found, in some groups of Americans, dramatic increases in deaths due to drug overdose and suicide and an overall stagnation of trends toward increased longevity. This study examines the link between mortality of older working age (45 to 64) adults and local economic downturns in the U.S. to evaluate the role of economic shifts in various causes of death and their related mortality trends. Specifically, we estimate regression models to test the hypotheses that the longevity effects of poor economic prospects are reflected through (1) increased suicide, drug overdose, and other “deaths of despair” and (2) other causes of death linked to exposure to economic and social stress such as heart and cerebrovascular disease. To avoid the problem of endogeneity of local economic conditions to mortality conditions, we measure the local economic shock of lost employment with predicted employment based on baseline industrial composition and national trends in employment by industry. We find evidence consistent with prior research that among non-Hispanic white adults, midlife mortality has increased since 1990, particularly among those with low educational attainment. We also find that “deaths of despair” are important contributors to that trend. However, we find that while distress in local, area economies does predict increased mortality for chronic disease, it predicts decreased mortality from suicides, opioids, and other substance abuse. This finding suggests caution in the application of the construct of despair in explaining recent mortality patterns.

Sustainable development in times of economic crisis: A needs-based illustration from Granada (Spain)

This paper illustrates the importance of a balanced approach to sustainable development through the analysis of needs-based workshops in Granada, a Spanish city hit hard by the recent economic crisis. The workshops followed Max-Neef's Human Scale Development proposal that highlights the interdependence of social, economic and environmental systems and stresses the centrality of participatory processes and human needs satisfaction. This understanding of human development aligns with the approach to sustainable development popularised by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987, which called for the satisfaction of the needs of both current and future generations together with a balanced articulation of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development.In practice, and even more so in times of economic crisis, governments are seen to prioritise the economic dimension over the environmental and the societal dimensions through their primary focus on policies to foster economic growth. However, people experiencing unemployment and poor economic prospects may not be in favour of this unbalanced, economic-driven approach. In Granada, participants in needs-based workshops did not emphasise the importance of economic prosperity and job creation when discussing policy goals and interventions to improve needs satisfaction. Economic interventions, such as providing universal coverage of basic needs, were seen as interdependent with personal and institutional transformations aimed at empowering workers and promoting citizen participation, and with environmental initiatives concerning the conservation of local natural spaces and the spread of urban gardening.

Agitation leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum by weak sulfuric solutions

It has been shown that the processes of the recovering rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using agitation leaching by solutions that contain 2–10 wt % H2SO4 have poor economic prospects.

Uncertain lives: Insights into the role of job precariousness in union formation in Italy

1.IntroductionAlthough presented as the remedy for economic problems and unemployment since the 1990s, the diffusion of new forms of flexible and temporary work contracts has transformed labor market entry and exit conditions, leading to an increasing precariousness of employment careers. Growing uncertainty has become an intrinsic characteristic of contemporary 'globalized' societies, caused by deregulation, internationalization, and delocalization (e.g., Blossfeld and Hofmeister 2006; Blossfeld, Mills, and Bernardi 2006). From the beginning of the 1990s up to 2012, the share of temporary employment rose from 10% to 16% in the Euro area (Caroli and Godard 2013; OECD 2002). Today a growing number of people - the emerging class of 'precariat' (Standing 2011) - are faced with uncertainty, moving in and out of jobs that may give little meaning to their lives.Uncertainty has spread into the partnership and parenthood domains of young adults' lives as well (e.g., Blossfeld et al. 2005; Kreyenfeld, Andersson, and Pailhe 2012; Mills and Blossfeld 2013). Among other things, economic uncertainty may affect union formation practices. American research generally supports the view that poor economic prospects for men and women are associated with a delay in marriage, and may favor cohabitation. The European literature is more limited in this respect, although some examples can be found especially in the context of the comparative project proposed by Blossfeld and colleagues; Blossfeld et al. 2005). This paper contributes to the European literature on the topic by providing insights into the influence of job precariousness on the decision of women and men to enter either cohabitation or marriage in Italy. The Italian setting typifies a unique case study. In the country, unmarried cohabitation is far less common than elsewhere in Europe and does not yet represent an integral part of family life (Rosina and Fraboni 2004). The prolonged absence of the legal recognition of civil unions4 combined with familial and social pressure to marry further contribute to leaving little room for cohabitation (Vignoli and Salvini 2014). Nonetheless, contemporary Italy faces an increasing breakdown of marriage, the diversity of union patterns is growing, and a slow but continuous process of secularization is at play (Pirani and Vignoli 2016; Sansonetti 2009). Thus, the focus on the Italian setting is important for eliciting the role of economic uncertainty in driving union formation practices when a society is undergoing secularization and revolutionary family changes.This paper adopts a mixed-method approach. The qualitative analysis - conducted with focus group techniques - provides an in-depth understanding into the mechanisms of how job precariousness may affect individual perceptions and beliefs on union formation. Then, using quantitative analysis - conducted through event-history techniques - we test how strong these mechanisms are in the general population. We continue by presenting our theoretical considerations, describing the Italian context, and deriving our research hypotheses. This is followed by a presentation of the analytical strategy, and a description of results. A concluding discussion closes the paper.2.Employment uncertainty and union formation2.1Main perspectives...The link between employment uncertainty and family formation practices is multifaceted. At first glance, and in line with the globalization and labor market deregulation perspective (Blossfeld et al. 2005; Blossfeld and Hofmeister 2006; Blossfeld, Mills, and Bernardi 2006; Mills and Blossfeld 2013), it is relatively straightforward to suppose that marriage, a resource-intensive and long-term commitment, will be postponed when people face employment uncertainty. According to the uncertainty hypothesis developed by Oppenheimer (1988), especially men's unstable careers, as indicated by low-status jobs, non-employment, and irregular and temporary employment, embody uncertainty. …

The Quest for Rural Sustainability in Russia

Rural depopulation and the disappearance of villages in rural Russia occurred as part of the historical process of urbanization and industrialization. Rural depopulation also occurred for structural reasons having to do with village location, and for behavioral reasons whereby villagers react to primitive living conditions and poor economic prospects. Three possible strategies for addressing the problem of sustainable villages are considered. The government is attempting to improve rural living conditions, but rural depopulation is likely to continue. Characteristics of sustainable villages are outlined. Agro-tourism is analyzed for its potential to support sustainable villages.

The effect of economic change and elite framing on support for welfare state retrenchment: A survey experiment

How do economic downturns affect citizens’ support for welfare state retrenchment? Existing observational studies fail to isolate the effect of economic conditions and the effect of elite framing of these conditions. We therefore designed a survey experiment to evaluate how economic change in conjunction with different elite frames impact citizens’ support for welfare state retrenchment. We hypothesise and demonstrate that the effects of these frames differ by income group and partisanship. Our survey experiment – carried out in the United Kingdom – demonstrates that poor economic prospects generally motivate support for unemployment benefits vis-à-vis deficit reduction. Emphasis on inequality does not change this picture. Emphasis on government debt and deficits increases support for retrenchment compared with objective information. We find support for the hypothesis that partisans are less responsive to the economy than independents. However, income differences are a surprisingly weak moderator of our treatments. We derive two main conclusions: first, elite frames significantly influence the effect of economic change on welfare state preferences. Second, party identification is crucial to understand individual differences in welfare state preferences and should receive more attention in future research.

The Effect of Economic Change and Elite Framing on Economic Preferences: A Survey Experiment

An unresolved question in political science is how economic downturns affect citizens' economic left-right preferences. Existing observational studies fail to isolate the effect of economic conditions and the effect of elite framing of these conditions. We therefore designed a survey experiment to evaluate how economic change in conjunction with different elite frames impact on citizens' preferences for economic policies. We hypothesise and demonstrate that the effects of these frames differ by income group and partisanship. Our survey experiment – carried out in the UK – demonstrates that poor economic prospects motivate support for unemployment benefits vis-a-vis deficit reduction. Emphasis on government debt and deficits increases support for the latter policy option. Also, we find support for the hypothesis that partisans are less responsive to the economy than independents.

When the Going Gets Tough

We examined the impact of anticipating poor economic conditions on financial risk taking. In Experiment 1, the salience of poor future economic prospects was manipulated among young adults. Those who were reminded of their poor future economic prospects were more likely to take the opportunity to gamble with their money than those in the control condition. In Experiment 2, we once again manipulated the salience of poor economic prospects. Extending the results of Experiment 1, participants who were reminded of their poor economic prospects bet more money on a spin of a roulette wheel than those in a control condition. Importantly, we show that the relationship between poor economic prospects and gambling is mediated by belief in the necessity of taking financial risks to make money. Implications of economic downturns for gambling and other forms of risk taking are discussed.

Reconciling economic and ecological conflicts for sustained management of grazing lands

The need to implement sustainable resource management regimes for Australia's extensive grazing lands is acute. Proposed solutions for promoting sustainable management typically seek to strike a balance between ecological and economic imperatives required to maintain the function of local ecosystems and to preserve the economic viability of the grazing enterprises. This paper explores some issues associated with the challenges of balancing ecological and economic objectives for the sustainable management of grazing lands. Some broad economic and ecological trends that might create conflict in defining sustainable management systems are considered. Prospective changes in resource use that may arise in response to these trends are also considered, along with barriers and opportunities that might retard or progress those changes. Some economic data, drawn from a case study of four grazing properties in the grassy woodlands of Queensland, are presented to highlight the difficulties of achieving an appropriate balance of ecological and economic outcomes for landscape management. Poor economic prospects and a range of practical management issues are apparent barriers to changing present practices on private land. Collective action to reduce the unit cost of management options also appears to offer little immediate attraction to landholders. Limited markets for conservation services and institutional constraints also impede the achievement of a better balance between economic and ecological objectives. Some suggestions are made on how to improve the prospects for adoption of sustainable land management practices.

Investor Protection and Liquidity of Cross-Listed Securities: Evidence from the ADR Market

Using 'American depository receipt' (ADR) data on various countries, this paper sets out to investigate the relationship between investor protection and firm liquidity. Since weak investor protection and poor economic prospects lead to greater expropriation by managers - and thus greater asymmetric information costs - liquidity providers will incur relatively higher costs and will therefore offer higher bid-ask spreads. Our empirical results demonstrate that the level of investor protection afforded to ADRs, as well as the quality of law enforcement, have significant effects on firm liquidity. This issue is further analyzed by investigating whether there is any increase in the vulnerability of ADRs of firms operating in countries with relatively poor investor protection mechanisms during a period of financial crisis. We explore this issue by examining whether net-selling pressure was any stronger on ADRs from countries with poor investor protection mechanisms during the period of the Asian financial crisis.

WHO expectation and industry goals

It is expected the world's vaccine market will show a robust growth over the next few years, yet this growth will predominantly come from introduction of new vaccines in industrialised countries. Economic market forces will increasingly direct vaccine sales and vaccine development towards the needs of markets with effective purchasing power. Yet the scientific and technological progress that drives the development of such innovative vaccines holds the promise of applicability for vaccines that are highly desirable for developing countries. Corrective measures that take into account economic and industrial reality must be considered to span the widening gap between richer and poorer countries in terms of availability and general use of current and recent vaccines. Such measures must help developing countries to get access to future vaccines for diseases that predominantly or exclusively affect them, but for which the poor economic prospects do not provide a basis for the vaccine industry to undertake costly research and development programmes. Recent initiatives such as GAVI, including the establishment of a reliable, guaranteed purchase fund, could provide a solution to the problem.

Traditional production activities and resource sustainability

Undertakes a survey of traditional and non‐traditional production activities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, Australia. Ecologically sustainable development issues in relation to indigenous people have not been paid much attention following the release of the Bruntland Report in 1987 and the Rio de Janeiro “earth summit” in 1992, which put forward a programme of action for achieving ESD by the year 2000 and beyond. Concludes that traditional methods of production practised by the indigenous societies are inherently sustainable but recognizes that population growth and poor economic prospects could exert pressure on the region’s fragile ecosystem. Efforts must be made to involve local people in resource management and planning, and social justice issues such as land and sea rights, unemployment, and the provision of basic infrastructure need to be resolved.

Democracy and Economic Reforms

During the early 1980s many African countries were compelled by bad economic circumstances and poor economic prospects to adopt structural adjustment programs dictated by their external creditors. By the late 1980s, it had become clear that these economic reform programs were failing to achieve their objectives. This factor as well as the effective disintegration of the Soviet empire enabled the Western-dominated multilateral institutions to insist on a simultaneous adoption of democratic political reforms- ostensibly, as a mechanism for introducing accountability (good governance) to policy making. Although the combination appears illogical due to the social and political instability which result from SAPs, there are compelling reasons to believe that also they may lead to more democratic political economies.