Restrictive Policies Research Articles

Assessment of Access and Participation of Students with Special Needs in Public Universities of Uganda

The study explored the access and participation of students with disabilities in public universities in Uganda, evaluating current practices and identifying barriers to effective inclusion. This research is anchored in Uganda's commitments made at the Global Disability Summit to enhance educational opportunities for persons with disabilities. A qualitative approach was employed, gathering data through interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and observations with students with disabilities and administrators from both universities and secondary schools. The sample comprised 44 respondents, purposively selected from three public universities—Makerere University, Kyambogo University, and Mountains of the Moon University—and three secondary schools known for their focus on students with disabilities. Qualitative analysis, facilitated by NVivo14, uncovered critical challenges including limited parental and stakeholder involvement, restrictive admissions policies, inadequate training for lecturers in special needs education, and the inaccessibility of facilities like libraries and laboratories. Despite some affirmative action measures, significant barriers persist, such as physical inaccessibility, attitudinal challenges, and financial constraints. The study found that inclusive practices are inconsistently implemented, and many institutions lack essential assistive technologies and supportive services. Recommendations include strengthening stakeholder engagement, providing specialized training for lecturers, improving infrastructural accessibility, and increasing sensitization and advocacy efforts. The study also advocates for expanding the current 64 university admission slots for students with disabilities to 320, as pledged at the Global Disability Summit

Power, interests and representations in the construction of alcopop as public problem in Quebec, Canada

Alcopops are malt-based or spirit-based sugary beverages whose consumption has led to numerous policies in different Western countries. This article examines the representational and socio-political dynamics surrounding the sale of alcopops that led to restrictive policies in Canada (2017–2020). Using qualitative methods during this period, including interviews with key players in the field of alcohol policy, analysis of press articles and review of legislative documents, we trace the evolution of public and political discourse on alcopops. We shed light on the role of social actors—mainly public-health organizations and the alcohol industry—defending their own interests to influence policy-making. A multi-theoretical framework is used to analyze how alcopops emerged as a public problem. This framework integrates Herbert Blumer's theoretical perspective on social problems, Serge Moscovici's social representation theory and Stevens and Zampini’s political constellation model. Through an analysis of the socio-political context in Quebec, we reveal the complex interplay between public health imperatives and the interests of the alcohol industry. This should serve as a model to study public problems that lead to public policies implementation.

Deposit Channel of Monetary Policy in European Countries

Abstract This paper focuses on the first link of the monetary transmission mechanism – interest rate channel. It forks on two subchannels: credit vein and deposit vein. We will investigate the second one, i.e. the impact of the discount (also key, reference) rate of a central bank on the deposit policy of commercial banks. Deposit channel is a very rarely treated as a separate line of the monetary policy from the credit channel. On the basis of VAR analysis of monthly data over several-years period on the banking system of Ukraine, Poland, and Montenegro we found out a tendency of the discount rate to impact banks’ deposit rates changes with some lag of time. The tightest liaison between these indicators is observed during the periods of discount rate stability and sloping down. However, sensitivity of banks‘ deposit rates is lost when the discount rate is rapidly increased during the periods of restrictive monetary policy. It was defined that the essential reason for such picture is an extra liquidity of the banking system. On the one hand, it symbolizes the soundness of banking system, while from the other it makes more difficult for a central bank policy to absorb extra liquidity from the market to reduce pressure on prices. The paper contains some thoughts for increasing effectiveness of restrictive monetary policy in such periods.

Unexpected social change: The transformation of the Pati Regency’s coastal community due to the Indonesian government’s trawl restriction policy

Abstract Indonesia’s developmental endeavors, with a focal point on Java Island, presented an overarching concern for the excessive depletion of its coastal and maritime reservoirs. This fundamental notion laid the groundwork for Indonesian governmental actions in 2015 under the stewardship of Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pujiastuti. During this period, a proactive measure was introduced, entailing the imposition of fishing limitations within the Northern Java Sea vicinity. Embodied within the Ministerial Regulation of Marine Affairs and Fisheries No. 2 of 2015, the restriction of Deploying Trawl and Seine Nets within Indonesian Fishery Management Zones became a tangible manifestation aimed at upholding the preservation of coastal and maritime resources. After an approximate span of eight years since the enforcement of this policy, noteworthy transformations have transpired within the northern Java capture fisheries sector. Comprehensive interviews, meticulous observations, and scrutiny of documents within the Pati Regency (particularly in the Juwana sub-district) within the Central Java province revealed discernible shifts within coastal communities in a relatively brief span. Employing the social-ecological system framework, an analytical lens was cast upon the repercussions of this governmental restriction policy on the circumstances of the Juwana sub-district’s coastal communities, notably the fishermen. The curtailment imposed on fishing apparatus compelled fishermen to modernize and enhance the efficiency of their equipment. The evolving working ethos of the community trended toward collective endeavors and opportunistic pursuit of commercial prospects. Nevertheless, simultaneous challenges surfaced, including societal disparities amidst coastal communities, the marginal involvement of local governance, and the plausible peril of ecosystem detriment beyond the initial boundaries.

Changing the pace of the melting pot: The effects of immigration restrictions on immigrant assimilation

This paper investigates the effects of restrictive immigration policies enacted in the US in 1921 and 1924 to explore the effects of immigration restrictions on recent immigrants using full-count US Census data and variation across national origins in the exclusionary policies. Immigrants more affected by the quotas were more likely to become naturalized citizens. Immigrants from countries that subsequently had migration reduced by the Acts were also more likely to marry someone born in the United States. The evidence in this paper, taken together, shows that the Immigrant Exclusion Act hastened the assimilation of already-landed immigrant men and impacted their short and long-run family outcomes.

COVID-19 and beyond: economic outcomes in Republican vs. Democratic States

ABSTRACT The policy responses by state and local governments and reactions by individuals to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic were wide-ranging across the US, often falling along the nation’s political divide. We examine whether Republican states performed better economically, both during the year of the COVID-19 recession and the two years following the recession. We find stronger employment and population growth and smaller increases in unemployment during the COVID-19 recession year in Republican states, though we also find lower per capita income and productivity growth in Republican states during the year of the COVID-19 recession. The employment growth and unemployment advantage in Republican states dissipated during the recovery from the COVID-19 recession such that there was not any longer-term advantage. We compare the COVID-19 and Great Recession years and the periods preceding each recession. The population growth advantage in Republican states during the COVID-19 recession was evident in all expansionary and recessionary periods beginning in 2003, suggesting that the growth advantage was not related to different responses to COVID-19. We conclude that there was not a clear overall economic benefit to the less restrictive COVID-19 policies and lower virus avoidance by individuals in Republican states, particularly in the longer run.

Permanent Sovereignty vs. International Obligations

This research analyses Indonesia's policies related to downstreaming and restrictions on raw nickel exports that have caused international debate, especially the European Union which complained against Indonesia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Dispute Settlement 592 (DS-592). The study explores Indonesia's position as a WTO member that is being questioned for its policy of banning nickel ore exports to the European Union, and examines the DS-592 ruling in relation to the permanent sovereignty debate. This article uses a normative juridical method with doctrinal, comparative, and case approaches. The results show that Indonesia has permanent sovereignty over its nickel ore guaranteed by UN Resolution 1803. Therefore, Indonesia must exercise this sovereignty with due regard to international obligations. Indonesia should learn from China's export regulations as it prioritises export restriction policies rather than export bans. By applying China's approach, Indonesia can prevent the problems that occurred in DS 592. However, a series of nickel downstream policies implemented by Indonesia have violated the provisions of the WTO Agreement. This article also explains that the vacuum of the Appellate Body does not negate the EU's authority to retaliate against Indonesia. This article concludes that Indonesia must implement a policy determining the percentage of downstream nickel ore, as well as nickel ore that will be exported. This conclusion has resulted in the theoretical idea that no sovereignty can be exercised in violation of the country's international obligations. Thus, each country must be able to establish policies that can balance national interests with international obligations. KEYWORDS: Export Restrictions, International Obligations, Nickel Ore, Soverignty, WTO.

Unhealthy Food and Beverage Marketing to Children in the Digital Age: Global Research and Policy Challenges and Priorities.

Food and nonalcoholic beverage marketing is implicated in poor diet and obesity in children. The rapid growth and proliferation of digital marketing has resulted in dramatic changes to advertising practices and children's exposure. The constantly evolving and data-driven nature of digital food marketing presents substantial challenges for researchers seeking to quantify the impact on children and for policymakers tasked with designing and implementing restrictive policies. We outline the latest evidence on children's experience of the contemporary digital food marketing ecosystem, conceptual frameworks guiding digital food marketing research, the impact of digital food marketing on dietary outcomes, and the methods used to determine impact, and we consider the key research and policy challenges and priorities for the field. Recent methodological and policy developments represent opportunities to apply novel and innovative solutions to address this complex issue, which could drive meaningful improvements in children's dietary health.

Bad Deals and Tragic Pacts: The impact of the EU’s management of migration through the externalisation of its borders on ‘Women on the Move’

In recent years the EU has become increasingly restrictive in its regulation of irregular migration flows despite its outward sustained discourse of safeguarding human lives and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. As part of this restrictive strategy, the EU has invested heavily in the securitisation and the management of migration through the externalisation of its borders. The EU-Turkey Deal struck in 2016 paved the way for further agreements with third countries with poor gender equality and human rights records, such as Libya and Tunisia. This externalisation of migration constitutes an important feature of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum adopted in 2023 with the aim of establishing a common asylum process at EU level. Asylum seekers, particularly girls and women are placed at added risk from these restrictive policies and policies of externalisation, as apart from dangers faced by all asylum seekers, they are at increased risk of human trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation, and others forms of gender-based violence. Despite offering a short-sighted measure to a complex problem and the adverse humanitarian repercussions and gross human rights violations, particularly on female refugees and asylum seekers, such deals and pacts constitute an integral aspect of the EU’s strategic agenda of managing migration through the externalisation of its borders. The article proposes a number of alternative solution-oriented measures which safeguard fundamental human rights and freedoms, in particular the right to asylum for refugee women and girls.

Navigating “Confidentiality”: Ghana’s National Reconciliation Commission’s “Sensitive” Records in Perspective

Abstract This article focuses on Ghana’s National Reconciliation Commission’s (NRC) archival holdings, which hold enormous value as a source for scholarly research but constitute a target of destructive forces, prompting the government to impose restrictive policies to regulate access to them. This article argues that in spite of the prevailing restrictions, opportunities exist for original enquiry into the NRC and Ghana’s human rights history through the piecemeal and selective access offered by the various repositories to researchers.

Visa-on-arrival, ECOWAS-free Mobility and the Securitisation of the Intra-African Migration in Nigeria

Over the years, Nigeria’s regional hegemonic leadership in (West) Africa, especially within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, has been debated within academic and foreign relations circles. A major component of this regional leadership aspiration was its quest for a ‘borderless Africa’. As an important arrowhead of its pro-African foreign policy, the Nigerian government proactively crafted a benign national border policy to give practical expression to the free mobility of persons and goods within the West African subregion. Despite a demonstrable commitment to free mobility within Africa over the years, Abuja suddenly imposed a restrictive border policy shortly after it signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and approved the contentious visa-on-arrival for African migrants. Considering this context, this study makes three arguments: First, it interrogates the rationale behind the liberal border diplomacy of the Nigerian government. Secondly, the paper contends that the inability to ‘silence the guns’ in Africa despite all efforts has seriously militated against the aspiration for intra-African mobility and borderless Community in West Africa. Lastly, the study examines the dire implications of Nigerian nationalistic border diplomacy and its declining soft power for the future of ‘borderless West Africa’.

How photovoltaic industry policies foster the development of silicon solar cell manufacturing technology: Based on Self-attention mechanism

With the advancement of silicon solar cell manufacturing technology (SSCM-Tec) driven by subsidy policies, some developing countries have implemented subsidy reduction policies. Concurrently, intense international competition has prompted the implementation of restriction policies. However, due to SSCM involving multiple manufacturing steps, each step comprising various SSCM-Tec, it presents challenges in researching how different types of policies affect SSCM-Tec in each step. We construct the SSCM-Mechanism based on patent claims to capture the nuanced changes in SSCM-Tec caused by the implementation of policies. The results show that: (1) Policies lead to an imbalance in SSCM-Tec advancements among manufacturing steps; (2) Different types of policies have varying impacts on SSCM-Tec. Supportive policies boost enterprises' interest in developing SSCM-Tec, and restrictive policies and subsidy reduction policies speed up SSCM-Tec innovation; (3) The collaboration of various policy types can better drive the advancement of SSCM-Tec. Employing the right type of policy at the opportune moment serves as a crucial driving force for fostering innovation in SSCM-Tec. These findings reveal the multifaceted impact of policies on SSCM-Tec, providing policymakers with a clearer perspective to formulate more precise policies for guiding the direction of SSCM-Tec development and accelerating its innovation pace.

The Unintended Consequences of Home-Buying Restriction in China

Abstract We investigate the fake divorce activities associated with the home-buying restriction policy in China. We find that the policy increased divorce rate (marriage restoration rate) in the treated cities by 0.436 (0.195) permillage point relative to the control cities. This explains a 19.9% increase in the overall national divorce rate, of which at least 45% can be interpreted as fake divorces. Moreover, we find that the main responders to this policy are people who are older, childless, less-educated, and wealthier. Finally, we show that the fraudulent behavior has significant implications for market efficiency, intra- and inter-household wealth inequality, and other consequences.

Radical Climate Movements: Associations Between Government Response and Public Support

Numerous movements protest for more restrictive climate policies, sometimes with radical actions, such as road blockades or paint attacks. A German study with 1,132 participants investigated the impact of government responses on public support for such movements using the Last Generation as a case study. Contrary to expectations, highlighting strict government responses did not increase support, particularly among those who felt existing climate policies were inadequate. This may be explained by widespread resentment against the Last Generation; further analyses showed that donations were indeed high when participants perceived the government response as strict and inappropriate but that this perception was rare. The results suggest that radical protests are less suitable for driving policy change when public support for the movement is low, as they may trigger harsh government responses that damage the movement while not contributing to its mobilization.

Spillover effects of structure-adjustment pollution reduction measures in China's iron and steel industry

The iron and steel industry (ISI) is a significant source of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter pollution in China. Existing research on regional environmental regulation or ISI emission reduction strategies tends to overlook spillover effects and the enterprise perspective. During the heating season, production limitations in ISI are potential policy measures for achieving structural emission reductions in heavily polluted cities in China's Jing-Jin-Ji and surrounding regions. We adopt a bottom-up modeling approach, incorporating effective production time to describe enterprise behavior and establishing a quantitative trade model based on trade theory. By modeling three types of production restriction policies outlined in policy documents, we evaluate the emission reduction effects of structure-adjustment measures using the example of reduced effective production time for steel-producing enterprises in the air pollution transmission channel in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. The results indicate the following: (1) Reducing the effective production time of ISI enterprises can help decrease domestic production value and total factor productivity in pollution-intensive industries, including but not limited to ISI. It also leads to reduced emissions of various pollutants in the implementation regions. (2) Due to interprovincial trade and input-output linkages, structural reduction measures in certain regions have implications for almost all other provinces' industrial structures. Differences in initial industrial structures, factor endowments, and geographical locations contribute to varying directions and magnitudes of industrial structural changes. Pollution-intensive industries' share tends to increase higher in less developed regions. (3) Our estimated pollution reduction is smaller compared to the literature evaluating clean air policies in similar regions using top-down strategies. This discrepancy arises because we analyze a single policy tool rather than modeling industry-wide emission fluctuations from the top down. Additionally, our modeling approach allows us to examine dynamic changes in comparative advantages. The increase in production scale for certain industries in policy-affected regions partially offsets the decline in pollution emissions. These findings enhance our understanding of structure-adjustment reduction measures' role and highlight their potential advantages and limitations.

Character is fate: How tourism entrepreneurs’ extraversion and agreeableness affect their market exit in the sharing economy

The rate of market exit of tourism entrepreneurs from sharing economy platforms is surprisingly high, given that the sharing business is flourishing. We argue that the destiny of performance is partly shaped by the tourism entrepreneur's personality, and explore the effect, channel, and interaction of personality traits on exit (vs. operation) with three studies. Based on a dataset comprising monthly information of 138,331 observations involving 21,556 tourism entrepreneurs and a survey experiment, our findings indicate that agreeableness decreases the exit rate whereas extraversion increases it; service quality mediates the impact. Agreeableness benefits from the contextual factor of managerial experience in the tourism industry, while extraversion benefits from restricted use policies. Moreover, extraversion leads to an operational interest trap for survival. This study is the first to unveil the intricate mechanism underlying the impact of personality traits on tourism entrepreneurs' exit and establish a novel construct known as Personality - Exit fate (PEF), which aims to stimulate tourism entrepreneurship in emerging economies.

Unequal Framing in Times of Hardship? How Newspapers from Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland Portray Syrian and Ukrainian Refugees – Evidence from a Deductive and Inductive Automated Content Analysis

ABSTRACT The mostly welcoming attitudes toward refugees from Ukraine stand in stark contrast to restrictive policies and often negative attitudes toward refugees from Syria in Europe. By emphasizing certain aspects of reality whilst leaving out others, media framing plays an important role in the public image of both refugee groups. To better understand how the different refugee groups were framed in European media, we applied Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling and a thorough manual analysis and validation process to identify frames from the topic modeling results. We identified eleven generic and issue-specific emphasis frames in a sample of 84,623 newspaper articles from Germany, Spain, the UK, and Switzerland from 2014–2022. The frames were grouped into four overarching frame categories: Fate, Threat, Value and Context Frames. Syrian refugees were mostly portrayed negatively through Threat Frames and Context Frames, whereas more positive humanitarian and victimization perspectives were pronounced in Fate Framing of Ukrainian refugees. The findings indicate more negative and delegitimizing framing patterns in news coverage about Syrian compared to Ukrainian refugees.

Pengaturan Pemblokiran Konten Penyebaran Kampanye Hitam Melalui Media Sosial

Social media is regarded as the fifth pillar of democracy. The role of the mass media as the controller of governance and democracy is increasingly recognized and is now regarded as the fourth pillar of the democratic system. However, along with the opportunities that exist, the digital age also poses a serious challenge to democracy. This spread of disinformation can confuse people, empower voters and influence their choices. Another challenge is black campaign attacks of false information or hoaks, insults and slander aimed at political opponents to knock each other down, carried out through social media. Starting from the issue, the author tried to analyze and describe further about the blocking of the spread of black campaign content through social media. This research is conducted in a normative jurisprudence, that is, by looking at the problem through the legal principles contained in Indonesian law. In article 280 (1) letter c of the Election Act, which regulates the prohibition of campaigns in elections, the rules on black campaigns on social media are not comprehensively written and do not have a clear definition. According to Article 40 (2) of the Electronic Information and Transactions Act, the Government is obliged to prevent the dissemination and use of Electronic information and/ or electronic documents that have a prohibited load in accordance with the provisions of the regulations of the laws. However, this blockage can only be made against Electronic info and/or electronic documents which have illegal content, and does not include the termination of Internet network access as a whole. To offset the possibility of Internet abuse, the government has established a Internet Restriction Policy. By limiting the use of media, i.e. blocking and filtering websites or social media, surveillance, forced deletion of content, thorough blocking of social media on platforms and other communications information technologies.

Reflections on urban E-bike governance: lessons from the Guangzhou case

ABSTRACT E-bikes have become one of the main modes of travel for urban residents in China; they provide convenient travel services but also present some problems for urban traffic safety and management. In view of the social concerns caused by restrictions of e-bikes in Guangzhou, this study discusses how to improve e-bike development while considering traffic management and travel. This paper analyses the comment data from Weibo and WeChat Mini Software and discusses the opinions of netizens. In addition, Weibo and WeChat comment data were reclassified into three different views. This study revealed that proponents and opponents share the same consensus that e-bike management should be strengthened. Additionally, with respect to understanding traffic restriction policy, conservative views suggest that policy implementation is for safety purposes and should be supported. The radical view is that restricting e-bikes is a one size fits all policy, which ignores the travel demand of e-bike riders, and that the government is strengthening the central position of motor vehicles. Finally, in terms of management, respondents believed that planning and legal construction should be strengthened and e-bikes should be managed with reference to motorized management policies and regulations to protect the rights and interests of all parties.

Major or minor? The EU food animal antibiotic policy and the varied use

PurposeLimiting the use of antibiotics in food animals is a cornerstone of contemporary EU policy. Despite that marketing of antibiotics for growth promotion and nutrition has been banned since 2006, the use is still high and varied. This paper aims to investigate the forces behind the different usage patterns in Italy, with one of the EU’s most extensive use of antibiotics in animals, versus Sweden, with the union’s most restricted use, including how these usage patterns are related to EU and national policies.Design/methodology/approachThe industrial network approach/the 4R resources interaction model is adopted to investigate the major forces behind the different antibiotic usage patterns. Furthermore, the study relies on the notion of three main characteristics related to the use of a resource activated in several user settings (Håkansson and Waluszewski, 2008, pp. 20–22). The paper investigates the Swedish and the Italian using settings, with a minimised, respectively, extensive usage of antibiotics. The study is exploratory in nature and based on qualitative data collected through a combination of primary and secondary sources.FindingsThe paper underlines the importance of integrating forces for policy to succeed in attempts to reduce the use of a particular resource. It reveals that Sweden’s radically reduced use was based on great awareness, close interactions between animal-based food producers and policy – and that integrating forces were supported by an era of state-protected food production, with promising ability to distribute the cost of change. The Italian characteristics hindering the integration of forces mounting for reduced use were restricted awareness, top-down business and policy interactions – and a great awareness about the difficulties of distributing the cost of change.Originality/valueThe study deals with the analysis of forces affecting the different usage of antibiotics within two EU settings. The investigation, based on the industrial network approach’s notion of connectivity of economic resources, that is, of exchange having a content and substance beyond discrete transactions, reveals how indirect related contextual forces, neglected by policy, have an important influence on the ability to achieve change, in this case of antibiotics usage patterns.