Socio-political Factors Research Articles

Advancing progress on tobacco control in low-income and middle-income countries through economic analysis

BackgroundMore than 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where progress to address tobacco and its harms has been slow. The perception...

Dynamics of Multiculturalism and Religious Pluralism: Strategies for Building Social Cohesion in Indonesia

This study explores the intricate relationship between religion and multiculturalism in Indonesia, a nation marked by its rich cultural diversity and complex religious dynamics. The research aims to examine how these factors contribute to societal harmony or conflict. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this study conducts a literature analysis, drawing from a wide range of scholarly sources on religion, multiculturalism, and interfaith harmony in the Indonesian context. The findings indicate that while multiculturalism and religious pluralism offer frameworks for coexistence, challenges persist due to historical tensions and socio-political factors. The analysis highlights the role of perception in conflict dynamics, emphasizing that differences in communication styles, ethical norms, and religious beliefs can escalate tensions. Conversely, effective interfaith dialogue and inclusive policies can promote harmony. The study concludes that fostering a deeper understanding of multiculturalism and an inclusive approach to religion is crucial for reducing conflicts and enhancing societal cohesion. Addressing underlying socio-economic and political factors is essential for sustainable peace and unity in Indonesia.

Off-Grid Electrification Using Renewable Energy in the Philippines: A Comprehensive Review

Universal access to electricity is beneficial for the socio-economic development of a country and the development of smart communities. Unfortunately, the electrification of remote off-grid areas, especially in developing countries, is rather slow due to geographic and economic barriers. In the Philippines, specifically, many electrified off-grid areas are underserved, with access to electricity being limited to only a few hours a day. This is mainly due to the high dependence on diesel power plants (DPPs) for electrifying these areas. To address these problems, hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs) have been considered good electrification alternatives and have been extensively studied for their techno-economic and financial feasibility for Philippine off-grid islands. In this work, articles published from 2012 to 2023 focusing on off-grid Philippine rural electrification were reviewed and classified based on their topic. The taxonomical analysis of collected studies shows that there is a saturation of works focusing on the technical and economic aspects of off-grid electrification. Meanwhile, studies focusing on environmental and socio-political factors affecting HRES off-grid electrification are lagging. A bibliographic analysis of the reviewed articles also showed that there is still a lack of a holistic approach in studying off-grid electrification in the Philippines. There are only a few works that extend beyond the typical techno-economic study. Research works focusing on environmental and socio-political factors are also mainly isolated and do not cross over with technical papers. The gap between topic clusters should be addressed in future works on off-grid electrification.

GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT PATTERNS IN MUTUAL FUNDS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GENERATION X AND MILLENNIALS

This Master’s thesis examines the investment patterns in mutual funds across two distinct generational cohorts: Generation X and Millennials. The primary aim of this study is to analyze and compare the investment behaviors and preferences between these two groups, focusing on factors such as risk tolerance, investment time horizon, and preferred fund types. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative data analysis of investment portfolios with qualitative surveys and interviews, this research provides a comprehensive view of how generational differences influence investment decisions. The quantitative analysis involves a statistical examination of mutual fund holdings and transactions sourced from a proprietary database covering the period from 2010 to 2020. Meanwhile, the qualitative component features insights from over 200 individual interviews with representatives of each generation, supplemented by surveys to gauge attitudes towards various investment strategies and market outlooks. Initial findings suggest significant divergences in the investment strategies between Generation X and Millennials. Generation X investors tend to favor income-focused and balanced funds, displaying a preference for stability and long-term growth, influenced possibly by their proximity to retirement. In contrast, Millennials are more inclined towards equity-heavy portfolios and show a greater propensity for embracing emerging market funds and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) themed investments, driven by higher risk tolerance and a longer investment horizon. This thesis not only highlights the distinct investment preferences of these generations but also delves into the sociopolitical and economic factors that might influence these patterns. Furthermore, it discusses the implications of these generational differences for financial advisors, mutual fund managers, and policymakers. By identifying and understanding these generational investment behaviors, industry professionals can better tailor their approaches to meet the needs and preferences of each demographic group, enhancing client satisfaction and engagement. This comparative study contributes to the financial industry’s understanding of demographic shifts and their impacts on market trends, offering valuable insights for developing more targeted and effective investment products and strategies.

Collective participation in conservation easements in rural China: Evidence from the Qianjiangyuan National Park

Conservation easements (CE), as an emerging conservation strategy in China, have gained successful collective participation within the Qianjiangyuan National Park with all its collectively-owned forestlands under easements. This study uses an analytical framework developed from the social-ecological systems (SES) framework to explore systemic inter-dependencies among social, economic, political, and natural processes that contextualize the agreements and patterns of interaction where collective participation is achieved. The results indicate that broader-scale variables under socio-ecological contexts, by affecting the resource system, government system, actor system variables, and their interactions, play a more important role in CE participation than sole individual variables. At the regional scale, changing socio-political factors have influenced rural communities' resource utilization and reduced economic dependency on logging activities, facilitating CE adoption. Within the focal action situation, collective participation was achieved under the rural governance system in which actors interact to form community-level consensus through rural self-governance and consultation, influenced by the mobilizing power of the authority. The case study in China demonstrates the feasibility of using CE as a forest co-management strategy in densely populated protected areas under a common-property regime and the necessity of considering both regional-scale factors and local dynamics in CE design and implementation.

Global mismatches between threat mapping research effort and the potential of threat abatement actions to reduce extinction risk.

Threat mapping is a necessary tool for identifying and abating direct threats to species in the ongoing extinction crisis. There are known gaps in the threat mapping literature for particular threats and geographic locations, and it remains unclear if the distribution of research effort is appropriately targeted relative to conservation need. We aimed to determine the drivers of threat mapping research effort and to quantify gaps that, if filled, could inform actions with the highest potential to reduce species' extinction risk. We used a negative binomial generalized linear model to analyze research effort as a function of threat abatement potential (quantified as the potential reduction in species extinction risk from abating threats), species richness, land area, and human pressure. The model showed that threat mapping research effort increased by 1.1 to 1.2 times per standardized unit change in threat abatement potential. However, species richness and land area were stronger predictors of research effort overall. The greatest areas of mismatch between research effort and threat abatement potential, receiving disproportionately low research effort, were related to the threats to species of agriculture, aquaculture, and biological resource use across the tropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Madagascar. Conversely, the threat of linear infrastructure (e.g., roads and rails) across regions, the threat of biological resource use (e.g., hunting or collection) in sub-Saharan Africa, and overall threats in North America and Europe all received disproportionately high research effort. We discuss the range of methodological and sociopolitical factors that may be behind the overall trends and specific areas of mismatch we found. We urge a stronger emphasis on targeting research effort toward those threats and geographic locations where threat abatement activities could make the greatest contribution to reducing global species extinction risk.

FDI in India: Analyzing Financial Flows and Economic Impacts

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plays a crucial role in shaping the economic landscape of India, attracting significant attention from investors, policymakers, and economists alike. As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India has been successful in improving its attractiveness to foreign investors through various policy reforms and liberalization measures. The study finds important patterns and connections in the dynamics of FDI inflow by applying quantitative analytical techniques such a regression analysis and correlation analysis. The results of regression analysis highlight the impact of the GDP on FDI inflow, showing a robust positive connection between GDP and FDI inflow. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in FDI inflows into India across different sectors, such as telecommunications, manufacturing, and services. This surge in FDI can be attributed to the country's large and growing market, skilled workforce, improving infrastructure, and stable political environment. Analyzing the financial flows of FDI into India reveals that a significant portion of inflows comes from countries such as the United States, Singapore, and Mauritius. This diversification of funding sources indicates the global interest in investing in India and leveraging its potential as a key market in the region. The economic impacts of FDI in India are multifaceted and go beyond simply bringing capital into the country. FDI inflows contribute to job creation, technology transfer, skill development, and overall economic growth. Foreign investors bring in expertise, best practices, and access to new markets, which can benefit local industries and enhance competitiveness. Moreover, FDI inflows can also lead to improvements in productivity, efficiency, and innovation within domestic firms through spillover effects. However, it is essential to recognize the challenges associated with FDI in India, such as regulatory complexity, infrastructure bottlenecks, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and socio-political factors. Addressing these challenges requires continuous efforts from the government to further streamline regulations, improve infrastructure, enhance the ease of doing business, and foster a more investor-friendly environment. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Regression, Correlation, GDP, Telecommunications.

Digging The ‘Dirt’: Roots and Routes of Stigma

Historically, Dalit identity is associated with different stereotypical notions. In this article, we have attempted to explore the underlying factors behind the stigma associated with them from the micro perspective in a small Muslim-dominated context of Bangladesh based on a series of intensive fieldwork. It reveals that Dalit cleaners are widely considered impure, dirty, strange, chaotic, alcoholic, and inferior. We combined two theoretical perspectives to interpret the matter systematically: Douglas’s notion of purity and pollution and Foucauldian discourse. The apparent reasons for the stigma associated with Dalit cleaners at Bhairab are association with ‘Dirty jobs, pig rearing, pork consumption, liquor consumption, and business. However, the empirical pieces of evidence show that different historical, religious, and socio-political factors (such as ideological domination of Hindu scriptures, the intervention of British colonialism, and the negative role of media and local influential businessmen) contribute significantly to the stigma.

Are rice systems sustainable in Sri Lanka? - A case of Deduru Oya reservoir irrigation scheme

Sustainable rice systems play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development goals, particularly in countries like Sri Lanka that heavily rely on paddy production. The study aims to examine the economic, social, and environmental sustainability gaps of a rice production system at various spatial scales using the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) framework v2.1 and identify interventions that can address these gaps. Data for the study was collected through a structured questionnaire, which incorporated the 12 performance indicators of the SRP framework, including profitability, labor productivity, grain yield, water productivity, nutrient use efficiency, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emission, food safety, health and safety, child labor and youth engagement, and women empowerment. The survey was conducted over two consecutive cropping seasons, in 2019 dry and 2019/2020 wet seasons, in selected paddy fields representing three topo-sequences within the Deduru Oya irrigation project in Sri Lanka. The study's findings revealed that the rice systems' profitability ranges from 475 ± 45 to 642 ± 59 USD/ha across seasons and topo-sequences, and a yield gap of approximately 33% was observed. Substantial exploitable gaps were observed in labor productivity (67%–77%) and water productivity (58%–68%). Additionally, there was significant variability in nutrient use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions due to variations in water management practices. The social sustainability of rice systems has received lower scores, particularly for health safety and women empowerment. The study attributed most of the economic and environmental sustainability gaps in the agricultural practices of cultivators, while various socio-political and cultural factors influenced the social sustainability gaps. This study offers valuable insights to policymakers and practitioners in countries with extensive rice systems, aiding their efforts toward achieving sustainable development goals.

You have been blocked: Exploring the psychological, personality, and cognitive traits of blocking misinformation sources on social media

While extensive research has explored user engagement with misinformation, there remains a gap in understanding how individuals respond to those who share misinformation by blocking them. This study explores the factors influencing this blocking behavior, including social media news consumption, psychological traits, personality, and cognitive characteristics. Through three studies conducted in varying political contexts (the US and Singapore) and focusing on different types of misinformation (political, health, and political and entertainment deepfakes), we employ the dual motivation framework to analyze the interplay between social media news consumption and the decision to block sources of misinformation. Additionally, we investigate the role of the fear of missing out as a mediator in this relationship and how traits such as conscientiousness and cognitive ability moderate it. Our findings suggest that individuals who frequently consume social media news are more inclined to block sources of misinformation due to a heightened fear of missing out. Furthermore, those with lower levels of cognitive ability and conscientiousness exhibit a greater tendency to block misinformation sources. This research enhances our understanding of the mechanisms driving blocking behavior on social media in response to misinformation and underscores the importance of considering sociopolitical factors in understanding such behaviors.

Socio-Political Factors of Political Instability in Pakistan: An Analysis of Structure, Processes and Institutions- A Case Study of General Pervez Musharraf Era (1999- 2008)

Socio-Political Factors of Political Instability in Pakistan: An Analysis of Structure, Processes and Institutions- A Case Study of General Pervez Musharraf Era (1999- 2008)

Formation of new post-war housing in Ukraine: analysis of foreign practical experience

The article provides an in-depth exploration of international practices in residential development, focusing on the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom as case studies. It meticulously investigates the post-World War II evolution of residential architecture in these countries, highlighting pivotal aspects such as housing standardization, building typologies, material utilization in facade design, community engagement, and the influence of socio-political factors on shaping living spaces. Special attention is dedicated to the analysis of architectural-compositional and spatial-volumetric principles that define foreign residential structures. The paper thoroughly dissects these principles and trends, considering their alignment with each country's unique architectural traditions. Moreover, it systematically categorizes contemporary trends in Western European residential development, emphasizing the significance of compositional considerations and national idiosyncrasies in shaping post-war housing in Ukraine. The article underscores the critical importance of understanding contextual architecture and prioritizing human-centric design principles. It advocates for the integration of these guiding principles in shaping post-war residential architecture in Ukraine, promoting a balanced and people-centric approach to urban development. The author contends that these principles should serve as a guiding framework for the direction of new residential architecture post-war, fostering a cohesive and community-oriented urban environment that effectively addresses the needs and preferences of its inhabitants. The comprehensive analysis presented in the article aims to inform and inspire thoughtful approaches to residential development, encouraging a harmonious blend of international best practices with the rich architectural heritage of Ukraine.

Navigating energy and climate justice in Southeast Asia: perspectives and pathways

This research explores the multi-faceted challenges and opportunities of achieving climate and energy justice in Southeast Asia, particularly in ASEAN. By examining three distinct yet interrelated studies, it provides a comprehensive account of energy access development that intertwines regional electrification strategies, localised energy solutions in the Philippines, and an in-depth analysis of just transitions in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The research presented here delves into the complex dynamics of electrification efforts, showcasing the role of diverse stakeholders, the importance of contextually grounded business models, and the implications of socio-political factors on climate justice, energy justice, energy access and sustainability. Emphasis here is on the need for an integrative approach to energy policy that considers not only technological innovation but also the social, economic, and cultural dimen-sions of sustainable development. The findings presented herein offer significant insights into the pursuit of equitable and sustainable energy access in Southeast Asia, highlighting the region’s unique challenges and opportunities in the global context of climate change and sustainable development.

Cross-cultural ethnobotany of the Baltis and Shinas in the Kharmang district, Trans-Himalaya India-Pakistan border

Human communities that inhabit the political borders live a transitional life, which is due to several socio-political and geo-climatic factors. The current cross-cultural ethnomedicinal study was conducted at the highly elevated Pakistan-India borders of the Western Himalayas in order to address the medicinal flora and folk knowledge of Balti and Shina communities. Ethnobotanical field surveys were conducted from May 2021 to September 2022. We used semi-structured interviews in order to collect the ethnomedicinal data. The collected data was analyzed using the relative frequency of the citations, use value, and Venn diagrams. A total of 140 interviews were conducted, which comprised of 90 (64.28%) Baltis and 50 (35.71%) Shinas. The interviews recorded 60 medicinal plant species that belong to 56 genera and 35 families. Asteraceae (5 spp.), Lamiaceae (5 spp.), and Apiaceae (4 spp.) were the families that were the most represented. These medicinally valued plants were being used for 55 health issues that are related to different body systems. Delphinium brunonianum, Thymus linearis, Hymenolaena candollei, Corydalis adiantifolia, and Seriphidium brevifolium were medicinal taxa with maximum RFCs and UV. The Baltis have comparatively more ethnomedicinal knowledge than the Shinas. The Baltis commonly used 22 (36.66%) species, which 34 (56.66%) were exclusive to the Baltis and 4 (6.66%) to the Shinas. Both ethnic groups collectively hold significant ethnobotanical knowledge that demands the preservation of risked folk knowledge, which is due to uncertain border situations, outmigration, and permeating allopathic drugs.

Association of National Identity and Trust in Government with COVID-19 Vaccination and Brand Choice in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccination centered more on the choice of vaccine brand than on the decision to vaccinate. However, there is limited research exploring the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine brand preferences from a sociopolitical perspective. Thus, we aimed to examine how Taiwanese national identity and trust in government influence vaccination status and vaccine brand choice, using longitudinal data from 2020, 2021, and 2023. This study utilized data from the Taiwan Panel Study of Family Dynamics 2020 survey, and combined it with data from two self-administered surveys conducted in 2021 and 2023. We focused on four vaccines commonly administered in Taiwan: AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and the domestically-developed Medigen. Using Poisson regression models with robust standard errors, we assessed the effects of national identity and trust in government on the choice of COVID-19 vaccine brand. By analyzing data from 2361 participants, we found that national identity and trust in government were associated with the likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination, the number of vaccine doses received, and the brand of vaccine taken. Those who identified themselves as Taiwanese were more inclined to receive the Medigen and AstraZeneca vaccines, but less willing to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Those who trusted the government were more likely to prefer and receive the Medigen vaccine. Conversely, those who didn't trust the government were less likely to prefer Medigen and AstraZeneca vaccines, but were willing to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Vaccine brand preferences and uptake in Taiwan were affected by individuals' national identity and their trust in government. This highlights the critical role of sociopolitical factors in shaping public health strategies.

Extremism as a form of legal nihilism

One of the global problems of the modern world is considered - the problem of extremism, which is the theory and practice of achieving socio­political, religious, national goals with the help of extreme, prohibited methods. From a political point of view, extremism is an ideology of protest against established social structures and institutions of power, which is designed for a wide public resonance and is accompanied by calls to undermine stability and violence. At the same time, extremism is a form of nihilism that denies universally recognized values and ideals, including law, demonstrates a tendency to extreme ideas and actions, fanaticism. Three components of legal nihilism are considered: worldview, psychological and behavioral. The strategy for implementing the provisions of the ideology of extremism is terrorism - an activity aimed at undermining social security, intimidation, and destabilization. The forms of manifestation of this phenomenon are political, economic, national, ecological and religious extremism. The causes of legal nihilism and extremism are identified, among which the most important are socio-political factors, namely: the weakening of state power and the passivity of its power structures; high corruption of officials; criminalization of society; assistance to extremists by representatives of foreign public organizations. The opinion that anomie is a stimulus to the deformation of legal consciousness and the formation of legal nihilism is substantiated. Forms and ways of spreading extremism are studied, including through the Internet. The personality of the extremist is characterized. It is argued that the danger of extremism lies not so much in the essence of views and the form of their expression, but in the goal that extremists seek to achieve, in the methods of achieving it, including aggression, violence, radical, often illegal actions. Public awareness of the danger of extremism, improvement of its legal culture, economic situation and efficiency of state power, together with the effectiveness of the legal system, will prevent the deformation of legal consciousness and the existence of this global problem.

Naya Bihar - Misgovernance to Good Governance

This research paper explores the transformative journey of Bihar, India, transitioning from "Naya Bihar" (New Bihar), characterized by inefficiency and corruption, to a new era of "Good Governance," marked by transparency and accountability. Through an interdisciplinary lens, this study examines the historical context, socio-political factors, and policy interventions driving Bihar's governance evolution. Utilizing synonyms for 'Naya' and 'Miss', the paper elucidates Bihar's embrace of integrity, inclusivity, and citizen responsiveness. Drawing from governance theories and case studies, it underscores the significance of institutional reforms, grassroots empowerment, and civic engagement. Additionally, it highlights the impact of digital technology and innovative governance mechanisms on enhancing transparency and efficiency. Two notable projects, the 'Bihar Vikas Mission' and the 'Jeevika Project', exemplify Bihar's commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment. By analysing Bihar's successes and challenges, this paper offers insights for promoting good governance globally, benefiting policymakers, scholars, and practitioners.

Explicitation and ideology in media translation: The case of MEMRI

This article describes some of the socio-political (ideological) factors affecting the use of explicitation. It explores how explicitations are utilized by a media organisation whose translations continue to construct a negative public image of a particular community. Drawing on critical discourse analysis and descriptive and functional models to translation studies, a corpus consisting of 26,000 words from Arabic-English translated news articles published by MEMRI was analyzed. The results reveal a strong tendency in explicitations to maintain the ideological perspective of the original at the micro-textual level, while promoting a religious and cultural Other at the macro-level. Instead of compromising its credibility by using misleading or inaccurate explicitations, MEMRI uses apparently accurate and faithful explicitations in translations strategically selected to accentuate an intended negative image. This casts light on the paradoxical function of explicitation in media translation: while it is assumed to reduce ambiguities and improve cultural understanding at the textual level, it may promote misunderstanding and cultural prejudice at a larger discourse level.

THE ROLE OF SPIRITUAL AND FORMAL EFFECTS IN THE PERCEPTION OF EMOTIONAL STATES CONSTITUTING A WORK OF ART

: The emotional states that constitute a work of art are formed through the effects of a series of rules and regularities that explain the organization of various systems and also form the foundation of a field of study. Emotions, formal pleasures, and spiritual approaches are among the phenomena that develop a theory defining the general definition of art, delineating its boundaries, and identifying the qualities that allow us to label something as a "work of art." Additionally, art is related with the aesthetics of nature and human subjective realities. The emotional sentiments, characterized as reality for the artist and manifested through seeing and understanding, are dependent on the subjects to be addressed in art. Art, an inherent human capability, is essentially a representation of existence. The tangible qualities of natural objects, considered reality for the artist, assist in perceiving and grasping these emotional feelings in art. Furthermore, individually arising emotional states give rise to aesthetic judgment based on both objective and subjective evaluations. The essential qualities inherent in the essence of the artwork are the foundation of artistic existence. The form that aids in the emergence of artistic presence appears as the perceptible reality of any object through our senses. For the artist, the material characteristics in nature bring forth perceptions. Artistic works produced for aesthetic purposes help bring forth the existing emotional states.
 The artist reflects their artistic expression through a perspective developed from their perception of the dynamics of art, attempting to create artistic forms based on the interaction between everyday objects and the senses. Objects that transport perceived forms into reality and everyday items, in interaction with the senses, aid in creating artworks as a synthesis of spiritual approaches. Cultural, sociopolitical, and economic factors influencing society are among the primary factors affecting the creation of artworks. Additionally, variables related to the artist's psychological state and societal structure play a role in this transformative process in the production of artworks. Thus, objects that inherently lack artistic meaning interact with each other in the journey of being transformed into artworks by artists.
 Our research is conducted by examining qualitative data related to the emotional states that constitute a work of art and their perceptual, spiritual, and formal effects. It is believed that this study will contribute to the field of art.

Overview of Brazilian Malaria Incidence from Environmental, Economic and Spatial Factors in Amazon and Extra Amazon Region

Malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium and its infection can occur in several ways, being the most common through the bite of the female mosquito Anopheles darling. The life cycle of the vector is related to the dynamics of the ecosystem that lives, situations such as global warming generate a great concern regarding the possible amplification of the reproduction capacity of vectors according to climate change. These diseases are much more frequent in regions where the climate is tropical, such as Brazil. The incidence of the vector is characterized by several factors, such as biological, ecological, sociopolitical, cultural, and economic factors, the latter influence health expenditures in Brazil regarding the preventive measures of infection. The economic impact includes expenses with any health care, lost service days, loss of classes in the education system, as well as lower-income at work due to brain injuries, among others. Malaria breeds poverty and poverty breeds Malaria. Through the Factorial Planning method: A brief review, data were collected in all Brazilian regions affected by the disease. The research strategy consisted of the use of the keywords in English: 1. Climate Change in Brazil; 2. Anopheles Darling vector life cycle; 3. Impact of climate change on the life cycle of Anopheles Darling; 4. Sensitive socioeconomic factors. Finally, this set of data suggests that public health programs act strategically in the population conjuncture, on the fronts of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.