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Begin New Search Political Geography Global Focus Publication Year within 10 Years

1231. Exploring shades of corruption tolerance: three lessons from Iceland and Sweden.

Author:
Gissur Ólafur Erlingsson and Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson
Publication Date:
06-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Quality of Government Institute, University of Gothenburg,
Abstract:
The longstanding debate on whether foreign aid promotes development suggests that aid’s efficacy depends on conditions in recipient states. Advocates of gender equality argue that empowering women is desirable not only in its own right but also as a means to other sought-after outcomes. We bring together these issues and argue that women’s empowerment in aid-receiving countries should enhance the effect of foreign aid on child development outcomes. We find support for this argument in analyses of up to 107 developing countries from 1986-2010. Our results indicate that aid is associated with greater reductions in infant mortality where women are more empowered. Furthermore, we find that among the different dimensions of empowerment—political, economic and social—political participation has the strongest and most consistent mediating effect on foreign aid. Our work has implications for research on aid effectiveness, the consequences of gender equality, and the politics of presence
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1232. Trust, Values, and Quality of Government: Exploring Interactions Between Individual and Contextual Level Determinants of Environmental Tax Suppor

Author:
Dragana Davidovic
Publication Date:
06-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Quality of Government Institute, University of Gothenburg,
Abstract:
Environmental taxes are argued to be the key to more effective environmental protection in developing countries. This paper investigates whether such taxes have the necessary public support to be successfully implemented in different contexts, including countries outside the Western and European spheres. Applying a multilevel analysis approach, using data from the World Values Survey and International Social Survey Programme, interaction effects between values, political and social trust, and perceived quality of government (QoG) are explored. It is hypothesized that if people lack trust in public authorities to implement green taxes in an efficient, fair and uncorrupt manner, they will be less likely to support such taxes despite their strong pro-environmental values or trust in other people. The results show that people holding green values are more likely to support environmental taxes if they live in countries with high levels of QoG. Moreover, the effect of social trust on support for green taxes appears to be contingent on individual-level political trust rather than the quality of government institutions. These interactions need further exploration since they vary across countries and datasets. While support for environmental taxes is found to be relatively high in some developing countries, public aversion towards higher taxes for environmental protection is still relatively high internationally.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1233. Why Support International Redistribution? Corruption and Public Support for Aid in the Eurozone.

Author:
Monika Bauhr and Nicholas Charron
Publication Date:
06-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Quality of Government Institute, University of Gothenburg,
Abstract:
What factors explain public support for international redistribution? While the European Union has sent billions of taxpayers’ money to over indebted euro countries in an attempt to avoid an economic collapse, these transfers have encountered fierce resistance among both donor and recipient constituents. However, we know surprisingly little about why citizens support or oppose redistribution within the EU. This paper suggests that domestic levels of corruption and institutional quality may be one of the most important explanations for the great variation in public support for financial assistance and aid. Using recent European Elections Survey data merged with data on regional level quality of government, we show that the effects of institutional quality are consistently stronger than macro-economic factors, including economic development, inequality or levels of public debt. We find strong evidence that citizens’ in low corrupt contexts are more likely to support financial assistance to fellow member states. The results have implications for future challenges in securing public support for EU economic integration as well as for our understanding of how and why corruption undermines society’s collective action capacity
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1234. Germany and the V4: renewed cooperation opportunities in the new political context

Author:
Kamil Frymark
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
Germany’s collaboration with Central European countries, and especially the Visegrad Group (V4) is often perceived through the prism of political differences that have arisen from divergent visions of the future EU migration policy and debates on the rule of law. Simultaneously, new opportunities to deepen the already existing cooperation may appear due to the turmoil in Germany’s domestic politics as well as the international environment..
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1235. Czechia between V4 and the EU: the impact of migration on Visegrad cohesion

Author:
Vladislav Strnad
Publication Date:
09-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
The Visegrad Group (V4) has responded to the migration crisis by an unexpectedly unified and consistent position , which was symptomatic of its identity shift. The long-term confrontation with the European Migration and Asylum Policy, the political changes in Poland and Hungary, the illiberal rhetoric of Visegrad politicians as well as the conflict with the European Commission have significantly influenced the position of V4 and the Czech Republic in Europe.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1236. New Security Challenges from a Visegrad 4 Perspective

Author:
Martin Michelot
Publication Date:
09-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
Martin Michelot and Martin Macq wrote an introductory chapter for the new IFAT's (The Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade) publication on the security challenges for the V4 countries. The chapter wrote by our researchers focuses on the military security and military cooperation of Visegrad Four countries. The main topic for discussion is especially the dual membership of both countries in NATO and in the EU - which is trying to build-up its own military structures notably in the recent years.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1237. Labour market reform and Visegrad countries: Deep rooted concerns and how to address them

Author:
Alena Kudzko
Publication Date:
01-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
Issues of labour mobility and labour markets have been among the most contentious discussions on the crowded EU agenda of the past couple years. Proposals calling for reform of the regulations on posted workers and for the enhancement of social rights, advocated primarily by Western countries - including most notably France - and the EU Commission, have been accompanied by both domestic and EU-wide squabbling. Visegrad countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) have often found themselves on the defensive, seeking at once to both fend off accusations of “social dumping” and foil the undesired reforms. They fear that some of the proposals on labour reform fail to coincide with their economic interests and the principle of the free market, or perceive them as an encroachment of the EU Commission on national competencies
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1238. Preparations for the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 – chances and challenges for Central Europe

Author:
Andrzej Sadecki
Publication Date:
02-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
At first glance, reaching an agreement on the next MFF could seem easier than for its previous iterations. The MFF 2014-2020 was negotiated against the backdrop of a financial crisis which put significant strains on the member states, particularly those in the the Eurozone. Currently, economic growth has returned to the European Union and the economic sentiments have reached their highest levels since 2000s . Nevertheless, some key political developments will affect and complicate the process of finding a consensus on the next MFF. Firstly, the negotiations on the post 2020- MFF will coincide with two major processes underpinning the future of European integration: the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and the debate on the reform of the Eurozone. Secondly, some stakeholders see Brexit as an opportunity to substantially reform the MFF and the EU budget, which in turn widened the debate to the future of main EU policies, and could breach the fragile balance between the various interests of the member states that functioned in this sphere until now.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1239. The Chicago Climate Charter: North American Cities taking Action On Climate Change

Author:
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Abstract:
On December 4–5, 2017, the City of Chicago hosted the North American Climate Summit in partnership with C40 and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. This was the first time a US climate summit convened following President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. Featuring remarks from former President Barack Obama, the summit brought together mayors from around the world to define collective, city-level actions and commitments to combat climate change. At the time of this publication, upward of 70 cities have signed the Chicago Climate Charter, affirming their commitment to address climate change within their cities
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

1240. Reducing Urban Violence: A Common Vision for the Western Hemisphere

Author:
Flavia Carbonari
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Abstract:
For over a decade now, the Americas have had the highest rates of lethal violence in the world, making violent crime part of the daily life of millions of citizens across the region. In 2017, 47 of the 50 most violent cities in the world were located in the Western Hemisphere. Reducing crime and violence in urban centers has become a top priority for citizens and governments of the United States and Latin American countries alike. Rather than attempting to tackle these challenges on their own, cities across the Americas should learn from one another, exchange experiences and best practices that work, and understand the contexts in which certain strategies are effective.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus