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542. The Doha Round and Beyond: Towards a lasting relationship between the WTO and the international environmental regime
- Author:
- Richard Tarasofsky and Alice Palmer
- Publication Date:
- 02-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Chatham House
- Abstract:
- The vast majority of the world's governments have signed up to both the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the major multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). However, the relationship between these bodies of law is a troubled one. There are potential conflicts between the rules and procedures, as well as areas where more positive synergies between policy objectives have yet to be achieved. The net effect is legal and political uncertainty, impeding optimal global governance of both trade and environment objectives. In particular, as pressures grow to develop more stringent economic obligations to address global climate change problems, there is an increasing possibility of a damaging clash between the WTO and MEA regimes. This paper sets out options for avoiding these conflicts and building positive relationship between international trade and environmental objectives.
- Topic:
- International Law, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, and Treaties and Agreements
543. Transfers from Migrants to their Children: Evidence that Altruism and Cultural Factors Matter
- Author:
- Seymour Spilerman, François-Charles Wolff, and Claudine Attias-Donfut
- Publication Date:
- 12-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University
- Abstract:
- This paper focuses on the determinants of financial inter vivos transfers by migrants living in France in 2003 to their adult children. From a theoretical viewpoint, such transfers may be explained either by altruism or by exchange. While parents would direct their assistance to their less well off children under altruism, support should be channeled to children who live nearby their parents under the exchange motive. We assess the relevance of these two motives using the French PRI survey. Unequal sharing is frequently observed and children are more likely to receive financial transfers when they are in poor circumstance, but not necessarily when living in proximity to parents. We also emphasize the role of cultural factors as determinants of the parental allocation among children. Muslim parents, in particular, are more likely to make transfers to sons than to daughters.
- Topic:
- Economics, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, Migration, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- France
544. Global Investigative Journalism: Strategies for Support
- Author:
- David E. Kaplan
- Publication Date:
- 12-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- National Endowment for Democracy
- Abstract:
- Fueled by globalization, international aid, and the efforts of journalism groups, the worldwide practice of investigative reporting has grown dramatically since the fall of communism began in 1989. The field's emphasis on public accountability and targeting of crime and corruption has attracted millions of dollars in media development funding from international donors, who see it as an important force in promoting rule of law and democratization. Support of investigative journalism, however, has been identified as a major gap in international media assistance, marked by funding that is largely uncoordinated and episodic and that makes up but a small fraction of that spent on overall media development. Veteran trainers and organizers broadly agree that sustained programs, support of nonprofit investigative journalism centers, and adherence to high standards can produce impressive results both in fostering public accountability and in building a professional news media.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Globalization, International Political Economy, and Mass Media
545. U.S. Public and Private Funding of Independent Media Development Abroad
- Author:
- Peter Graves
- Publication Date:
- 12-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- National Endowment for Democracy
- Abstract:
- U.S. efforts to develop an independent media sector abroad are a relatively recent phenomenon. Both public and private funders have supported journalism training since World War II, but some of the most significant opportunities to develop the independent media sector came after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since most media in Eastern European countries and the former Soviet republics were controlled by the state during the Cold War, the fall of communism spurred American interest in developing free and independent media in these countries as a building block toward transparent and democratic societies.
- Topic:
- Cold War and International Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, and America
546. Declining Poverty in Latin America? A Critical Analysis of New Estimates by International Institutions
- Author:
- Ann Helwege and Melissa B.L. Birch
- Publication Date:
- 09-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University
- Abstract:
- Indicators of progress in overcoming poverty in Latin America have been heralded recently by international institutions. Yet a closer look at data from the World Bank and the United Nations reveals contradictions that are not easily resolved by reference to the underlying methodologies. This paper provides an introduction to how poverty is measured, what the data indicate about trends in poverty, and reasons to tread cautiously in interpreting it as evidence of progress or stagnation. While significant progress has been achieved in a few large countries, the poorest countries are still very poor, and some countries have even seen increases in their poverty rates despite economic growth.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, Poverty, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- Latin America
547. L'analyse de la « rivalité » dans les relations internationales. Le cas de l'Inde et de la Chine
- Author:
- Renaud Egreteau
- Publication Date:
- 12-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales
- Abstract:
- L'émergence de la Chine et de l'Inde suscite depuis peu de nombreux débats scientifiques. Caractérisé par le développement de la croissance, des échanges commerciaux et des dépenses militaires, par la possession d'un arsenal nucléaire et par la revendication d'ambitions diplomatiques mondiales, l'essor des deux géants asiatiques suscite la fascination et l'inquiétude. Entre les lieux communs, l'imaginaire collectif et les travaux scientifiques, l'air du temps est aux interrogations quant à l'avenir de l'Asie et à l'évolution des puissances indienne et chinoise. Après avoir brièvement décrit leur émergence concrète sur la scène internationale, nous essaierons d'analyser la montée en puissance des deux géants et leur éventuelle trajectoire de collision au regard d'un concept peu développé dans les relations internationales, celui de « rivalité ». L'étude de ce phénomène, qui s'est constitué en objet de recherche théorique dans les années 1990, nous permettra de voir si l'Inde et la Chine peuvent se concevoir comme des « puissances rivales ».
- Topic:
- International Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, India, and Asia
548. Innovation and Adaptability in a Digital Era: How Wealthy Nations Stay Wealthy
- Author:
- Tobias Schulze-Cleven, Bartholemew C. Watson, and John Zysman
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy
- Abstract:
- The challenge for the advanced countries is to stay wealthy in a rapidly evolving and ever more competitive global economy. As a new digital era emerges and the mechanisms of value creation – i.e. the engines of productivity and growth – change in volatile marketplaces, wealthy nations have to find new ways to adapt. Particularly in Europe, successful adjustment has often been posed as a choice between social protection and market flexibility. In this paper, we recast this all too common framing and emphasize instead that competitive advantage for the advanced countries may be built through appropriate social policy. Upon clarifying the character of competition in the emerging digital era, we argue that the long-standing strong social protection systems particularly in many European countries could be leveraged to these countries' unique advantage in the emerging digital era. With such benefits as promoting social peace and assisting people in meeting new labour market demands, social protection systems have an important role to play in helping societies reorganize existing economic structures in support of successful adaptation to new competitive conditions.
- Topic:
- Economics, Globalization, International Political Economy, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- Europe
549. Competency Based Regional Growth Strategies: Creating Value in a Digital Global Age
- Author:
- John Zysman, Niels Christian Nielsen, Dan Breznitz, and Derek Wong
- Publication Date:
- 09-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy
- Abstract:
- The policy objective for governments is classic and enduring: sustain the growth of employment and productivity to assure expanding real incomes of the citizens. Success requires that “under free and fair market conditions, the community (firms and populace) can produce goods and services that meet the test of international markets while simultaneously expanding the real income of its citizens.” Yet, the logic of competition and value creation in global markets has evolved. Consequently, old strategies of simply supporting the competitiveness of particular national flag firms or chasing smokestacks are clearly obsolete, but merely investing in R or education is not sufficient, and doing nothing is a formula for decline. Regions have to conceive new strategies to find distinctive advantages to support employment and productive activity. Those strategies will need to target competencies, not particular firms or specific sectors. Our argument begins by considering the basic shifts in global markets that are altering the logic of value creation for firms; it then considers how these market shifts alter the policy choices for places and makes competency domains a necessary foundation of policy analysis.
- Topic:
- Globalization, International Political Economy, and Science and Technology
550. Towards a Dynamic Model of the Interplay Between International Institutions
- Author:
- Howard Loewen
- Publication Date:
- 02-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies
- Abstract:
- International institutions increasingly affect each other's development, maintenance and effectiveness. Research so far has merely focused on the issue of effectiveness and broader consequences. The paper argues firstly that theoretical progress could be promoted by integrating variables explaining the formation and maintenance of international institutions into a dynamic model of institutional interplay. Secondly, research ought to be extended to institutions governing issue areas like trade, finance, and security as well as their respective interactions. Thirdly, East Asia is a highly interesting region regarding regime interaction, since regional cooperation is slowly but steadily evolving in different issue areas as a reaction to institutional operations on the global level of governance.
- Topic:
- Government, International Organization, and International Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- Israel and East Asia