Conflicts raged across Latin America for many decades. But what exactly brought peace? Purely military ‘solutions’ or more social interventions linked to welfare spending, reduced inequalities, and institutional trust? Across Central Asia, return migration is often linked to greater entrepreneurship and economic development. But how clear, lasting and voluntary is this link? Globally, scientific knowledge is key to developing nano medical technologies. But what countries are leading ...
Food security is doubly threatened by climate change and population growth. Could better storage technologies address some of these challenges, in Ethiopia for example? Meanwhile, China is providing more and more development assistance across Africa. But how does this affect individuals in terms of wealth and educational attainment? Finally, migration is often stressful but what are the long-term health effects on children, in Eastern Europe for example? These are just a few of the questions tac...
March 2018 marks the relaunch of two online group-based courses: ‘Introduction to Political Science’ and ‘Governance in Theory and Practice’, which will now start at fixed intervals. Course coordinator Dr. Mindel van de Laar spoke with one of our long-term tutors, Biljana Meshkovska, about this small but important innovation. … You’re the tutor for two of our online courses: ‘Introduction to Political Science’ and ‘Governance in Theory and Practice’. We sometimes see staff rotation, but yo...
Many institutions play a vital role in sub-Saharan aid effectiveness — but how important is donor specialisation? Foreign-owned firms are more likely to cooperate with foreign universities — but is this true across Europe? And when it comes to regulating the digital economy, are we moving towards a ‘win-win’ or a ‘lose-lose’ scenario in WTO policymaking? These are just a few of the questions tackled by our researchers in January 2018 — in two policy briefs, fo...
Innovation spurs employment across South Asia — but what kind of innovation and in what industries? More and more states are investing in social protection for their citizens — but how do countries compare in the latest indices? And many Afghan migrants pass through Greece and Turkey — but why do some stay while others continue on to other European countries? These are just a few of the questions tackled by our researchers in December 2017 — in two book chapters, four PhD disse...
Across Africa, mobile broadband has helped drive technological development. But as one problem is solved another arises — like the growing digital divide between men and women, and urban and rural areas. How can public policies narrow these gaps? In post-conflict states, e-government ‘solutions’ can streamline official workloads. But how far do they influence reconstruction? In India, the spread of diarrhoea is not only about access to sanitation but also about engrained habits...
In Ethiopia, firms innovate to improve their competitiveness. But do they, or would they, innovate to reduce their environmental footprint? If not, should the government encourage change through incentives or sanctions? In Latin America, there is normally some interplay between research institutions and private companies. But how close or intense are these partnerships, and to what end? Worldwide, migration can be a harrowing experience, driving some into drug and substance abuse. But for new ar...
The situation in Catalonia is critical, given that its drive for independence is opposed by the Spanish authorities. The Catalan government calls for dialogue - but the Spanish government makes it conditional on compliance with the Spanish constitutional and legal system. The commission refuses to interfere in this arguably domestic dispute, claiming a lack of a formal basis, and it stresses the need to fully respect the Spanish constitutional order and the rule of law....
How are policymakers involved in innovation trajectories? What is sextortion and why should it be defined as a form of corruption and a criminal offence? How does economic diversification occur, or in other words, is strategic diversification required to increase economic complexity or are market incentives sufficient to drive this process of catching-up? These are just a few of the questions tackled by our researchers in September 2017 — in six journal articles, two reports, and eleven working ...
The APPAM International Conference 2017 lived up to its theme of ‘Public Policy and Governance Beyond Borders’ – not least thanks to the academics, analysts, practitioners and students who joined from all around the world. I had the opportunity to present a paper on ‘Metropolitan Governance Cooperation and CO2 Transport Emission’, which I’m currently working on with Dr. Tatiana Skripka....