Journal on Political Sciences & International Relations
Editor In Chief Mengzhong Zhang Professor MPA Program Director Gannon University USA ORCID: 0000-0002-5561-0979 Journal of Political Sciences & International Relations (JPSIR) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal publishing original research and scholarly perspectives in Political Science, International Relations, Governance, Diplomacy, Public Policy, Security Studies, and related fields. Article acceptance will be in the form of Research, Review, Case Reports, Magazines, Editorials, Opinion, Communications, Mini-Review, Short Communications, Image Articles, Book Review, Video type and Power Point Presentations (PPTS). The journal promotes interdisciplinary research, international perspectives, academic integrity, and accessible knowledge sharing for researchers, academics, practitioners, and policymakers. You can submit articles thorough online: https://srcpublishers.com/political-sciences-international/user/register or through E-mail attachment: politicalsciences@onlinescientificresearch.info 0.35 Impact Factor 84.5% Citations 90% Acceptance
Five or Ten Tonnes? Point-of-Origin Audit Triggers, Global Used Cooking Oil Trade,
Used cooking oil (UCO) has become a strategically important feedstock for hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA)-based sustainable aviation fuel because it combines technological maturity with the circular-economy appeal of recovering a waste lipid. Its climate value, however, depends on whether the feedstock is genuinely used oil, accurately quantified, traceable to its point of origin, and protected against duplication or substitution. This qualitative literature review examines differences between the point-of-origin requirements of International Sustainability and Carbon Certification for the European Union and for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. It clarifies that the frequently cited 5- and 10-metric-tonne figures are not limits on trade, certification eligibility, or SAF production. They are risk-based triggers determining which non-individually certified points of origin enter the population for sample-based on-site auditing. ISCC EU applies a 5-tonne monthly or 60-tonne annual trigger based principally on volume supplied, whereas the publicly accessible ISCC CORSIA provisions apply a 10-tonne monthly or 120-tonne annual trigger based on volume generated. The lower EU trigger potentially strengthens fraud deterrence and market confidence but enlarges the audit population, increases transaction costs, and may disadvantage fragmented suppliers. The higher CORSIA trigger supports proportionality but leaves more medium-sized generators outside routine on-site sampling. The article concludes that interoperability, persistent point-of-origin identifiers, cross-collector volume aggregation, digital traceability, plausibility testing, auditor competence, and transparent national UCO balances are more important than numerical harmonization alone.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal on Political Sciences & International Relations
From Pacific Warming to Global Economic Stress: El Niño Exposure, Transmission Channels, and an Integrated Agenda for Anticipatory Economic Resilience: A Review
El Niño is commonly described as a climatic disturbance, yet its economic consequences are better understood as a networked shock that travels through food systems, water and energy systems, labor markets, public health, trade, logistics, fiscal accounts, and inflation. This qualitative literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed evidence published since 2020 and uses a ten-economy Asian exposure scorecard as an empirical organizing device. The scorecard highlights large cross-country differences in net food trade, food and staple weights in consumer prices, agricultural value added, agricultural employment, and aggregate structural vulnerability. India, the Philippines, and Indonesia display the highest aggregate exposure in the scorecard, while Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea exhibit lower direct agricultural sensitivity but remain exposed through imported food, energy, exchange-rate, and logistics channels. The review shows that realized losses cannot be inferred mechanically from exposure scores because El Niño effects are nonlinear, geographically heterogeneous, and conditioned by event type, forecast uncertainty, stocks, irrigation, trade structure, fiscal space, social protection, and institutional capacity. The central policy implication is that governments should treat forecast lead time as an economic asset. A forecast-to-finance-to-action framework is proposed to connect seasonal climate information with sectoral risk translation, pre-agreed triggers, contingent financing, targeted interventions, and post-event learning. Global resilience therefore requires differentiated national measures combined with regional trade coordination, shared early warning systems, strategic reserves, climate-resilient agriculture, energy-water planning, public-health preparedness, and anticipatory social protection.
Earmarks: Motivation for the U. S. Congress’ Continued Use of Omnibus Appropriations Bills in the Budget Process
Several articles have been written about Congress’ continued use of omnibus appropriations bills in its yearly programmatic budget allocations or funding. This congressional behavior started in the 1982 Fiscal Year after its initial, but experimental, introduction to the budget process in 1950. In some of the literature, writers appear to have laid much emphases on what they perceive as negative repercussions emanating from the excessive use of omnibus appropriations bills but without sufficiently delving into the conditions that have motivated this congressional behavior. Given this gap, therefore, an attempt is made, in this study, to establish a direct correlation between Congress’ contemporary use of omnibus appropriations bills relative to the underlying political and structural considerations that facilitate or drive this behavior. The specific rationale underlying this effort is to demonstrate that, for as long as Congress-members continue to be confronted by these political and structural factors, over which they may have very little or no control, the use of omnibus appropriations bills in the budget process, along with their corresponding multiplicity of earmarks will continue into the unforeseeable future.
Beyond the Brussels Carbon Order: Rebalancing Global Carbon Politics, Trade Justice, and the Right to Development
The European Union has converted domestic climate ambition into a form of global regulatory power through the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This qualitative literature review examines whether that emerging Brussels-centred carbon order can remain environmentally effective and politically legitimate when its adjustment costs are disproportionately borne by developing economies. Drawing on journal literature published mainly since 2020, the article synthesizes scholarship on global carbon politics, the Brussels Effect, carbon leakage, border adjustment, deforestation-free supply chains, climate justice, and the right to development. It finds that EU instruments can stimulate cleaner production and improve supply-chain transparency, but also transmit measurement, reporting, verification, traceability, certification, and financing costs down value chains in regressive ways. These effects can operate as non-tariff barriers even when the measures pursue legitimate environmental objectives and are formally imposed on EU importers. Palm oil illustrates the problem clearly: although palm oil is not a CBAM commodity, EUDR and related European sustainability rules can exclude smallholders whose environmental performance may be acceptable but whose land records, geolocation data, or chain-of-custody systems remain incomplete. The article argues that durable global carbon governance requires more than unilateral diffusion of European rules. It proposes an inclusive compact based on co-design, differentiated obligations, losojudijantobumn@gmail.com recognition of equivalent policies, revenue recycling, technology transfer, smallholder-centred traceability, and accessible review mechanisms. Climate leadership will command followers only when decarbonization is aligned with distributive justice and credible development pathways.
South Africa and BRICS: Assessing the Flying Geese Strategy asa Re-Distributional Mechanism for Inclusive Economic Gains
Almost a decade and a half has passed since South Africa joined BRICS in 2010 and it is yet to reap the full economic benefits and advantages which it was promised. For this reason, this article assesses the extent to which the ‘Flying Geese’ model can assist South Africa, as a late comer to BRICS, to catch up with the other members within the grouping by expanding its market presence. It will do so by examining the GDP composition of each of the original BRICS member states between 2010 and 2022 in order to identify which labour-intensive economic activities may be passed down from the so-called “lead goose”, being China, to the latecomer, South Africa. It will analyse the extent to which BRIC nations have shifted its production from consumer to capital goods and whether this is reflected in the grouping’ sexports, as suggested by the Flying Geese model. The article will also make brief use of the Cobb-Douglas production function to showcase the relationship between output and production inputs within BRICS. This article earmarks the textile manufacturing industry as one such sector for consideration. Textile manufacturing activitiesare already being relinquished from China to India, and indeed a newcomer, Ethiopia. It provides recommendations and caveats for the plausible adoption of this development strategy for the BRICS+ group as a means to strengthen South Africa’s manufacturing base, and thereby help address its pressing socioeconomic concerns of high youth unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment.
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Political Sciences & International Relations
Contradictions of Nigeria’s Federalism; Investigating the Implicationsof Geographical Imbalance on Secessionist Agitiations And Tensionsin Nigeria
Nigeria’s federalism has been contending with severe working and constitutional/institutional challenges. These challenges which range from political to economic and social has resulted in the vociferation for the political restructuring and rearrangement of the country. The inability of the country to espouse and practice federalism effectively which is indicated in the over-centralization of powers/functions on the central government has brought ethnic conflicts, political turmoil, marginalization of some ethnic groups, corruption, lack of good governance instead of peace, development and administrative ease. This study, therefore, investigates if the failure to address the geographical imbalance in representation accounts for the rise in secessionist agitations and tension in Nigeria, with its focus on the separatist agitations amongst the Igbo indigenous group in south-eastern Nigeria. The modern classic theory of federalism was adopted as our theoretical framework. The documentary method of data collecting and the qualitative descriptive approach of data analysis were both used in the study. This study revealed that although Nigeria federalism was purposely adopted by the foundational policymakers to purportedly eradicate ethnic dominance and inspire the component units to progress and advance at a different speed, The establishment of an unjust, imbalanced, and hypercentralized federal structure during the previous military administration did countless harms to the foundational elements of Nigeria’s federal system by promoting ethnic dominance and submitting the constituent units to the financial hegemony of the center. The Igbos of the South-East region of Nigeria hasb een the victim of this hyper-centralized federal structure and ethnic subjugation over the years, hence, the incessant rise in the emergence and activities of separatist and pro-independence movements in the region. Consequently, the study recommended an all-inclusive restructuring and reorganization of the political system of Nigeria by adopting a firm, even and appropriate Federal composition that will encompass state or regional independence and autonomy when it concerns governmental powers and fiscal resources.
Scientific Literacy is A Valuable Tool for Modern Politicians AComprehensive Analysis
Scientific literacy plays a pivotal role in shaping informed decision-making, and its importance extends beyond academia to significantly impact modern politicians’ effectiveness. This paper explores the critical relationship between scientific literacy and political leadership, emphasising the role of well-informed policymakers in addressing complex societal challenges. Drawing on existing literature and empirical evidence, we delve into the multifaceted aspects of scientific literacy and its potential as a powerful tool for guiding evidence-based policy formulation and implementation. Through an in-depth analysis, we aim to underscore the need to foster scientific literacy among politicians to enhance their ability to navigate the intricacies of contemporary issues.
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal on Political Sciences & International Relations
The main argument of this paper is to project how diplomacy can be used as the new tool for deterrence. In addition to conventional methods of deterrence, diplomacy is also considered to be an alternative tool. India has jumped on the bandwagon of using its diplomatic clout towards global engagement, addressing pressing issues of human sufferance, security and world order. India’s diplomatic advances have bypassed the South Asian region, after giving due preference to its neighbours, with far reaching impacts on its bilateral relations with other global powers in far west and east. India’s timely confrontations with its tough neighbours have posed immense challenges that New Delhi often tactfully decided to handle diplomatically. This paper delivers a detailed study of India’s diplomatic outreaches and how New Delhi has off late placed itself in a position where it can maintain distinctive relationships with individual countries at once. The world rightly acknowledges India’s ability to talk to different countries at different levels at the same time, especially at the time when the global order is very seemingly divided. This puts India at an advantageous position diplomatically, providing it with the ability to use it diplomatic clout as deterrence.
The Effect of Propensity to Savings on Rate of Profit
A suggestion is provided here for making the Classical Approach to the study of prices and income distribution neutral with respect to ideological choices, a move which might perhaps promote progress in Political Economics. In this respect, some flaws commonly attributed to the economic thought of Adam Smith are overcome. Solving them, it is then argued, opens up the possibility of fertile links between a Smithian approach and the John Maynard Keynes’ theory of income and employment. This way, the determination of income distribution might be explained as the outcome of free choices and market mechanisms concerning the prices of commodities too, but this theoretical path could be followed without falling into the inconsistencies arising from capital measurement connected to Marginalism.
Theory of Prices and Income Distribution
Critical Analysis on Intercivilizational Perspective of InternationalLaw
The intercivilizational perspective of international law prefers the diversified civilizations. However, it believes that the 1895 Treaty of Maguan or Shimonoseki between China and Japan had a tremendous significance in world history to end the Sinocentric tribute system, and resulted in the birth of global international law. This article points out that the 1895 Treaty was actually the beginning of Japanese colonies in Asia and to be an imperialistic country until defeated in the second world war. Underlying this perspective, we may find the misunderstandings on some issues such as the evolutionary Chinese civilization with the tribute system, the very beginning of modern international law with the dualistic aspects, and the Chinese attitude towards the contemporary international law. Considering the necessary reflection on the historical events and promotion of further discussion on the intercivilizational perspective of international law, this article intends to make a critical analysis on these issues accordingly.
From Geopolitical Shockwaves to Strategic Resilience: Implicationsof the Geopolitical War for Indonesia’s National Food and EnergySecurity, and the Transformative Role of the Palm Oil Sector
The military offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February 2026 rapidly escalated into one of the most consequential geopolitical crises of the decade, triggering a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and sending shockwaves across global energy, fertilizer, and food commodity markets. This paper employs a qualitative literature review (QLR) methodology to examine two interconnected analytical questions: first, what are the thematic implications of this conflict for Indonesia’s national food security and national energy security, and second, how does the Indonesian palm oil sector contribute to strengthening resilience in both dimensions. Drawing upon peer-reviewed journal articles (2020–2026), institutional analyses, and expert policy commentaries, the study applies thematic synthesis to generate interpretive analytical themes across five major thematic clusters. Findings reveal that Indonesia faces compound vulnerabilities — driven by oil price escalation beyond APBN 2026 assumptions, fertiliser supply disruption due to Hormuz dependency, and food price inflation at 4.76% against a 2.5% target — that simultaneously strain food security in terms of availability and access while creating fiscal unsustainability of energy subsidies. However, as the world’s largest palm oil producer, Indonesia possesses a strategically unique national resilience asset: the sector simultaneously stabilises cooking oil supply (food security function) and reduces fossil fuel import dependence through progressive biodiesel mandates B35 and B40, which generated IDR 120.54 trillion and IDR 123 trillion in foreign exchange savings in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The paper concludes with substantive policy recommendations for cross-sectoral palm oil governance, diversification of fertiliser imports, and an accelerated bioenergy transition as structural responses to geopolitical food-energy vulnerability.
The Impact of Personal Safety on the Individual Radicalization Tendency
Radicalisation works as a global challenge; the interdiscusnal psychological mechanism is normally simplified. This research integrates research about the radicalization process, authoritarian, emotional radicalisation, and political violence, then establishes the three-dimensional framework called cognitive radicalisation, behaviour justification and affective radicalisation. This research is based on the WVS 1981-2022 dataset and the Ologit model to analyse the heterogeneous impact of physical safety, economic security, and trust in families on the three-dimensional radicalisation indexes. The results show that the three types of sense of safety all have protective effects, but their effect pathways are different. The physical safety main releases the hostile emotion (parameter is -0.100). Economic security mainly restricts the cognitive radicalising (parameter is -0.126); trust in family mainly decreases the behaviour of justification (parameter is –0.105). The control variables also have heterogeneous differences among different dimensions. The males are relatively radical in the behavioural level but limited in the level of cognition and emotion, the higher income individuals are milder in the level of cognition and emotion, but the behavioral elastic is higher. Health has a protective impact on all three dimensions, especially on the emotional effect. This research emphasises that the sense of security has a unique function in the different dimensions of radicalisation, indicating that public policy should not be generalized in different situations and ought to accurately intervene in the community’s public safety, economic guarantee and family bonds. In addition, radicalisation may also be triggered by social pathology to some extent; social integration and social equality mechanisms are also important.
Conflict, Gold and Civilian Vulnerability: Evidence from Khor Kaltan, South Sudan
The expansion of artisanal gold mining in fragile and conflict-affected settings has generated new economic opportunities while simultaneously intensifying insecurity and civilian vulnerability. This article examines the 28 March 2026 attack at Khor Kaltan, Central Equatoria, South Sudan, drawing on preliminary field findings from the Khor Kaltan Response and Recovery Initiative (KKRRI). The study analyzes the intersection between informal extractive economies, weak state presence, and patterns of organized violence. It documents the scale of civilian victimization, including fatalities, injuries, and destruction of livelihoods, and situates the incident within broader debates on resource governance and conflict economies. The findings demonstrate that unregulated mining hubs can become high-risk environments where economic concentration, social fragmentation, and security vacuums converge to produce conditions conducive to violent predation. The article argues for integrated policy responses combining security sector reform, regulation of artisanal mining, and community-based resilience mechanisms.
Artisanal Mining, Civilian Victimization, Conflict Economy, South Sudan, Khor Kaltan, Insecurity
State-Capitalism and People’s Welfare: A Review of Prerequisitesto Succeed
State-capitalist models are increasingly recognized for their potential to influence public welfare, yet the conditions under which they succeed remain insufficiently understood. This study systematically reviews and synthesizes empirical evidence to identify the key prerequisites enabling state-capitalist systems to achieve measurable improvements in people’s welfare. The research aims to clarify how institutional quality, state capacity, strategic management of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), industrial policy, and redistribution mechanisms interact to shape welfare outcomes across diverse governance contexts. This research employs a qualitative, systematic literature review (SLR) methodology. Data were collected through a structured search of the Scopus database, which initially yielded 1,428 articles using the keywords “State Capitalism” and “Welfare”. Refinement with targeted terms focusing on governance, institutional quality, policy effectiveness, and state capacity reduced the corpus to 129 articles. Further screening of the publication period 2019–2025 and open-access availability identified 37 peer-reviewed studies eligible for inclusion. The review identifies five major thematic clusters: (1) Institutional Quality and Governance Integrity, (2) Strategic SOE Performance and Welfare Spillovers, (3) State Capacity, Policy Coherence, and Bureaucratic Competence, (4) Industrial Policy, Economic Diversification, and Inclusive Structural Transformation, and (5) Redistribution, Welfare Regimes, and Social Protection Effectiveness. Collectively, these factors explain variations in welfare outcomes, highlighting that state ownership alone is insufficient without strong governance, coherent policies, and effective redistributive systems. In conclusion, state-capitalist systems deliver meaningful welfare improvements when these prerequisites converge, underscoring the need for multidimensional policy design. Future research should examine the longitudinal impacts of statecapitalist strategies and explore sector-specific SOE contributions to welfare to deepen understanding of causal mechanisms.
The Impact of Price Hikes on Consumer Behavior: Assessing thepurchasing habits of consumers in Trishal Upazila
This paper focuses on the effect of price increases on the consumer behaviour with the center of study being the purchasing habits in the Trishal upazila in Bangladesh. Quantitative research design was used and data was gathered using structured questionnaire to 150 randomly selected respondents in four Union Parishads (Trishal, Balipara, Dhanikhola, and Mathbari). To examine the impact of increasing prices on consumer choices, consumption and household budgets, descriptive and inferential statistics analyses were done. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents (59%) cut down on the amount of necessary goods they bought, and others resorted to more affordable options or tried to find what other markets and the Internet offered. Rice, meat, cooking oil, and vegetables were being reported as having significant price increases which directly impacted household spending and the shopping habits. Affordability, quality, and necessity were pointed out by the respondents as main determinants when making decisions in the case of inflationary pressures. Furthermore, they insisted on local governments to control prices, raise subsidies and promote production locally to minimize the reliance on imports. The research finds that increases have a important impact on the purchasing power of rural consumers and their market decisions, which can be helpful to policy makers and companies in designing effective measures to stabilize the economy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Political Sciences & International Relations
Widowers and Cash Transfers in Eastern Africa: ComparativeInsights from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda(2005–2014)
This study investigates widowers’ participation in cash transfer programs across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda between 2005 and 2014. It documents enrollment trends, compares delivery mechanisms, and assesses the adequacy of support using secondary data and comparative analysis. The framework draws on testimonial justice and gender equity to situate widowers’ experiences within debates on social protection and male vulnerability. Findings reveal that widowers remain largely invisible in welfare statistics and policy discourse. While women’s empowerment initiatives expanded, widowers encountered stigma around male dependency, limited institutional recognition, and feelings of diminished masculinity when accessing aid. Comparative insights show that cultural norms, delivery innovations such as mobile money, and policy frameworks shaped experiences differently across countries. Despite improved enrollment and accessibility, transfers were inadequate to meet basic household needs. The study recommends reforms that explicitly recognize widowers as a vulnerable group, align transfer amounts with household needs, and integrate testimonial justice into programme design.
Surprising Historical Counter-Developments in East and West-Germany. Condensed Results of a Socio-Historical Study of the1950s
The inequalities in development between East and West Germany identified in current sociological studie for example, have deep roots in the immediate postwar period [1]. It is surprising that these differences are not based on the obvious systemic discrepancies between socialism and capitalism—but rather on everyday contrasts in work and life, shaped by the specific conditions of practice during the postwar era. This can be con-vincingly demonstrated by comparing two important industrial companies: AG “Weser” in Bremen and the “Neptun” shipyard in Rostock. The presented study focuses on actor typologies and their significance for the social space of both large enterprises. The inter-nal tensions that emerge and reveal drastic deviations make current developmental dis-parities between East and West Germany more comprehensible. The study to which this essay refers is based on intensive research in the company archives and on 67 extensive biographical-narrative interviews with employees of the two shipyards.
U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade and Asia PacificIndustrial Chain Restructuring1 US dominance, Taiwan’s Complianceand China’s Response
The first batch of agreements under the “U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade” will come into effect in December 2024, including five topics: “trade facilitation”, “good legal practices”, “internal regulations in the service industry”, “anti-corruption”, and “small and medium-sized enterprises”. The seven topics that will be negotiated in the future include labor, environment, agriculture, digital trade, etc. The Chinese government has always adhered to the One China principle, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. However,Due to the global trade chaos caused by Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” as well as the huge uncertainty of the results of “reciprocal tariffs” between the United States and other countries in 2025, combined with his governing style, the shortcomings of the initiative, and the need for geopolitical games and alternative solutions, the initiative may move towards two extremes: being substantially abandoned or passively returning. If it can be retained, the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade, as a framework for economic and trade cooperation between the US and Taiwan, will also deepen bilateral economic relations and reconstruct the Asia Pacific industrial chain. Therefore, China’s response is also crucial, and attention should be paid to both, with a focus on quickly achieving equal openness and establishing a community with a shared future for mankind, and working together with Taiwan compatriots to promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation..
U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade
Evaluating the Tumaini Initiative within South Sudan’s Fragile Transitions
South Sudan continues to grapple with escalating instability, a deteriorating security environment, and uneven peace implementation despite signing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2018. In this context, the Tumaini Initiative was launched as an inclusive mediation platform to engage hold-out groups outside the main peace agreement and to support a more comprehensive settlement. This study examined the political and security dimensions of the Tumaini Initiative and assessed whether it represents effective conflict transformation or merely a parallel peacemaking with limited legitimacy. Using qualitative analysis of recent reports and monitoring bodies, the article situates Tumaini within broader national politics, ongoing violations, and regional diplomacy. The findings show that while Tumaini reflects an attempt to broaden inclusion, its structural integration into formal peace mechanisms remains weak, raising questions about its capacity to prevent relapse into widespread violence. The conclusion calls for deeper constitutional integration and more robust support from regional guarantors.
Emerging Trends in the Era of Decolonization: The Examples ofBritish and French African Colonies
This discussion is an extensive delineation of the Emerging Trends in the Era of Decolonization: The Examples of British and French Africa. A number of significant and crucial events saw and preceded colonization in British and French Africa, and historical underpinnings, while recognizing the challenges and struggles emerging from colonization and anti-colonization, uncertainty in decolonization, and the terrains culminating in social issues and problems. The article also discusses the social change regime of modernization and post-colonial imperialism from a stakeholder perspective and achieving equality from stabilization of a modern world.
The Russia-Ukraine War and its Ripple Effects in South Asia: AnExploratory Analysis
The Russia-Ukraine war has profoundly impacted South Asia despite the geographical distance. This study investigates the multifaceted repercussions of the conflict on the region, encompassing economic, political, and social dimensions. The economic fallout, primarily manifested through supply chain disruptions and commodity price surges, has fueled inflation, exacerbated food insecurity, and strained fiscal balances. The war has also complicated the geopolitical landscape, forcing South Asian nations to navigate a delicate balancing act between their ties with Russia and the West, potentially intensifying regional rivalries and increasing Russia’s influence. Socially, the war has disproportionately affected marginalized communities, amplifying existing inequalities and raising concerns about social unrest and political instability. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, relying on a comprehensive review of existing literature, news articles, policy documents, and expert analyses. The findings highlight the interconnectedness of global events and their far-reaching consequences, even in regions seemingly distant from the conflict zone, underscoring the importance of understanding the broader context and the need for a global perspective. The research underscores the urgent need for regional cooperation and a nuanced, proactive approach from regional and international actors to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the war and foster a more resilient and equitable future for South Asia.
Prospects and Challenges of State Capitalism as Economic Policy: A Review
The renewed prominence of state-capitalism in contemporary economic policy debates reflects increasing concerns over market failures, global economic volatility, and the limitations of liberal market–oriented models. Across diverse political economic contexts, governments have expanded their use of state-led instruments to manage strategic sectors, stabilize macroeconomic conditions, and support long-term development. At the same time, the growing role of the state has intensified debates regarding efficiency, governance quality, and global economic integration. This study systematically reviews and synthesizes the contemporary academic literature on state capitalism as an economic policy framework, with a focus on its prospects and challenges across varying institutional environments. This study employs a qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology. Data were collected through a structured search of the Scopus database. An initial search using the keywords “State Capitalism AND Economic Policy” yielded 2,098 articles. Through sequential screening based on relevance, publication period (2020–2025), language, and open-access availability, 39 peer-reviewed journal articles were selected for final analysis. The selected studies were examined using thematic synthesis to identify recurring patterns in conceptual, institutional, economic, and governance-related areas. The review identifies five dominant thematic domains: conceptual diversity and typologies of state-capitalism; policy instruments and institutional mechanisms; economic performance and developmental outcomes; governance risks and market distortions; and political and global integration constraints. The findings indicate that state-capitalism can enhance strategic coordination, crisis resilience, and early-stage development in contexts with strong institutional capacity. However, weak governance structures are associated with persistent challenges, including inefficiency, accountability deficits, elite capture, and international economic frictions. In conclusion, state-capitalism should be understood as a context-dependent economic policy framework whose outcomes are shaped by institutional design, governance quality, and political–economic conditions. Future research should prioritize comparative and longitudinal approaches to better capture the evolving dynamics and long-term implications of state-capitalist policies.
Palm Oil, Environmental Objectivity, and the Political Economyof Trade Discrimination: A Review of International Hypocrisy inAgricultural Trade Policy
This qualitative literature review examines the paradoxical treatment of palm oil in international trade policy, where the most land-efficient and productive vegetable oil faces disproportionate regulatory scrutiny compared to less efficient alternatives. Through thematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature published between 2020 and 2025, this study synthesizes evidence demonstrating palm oil’s superior biophysical characteristics—including yields of 3.3-4.0 tons per hectare (8-10 times higher than soybean, rapeseed, or sunflower) and significant carbon sequestration capacity of 64.5 tons CO2/ha/year—while revealing how environmental narratives mask protectionist motivations. The analysis critically evaluates the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) as a discriminatory instrument that selectively classifies palm oil as “high ILUC-risk” while exempting European-produced oilseeds, despite objective life cycle assessment data indicating palm oil’s lower overall environmental impact. Drawing on World Trade Organization dispute proceedings (DS593, DS600) and extensive empirical research, this review demonstrates that international palm oil discrimination constitutes environmental hypocrisy, driven primarily by economic interests protecting domestic farmers in importing countries rather than genuine sustainability concerns. The study concludes with policy recommendations calling for the enforcement of strict, crop-neutral trade standards based on land-use efficiency to dismantle green neocolonialism, alongside the establishment of a transnational framework that institutionalizes scientific objectivity in global vegetable oil governance.
Navigating The 2026 Global Palm Oil Landscape: A Pestel Analysisof Structural Market Shifts, Trade Policy Dynamics, And the Riseof Eco-Protectionism
As the global palm oil industry approaches the strategic horizon of 2026, it confronts a critical juncture defined by the escalating tension between a fragile post-El Niño supply recovery and the institutionalization of non-tariff trade barriers. This study employs a rigorous Qualitative Literature Review (QLR) utilizing the PESTEL framework to dissect the industry’s outlook for 2025–2026. Synthesizing primary data from the 2026 Palm Oil Outlook Report provided by IPOSS with recent academic literature (2020–2025), the research identifies a fundamental structural shift from land-expansion-based growth to a productivity-driven paradigm, necessitated by a pervasive yield gap where Indonesian productivity (3.68 tons/ha) lags significantly behind Malaysia (4.56 tons/ha). While global production is forecasted to rebound to 83 million tons in 2026, the market is bifurcating. On one side, domestic absorption in Indonesia driven by the B40/B50 bioenergy mandates—provides a price floor but threatens to crowd out export volumes, potentially reducing foreign exchange earnings by displacing up to 2.2 million tons of exportable supply. On the other hand, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) represents the apex of “eco-protectionism,” imposing geolocation requirements that threaten to exclude 40% of smallholders who lack formal land tenure. The analysis concludes that 2026 will be a year of “forced adaptation,” where the industry must navigate a “standards war” between Western sustainability hegemony and Global South development sovereignty. Policy recommendations emphasize the urgent need for a “One Data” policy to bridge the traceability gap and a diplomatic pivot to utilize the recent WTO DS593 victory as a lever for mutual recognition of national standards.
African Diplomacy and its Utility in Handling Electoral ElicitedPolitical Crises: An Analysis of sadc and South African Diplomacyin the 2023 Electoral Dispute in Zimbabwe
African diplomacy plays a crucial role in managing political disputes and electoral crises across the continent. An example of such a crisis is the disputed election in Zimbabwe, which occurred in 2023. Following the election into office of President Emerson Mnangagwa in 2018, the election held in August 2023 was highly anticipated as a potential turning point towards a more democratic future for Zimbabwe. However, the results of the election were contested, with the opposition party, Citizen’s Coalition for Change, alleging electoral irregularities and calling the outcome into question. This sparked widespread unrest and increased tension within the country. African nations and regional organizations such as the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) were pivotal in addressing this dispute and attempting to find a resolution. The AU and the SADC intervened through diplomatic negotiations, urging political leaders to engage in dialogue and find a peaceful solution to the crisis. This paper will analyze the role of African diplomacy in the context of the disputed election in Zimbabwe by examining the actions and strategies employed by the AU and the SADC, as well as their effectiveness in mediating the conflict.
Washington Summit on Ukraine: The Return of Realpolitik andSecret Diplomacy
The organization of the summit by the White House and not by a European capital show that the real center of decision-making for the security and future of Ukraine remains in Washington. European leaders participated, but their role was more confirmatory than leading.
Five Decads Stunck in Underdevlopment: Why Angola ContinuePoor?
After five decades, Angola has proven incapable of breaking out of its cycle of underdevelopment. In this approach, I seek to highlight some evidence that contributes to the failure of the Angolan economy to prosper. Much of this evidence points to the strong contribution of political, administrative, and fiscal centralization to high levels of multidimensional poverty. The past five decades have promoted vicious circles that have contributed to the ability to generate wealth on a private basis. On the other hand, the significantly exclusive institutions that exist have led the economy to stagnation with a strong dependence on international markets, whose economy, lacking the capacity for transformation, has become an economy of expectations based on these markets in particular. On the other hand, the inability to govern naturally reveals the main driver of stagnation in marked underdevelopment, being strongly associated with the inability to generate wealth for the majority.
Spatial Turn: From Geographical to Economic Space
This paper analyzes the different meanings of the term space, which has a significant place in defining appropriate development theories. The starting point is a historical insight into the development of this concept, which was transposed from philosophy into geography), in which it is the primary subject of study. Different interpretations of space during the late 1960s in the fields of philosophy and social theory enabled the emergence of a spatial shift in the social sciences. Thus, there was a break in the development of modernity, and the postmodern period began. This gave special significance to the new methodological framework for interpreting theories of economic development, which showed different interpretations of space a more comprehensive and practical meaning in the regional economy.
The Rise of Corporate “Green Hesitancy” and “Green Hushing”
Thousands of multinational corporations have set ambitious environmental goals and implementation plans to reduce their environmental impacts. Yet analysis paralysis and fear of rebuke for missteps and insufficiency have begun impeding voluntary environmental action across corporate value chains. Corporate environmental action has become like a game of Frogger, where inaction and silence has become safer than taking a step forward to reduce emissions or environmental impacts. There is an opportunity for environmental nonprofits to tackle this commonly discussed yet underreported and veiled issue. With new incentives, user-specific solutions, and new ways to make money from environmental regeneration, environmental nonprofits can better convert corporate environmental action from the game of Frogger to simply the way that corporations do business.
The Importance Of Social Responsibility And Ethics InOrganizational Management
Social responsibility (SR) in the healthcare sector can learn much from the evolving concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The main element of “responsibility” is by nature an ethical concept, addressing the consequences of actions when looking back to the past, and addressing responsibility for what will or must be done when looking forward to the future. Thus, it is a good guide to understanding SR. The “social” part of the term also began initially as a moral concept in interpersonal relationships. Later, society began to take an active role, and its demands began to identify the circumstances that create the right to create responsibility. Starting from the basic concepts involved in organizational management, this paper analyses the major points that motivates administrations to act in a socially responsible manner; in my opinion, social responsibility, understood as ethical responsibility based on virtue ethics may lead management to excellence.