The global welfare effects of international environmental cooperation

This study explores the global welfare effects of international environmental agreements (IEAs) that coordinate emission policies between exporter countries. We show that, when export markets are imperfectly competitive, IEAs might cause a global welfare loss even if non-signatories benefit from lower emission levels. This result is due to a loss of consumer surplus in importer countries. From a global welfare perspective, the desirability of IEAs depends on the size of the domestic market for the export good and the harmfulness of emissions.Strategic environmental policy, international environmental agreements

A Bureaucratic Bias? EU Election Observation Missions in Africa: Between Independence and Development Industry. EU Diplomacy Paper 03/2017

The European Union is the second provider of Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) worldwide. It is partly to the credit of ‘Normative Power Europe’ that international election monitoring has become an international norm. This paper develops a framework which conceptualises EOMs as ‘dealers of legitimacy’ in a foreign political marketplace, due to their ability to endorse or condemn (parts of) electoral processes. This role of EOMs gives a particular importance to the question of their independence: can they be subjected to interferences, why and through which processes? While standardisation ensures a high level of neutrality throughout the span of EOMs, significant glitches make them prone to episodic interest-driven interference. Based on secondary literature and interviews with a range of practitioners, this paper develops the argument of a ‘bureaucratic bias’ of a donor and democracy promoter, which accounts for some of the breaches of EOM independence. This bias is linked to the conditionality of development aid and the possibility of its suspension in case the government in power loses too much international legitimacy – to which a negative EOM report contributes. Policy recommendations include a modification of the final phases of the EOM

Addiction: the colonization of rituals

What is addiction? Since its transformation as a word in the late 19th century, not only has it taken on the form of a scientific concept, but it also contains a complex social-historical component that tells a story of how and why addiction is now conceived of as a harmful and deviant behaviour. The objective of this text is to highlight how addiction fundamentally eclipses scientific discourses and instead functions as a social concept in the interests of colonization – comprised of forces of State and capitalism. Based on a critical reading of Mircea Eliade’s The Sacred and the Profane, we will find that the colonizing forces of State and capitalism express the post-modern form of the sacred, wherein rituals that sustain the sacred world are deemed good and promoted, whereas those rituals which threaten the State or capitalist mode of being are classified as bad, or profane. Thus, we will contrast the figure of the sports fanatic through his/her participation on online forums as they exhibit institutional characteristics of addiction, to the criminalized and demonized subjects and objects of addiction, with the intent of portraying two forms of institutional addiction with contrasting relations to colonial ideals. Moreover, in three films by Satyajit Ray (The Music Room, The Chess Players, and Charulata), we will not only see how social processes delineate the primary nature of the drug/user relationship which characterizes addiction, but also how forces of colonization repurpose rituals to serve colonial ideals. By tracing the transformation of the word addiction to authoritative relations with drunkenness, it will become evident how the impositions of morality and higher social forces have made addiction a social tool and a concept irreconcilable with scientific theories. Finally, in contrasting texts by Gabor Maté, Bruce Alexander and Stanton Peele, with texts by Harry Levine, Alfred Lindesmith and Thomas Szasz, we will see distinguishing types of discourses which attempt to address the problem ‘what is addiction?

A Framework for Exploring and Evaluating Mechanics in Human Computation Games

Human computation games (HCGs) are a crowdsourcing approach to solving computationally-intractable tasks using games. In this paper, we describe the need for generalizable HCG design knowledge that accommodates the needs of both players and tasks. We propose a formal representation of the mechanics in HCGs, providing a structural breakdown to visualize, compare, and explore the space of HCG mechanics. We present a methodology based on small-scale design experiments using fixed tasks while varying game elements to observe effects on both the player experience and the human computation task completion. Finally we discuss applications of our framework using comparisons of prior HCGs and recent design experiments. Ultimately, we wish to enable easier exploration and development of HCGs, helping these games provide meaningful player experiences while solving difficult problems.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Possibilities for socially responsible entrepreneurship at Croatian natural and organic cosmetics market

This paper focuses on somewhat underused window of opportunity and unrecognized entrepreneurial possibilities at Croatian natural and organic cosmetics market. There is a unique opportunity for starting a company in Croatia which will produce and sell cosmetic products of natural and organic origin. The aim of this research is to analyse the existing market situation and entrepreneurial climate for starting such a business, and to define general business goals and correct positioning of the new brand. The global natural and organic cosmetics market will grow up to 22 billion USD in 2024. The attractiveness of this industry in Croatia is influenced by barriers to entry such as consumers’ price sensitivity and strong competitive brands. By choosing the optimal sales and communication channels, the company will be able to reach the consumers, achieve greater brand awareness and larger market share. Marketing and financial goals should be related to social goals, such as opening of job vacancies, rising of awareness with Croatian citizens on the importance of conscientious treatment of nature, and educating them on toxic substances in regular cosmetic products. The main risks which the entrepreneur can expect include unwillingness of consumers in Croatia to accept the new brand and a general incomprehension of ecological business focus. If the company implements new technologies and integrates in its business environmentally friendly actions along with ethics in branding, advertising and marketing activities, it will be able to develop competitive advantage through recognizable reputation which will affect consumers\u27 attitudes and purchase intentions. Developing a socially responsible business strategy should include a list of social projects that will be supported by the company and most appreciated by the community. In this research, online sources covering natural and organic cosmetics were used, together with books and scientific articles on social responsibility, marketing ethics, entrepreneurship and branding