The Politics of Smoke-Free Policies in Developing Countries: Lessons from Africa

The public health rewards of smoke-free policies are well documented. But in their enthusiasm to achieve such policies, public health advocates and policymakers frequently underestimate the political complexity of passing laws, and then implementing and enforcing them. Using 12 African countries as the focus of discussion, this research examines the basic political process for and the barriers to achieving smoke-free policies. Moreover, in addition to the obstacles, it examines why some countries have been experiencing comparatively more success in the smoke-free policy area. The findings of the research suggest strongly that the presence of a vigorous tobacco control civil society movement, some will on the part of government institutions, and active research support contribute significantly to successful smoke-free policies. It is also apparent that the emerging battle fronts in smoke-free policies are in the areas of implementation and enforcement, and while similar variables that affect the passing of new laws also condition these outcomes, there are the added distinct challenges of policy fatigue and additional resource constraints

(WP 2013-08) Economic (In)Security and Gender Differences in Trade Policy Attitudes

Over time and across countries, researchers have noted frequent and mostly unexplained gender differences in the levels of support for policies of free or freer trade: women tend to be less favorable toward policies of liberalizing trade than men. Yet, no well substantiated theoretical or empirical account of the gender component of trade attitudes has emerged. Using an economic security explanation based principally on a mobile factors approach, we find that it is not women generally who are more negative toward trade but particularly economically vulnerable women – i.e. women from the scarce labor factor. We utilize recent survey data on individuals’ attitudes toward different facets of trade and its effects across three disparate regions to examine this phenomenon empirically. An economic security approach helps to explain the marked differences in attitudes toward trade among lower- and higher-skilled females in developing and developed countries

Short-Interval Cortical Inhibition and Rhetoric and the Law, Or the Law of Rhetoric: How Countries Oppose Novel Tobacco Control Measures at The World Trade Organization

The tobacco industry has developed an extensive array of strategies and arguments to prevent or weaken government regulation. These strategies and arguments are well documented at the domestic level. However, there remains a need to examine how these arguments are reflected in the challenges waged by governments within the World Trade Organization (WTO). Decisions made at the WTO have the potential to shape how countries govern. Our analysis was conducted on two novel tobacco control measures: tobacco additives bans (Canada, United States and Brazil) and plain, standardized packaging of tobacco products (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, EU and UK). We analyzed WTO documents (i.e. meeting minutes and submissions) (n = 62) in order to identify patterns of argumentation and compare these patterns with well-documented industry arguments. The pattern of these arguments reveal that despite the unique institutional structure of the WTO, country representatives opposing novel tobacco control measures use the same non-technical arguments as those that the tobacco industry continues to use to oppose these measures at the domestic level

Libraries, Makerspaces and Wargaming

This paper focuses on understanding if public libraries can and should form deeper relationships with wargaming and modelling hobby communities. Already adjacent to maker communities, wargaming and modelling communities often exist in third spaces that are explicitly paid. Libraries may want to consider partnering with local communities to promote miniature painting and hobbying

A pedagogical experiment on liberal democracy in South Asia

In the spring of 2006, a junior-level political science class focusing on democracy at the University of Miami and the Nepal Study Center at the University of New Mexico collaborated on a pedagogical experiment that sought to enhance learning opportunities about liberal democracy by promoting intellectual exchange between two nations, Nepal and the U.S. This abstract will introduce the program, note several key themes of the students’ proposals to address issues of democratization, and highlight directions for future related activities

Investment Incentives and The Implementation of the Framework Convention On Tobacco Control: Evidence from Zambia

Purpose: Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify providing investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. Methods: We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organizations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to economic development policy in Zambia. Results: We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: 1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, 2) economic benefits outweigh health costs, and 3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Conclusions: Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia’s development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must understand and work within this context of economic development in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global analysis on the barriers and facilitators of FCTC implementation. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of other sectors and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonizing FCTC implementation across sectors

Economic (In)Security and Gender Differences in Trade Policy Attitudes

Over time and across countries, researchers have noted frequent and mostly unexplained gender differences in the levels of support for policies of free or freer trade: women tend to be less favorable toward policies of liberalizing trade than men. Using an economic security explanation based principally on a mobile factors approach, we find that it is not women generally who are more negative toward trade but particularly economically vulnerable women – i.e. women from the scarce labor factor. We utilize recent survey data on individuals’ attitudes toward different facets of trade and its effects across three disparate regions to examine this phenomenon empirically. An economic security approach helps to explain the marked differences in attitudes toward trade among lower- and higher-skilled females in developing and developed countries.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133087/1/wp1067.pd

Neither equal, nor similar. Particularities and problems of integrated secondary schools in a socio-economically weak district of Berlin

Seit dem Schuljahr 2010/2011 gibt es in Berlin ein zweigliedriges Schulsystem aus Gymnasien und Integrierten Sekundarschulen. Auf der Grundlage von im Rahmen eines ethnografisch orientierten Forschungsprojektes gesammelten Daten untersucht dieser Beitrag die Wahrnehmung der Umstellung und die daraus resultierenden Anforderungen in einem sozio-ökonomisch schwachen Berliner Stadtteil. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die bildungspolitisch wiederholt geäußerte Gleichwertigkeit beider Schulformen, die vor allem mit der prinzipiellen Möglichkeit des Erwerbs der Hochschulreife begründet wird, in erster Linie von den Bedingungen einzelner Standorte abhängig ist. (DIPF/Orig.)As of the academic year 2010/2011, Berlin has a two-tier school system consisting of the Gymnasium (high school) and integrated secondary schools. On the basis of data provided by an ethnographically oriented research project, the authors examine the perception of this re-organization and the resulting challenges in a socio-economically weak district of Berlin. It becomes apparent that the equality of the two types of school - repeatedly proclaimed in the educational-political discussion and usually grounded on the fact that, in principle, both schools provide the opportunity to achieve matriculation standard - is primarily dependent on the conditions prevailing in the respective locations. (DIPF/Orig.