How does third-party diplomatic and material support affect rebel groups' use of terrorism in civil wars? We argue via a game-theoretic model that diplomatic support prompts prospective shifts in rebel tactics, from civilian to military targets, in anticipation of material support, while material support alters the cost structure of attacks, leading to the same tactical shift. We empirically test the model's implications using an original dataset of UN resolutions about countries in civil wars as well as a case study of South Africa. In support of our theory, we find that both diplomatic resolutions and material interventions in favor of the rebels are associated with rebel tactical shifts, leading to decreased reliance on violence against civilians. These findings demonstrate the value of modeling civilian and military targeting as substitutes rather than examining civilian targeting in isolation.
Recent scholarship shows war can catalyze reforms related to gender power imbalances, but what about reforms related to ethnic inequalities? While war can disrupt the political, social and economic institutions at the root of ethnic hierarchy—just as it can shake up the institutions at the root of gender hierarchy—war is also prone to have either a reinforcing effect or a pendulum effect. Our project uses data from the Varieties of Democracy project to examine specific manifestations of changes in gender and ethnic civil-liberty equality (1900–2015). Interstate war, but not intrastate war, tends to be followed by gains in ethnic civil-liberty equality, and intrastate war tends to be followed by long-term gains in gender civil-liberty equality. Wars with government losses are prone to lead to improvements in civil-liberty equality along both dimensions. In considering overlapping gender and ethnic hierarchies, we find that when wars open up space for gains in gender equality, they also facilitate gains in equality for excluded ethnic groups.
AbstractProhibition of interstate branching forced nearly all banks interested in interstate expansion to establish holding company affiliations. But it is not clear whether holding‐company affiliation or branching by independent banks is preferable for consumers. By contrasting 1994 data of consolidated multibank holding companies with that of independent banks with branches, we assess their relative scale economies and cost advantages by asset size. Our analysis supports the assertion of the U. S. Department of Treasury that expansion through interstate branching would provide immediate cost savings and increase consumer benefits.
One phenomenon observed during environmental problems was increased green finance in most countries. This study explores the mechanisms of green finance, sustainable competitiveness, and supply chain among SMEs. Self-administered online questionnaires were completed by 738, 314, and 210 senior managers respectively from China, Malaysia, and Singapore. SPSS and Smart PLS-SEM software were used to test the hypotheses. This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 11, i.e., sustainable cities and communities, and Sustainable Development Goal 13, i.e., climate action. This study echoes the China government's "double-carbon" target initiative presented in the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Abstract Background Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are currently still threatening the ecological environment and people's health. However, studies that investigate OCP pollution levels in an urbanized river network of an entire city with a high density of rivers, such as Shanghai, have rarely been reported. In addition, due to the pressure of high population densities, ecological risk and health hazard assessments of OCPs in river networks are a knowledge gap that needs to be urgently filled. Thus, in this study, the concentrations, distribution, and partitioning of OCPs are evaluated in an ecological and health risk assessment for the urbanized river network of Shanghai. The goal is to establish connections among OCP residues and establish their impacts on ecological and human health.
Results The concentrations of 26 OCPs in the urbanized river network of Shanghai ranged from 43.90 to 342.74 ng/L, with a mean value of 181.34 ng/L. Some OCPs formed triangle-shaped areas with higher local ecological risks than other areas, and there were nine OCPs of high risk in some areas. The health risk assessment results showed that the ranking of the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for dermal contact according to age and gender was adults > children > seniors > adolescents, and females > males, while the ranking of the ILCR caused by mistaken oral intake was adults > children > adolescents > seniors, and females > males. The non-carcinogenic risk hazard index (HI) values of both exposure routes were less than one.
Conclusion OCP concentrations in the northern and southern regions of Shanghai were significantly higher than in other regions, and the partition coefficient (Kp) values of the ∑26 OCPs were negatively correlated with the total suspended solids' (TSS) contents (p < 0.01). The ecological risks were relatively higher in agricultural areas. The ILCR for dermal contact and mistaken oral intake were generally low, except for adults, whose ILCR caused by dermal contact were at moderate risk. In addition, OCPs in river waters did not pose significant non-carcinogenic health hazards for a majority of the people.
