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In this paper I consider various shifts in my research and understanding stimulated by seeking how to combat social ecological crises connected to modern economies. The discussion and critical reflections are structured around five papers that were submitted to Environmental Values in an open call to address my work. A common aspect is the move away from neoclassical environmental economics, and its reductionist monetary valuation, to a more realist theory and multiple methods. This relates to my work on environmental ethics, plural values, stated preference validity and deliberative monetary valuation. Expanding beyond the narrow confines of mainstream orthodoxy has involved exploring a range of other disciplines (e.g. applied philosophy, social psychology, human geography, political science, social anthropology, history of thought and philosophy of science) and learning from this literature to rethink economics and develop social ecological economics. A broad range of subjects are covered here, including: personal responsibility, social practice, psychology of the individual, participatory processes, value (intrinsic, instrumental and relational), Nature–society relationships and interdependencies, critical realism and the conduct of unifying interdisciplinary science. I end with a series of comments concerning the failings of orthodox economics and the conduct of scientific research for social ecological transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern day societies and economies are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the continued erosion of the stocks and flows of essential ecosystem services. Thus, the management of complex socio-economic systems to effectively provide these essential services has become a global priority policy and academic research area. Understanding how underlying processes and functions contribute towards the provision of final ecosystem services can facilitate improved dissemination of credible, legitimate and salient information to decision-makers. This paper presents an ecosystem service value chain analysis framework that applies basic system dynamics modelling in the form of causal loop diagrams to facilitate an alternative analysis of ecosystem service value chains. A scoping application of the framework is applied to a case study for flood attenuation services in the Baviaanskloof catchment in South Africa. The framework enables the identification of forward linkages and ripple effects in individual value chains of final ecosystem services as well as the identification and assessment of challenges and opportunities within individual causal pathways. Ultimately, providing the potential to advance strategies for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of final ecosystem service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) is said to be increasingly eroded and irrelevant as the main spokesman for the Indian community in expressing the desire to the Government. MIC's defeat in the 12th general election is not only caused by the movement Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) alone, but the failure of the MIC leadership who are not sensitive to the problems of the Indian community and consequently they no longer support the candidates of MIC/BN in the 2008 General Election. MIC continued to be rejected in GE-14 by winning only two parliamentary seats. Therefore, the purpose of writing this article is to analyze the development and performance of MIC in Malaysian geopolitics. Based on the analysis of GE 2018 results data and analysis of secondary sources such as journal articles and conference papers, the findings show that MIC remains a relevant role in creating political stability and prosperity in the country. MIC has contributed a lot to the progress of the country with its role as a driving force to the progress of the Indian community in the country. With high commitment and a sincere spirit of cooperation, MIC has together fostered a spirit of harmony among the people. With competent and dynamic leadership, MIC has contributed to BN in managing the country's development to a proud level of economic development. Nevertheless, the political changes that exist among the Indian community have made the MIC not or less a top choice for the Indian community. Therefore, the Government needs to take action to improve the socio-economic status of Indians and restore support to MIC/BN in the next GE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a study on the possible common theoretical approaches shared by three heterodox associations-Association for Evolutionary Economics (AFEE), Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE), and Association for Social Economics (ASE). We analyze their closeness and potentially common approaches as reported in papers published by the associations' main journals from 2010 to 2019. Using bibliometrics, the papers are analyzed in terms of convergent issues shared by these heterodox associations. Our article concludes, first, that building alternative approaches based on a criticism of both mainstream and New Institutional Economics is a possible point of convergence for AFEE, URPE, and ASE. Second, criticism of capitalism and studies on economic development could act as a convergence point for AFEE and URPE. Third, ASE seems to be more open to heterodox approaches than AFEE and URPE, and can make room for other convergence points. However, the ASE-AFEE and ASE-URPE dyads have not yet explored such opportunities for convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of migration, and its causes and effects, with a focus on international migration. Various journal articles, reports, and policy documents are reviewed to address the controversies concerning the concept and key issues of migration. The paper indicates that migration is not only a contested concept, but migration research has resulted in different outcomes. It is mainly affected by personal, socio-economic, and political factors associated with the origin and host countries. Similarly, scholars have been asking the question, "who is a migrant?" for decades without a definite answer. It is also important to consider "what would happen after migrants obtain host country citizenship": would they continue to be migrants, the host countries' citizens, or both? This paper contributes to advancing our knowledge and broadening our understanding of the concept of migration and key issues associated with it. It also serves as a base for further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic melting is an effect of climate change; the use of fossil fuels in marine shipping emits large amounts of air emissions that impact climate change, and Arctic aquatic and human life. Swedish pulp and paper mills generate large amounts of waste and side streams that could be utilized. The production of forest-based biofuel may be a promising solution to achieve sustainable Arctic marine shipping. This review highlights the socio-economic impacts associated with the production of forest-based biofuel in Sweden, the related opportunities, challenges, knowledge gaps, and further need of research. From the economic perspective, it was found that the production and use of forest-based biofuel have short and long-term economic sustainability benefits: (a) short-term benefits, the use of the waste and side streams of the pulp and paper industry is a low-cost available feedstock, unlike first-generation biofuel from crops like corn forest-based biofuels neither require additional land use, water resources nor compete with food. (b) Long-term benefits: (i) the Swedish shipping sector depends on imported fossil fuels, these new biofuels can replace partly those imported fossil fuels that will reduce shipping costs, and generate economic benefits for local consumers. (ii) Usage of forest-based biofuels as blends with conventional fuels in existing engines will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Arctic shipping to the set limits in the region. (iii) One of the important socioeconomic impacts of forest-based biofuel production and use is the new job creation and employment opportunities that will impact the local communities and livelihoods of indigenous people in the area. From a societal perspective, stakeholder involvement is essential to address the sustainability challenges of biofuel production: EU policymakers need to encourage the production and use of biofuels by developing policies that promote biofuel use. Further studies are needed to develop more efficient and low-cost biofuel production routes, more investments in related research and development are required as well. Local indigenous communities must be involved in the decision-making process through surveys, local dialogues, and research studies. The production of forest-based biofuels has great potential and many social-economic impacts alongside the environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much has been written about the measurement of socio-economic position (SEP) in high-income countries (HIC). Less has been written for an epidemiology, health systems and public health audience about the measurement of SEP in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The social stratification processes in many LMIC—and therefore the appropriate measurement tools—differ considerably from those in HIC. Many measures of SEP have been utilized in epidemiological studies; the aspects of SEP captured by these measures and the pathways through which they may affect health are likely to be slightly different but overlapping. No single measure of SEP will be ideal for all studies and contexts; the strengths and limitations of a given indicator are likely to vary according to the specific research question. Understanding the general properties of different indicators, however, is essential for all those involved in the design or interpretation of epidemiological studies. In this article, we describe the measures of SEP used in LMIC. We concentrate on measures of individual or household-level SEP rather than area-based or ecological measures such as gross domestic product. We describe each indicator in terms of its theoretical basis, interpretation, measurement, strengths and limitations. We also provide brief comparisons between LMIC and HIC for each measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, various socio-economic crises have revealed that traditional economic science and (neo)classical thinking are unable to explain all the complexity of current economic problems, therefore the application of more complex and non-trivial economic concepts is gaining relevance. In addition to behavioral and evolutionary economic thinking, models of quantum economics have been developed in recent years, which allow solving economic problems, using mainly quantum thinking and the principles of quantum physics, in particular particle-wave dualism, the principle of uncertainty, the absence of a subject-object distinction, superposition and confusion. The article addresses 3 research questions (RQ). According to RQ1, the paper finds that quantum economics research is dominated by the following topics: quantum economics, quantum finance, quantum decision making, and quantum game theory. According to these four thematic descriptors, the article carries out a systematic modern review of scientific works in the period from 1978 to 2022 (if only 50 works were published in 1978-1999, then in 2000-2022 already 3430), with an emphasis on the most cited (Google Scholar) English-language journal articles. The analysis showed that articles on this topic are published mainly in journals of a non-economic profile, that the peaks of publication activity occur at times of powerful socio-economic upheavals (for example, the dot.com bubble, the substandard/financial crisis, the European debt crisis, the coronavirus pandemic, etc.). In accordance with RQ2, the article defines the key characteristics of the quantum economic model: in contrast to neoclassical economics (based on mechanistic classical physics, is rational and deterministic, with the help of the invisible hand of the market it leads to a stable equilibrium), the quantum approach, on the contrary, considers the economy as more complex, empirically oriented, uncertain, probabilistic, superpositional, as an archetypal example of a quantum social system that has its own versions of duality, measurement, and entanglement. According to RQ 3, the article determines to what extent quantum economics can update (neo)classical economics (integration of new ontological premises into economic thinking, more experimental and practical approach, connection between the concept of entanglement and sustainable development, management of financial risks based on the concept of quantum probability, rethinking the concept of randomness by quantum probability, introduction of quantum money, equilibrium using quantum games, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neu, Rahaman, and Everett’s paper is a noteworthy study of accounting in practice undertaken through a clearly defined theoretical framework—economic sociology. It draws on economic sociology in order to say that economic explanations may be too fast because in the process of developing the economy, social relations of power, habitus, and cultural/symbolic capital play roles that prefigure the operation of the production chain. Economics is important, but economic sociology may help explain some of the mediations that the workings of the economy require. The paper develops an important explanation of accounting generation and accounting use. It also shows many details subsumed under these headings. This is important because it allows readers either to follow the strict argument of the text or to explore other opportunities that may either allow reinterpretation of the text or develop new research hypotheses for other studies. When a text can do this, it is recommendable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents visions of three different paradigms that might define the socio-economics of the future. Retention of most of what is found in mainstream academic economics and replacement of the assumption of economic man with richer concept of psychological economic man; Emphasis on issues of equity, justice and community; Incorporation of humanities and biology issues into the paradigm.

The article discusses economic and social theory of Talcott Parsons. Parsons's persistent attention to economic theory has been relatively neglected by critics of Parsons who, in attacking the alleged functionalism of Parsonian sociology, concentrated on the issues of value consensus and normative integration, believing that Parsons had relatively little interest in the economic base of society. This neglect of Parsons's economic sociology was probably intensified by the Marxist undercurrent of much so-called conflict theory. In recent years there has fortunately been considerable interest shown in Parsons's analysis of economic theory and more specifically in his economic sociology. At Amherst, Parsons came under the influence of the philosopher Alexander Meiklejohn, who prompted his students to consider broad questions relating to alternatives to industrial capitalist society and who created an educational environment within which students were involved in a general analysis of the social sciences. It was this engagement with institutional economics that marked Parsons's departure from biology into the social sciences as an academic career. Parsons was introduced to a broad spectrum of social theory relating to cultural and biological dimensions of human existence as explanations of social differentiation.

In view that Culture and Creative Industries (CCI) are multi-sector, emergent, and complex, this paper couples the theoretical perspective of Margaret Archer's Morphogenetic Approach with Adam Kahane's Tansformative Scenario Planning (TSP) as its strategic framework to discover, articulate, and connect cross-sector (community-based organizations, industry, government, and education) CCI efforts. This study has sought to understand how and in what ways the actions found in the creative sector can be leveraged to enhance participation and ameliorate the outputs of socio-economic efforts across the full spectrum of the greater Seattle region. Thus, though this example it contributes to the creation of vital places of public welfare, where public frameworks and policies nurture accessibility and participate in connected culture and creative ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper explores the nature of modern institutions to see if Islamization movement sufficiently attempts to remove the obstacles which the structural design of modern institutions brings in the path to achieve the moral goals of Islamization movement. Methodology: The paper being theoretical in nature uses a conceptual and critical interpretative approach based on the analysis of extant literature from institutional history, philosophy, institutionalism, and more. Hollingsworth’s framework of institutional analysis is used to integrate the literature and guide the theoretical analysis. Findings: The paper argues that an institutional design that constrains moral agency of individuals is incompatible with the goals of the Islamization movement. This is so because the goals are primarily moral in nature, therefore they necessitate exercising of moral-agency in full capacity. This is unlikely within the constraining nature of modern-institutional design. Originality/Value: There is negligible literature that attempts to evaluate the structural nature of modern-institutions from the perspective of their capacity to facilitate the Islamization-movement. The concerned Muslim intelligentsia is therefore invited to further explore how the modern-institutional-structure may be obstructing their goals to achieve socioeconomic justice in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Morocco, socioeconomic fields are vulnerable to weather extreme events. This work aims to analyze the frequency and the trends of temperature and rainfall extreme events in two contrasted Moroccan regions (the Tensift in the semi-arid South, and the Bouregreg in the sub-humid North), during the second half of the 20th century. This study considers long time series of daily extreme temperatures and rainfall, recorded in the stations of Marrakech and Safi for the Tensift region, and Kasba-Tadla and Rabat- Sale for the Bouregreg region, data from four other stations (Tanger, Fes, Agadir and Ouarzazate) from outside the regions were added. Extremes are defined by using as thresholds the 1st, 5th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles. Results show upward trends in maximum and minimum temperatures of both regions and no generalized trends in rainfall amounts. Changes in cold events are larger than those for warm events, and the number of very cold events decrease significantly in the whole studied area. The southern region is the most affected with the changes of the temperature regime. Most of the trends found in rainfall heavy events are positive with weak magnitudes even though no statistically significant generalized trends could be identified during both seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the paper is to analyse and evaluate the possible relation between circular behaviours undertaken by the households and the socio-economic features describing them. The paper presents the results of the author's research conducted among Polish households on the territory of two voivodeships: Podkarpackie and Małopolskie. In the article, the author presents the concept of circular behaviours (understood as an element of pro-ecological behaviours), as well as the result of the preliminary analysis of the frequency of exhibiting those behaviours in the households. This analysis is based on evidence regarding the possible differences between the households due to their distinct features. To indicate the possible differences the Chi2 Test of Independence was used. Obtained results indicate that some socio-economic features may have an influence on the frequency of conducting circular behaviours. It could be important due to the establishment of supporting activities aiming at increasing the overall level of circularity among households (as an economic sector). This article is the fourth one in the publication series devoted to circular economy and sustainable development matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper on the impact of the health status of infants on subsequent income inequality and socioeconomic conditions during their lives is presented. Economics research indicating that birth weight is affected by a wide range of factors including environmental conditions, health behavior of mothers and nutrition during pregnancy is considered. Research finding a strong correlation between birth weight and future lifetime earnings is discussed.

Globally, entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) have gained attention as enablers of innovation and entrepreneurship. This paper explores entrepreneurial ecosystems in developed countries. Entrepreneurship is a globally important phenomenon for economic development and addressing socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. Systematic literature review (SLR), with the aid of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach was used in the items selection process. A final sample of 28 primary articles was used. Additionally, bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software to determine publication patterns and citation trends. More relevant and recent articles were incorporated into the bibliometric analysis to improve the results. Isenberg's six domains of entrepreneurial ecosystems framework, supported by the Dynamic capabilities (DC) theory underpinned the study. Results show that though entrepreneurial ecosystems are prevalent, they face many challenges. However, opportunities are also available but may be difficult to access. Globally, scholars agree that entrepreneurial ecosystems enhance economic development, and they help to solve socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. This paper recommends that entrepreneurial ecosystems should be fostered in all regions to promote economic development and provide solutions to solve socio-economic problems. Local and global leaders should invest in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems to promote economic development. The original value is based on exploring the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial ecosystems in the global environment using a developed country perspective. The findings provide important insights to policymakers and other stakeholders for developing strategies and interventions for enhancing economic growth through entrepreneurship. Plain Language Summary: How businesses collaborate in developed countries The purpose of the paper is to explore entrepreneurial ecosystems in developed countries. Entrepreneurship is a globally important phenomenon for economic development and addressing socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. Systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis (using VOSviewer software) were used as research methods. Isenberg's six domains of entrepreneurial ecosystems framework, supported by the Dynamic capabilities (DC) theory underpinned the study. Results show that though entrepreneurial ecosystems are prevalent, they face many challenges, but opportunities are available. Entrepreneurial ecosystems should be fostered in all regions to promote economic development and provide solutions to solve socio-economic problems. The findings provide important insights to policymakers and other stakeholders for developing strategies and interventions for enhancing economic growth through entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerted efforts have been geared towards development in the South African Post-apartheid era at local level. Studies have shown that local governments have recognized local economic development as a crucial tool for addressing development-related challenges. The extent to which the municipalities have ingrained the local economic development goal, however, has received little to no attention. Hence, this paper intends to fill the missing gap and answers the following questions: what are the key components of economic development at the local level in the post-apartheid era? To what extent has the local economic development stimulated growth and development with particular reference to small and medium scale enterprise? What are the donors’ approaches to local development and their critical challenges? Using the secondary sources of data collection, this paper reviews current level of economic development at local municipalities in South Africa. Thereafter, it examines the impact of the municipal government strategies designed to stimulate political and socio-economic development agenda at the local level in South Africa. This paper identifies strategic planning and local resources needed to address the local economic development in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an outcome of the scientific conflict within business valuation theory in the German-speaking area, New Political Economy of Business Valuation has developed a possible approach to explain the dissemination of neoclassical valuation concepts in theory and practice. This explanatory model, designed by Quill (2016), is extended by Follert (2020) to include the share valuation in squeeze-out cases for the compensation of minority shareholders. For this purpose, the different actors in the legal mediation procedure ("Spruchverfahren")—the judge, the auditor as expert, and the conflicting parties—are modeled based on their stereotypical interests. The aim of the present paper is to introduce international scientific community to the scientific conflict between the proponents of investment-theoretical and those of the finance-theoretical conception, and to discuss the role of judicial decision-making from a legal-economic perspective. We would like to illustrate why a judge could benefit from the use of finance-theoretical valuation methods based on the neoclassical capital asset pricing model recommended by the relevant standard (so-called standard 1) of the "Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland IDW" (Institute of Public Auditors in Germany) ("IDW S 1"). The analysis takes a socioeconomic perspective and argues that judicial valuation is primarily influenced by the judges' tendency to promote their own reputation and by social pressure from their professional environment and different interest groups. This paper adds a further perspective to New Political Economy of Business Valuation. Moreover, the close link between jurisprudence, economics and business economics theory is pointed out. Although the approach presented deals with the squeeze-out under German law, it may be applicable to squeeze-out arrangements in other countries as well, as long as the basic assumptions apply in their legal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Literary prizes, while providing legitimacy of artistic excellence to authors, are delicately poised in modern prize culture. They must maintain a balance between the artistic merit of literature and the health of the economic capital of the publishing industry and sponsors. This paper meticulously examines the myriad proliferation of literary prizes and the convergence of its intricacies--the process of nomination and selection, sponsorships, promotion, media coverage of the award ceremony, celebratory nature of the occasion, the climactic drama of acceptance speech, and controversy--to characterize the centrality of economic force at play. It reflects the dependency of art form's flourishing and sustenance on the logic of the economic marketplace. Through a close analysis of the controversial selection of certain authors and particular books, the paper looks at the epiphenomena of prestigious literary prizes to demonstrate a classic working of the neoliberal market outcome of controversy as publicity/currency, which not only brings about manufacturing of aura for controversial writers as celebrities but simultaneously radiates its effect on the demand value of their literary products and investing participants. It concludes that centrifugal dissemination and consumption of mediatised controversy events across national and international borders generates a centripetal concentration of socio-economic capital for writers, publishers and sponsors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental and land resource degradation is a serious problem that poses significant challenges in Sudan and worldwide generally. Despite the fact that the physical environment components are the underlying economic resources and production assets in developing countries like Sudan, and they directly affect the nation's socioeconomic aspects of income, health, water availability, food security, and many others. The interventions and protective measures were insufficient to meet the magnitude and extent of the ongoing degradation and resource wastage. Based on the analysis of the indicators and trends of the environmental and natural resources management 'status quo', this paper is an attempt to overview and investigate the state of environmental and natural resources management and governance in Sudan. Further discussion delves into the utilization of geo-information systems in Sudan's environmental and resource management by analyzing and reviewing "some previous case studies" where GIS approaches and techniques were deployed. The paper further strives to explore and highlight the opportunities and potential contributions of GIS in the context of Sudan's environmental and resource management. Lessons learned from the previous experiences were considered, and the recommendations for the future use of a tailored geoinformation system in Sudan context were highlighted and suggested to support better practices and sustainability insights for environmental governance and resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article uses R Studio Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and Connected Papers to structure the scientific work of scientists on the development of educational systems during socio-economic, political, migration, pandemic, and climate crises in the 2020s. The research is based on more than 970 publications (articles, conference abstracts, monographs, and their sections) indexed by Scopus in 2020--2024, selected by keywords: "educational crisis," "education policy response," "education disruption," and "learning loss." The publication activity grew at an annual rate of 16.45%, peaking in 2023, while the peak of public interest (determined by Google Trends) was in 2022. The study consists of seven parts: the first examines shifts and patterns in the fields of educational crisis; the second analyzes influential publications; the third identifies key research institutions; the fourth explores various counties; the fifth highlights prominent researchers in these fields; the sixth delves into key areas of study; and the seventh uncovers core themes and insights in the research. The study identifies a number of important areas of concentration for the study of educational crises from a thematic perspective. These include education disruption and learning loss, and the broader impact of these issues on inclusive growth and sustainable development. Among all the crises that took place in the world in 2020--2024, COVID-19 and the full-scale war in Ukraine had the greatest impact on the transformation of education systems. China and the United States dominate the world in terms of publication activity and citation of articles by scientists from these countries (their point of view actually determines the emphasis with which the scientific world speaks about challenges in education), while scientists from Australia, India, and the United Kingdom have significantly increased their research activity in this area over the study period. The findings of this study are aimed at understanding the causes and consequences of educational crises and formulating recovery plans to mitigate global risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of standard block and modular dwelling designs in Hong Kong's public housing provision since the mid-1950s. It explores how standard types have evolved in relation to housing policies, demographic and socio-economic changes, and minimum space requirements. In contrast to other countries, Hong Kong lacks defined space or room standards. In the absence of space standards, Hong Kong relies on a living density standard. This paper studies the historical development of Hong Kong's public housing in terms of dwelling size as a measure of housing quality, questioning the effectiveness of standard block and dwelling designs as housing design controls and highlighting the contextual nature of dwelling usability and size. The analysis is based on public housing design projects, policies, and data implemented or presented by the Hong Kong government, particularly the Hong Kong Housing Authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) originates from Africa and the list of producers is topped by African countries, it is not clear whether research is developed enough to support crop promotion in the continent. Thus, this systematic review of 180 articles presents a comprehensive summary of research on Bambara groundnut (BGN) in Africa. The paper addresses bibliographical metrics, the geographic distribution of the research and themes covered (viz., food and nutrition security, climate resilience, and livelihoods). The analysis shows that BGN can help address different challenges in Africa, such as food and nutrition insecurity and poverty. However, it also highlights gaps in the research from geographical and thematic standpoints. Geographically speaking, the most important producers of BGN in Africa are not sufficiently covered in the research; instead, it is mainly carried out in Nigeria and South Africa. Thematically speaking, the gaps are related to economics and social sciences, the use of BGN in animal production, processing and marketing, irrigation, contribution to climate resilience and livelihoods, and health benefits. Collaborative research and knowledge sharing, including among producing countries and those leading the research field, are highly needed to unlock the potential of BGN and boost its contribution to sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is a crucial cash crop in the tribal belt of Odisha. It has a significant effect on the livelihood of the tribal people. The volatile socio-economic background of the tribal farmers is a major hindrance to the proper development of the agriculture sector. In this regard, it is important to study the possible factors affecting cotton productivity in the tribal region to boost the policy effectiveness for the development of this cash crop in the area. More precisely, how is their socio-economic condition reflected in their crop productivity? So, the development of the tribal farmers can develop this crop in the region. This study analyses the detrimental effect of socio-economic factors on cotton productivity in the tribal area of Odisha. The data are collected using a structured questionnaire and a multiple-sampling technique. To understand the effect of socioeconomic factors on productivity, the ordinary least square (OLS) method has been employed in this paper. The result shows that most of the farmers are illiterate for which productivity is degrading. The age and gender of the head of the household are significant contributors to the cotton productivity of the study area. Male-headed households are more productive than female-headed households. Per capita monthly income and proportion of irrigated land are also important factors to affect cotton productivity positively. However, the social group of the family has no significant effect on the cotton productivity in the study area. Policymakers and agriculturists should emphasize farmer literacy, farmer income and land irrigation facilities to boost the productivity of this crop in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified global social inequalities and disrupted socio-economic stability, as recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study uses Marxist and critical theoretical frameworks to analyze how the pandemic has exacerbated class struggles and socio-economic disparities, focusing on the working and lower-middle classes in Southeast Asia. Through case studies of Indonesia and Malaysia, the research evaluates national policy responses designed to protect these groups. Employing a descriptive and qualitative methodology, including analysis of official data and media discourse, the study highlights how the pandemic has amplified existing contradictions within capitalist systems, leading to increased job losses and widening labor market inequalities. Despite the introduction of economic stimulus packages, these measures often fail to address the underlying systemic issues of capitalism that perpetuate class exploitation and inequality. The paper critiques the capitalist framework for exacerbating the challenges faced by the working class during the pandemic, arguing that these policies offer only temporary relief without tackling the root causes of socioeconomic disparities. This analysis underscores the need for a more transformative approach to understanding and addressing capitalist dynamics in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Africa emerged from the chains of colonialism, there was great hope for post-colonial African leaders to consolidate the spirit of Pan-Africanism and use Africa's vast resources to spur inclusive socioeconomic development. The Organization of African Unity also supported this vision, as did the Lagos Plan of Action and the New Partnership for Africa's Development. Great emphasis was placed on continental integration and African unity. However, post-colonialism, Africa has been engulfed by never conflict, fragmentation of governance, political instability, and unstable relations between African countries, thus defeating the need for unity and collective development. The African Union Agenda 2063 is Africa's blueprint for achieving inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development. It seeks to ensure, amongst others, peace and economic and political stability. However, there have been questions about whether the AU can achieve this. This doubt has been driven by the plethora of socioeconomic and political problems currently consuming Africa. This paper reviews current literature to examine the practicality of AU agenda 2063. It seeks to understand whether this agenda can be a possibility or just another plan with little if no substance. The following question will guide this paper: to what extent can the AU's agenda 2063 become realizable, considering the current socioeconomic and political challenges engulfing Africa? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]