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The article focuses on fraud within the Osage Nation during the late 19th century, detailing how licensed reservation traders exploited the tribe's wealth. Topics discussed include fraudulent schemes to tap into the Osage Trust, conflicts between licensed and border traders, and the exploitation of Osage Indians through inflated prices and predatory lending practices.

Using Coefficient of Variation and GIS spatial analysis, we detected the spatial and temporal evolution and development patterns of border trade in Yunnan counties, analyze the de‐ velopment pattern of border trade in depth by combining with the model of border trade develop‐ ment level, and explore the driving mechanism of border trade by using geographic probes. The results show that: ① the overall trend of county border trade in Yunnan Province is on the rise, and the total volume varies unevenly among counties, with Ruili City in the west and Mengla County in the south as the representative counties with higher total trade volume, while the over‐all trade volume in Ximeng County in the southwest and Lushui County in the northwest is smaller. ② From 2010 to 2020, the development pattern of county border trade in Yunnan Prov‐ ince varies. ③ During the same period, the border trade development in the western and south‐ eastern border counties is high and the growth rate is stable; the development in the northwestern and southwestern counties is low and the growth is fast; the development in the southern coun‐ ties is high and the growth is slow. ④ The main driving factors affecting the border trade in the counties factors are policy and transportation factors, and the secondary driver is GDP per capita, while there are differences in the driving factors of border counties with different neighboring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into businesses has become increasingly widespread in recent years, particularly in developed countries, fundamentally reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation. AI presents numerous opportunities for small businesses, including those involved in cross-border trade. It has the potential to transform various aspects of business operations, such as customer interactions, marketing research, understanding consumer behavior, optimizing routes, and forecasting sales and marketing trends. Additionally, AI can contribute to the formalization of business processes, and assist these businesses in adapting more effectively to the ever-changing dynamics of the market. However, the successful implementation of AI necessitates a meticulous assessment of AI applications to ensure alignment with the objectives and resources of each individual small business. Goal and Objectives: The primary focus of this paper is to explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence in enhancing Africa's cross-border trade. The paper will address the following research questions: What are the effective applications of artificial intelligence in cross-border informal trade in Africa, and what are the limitations? What does the future hold for African countries in terms of utilizing artificial intelligence for cross-border trade? How can African informal cross-border traders and their stakeholders benefit from incorporating artificial intelligence in their activities? Methodology: The research is purely empirical research based on observation and measurement of phenomena, as directly experienced by the researcher. Results: AI can be effectively applied by Informal Cross-Border Traders (ICBT) to enhance their businesses and enhance competitiveness. There are several AI applications accessible to ICBT within their operational context. Although the adoption and utilization of AI in Africa are still in their infancy, there is considerable promise for the future. Africans must address the challenges hindering the adoption and utilization of AI, as technology is advancing rapidly, and opportunities await those who embrace it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Oeconomia is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the past two decades, the Mekong region has seen an increase in infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation and connectivity between China and neighboring countries. These projects feature border control points, customs checkpoints, and security forces, leading to state control over cross-border trade mobility. Logistical power has gradually penetrated the social life in border trading, selectively facilitating certain groups while excluding others. Despite the overarching influence of state control, local traders still assert their agency in shaping cross-border trade practices. However, the transport and border control infrastructures hindered small-scale trading during the global pandemic and filtered out less economically important goods from cross-border mobility. This paper highlights the dynamic relationship between state control and various actors in cross-border trade in the Mekong region. It calls for an inclusive strategy in developing border infrastructure, aiming to ensure equitable benefit distribution and actively integrate the voices and experiences of those most impacted by these changes into the planning and execution of regional projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, the Government of India has undertaken several policy initiatives to facilitate cross-border flows. Such initiatives can be read as an effort to transform 'battlefields into marketplaces'. This paper examines the rise of the border town of Champhai, located on the India-Myanmar border in the state of Mizoram in Northeast India. The formation of a new urban centre in a frontier region based on border trade reveals different dimensions of transition in Northeast India's borderlands. The paper explores two key themes: how border trade, comprised of legal and illegal flows, has transformed Champhai into Mizoram's third-largest city, and how increasing trade across the border reorients the interethnic dynamics with strong implications for ethnic and citizenship politics in Mizoram. The paper concludes by highlighting the different aspects discussed in the article that would determine the borderland dynamics in Mizoram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Historia Agraria is the property of Historia Agraria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, an overview of the regulations in force in some extra-EU states belonging to different geoeconomic areas is provided, starting from the current EU legislation on cosmetic products. We focused on their legislative frameworks and the location of the relevant regulatory documentation. Furthermore, for each state considered, our analysis examined the notification/authorization processes, approaches to animal testing, and allowed/prohibited ingredient lists, as these aspects are considered to be among the primary restrictions hindering the cosmetic market. It can be observed that many states are working towards standardising their regulations to promote greater international trade. However, it is essential to recognize that different countries belonging to distinct geoeconomic areas may have unique requirements, and harmonization may not necessarily be the best solution. It is crucial to consider different needs and preferences when approaching the global regulation of the cosmetic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Modern Turkish History Studies / Cumhuriyet Tarihi Araştırmaları Dergisi (CTAD) is the property of Ataturk Institute for Modern Turkish History and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: With the spread of COVID-19, the Norwegian government introduced restrictions on cross-border travel starting March 2020. Purchase of tobacco when travelling, especially from Sweden and duty-free shops, has comprised a substantial part of Norwegian tobacco consumption for many years. We investigated whether COVID-19-related travel restrictions and recommendations led to changes in tobacco purchases from Norway, Sweden, duty-free, other countries, possible illicit sources and web shops. Design: Based on a survey conducted by Ipsos, we examined: (i) the prevalence of smoking and snus use and where smokers and snus users reported having purchased tobacco consumed during the last 24 hours from 2015 to 2019, by county; and (ii) the probabilities of having purchased tobacco from different sources in the period before and after COVID-19-related travel restrictions and recommendations. Results: The proportion of smokers varied from 12% to 19% and the proportion of snus users varied from 12% to 21% across counties. Cigarettes bought in Norway comprised from 27% to 79% of the previous day's consumption, depending on the respondent's county of residence. For snus, the percentages ranged from 20% to 70%. The probability of buying tobacco in Norway increased by around 30 percentage points during the period of COVID-19-related travel restrictions and recommendations, compared with previous years. The increase was greatest in border regions and was accompanied by fewer purchases in Swedish and duty-free shops. Conclusion: The increased share of tobacco purchases from shops in Norway means that, for many tobacco users, buying tobacco become more expensive and that taxes on tobacco to a greater extent were paid in Norway. However, whether these extraordinary circumstances will affect future cigarette and snus use, and place of purchase of tobacco products, remains to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Académique des Études Sociales et Humaines is the property of Hassif Benbouali University of Chlef and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article examines the challenges of consolidating the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) through a systematic review of the literature. The article concludes that while the ACFTA seeks to boost continental trade, its actual implementation and success will depend on whether it can resolve the multiple national, regional, and continental interests of member states. Based on the review, it is recommended that high-level inter-state committees iron out possible issues that might hinder the implementation of the agreement at the national level be established. Findings from these discussions may inform how ACFTA is implemented continentally considering the interests of member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted in the context of indigenous Papuans empowerment program, specifically focused on Papuan women traders in the border region Muara Tami District, Papua. This region represents one of Indonesia's borders providing an economic surplus for the state. It has triggered the important question, that is to what extent the economic surplus in the border region has brought benefits to indigenous Papuans, particularly to their women traders? What are the direct benefits that Papuan women traders specifically get from economic surpluses from border trades?To determine the research areas, this research examines statistical data related to border trades that has made the Papua-PNG border an area with an economic surplus. This research collected data by using qualitative methods which include in-depth observations and interviews with economic actors involved in border trades equipped with the documentation study of the regional and national level-statistical data. Source and method triangulation were used for data validity. The study's result illustrates that women Papuan traders face a greatly complex issue. The reality is that amidst the said surplus, the Papuan women traders are still dealing with the subsistence economy and being marginalized from productive economic sources which have implications for the emergence of the dimensions and types of marginalization. In other words, as the indigenous traders, these women have not become direct beneficiaries of the economic surplus. Sociocultural system and policy intervention lacking understanding of women's issues are the factors which contribute to the subsistence economy and marginalization. Without a positive discrimination policy, affirmative action, and social inclusion policy, it will be hard for these indigenous Papuan women traders to actively participate in the economic development process and to serve as direct beneficiaries of the current and future economic surpluses in the border region.

The international law of jurisdiction is faced with far-reaching changes in the context of a globalizing world, but its general orientation, centred on territoriality as the guiding principle, has remained stable for a long time. This article traces how, in contrast to the prevailing rhetoric of continuity, core categories of jurisdiction have been transformed in recent decades in such a way as to generate an 'unbound' jurisdiction, especially when it comes to the regulation of global business activities. The result is a jurisdictional assemblage – an assemblage in which a multiplicity of states have wide and overlapping jurisdictional claims, creating a situation in which, in practice, a few powerful countries wield the capacity to set and implement the rules. Jurisdiction is thus misunderstood if framed as an issue of horizontal relations among sovereign equals but should rather be regarded as a structure of global governance through which (some) states govern transboundary markets. Using a governance prism, this article argues, can help us to gain a clearer view of the normative challenges raised by the exercise of unbound jurisdiction, and it shifts the focus to the accountability mechanisms required to protect public accountability and self-government in weaker states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Association of South-East Asian Nations(ASEAN)-India is a strategic collaboration standpoint on a compacted groundwork of mutual geographical, historical and civilizational relations. ASEAN is central to Act East Policy and a more comprehensive vision of the Indo-Pacific region. The year 2022 has marked 30 years of ASEAN-India relationships. India and ASEAN have respective dialogue mechanisms which convene the economic relationship between India and ASEAN commenced in 1992 as both regions documented each other's trade competencies. The relationship has since been supported by India's growing manufacturing facility and the rise of ASEAN's services area exports, specifically travel, transport, and commercial services. Manipur can become a gateway to the dynamic Southeast Asian economics, which can help the trade and commerce with our eastern neighbours flourish and must be pursued with commitment and determination by the central government. The Act East Policy is of added interest to the Northeast. The traded goods can reap an additional commercial advantage. Efforts ought to be directed to build up physical and institutional infrastructure. This paper critically analyzed the probable relationship of India's Act East policy with ASEAN and Manipur's Opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the evolution of Sino-Myanmar relations in the late 1980s as a result of the Chinese economic expansion. The 8888 Uprising of August 1988 was suppressed be the military who retook power in the country. Condemning the repressions of the military government, Western countries and Japan sharply reduced aid to Burma. India closed borders and set up refugee camps along its border with Burma. This situation led to the almost complete isolation of Burma in the international community. China appeared as the only strategic ally of the country in the region. According to the official statistics, Chinese businesses were significantly expanded in Myanmar in 1988-1990. However, despite the remarkable improvement in trade dialogue, problems such as migrants and unbalanced trade emerged, creating fissures in Sino-Myanmar ties. The article examines various cases which caused a negative attitude of the people of Myanmar towards the Chinese and even led to the emergence of a term such as Sinophobia .

I critically review the literature on the Bangladesh-India borderlands to raise a couple of questions: What are the major themes and issues on the Bangladesh-India border? What are the research prospects on the border issues between the two states? Bangladesh and India share a common border of 4096 km, with a range of cross-border issues determining their bilateral relationship and cooperation. Several border issues have not only clouded these relations but have also led to the exchange of fire between the two countries' border security forces over disputed territory. This contribution broadly reviews Bangladesh-India cross-border issues and specifically calls attention to Bangladesh-India cross-border relations in the realm of comparative border research, which will expand our socio-political, economic, geographic and cultural understandings of bordering practices and border policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inonu University Law Review / İnönü Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Inonu University Law Review (IULR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The peculiarities of the formation and functioning of the shadow sector of economy of the border regions of Ukraine have been considered. It has been substantiated the importance of studying the nature of the emergence of the shadow economy and finding the effective tools for leveling the preconditions for its development. The main regularities and indicators of the emergence and growth of the shadow economy have been outlined. Among them there are the levels of tax burden and social protection, regulatory measures, the quality of social services, the number of self-employed, etc. It is substantiated that the important direction of reducing the shadowing of economic processes is to stimulate the socio-economic development of territories. Positive tendencies of economic development, availability of sufficient opportunities for employment and obtaining decent remuneration for their work, etc., suspend the processes of shadowing in the economy of any country and its regions. The level of the shadow economy has been estimated based on direct and indirect approaches. It has been found that given the importance of retail trade in the economy of the border regions (borderline location, active participation of local residents in the local border traffic, more significant share of services, etc.) and relatively lower levels of socio-economic development, the share of unaccounted economic activity in the official economy of the territories is higher compared to its average in the country. The results of an expert survey of representatives of local authorities on the issues of socio-economic development of the border areas under the terms of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement have been presented. In particular, the main reasons for the shadowing of the economy, types of economic activity in which the share of economic activity, which is in the "shadow", is the highest, etc. have been outlined. It has been revealed that the illegalization of economic activity and population’s income in the medium- and long-term time period creates preconditions for the outflow of production factors (including the workforce) abroad and reduces investment attractiveness of Ukrainian border territories. In addition, the negative impact of border trade is strengthened by forming of substantial dependence on import of certain types of goods, discouraging the development of domestic production; by avoiding the payment of taxes and therefore — the shortfall in revenues to local budgets, etc.

The once-unified indigenous northeast Asian people known as the Hezhe in China and the Nanai in Russia are little-discussed in any discipline, but their long experiences of cross-border division and, more recently, renewed inter-community contact, offer us a new framework for understanding both Chinese and Russian states in the region. As I show here ethnographically, today's Hezhe in northern Heilongjiang province (China) and Nanai in Khabarovsk territory (Russia) live amid the physical furniture of very different polities. But rather than merely reflecting their separation, I argue, these distinct surroundings in fact invite us to consider how the incorporation of Nanai/Hezhe into China and Russia have been constituted in important ways by the uses and flows of material objects. In support of this argument, which draws on recent anthropological insights concerning materiality to push back against existing identity-, landscape-, or production-focused theories of Chinese and Russian power, I examine sources in several languages to develop a longue durée account of materially mediated interactions between Nanai/Hezhe and China and Russia. From early imperial tribute through to socialist command economies to postsocialist cross-border trade, I show how—with notable continuity—states have been embodied in flows and usage of goods, bringing about the incorporation of Hezhe and Nanai into separate realms with immanent material existences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the collapse of the central Somali state in 1991, Somali livestock trade has increasingly been re-oriented towards terminal markets in central and coastal Kenya, helped by the more recent trade liberalization in Kenya. The predominantly informal cross-border trade (ICBT) has nurtured local livelihoods and government revenues in Kenya, where informal transactions and formal regulation overlap in the Somali-fed livestock supply chains. This article analyses the practices and dynamics that characterize Somali-Kenyan cross-border livestock trade, and proceeds to point out important policy issues that have emerged after the devolution of key state functions and regulation to county governments. The article finally highlights areas of collaboration between the national and county governments that are necessary to achieve a credible supply of meat in Kenyan and international markets. By doing so, it explores the linkage between changes in the political economy of cross-border livestock trade, and the unintended impact of decentralization on the governance of livestock supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prominent studies of the Qing dynasty's military evolution in the field of comparative military history, which is heavily dependent on the binary conception of "West–China," have failed to present the early military heritage of the dynasty. Unlike previous studies, this paper aims to find a new voice for the early Qing military inheritance, as a reflection of past West–China comparative studies that have continued to discriminate between Western and Chinese military merits and demerits and to ignore the early Qing military approach. By presenting the economic and military interconnections between the Manchu (the Jianzhou Jurchens, the Jianzhou confederation, and Nurhaci), Ming, and Chosŏn, this article reveals that early economic and military development through border trade, tributary trade, and predatory behaviors enabled the Manchus to establish the Later Jin and Qing states. Understanding early Manchu military history helps us put forward an important but less studied military heritage of Qing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the world economy created its own footprint as a result of the phenomenon. 1/3 of that economic space is owned by the informal economy also referred to as the Local Economy or System D. The increasingly sophisticated and world-class phenomenon takes the place of the economic space left by the formal economy. The manipulation of the vast resources, the dynamic practices that take place in the legal and illegal dimensions, provide a guarantee of employment shadowed by survival. This paper traces the phenomenon occurring on the Sebatik Islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. The research approach is qualitative based on the interviews of key informants. The results suggest that this phenomenon occurs due to the fact that economic space and opportunities can be exploited for the sake of sustainability in meeting economic demands, especially marginalized groups at the border that ultimately establish a local integration of kinship relations beyond ethnicity, identity and ethnic boundaries itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a strategic channel to achieve effective connectivity of Belt and Road Initiative, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has broad space and foundation for synergy with Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. However, it also faces many challenges, such as differences in strategic demands, interference from major powers outside the region, inadequate customs clearance facilitation, limitation of infrastructure connectivity, industrial synergy problems and so on. Therefore, to enhance the effectiveness and precision of the connectivity, we need to build cooperation consensus among countries, promote cross-border facility connectivity, improve customs clearance facilitation and institutional international mechanisms in an effort to promote high-quality and sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong region and jointly build a community of shared future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the world economy created its own footprint as a result of the phenomenon. 1/3 of that space is owned by the informal economy also referred to as the Local Economy or System D. The connotation is to imagine a work phenomenon that is truly universal without a clear basis for labor. This increasingly sophisticated and world-class phenomenon takes the place of economic space left by the formal economy. The manipulation of the vast resources, the dynamic practices that take place in the legal and illegal dimensions, provide a guarantee of employment shadowed by survival. This paper traces the phenomenon occurring on the Sebatik Islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. The study method was qualitative based on the interviews of key informants. The results suggest that this phenomenon occurs due to the fact that economic space and opportunities can be exploited for the sake of sustainability in meeting economic demands, especially marginalized groups at the border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professor Zhihong Chen's book, When China Meets the World: Bilingual Business-Finance Cases (Oxford University Press, 2019)1, reflects her unique perspectives and comprehensive knowledge as an historian. Based on a diverse selection of classic business cases and primary sources, her book includes four modules: "The Internet Revolution;" "Disruptive Innovation;" The Strategy of "Welcoming Investment In and Sending It Abroad;" and "Investment Banks." These modules dive into the essential factors that shape the contemporary Chinese economy and clearly outline China's magnificent forty-year journey of reformation and opening up to the world. Professor Chen's work is not only targeted toward MBA students but also toward anyone interested in further understanding and learning from China and its economic history. As for those seeking to foresee the future evolution of the Chinese economy, this book will also prove to be a valuable reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research Papers of the Wroclaw University of Economics / Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wroclawiu is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Countries spend billions of dollars each year to strengthen their discursive power to shape international policy debates. They do so because in public policy conversations labels and narratives matter enormously. The "digital protectionism" label has been used in the last decade as a tool to gain the policy upper hand in digital trade policy debates about cross-border flows of personal and other data. Using the Foucauldian framework of discourse analysis, this Article brings a unique perspective on this topic. The Article makes two central arguments. First, the Article argues that the term "protectionism" is not endowed with an inherent meaning but is socially constructed by the power of discourse used in international negotiations, and in the interpretation and application of international trade policy and rules. In other words, there are as many definitions of "(digital) protectionism" as there are discourses. The U.S. and E.U. "digital trade" discourses illustrate this point. Using the same term, those trading partners advance utterly different discourses and agendas: an economic discourse with economic efficiency as the main benchmark (United States), and a more multidisciplinary discourse where both economic efficiency and protection of fundamental rights are equally important (European Union). Second, based on a detailed evaluation of the economic "digital trade" discourse, the Article contends that the coining of the term "digital protectionism" to refer to domestic information governance policies not yet fully covered by trade law disciplines is not a logical step to respond to objectively changing circumstances, but rather a product of that discourse, which is coming to dominate U.S.-led international trade negotiations. The Article demonstrates how this redefinition of "protectionism" has already resulted in the adoption of international trade rules in recent trade agreements further restricting domestic autonomy to protect the rights to privacy and the protection of personal data. The Article suggests that the distinction between privacy and personal data protection and protectionism is a moral question, not a question of economic efficiency. Therefore, when a policy conversation, such as the one on cross-border data flows, involves noneconomic spill-over effects to individual rights, such conversation should not be confined within the straightjacket of trade economics, but rather placed in a broader normative perspective. Finally, the Article argues that, in conducting recently restarted multilateral negotiations on electronic commerce at the World Trade Organization, countries should rethink the goals of international trade for the twenty-first century. Such goals should determine and define the discourse, not the other way around. The discussion should not be about what "protectionism" means but about how far domestic regimes are willing to let trade rules interfere in their autonomy to protect their societal, cultural, and political values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States has fewer tax treaties with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean than the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and even China have with such countries. After first describing ways in which tax treaties reduce barriers to cross-border trade and investment, this Article considers in turn various possible explanations for this situation. It examines, and rejects, the hypothesis that Latin American countries are reluctant to enter into tax treaties in general. It then considers, and rejects, the possibility that Latin American countries are opposed to increased trade and investment from the United States in particular. It then considers the possibility that U.S. tax treaty policy presents insurmountable difficulties to the conclusion of tax treaties. It concludes that U.S. tax treaty policies may present obstacles to successful negotiations with some, but not all, Latin American countries, suggesting that the United States might make more progress by negotiating with some smaller countries if progress cannot be made with, for example, Brazil or Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Esendere Customs Gate, which is located on the eastern part of the Eastern Anatolia Region in Turkey, is in an important location not only in geopolitical and geostrategic terms but also in commercial terms. The commercial functions of Esendere Customs Gate directly or indirectly caused changes in the settlements under customs gate sphere of influence. Due to the terror problem, which was also one of the border problems experienced in the past, the commercial activities on the customs gate almost came to a halt. However, today, termination of all these problems played a positive and important role in the revival of social, political, and economic structures in the region. Through qualitative improvements on this international customs gate, which has important economic contributions to both Turkey and Iran, it was attempted to increase its economic income and the quality of the service provided. The research area gains more importance owing to its location that is close to particularly the sites that are attractive in terms of tourism, and since it contributes to the improvement of the relations between the two countries. In this study, it was attempted to evaluate the geographical location of the Esendere Customs Gate, which is of importance for Turkey and Iran, its significance for the Eastern Anatolia Region, and accordingly, its importance in economic, social, and political terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Financial & Credit Activity: Problems of Theory & Practice is the property of University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

International migration governance can be represented as a system set up to manage cross‐border mobility of people in the interest of participating states; mostly by means of bilateral agreements between countries and top‐down, UN‐mediated multilateral and EU‐directed plurilateral arrangements. The latter have often failed to work effectively, so we ask if there is another way. We argue that Australia and New Zealand, together with several Pacific nations, form the ANZ Pacific Migration Governance System (ANZPAC), which provides an alternative way of regional migration governance. We call it an idiorhythmic system of governance: a bottom‐up arrangement between states using devolved and/or self‐regulating coordinating mechanisms to allow participating states sufficient freedom to pursue their own agendas at a pace determined mostly uni‐nationally. ANZPAC facilitates enhanced mobility of migrants to and within the region while also helping to reticulate inflows of unauthorized immigrants. It offers interesting, albeit at times controversial, lessons for other countries. Polish Research Foundation NCNOPUS 10 research support scheme (research project 2015/19/B/HS4/00364 'The impact of wealth formation by economic migrants on their mobility and integration: Polish migrants in countries of the European Community and Australia'). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at exploring the trade in Norwegian copper and the finished copper goods it was made into. Using 18th-century trade statistics, supplemented by contemporary descriptions, it will map the locations in which Norwegian copper was traded and processed, the changes that the copper went through, and look into some of the networks involved. The hope is to gain further insights into the cross-border trade systems and to better understand how they, and the copper trade in particular, contributed to the changes taking place in Europe and globally in the pre-industrial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marked in part by a narrow river, the border between the neighbouring provinces of Loei in Thailand and Sayaboury in the Lao PDR appears to be porous and unregulated. While a Friendship Bridge regulates large-scale international trade, an extensive amount of informal, small-scale trade continues to flow across smaller checkpoints and other parts of the river. Trade along these sites is not only highly organised, most of it also happens under the gaze of border officials. This article examines the material and power exchanges that occur at local checkpoints between the different actors involved in the facilitation and restriction of trade. Between Loei and Sayaboury, trade is regulated according to a spectrum of licitness that is constantly negotiated and renegotiated between traders and officials. Negotiations rely on the social relations between these actors and involve practices of gift-giving and bribery, which blur the boundaries between reciprocity and corruption. By focusing on the interactions between state and non-state actors, this article sheds light on the way the informal economy is configured by checkpoint politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introductory article revisits cross-border shadow exchanges in a comparative perspective and reflects on their theoretical implications. It explores the diversities and complexities of shadow operations and critically examines the concept of informality that is commonly used to describe such non-state-sanctioned practices. It further underlines the key role played by checkpoint politics in border governance. Border checkpoints serve both as a state institution in regulating border crossings as well as a political site where material and power exchanges among state and non-state actors are negotiated. Such negotiation of selective passage through state-controlled gateways is often predicated upon the skilful manipulation of time and space by experienced traders and brokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suitcase trade is a common activity along state borders in Asia. Existing scholarship has often viewed such suitcase trade as locally embedded activities characterised by informality. This article contends that this perception underestimates the diversity and complexity of suitcase trade. This is illustrated with a case study of the Pearl River Delta region of southern China, where thousands of suitcase traders carry goods across the borders between mainland China and its two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Several patterns of operation run in parallel, ranging from petty traders working alone to highly-organised group operators. While each individual transaction is small scale and based on informal networks, the entire chain of operations is run by syndicates that are highly organised, commercial, with well-defined divisions of labour, and on a large scale. We describe such a combination of organisational competence and informal networks as "organised informality." The concept allows us to expand the analytical horizon to cover those cross-border exchanges that incorporate modern commercial practices in otherwise non-formal settings. It also bridges the oft-criticised dichotomies of formal-informal and licit-illicit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tajikistan is a very isolated country with the most difficult access and limited transport connections with other countries in the region and beyond. Under such restricted conditions, international relations that allow to develop the economy and promote social progress play a crucial role for Tajikistan. Considering the country's geographic location, Tajikistan's interaction with neighboring countries plays a major role in the sphere of international relations. The paper analyzes the foreign trade relations between Tajikistan and neighboring countries-Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The relevance of examining Tajikistan's border trade with neighboring countries reflects the importance held by the analysis of this aspect's influence on the country's socio-economic development. Border trade, defined as the flow of goods and services over international land borders in the up to 30-kilometer range, plays an important role in supporting the livelihood of the population of the border area, and is thus a pillar of the republic's welfare. Moreover, by strengthening the trade connections and promoting mutual understanding between different communities, border trade stimulates the maintenance of friendly relations between neighbors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progressing globalization process and the accompanying changes in the approach to the role of borders influence the perception of border areas. For decades, borderlands were treated as peripheral. In many cases it resulted in impeding the processes of socio-economic development, which further deepened the isolation and peripherality of those areas. The article presents selected results of research conducted by the author in the area of the Polish-Ukrainian borderland, related to shopping tourism. Shopping tourism is a significant factor in the development of peripheral areas. According to official statistics, as many as 94% of foreigners visiting Poland in 2017 declared shopping as the purpose of their visit. It was the Ukrainian citizens who spent the most on shopping in Poland in 2017. They spent over PLN 750 on the purchase of products and services per one person crossing the border. In the same period, Belarusians spent PLN 624 on purchases in Poland, Lithuanians PLN 532, Russians PLN 455, Germans PLN 461, Slovaks PLN 315, and Czechs PLN 285 per person. In the Polish-Ukrainian border area, 91% of expenses of Ukrainian citizens in Poland are incurred at a distance of less than 50 km from the border (89% in an area up to 30 km). This means that in an area within 50 km from the border with Ukraine, revenues related only to the shopping of Ukrainian citizens travelling to Poland amount to over PLN 6 billion. Expenses related to shopping tourism affect the development of entrepreneurship on the Polish- Ukrainian border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publishing1st is the world's first international social network and rights-trading platform perpendicular to the publishing field. The platform aims to promote the smooth realization of international rights transactions and provide a broader global trading base for outstanding works. The platform integrates the internet with the traditional publishing framework to achieve point-to-point communication, allowing copyright traders, publishers, book authors, literary agents and subsidiary rights traders from different countries directly engage in barrier-free contact, thereby promoting transactions of copyright and subsidiary rights and publishing exchange at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]