CMI Open Research Archive
Not a member yet
2019 research outputs found
Sort by
The politics of migration policy implementation in Ghana
Full text linkThis article dives into the complex web of actors and processes of migration policy implementation in Ghana, revealing political tensions as they play out in this field. The analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with bureaucrats and practitioners involved in migration governance initiatives in Ghana. The study reveals how institutional power hierarchies and funding structures affect execution processes on the ground. Mapping out observations concerning implementation as it is experienced across the vertical scale of involved actors, the study reveals that politics are engrained in Ghanaian migration policy implementation through experiences of (1) incoherent narratives on policy and migration; (2) local-level exclusion from policy design; and (3) mismatch between policy targets and local realities. The article concludes by contemplating theoretical needs and proposing avenues for future research
La Comisión para el Esclarecimiento de la Verdad, Convivencia y la No-repetición, y Violencia Sexual Relacionada con los Conflictos
Full text link
Enhancing financial inclusion and entrepreneurship for Muslim immigrant women in Norway
Full text linkDigital warfare: Exploring the influence of social media in propagating and counteracting hate speech in Sudan’s conflict landscape
Full text linkAbstract
Social media is a double-edged sword in Sudan’s conflict, acting as both a conduit for hate speech and a platform for peacebuilding. This study examines how digital platforms shape Sudan’s conflict landscape post-April 15 2023 by facilitating divisive rhetoric and enabling counter-speech initiatives. The study uses a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach comprising qualitative content analysis of 200 social media posts; trend analysis over 12 months (April 2023–April 2024); and 30 semi-structured interviews with journalists, activists, and officials. The research reveals that algorithmic biases amplify misinformation and polarization, while grassroots campaigns leverage platforms for peace advocacy. Findings highlight the urgent need for localized content moderation, digital literacy programs, and regulatory frameworks to curb hate speech while preserving free expression. This study offers policy recommendations to balance security and civic engagement in digital conflict settings
Invisible Ceiling E-Newsletter
No full textAs the project nears completion, learn about what we've done
An Elusive Fiscal Social Contract: Three Lessons from South Africa
Full text linkIntroduction
A common policy concern in developing countries is that inadequate government revenue hampers development. Hence, many countries focus on raising revenue through taxation, assuming governance improvements will follow because taxpayers will demand something in return for their tax payments, i.e. constituting a “fiscal social contract” between taxpayers and the government. Post-Apartheid South Africa has achieved remarkable success in revenue collection. However, despite high tax collection, governance and social indicators have declined. This policy insight explores three possible reasons why a fiscal social contract has not materialized in South Africa. We argue that (1) excessive coercion by the revenue administration undermines voluntary tax compliance; (2) fiscal bargaining is unlikely in a highly unequal society relying on a very narrow base; and (3) unlike in transactional settings, norms-driven societies require different triggers for fiscal accountability
Artificial intelligence in anti-corruption – a timely update on AI technology
Full text linkWith recent and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, it’s time to check in on AI’s headway – and the hype – and revisit how the technology can be used in anti-corruption work
Improving VAT compliance by incentivizing customers: Evidence from Tanzania
Full text linkAbstract
Ensuring compliance with the Value Added Tax (VAT) is a major challenge for tax administrations in many low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs). The selfenforcing nature of the VAT often breaks down at the point of sale to the final consumer. Receipt lotteries have been introduced as a tool to incentivize customers to request formal receipts for their purchases, thereby strenghtening enforcement. However, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of such lotteries remains limited. In collaboration with the Tanzania Revenue Authority, we implemented a receipt lottery and evaluated its effects using a combination of administrative tax data and original survey data. The administrative data show that the lottery led to significant increases in recorded sales and VAT liability among VAT registered firms. The survey data reveals that the customers are well aware of the lottery and respond by requesting receipts more frequently. However, firms often counter this increased demand by printing fewer receipts when customers do not explicitly request them, partially mitigating the lottery’s effects
Contested airport lands in the Global South
Full text linkWith the acceleration of airport construction and expansion in low- and middle-income countries, a multi-disciplinary scholarship that relates infrastructural development to social aviation is unfolding. By shifting the focus to the Global South, the authors of this book reveal colonial trajectories, the role of foreign investment and ownership, and the socioeconomic and environmental dynamics that airports trigger. While visions of economic and social development related to aviation drive greenfield development, airport expansion and the development of airport cities often do not keep this promise. In most cases, megaprojects threaten the livelihoods of those living on airport land. This chapter introduces the concept of ‘airport land’, central to the book, whose chapters highlight land use changes and the socioeconomic dynamics that these changes set in motion. It narrates aviation-led development, development corridors, airport-induced injustice, displacement and compensation, protest movements, and multi-level governance. The authors underline that aviation-induced conflicts in the Global North differ from those in the Global South because land tenure systems differ and because airport development usually affects already-vulnerable populations that do not benefit from airports and increased connectivity. The chapter presents key findings from case studies in countries such as India, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Kenya