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Worlding geography, area studies and the study of area
No full textThis paper introduces the collection of five short papers written by scholars from Egypt, Russia, Singapore, China and South Africa that advance this journal's ‘Geography in the World’ initiative through a more robust engagement between geography and area studies. Geographers have increasingly addressed the troubled relationship that their discipline has with the field of area studies. Less registered, however, in Anglophone debates are the presence and politics of other geographical traditions of area studies. In this themed intervention, we propose a reoriented critical geography of ‘area’ by closely assessing non‐Western geography's relationship with its area studies counterpart across a range of (geo)political, economic, institutional and cultural contexts beyond the Anglo‐American ‘core’
Should airport expansion be part of a growth strategy for the UK?
No full textAs part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ prioritisation of economic growth, the Government may give the go-ahead to expanding three of London’s airports. But the growth Reeves hopes to achieve would undoubtedly be at the expense of climate and nature goals while likely exacerbating regional inequality – cause to think twice, writes Daisy Jameson
Asset-price redistribution
No full textAsset valuations across many asset classes have increased substantially over the past several decades. While these rising valuations had important effects on the distribution of wealth, little is known regarding their redistributive effects in terms of welfare. To make progress on this question, we develop a sufficient statistic for the money-metric welfare gain of deviations in asset valuations. This welfare gain depends on the present value of an individual’s net asset sales rather than asset holdings: higher asset valuations benefit prospective sellers and harm prospective buyers. We estimate this quantity using panel microdata covering the universe of financial transactions in Norway from 1994 to 2019. We further demonstrate how to adapt our baseline statistic to account for important considerations, such as incomplete markets and collateral constraints. We find that the rise in asset valuations had large redistributive effects: it redistributed from the young to the old and from the poor to the wealthy
Economic value of international missions and domestic initiatives to strengthen surgical care in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review
No full textBackground: In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), domestic investments to strengthen surgical services compete with services delivered by international missions. While addressing the high burden of unmet surgical need is a priority, there remains limited evidence on the comparative economic value of different delivery options to guide investment decisions. Methods: Four databases and grey literature were searched for publications in any language from January 2013 to January 2023. Eligible studies evaluated the cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, or cost-benefit of international missions and domestic initiatives used for scale up of surgical care. Average cost-effectiveness ratios were computed for each intervention and then converted to 2022 international dollars (I27 051 (I498 (I515 500 (I5068 (I$31 618). The difference was statistically significant (Wilcoxon rank-sum test: z = 2.412; P = 0.016). Conclusion: Investments in domestic surgical system strengthening efforts provide better value for money than international missions and should be prioritized over international missions
Housing as a social determinant of health: a contemporary framework
No full textHousing is a key social determinant of health. Healthy housing is affordable, suitable, and secure. It is characterised by warmth, dryness, and proper ventilation; free from hazards such as mould and toxins; accessible to occupants with functional limitations; and provides foundational security. Conversely, exposure to unhealthy home environments can negatively affect respiratory and cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing, infectious disease transmission, and injury risk. Housing-focused health interventions and programmes offer a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between housing and health, potentially leading to improved population health outcomes across various domains. This Series paper integrates contemporary understanding of housing and housing systems into a social and economic determinants framework. We illustrate how housing systems contribute to poor health outcomes and health inequalities, providing a foundation for exploring housing's potential to support health across jurisdictions globally. Although our framework can be used to examine the relationship between specific housing hazards (eg, mould, cold, or heat) and health, its primary focus is on understanding how these hazards are generated and distributed through characteristics of the housing system (eg, building codes or housing finance). By addressing these housing system determinants, we propose an alternative approach to achieving healthier housing. This framework aims to support the strategic use of housing to promote good health for all populations
Composite endpoints in health technology assessment: part 1 - an illustration of best modeling practice
No full textComposite endpoints amalgamate multiple clinical outcomes into a single measure, offering efficiency gains in clinical trials through increased event rates and reduced sample sizes, thus accelerating clinical development and regulatory approval. However, employing composite endpoints introduces complexities into health technology assessments (HTAs), particularly in economic modeling, due to the varying clinical significance and cost implications of the components. In this paper, we explore best modeling practice for HTAs that are based on clinical trials that employ composite endpoints. We examine regulatory guidance and discuss statistical solutions for differential component impacts, before presenting a case study based on a recent dapagliflozin submission for reimbursement in heart failure. Our investigation reveals that while composite endpoints can streamline trial analyses and hasten regulatory approval, they also pose a risk of bias in HTA if treatment effects for the components are inappropriately pooled. The paper discusses HTA principles in the context of composite endpoint trials and proposes strategies to develop modeling scenarios and interpret results, especially concerning whether to combine or split out estimates of component treatment effects. A particular focus is the accurate capture of uncertainty, both in terms of the parameter inputs to the model and over the ultimate decision to reimburse. This paper serves as a potential resource for researchers, practitioners and decision-makers, offering insights into best modeling practices that can unlock the full potential of composite endpoints in the pursuit of evidence-based healthcare decision-making
Desarrollo de un enfoque de seguridad pública para las comunidades locales en zonas afectadas por la violencia en Colombia
No full textEste informe describe las oportunidades para abordar los desafíos actuales de paz y seguridad que afectan a las comunidades afrodescendientes e indígenas en el contexto actual a través de un enfoque de seguridad humana localizado. Integrando los aprendizajes de las visitas de campo, las conversaciones con actores clave y las consultas comunitarias, que se llevaron a cabo a finales del verano del 2024, este memorándum ofrece recomendaciones prácticas para operacionalizar un esfuerzo integrado de paz y seguridad y reducir la violencia en áreas subnacionales seleccionadas. Se basa tanto en discusiones a nivel nacional, como en las particularidades de los desafíos y las oportunidades de dos regiones, Nariño y Chocó, y esboza una propuesta piloto en ambas regiones
Social reproduction as survival and insurgency in Gaza
No full textWhat is happening in Gaza now is a total displacement of any form of normality. This displacement of the normal has been effected by a population-wide project of social reproduction. Every Gazan, including children, is solicited to reproduce life, to survive. At the same time, social reproduction in Palestine has always also entailed insurgent possibilities, where this form of labour has indeed sustained and reproduced Palestinian revolutionary action. From collective kitchens to local initiatives of care for children, to using drones as musical instruments to distract children from the deafening violence of its soundscape, social reproduction is iterated as both survival and insurgency. This short intervention tries to think through the question of how to make sense of social reproduction as capitalist oppression through the unwaged housework, and as colonial violence through the mass extermination of a population, without leaving behind its potential for insurgency
Is misrecognition recognised? Classed perceptions of occupational status
No full textSociological work commonly assumes that people across the class hierarchy tacitly accept, or misrecognise, an occupational status hierarchy. In this article we interrogate this drawing on unique nationally representative Norwegian survey data (N = 4235). We find that people in all class positions do indeed perceive a clear occupational status hierarchy, although working-class respondents attribute higher average status scores to working-class occupations. Significantly, this status order is maintained even when respondents assess the status occupations ought to have – albeit with a significantly more compressed status hierarchy. Finally, we find little evidence that those in different class positions use different criteria to evaluate status. These results indicate that people do not dispute existing status hierarchies, or even their normative basis, even when this positions them lower in terms of social esteem. We argue this provides support for Bourdieu’s assertion that class domination occurs via a ‘doxic naturalisation’ of the status order
Nigerian confraternities and mass cross-border fraud
No full textNigeria is well-known for its significant problem with criminal actors who commit industrial-scale online fraud and related crimes, predominantly targeting foreign nationals and businesses. However, the structures and characteristics of those involved remain less understood. A key area of debate concerns the degree of organization among these perpetrators and their affiliation with organized crime groups. A specific focus of this debate is the involvement of confraternities, such as Black Axe, originating from Nigerian universities. This paper will seek to offer a deeper assessment of the growing role of confraternities in organised fraud and how they utilise networks of members, often based in Western countries, to perpetrate fraud and launder money. The study argues that while the full extent of their involvement is challenging to ascertain, there is mounting evidence that confraternities play a significant role in cross-border fraud and money laundering operations in Western nations