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The youth gender gap in support for the far right
No full textThe 2024 European Parliament election showcased a surprising new trend. While progressive parties have traditionally done well among younger voters, it was far-right parties that enjoyed unprecedented electoral support among young voters in the 2024 EP elections. Analyzing data from the European Election Studies (EES) 2024, covering 27 countries and almost 25,000 voters, this paper shows that there is a sizable gender gap in voting for the far right. The electoral success of far-right parties among young voters is primarily driven by the support of young men, peaking at over 21% of all young men in 2024 compared to only about 14% among women of the same age cohort. Descriptive analyses from the EES shows that this gap can partially be explained by attitudinal differences, with young women holding more socially progressive views than young men. Age-Period-Cohort models based on EES data covering eight elections from 1989 to 2024 further reveal that this gender gap is greatest for Millennials and Generation Z. Since political attitudes and voting behaviour during the formative years may have a long-lasting effect on voting patterns and attitudes later in life, our findings have important implications for the future of European democracies
The effects of marginalisation in areas of high political centralisation
No full textRecent research indicates the existence of ‘places that don’t matter’, where residents harbour feelings of abandonment, prompting a tilt towards anti-system narratives. Yet, the effects of territorial marginalisation extend beyond voting behaviour, influencing deeper underlying factors. Utilising data from 9924 cases in the region of Valparaiso in Chile, this study reveals that living in politically marginalised cities in contexts of high political centralisation correlates with reduced political knowledge and internal political efficacy, even when accounting for other sociodemographic characteristics. By focusing on territorial marginalisation, this analysis offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between individual sociodemographic characteristics and political engagement
Revisiting the base in evidence-based policy
No full textEvidence-based policy (EBP) has become widely embraced for its commitment to greater uptake of scientific knowledge in policymaking. But what legitimizes EBP and in what respect are evidence-based policymaking practices better than other policymaking practices? In this article, we distinguish and refine three potential legitimizers of EBP. We suggest that evidence-based policymaking practices are better because they “follow the science,” because they focus on “what works,” or because they “follow the rules.” We discuss some consequences, for advocates of EBP, of consciously adopting one or other of these legitimizers. Finally, we examine whether it is appropriate to switch from advocating for EBP to advocating for evidence-informed policy
Bringing autocracy home? How migration to autocracies shapes migrants’ support for democracy
No full textPrior scholarship finds that migrants embrace democratic ideals and promote democracy back home, but this work focuses on migration to high-income Western democracies. How does moving to autocracies shape migrants’ democratic attitudes and behavior? Leveraging a field experiment facilitating migration from India to the Persian Gulf, the authors isolate the causal impact of migration on migrants’ political preferences. After migrating, treated individuals exhibited significantly higher trust in Indian democratic institutions and greater political participation—except for voting, which is difficult to do from abroad. Additionally, they were no more willing to trade democracy for economic growth than control group subjects. The treatment group’s political preferences stem from comparing their experiences under democratic and, as migrants, autocratic governments. The findings suggest that migrants value democracy for its political benefits, which outweigh preferences for higher economic development. This article clarifies the mechanisms by which migration shapes preferences for democracy and sheds light on how migration to autocracies shapes politics in sending regions more generally
Revisiting historiography to re-evaluate the role of nationalism is vital but so is rethinking terminology
No full textReimagining growth futures: overcoming the false binary between green growth and degrowth
No full textWhen imagining how a green transition can take place, the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability is commonly viewed in two ways: As ‘green growth,’ where the two can be mutually supporting, and as ‘degrowth,’ where they cannot. The two are considered mutually exclusive, internally coherent, and competing eco-political paradigms. Here, we conceptually analyze the literature and map standpoints within the two positions along nine dimensions covering national institutions, world order, and scientific cosmology. We find that there are substantial disagreements within as well as agreements between green growth and degrowth. In consequence, we argue that the literature is caught in a false binary. To constructively move the debate forward, we propose giving up the paradigmatic and polarized approach and instead embracing a multidimensional plurality of imagined growth futures
Effects of integrated community-based care and group microfinance on antiretroviral therapy adherence among adults living with HIV in Western Kenya
Get PDFBackground: Despite the introduction of single-pill antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence remains suboptimal in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Harambee study evaluated the effects of delivering integrated community-based (ICB) HIV care within small lending and savings groups called microfinance groups in western Kenya. Here, we explore the intervention's, a 2-arm cluster randomized trial, impact on ART adherence. Methods: We calculated the medication possession ratio (MPR) across 18 months at 3 time points using ART refill data from May 2021 to July 2023. As a secondary outcome, we assessed patient-reported 4-day ART adherence changes between study months 0 and 18. Outcomes were analyzed using linear regression models with treatment-by-time interaction terms to estimate time-varying treatment effects and month fixed effects, with standard errors clustered at the appropriate group level. Results: Baseline mean MPRs were 0.971 for microfinance group members receiving ICB care, 0.989 for microfinance groups receiving usual (facility-based) care, and 0.995 for frequency-matched usual care patients not engaged in microfinance. At 18 months, MPRs were significantly higher among microfinance groups receiving usual care (0.057, P < 0.001) and microfinance groups receiving ICB care (0.048, P < 0.001) compared to baseline. Four-day ART adherence ratios increased for participants enrolled in group microfinance with usual care (0.021, P = 0.05). Findings were consistent across all models and robustness checks. Conclusions: Combining ICB care with group microfinance significantly increased ART adherence and may contribute to increased HIV viral suppression
‘Digital Insight and Agency Scale’ (DIAS) a novel tool to illuminate young people’s agency in mitigating the negative impact of digital activities on their mental health
Get PDFObjectives: Excessive time spent online is believed to negatively impact youth mental health; however, simplified screen‐time measures fail to consider young people's agency and digital activity management skills. We developed and validated a novel tool, the Digital Insight and Agency Scale (DIAS), to better understand different aspects of young people's online agency and explore their links to youth mental health. Methods: Participants (n = 383; age 16–25 years, mean = 19.0, SD = 1.7; 48.8% White, 30.2% South/East Asian, 8.6% Black) completed the DIAS questionnaire and standardised measures of anxiety, depression and wellbeing. The factor structure, reliability of the DIAS and associations with mental health were examined. Results: Participants reported specific negative impacts of digital engagement on their daily functioning in the previous 2 weeks, especially less sleep. Seventy‐eight per cent were worried about the negative impact of digital activity, and 82% engaged in one or more risk management actions, including Enhancing Positive Engagement, Coping Actions, and/or Reducing Engagement. Higher levels of mental health problems were associated with more worries and increased efforts to manage digital activity. Conclusions: Most young people displayed agency in managing their digital activity, suggesting that this could be leveraged in interventions, rather than focusing solely on reducing access and time spent online
Platform governance under NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act: cybersecurity by design as social practice
Get PDFPlatform governance is increasingly shaped by regulatory mandates that embed cybersecurity principles into the design and operation of digital services. This study examines how the European Union’s NIS2 Directive and proposed Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) institutionalize ‘cybersecurity-by-design’ within platform ecosystems, and how this shift is understood as a social practice. It outlines the key requirements these frameworks impose on online platforms, from risk management processes and secure development obligations to lifecycle vulnerability handling, and compares them with international approaches such as the US Executive Order 14028 and ISO 27001 standards. Drawing on sociological perspectives, including actor-network theory, Bourdieu’s theory of practice, and Science and Technology Studies, the study argues that cybersecurity-by-design constitutes not merely a technical mandate but a practice shaped by organizational cultures, power relations, and the circulation of knowledge among stakeholders. This argument is illustrated through case studies of the security challenges and compliance strategies of major platforms, emphasizing how law, technology, and social dynamics intersect. The discussion explores the opportunities and tensions involved in regulating platform security by design, including balancing control and trust, considering global governance implications, and addressing the influence of commercial incentives as described by surveillance capitalism. The study indicates that effective cybersecurity-by-design requires not only legal enforcement but also the active engagement of practitioner communities and users, making it a sociotechnical project embedded in a broader societal context