German Institute of Global and Area Studies

About: German Institute of Global and Area Studies is a facility organization based out in Hamburg, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Politics & Democracy. The organization has 285 authors who have published 862 publications receiving 15771 citations.

Trade-offs between multifunctionality and profit in tropical smallholder landscapes

Abstract: Land-use transitions can enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but potential economic-ecological trade-offs remain poorly understood. Here, we present an interdisciplinary study of the environmental, social and economic consequences of land-use transitions in a tropical smallholder landscape on Sumatra, Indonesia. We find widespread biodiversity-profit trade-offs resulting from land-use transitions from forest and agroforestry systems to rubber and oil palm monocultures, for 26,894 aboveground and belowground species and whole-ecosystem multidiversity. Despite variation between ecosystem functions, profit gains come at the expense of ecosystem multifunctionality, indicating far-reaching ecosystem deterioration. We identify landscape compositions that can mitigate trade-offs under optimal land-use allocation but also show that intensive monocultures always lead to higher profits. These findings suggest that, to reduce losses in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, changes in economic incentive structures through well-designed policies are urgently needed.

How to Compare Regional Powers: Analytical Concepts and Research Topics

Abstract: Although the concept of regional power is frequently used in International Relations (IR) literature, there is no consensus regarding the defining characteristics of a regional power. The article discusses different theoretical approaches that address the topic of power hierarchies in international politics and make reference to the concept of regional power. Marking differences as well as common ground with the more traditional concept of 'middle powers', the article outlines an analytical concept of regional powers adequate for contemporary IR research. The analytical dimensions of the framework may be employed to differentiate regional powers from other states and to compare regional powers with regard to their power status or relative power. Furthermore, the article investigates the possible repercussions of the rise of regional powers for international politics and discusses the probable importance and functions of regional governance structures for regional powers.

Resource curse or rentier peace? The ambiguous effects of oil wealth and oil dependence on violent conflict

Abstract: The ‘resource curse’ hypothesis claims that abundance in natural resources, particularly oil, encourages especially civil war. Natural resources provide both motive and opportunity for conflict and...

Technology and collective action: the effect of cell phone coverage on political violence in Africa

Abstract: The spread of cell phone technology across Africa has transforming effects on the economic and political sphere of the continent. In this paper, we investigate the impact of cell phone technology on violent collective action. We contend that the availability of cell phones as a communication technology allows political groups to overcome collective action problems more easily and improve in-group cooperation, and coordination. Utilizing novel, spatially disaggregated data on cell phone coverage and the location of organized violent events in Africa, we are able to show that the availability of cell phone coverage significantly and substantially increases the probability of violent conflict. Our findings hold across numerous different model specifications and robustness checks, including cross-sectional models, instrumental variable techniques, and panel data methods.

Neopatrimonialism Revisited : Beyond a Catch-All Concept

Abstract: The article provides a critical discussion of the literature on “patrimonialism” and “neopatrimonialism” as far as the use in Development Studies in general or African Studies in particular is concerned. To overcome the catch-all use of the concept the authors present their own definition of “neopatrimonialism” based on Max Weber’s concept of patrimonialism and legal-rational bureaucracy. However, in order to make the concept more useful for comparative empirical research, they argue, it needs a thorough operationalisation (qualitatively and quantitatively) and the creation of possible subtypes which, in combination, might contribute to a theory of neopatrimonial action. Der Artikel unterzieht die beiden Konzepte „Patrimonialismus“ und „Neopatrimonialismus“, wie sie in der entwicklungstheoretischen Literatur und in Afrikastudien Verwendung finden, einer kritischen Analyse. Damit dem Konzept des Neopatrimonialismus mehr als nur eine heuristische Bedeutung zukommen kann, prasentieren die Autoren eine eigene Definition des Begriffs, die sich eng an die Weber’schen Konzepte des Patrimonialismus und der legal-rationalen Burokratie anlehnt. Daruber hinaus ist auf dieser Grundlage (1) eine sorgfaltige (qualitative und/oder quantitative) Operationalisierung des Konzeptes und (2) die Bildung von moglichen Subtypen notwendig. Erst dann kann das Konzept sinnvoll fur die vergleichende empirische Forschung eingesetzt und moglicherweise etwas wie eine neopatrimoniale Handlungstheorie entwickelt werden.