Governance Uncovered

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIn this episode, we focus on governance at a local level in the city where GLD is based - Gothenburg. We discuss the potential of sharing economies at the household level and the Gothenburg Proposal, an e-petition platform that enhances local democracy and citizen engagement. We also share the inspiring work of Swedish Development Partner Gothenburg, also known as "IM Gothenburg," and their contribution towards local integration in the city.Interviews: Divia Jiménez Encarnación from Chalmers University and Emma Öhrwall from Democracy and Citizen Services, City of Gothenburg, were interviewed by Erica Metheney (GLD). Paper discussed: Jiménez Encarnación, Divia; Metheney, Erica Ann; Thuvander, Liane; Kalmykova, Yuliya; and Rosado, Leonardo. (2024). “Revealing patterns in household product consumption and sharing: An approach to support urban governance towards a sustainable sharing economy,” Sustainable Production and Consumption, Volume 45, Pages 244-264, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.01.009Åsa Aguayo Åkesson from Democracy and Citizen Services, City of Gothenburg, interviewed by Sara Bjurenvall (GLD). More information about the Gothenburg Proposal can be found here.Saga Cambon from IM Gothenburg was interviewed by Ellen Lust (GLD). IM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsweden/

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIn this episode, we are joined by GLD fellow Fernando Brancoli, who is an Associate Professor at the Institute for International Relations and Defense, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is also an Associated Researcher at the Orfalea Center for Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara.Fernando and host Ellen Lust discuss Fernando’s book Bolsonarismo - The Global Origins and Future of Brazil’s Far Right, published with Rutgers University Press in November 2023. The book looks at the rise of the far-right alliance that emerged in Brazil in 2020 around the figure of former president Jair Bolsonaro, exploring how Bolsonarismo has developed a specific political orientation through its partnerships with other groups, practices, and subjectivities within Brazil, as well as internationally.Ellen and Fernando talk about how the rise of far-right movements and Bolsonarismo has impacted and continues to impact different types of local communities within Brazil. Fernando points to the interaction between transnational, national, and local influences when explaining Bolsonarismo and how local communities have organized themselves in response. He parallels former and current leaders like Victor Orban, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Donald Trump and suggests that Bolsonaro can be considered an international nationalist who aimed to create alliances to keep international actors out of Brazil. He also gives examples of how indigenous communities have utilized both cross-community and transnational relations and created new platforms of engagement and governance to build resistance.Discussions about this and much more will follow in the episode. We hope you find it interesting!-----Fernando Brancoli is an Associate Professor at the Institute for International Relations and Defense, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. He was a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies (SPSS) in Princeton (2021-2023) and is currently an Associated Researcher at the Orfalea Center for Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, both in the US. Specializing in South-South relations, Brancoli's research delves into governance, security, and development. He conducted extensive fieldwork across three continents, exploring the interplay between local communities and transnational entities and their collective impact on governance. His publications include Bolsonarismo - The Global Origins and Future of Brazil’s Far Right (Rutgers University Press, 2023) and The Tropical Silk Road: The Future of China in South America (Stanford University Press, 2022).

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIn this episode, we are joined by Egor Lazarev, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Yale University. Egor and host Ellen Lust discuss Egor's book State-Building as Lawfare: Custom, Sharia, and State Law in Postwar Chechnya, which was published by Cambridge University Press in 2023. The book addresses two interrelated puzzles: why do local rulers tolerate and even promote non-state legal systems at the expense of state law, and why do some members of repressed ethnic minorities choose to resolve their everyday disputes using state legal systems instead of non-state alternatives? It documents how the rulers of Chechnya promote and reinvent customary law and Sharia in order to borrow legitimacy from tradition and religion, increase autonomy from the metropole, and accommodate communal authorities and former rebels. At the same time, the book shows how prolonged armed conflict disrupted the traditional social hierarchies and pushed some Chechen women to use state law, spurring state formation from below. As Ellen and Egor discuss the book, they get into how Egor first became interested in working in Chechnya, and on issues of legal pluralism, individual-level decision-making, and whether Egor believes that the book's perspective on the state as fragmented, always including centers and peripheries, extends to other contexts than the one of Chechnya and Russia. Lazarev, Egor. (2023). State-Building as Lawfare: Custom, Sharia, and State Law in Postwar Chechnya, Cambridge University Press. Online ISBN:DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009245913

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIn the 55th episode of Governance Uncovered, we sit down with Diana Greenwald to talk about her book "Mayors in the Middle - Indirect Rule and Local Government in Occupied Palestine," which will be published by Columbia University Press in May 2024. Host Ellen Lust and Diana start by talking about what initially made Diana interested in Palestine and local governance in the West Bank. They then discuss the book itself, considering the dynamics of local self-government in the Palestinian West Bank. Diana argues that the system of Israeli indirect rule, particularly its emphasis on local policing, and the political affiliations of Palestinian mayors shape their governance strategies and outcomes. The episode ends with a discussion about how Diana's book might help us better understand the current levels of conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.Greenwald, Diana, B. (2024). Mayors in the Middle: Indirect Rule and Local Government in Occupied Palestine. Columbia University Press. ISBN: 9780231213158.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTThis episode of Governance Uncovered focuses on the Sudanese civil war. Our first guest Munzoul Assal, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Khartoum and the University of Bergen, gives us insight into Sudan's complex history. Then, we'll hear from Dr. Iman Ahmed, a global health specialist with a focus on migration and refugee studies. She discusses healthcare challenges faced by doctors in Sudan. Finally, Dr. Khalid Mustafa Medani, Associate Professor of Political Science and Islamic Studies at McGill University, emphasizes the need for international attention to address humanitarian aid delivery challenges and political solutions in the crisis. The guests provide a comprehensive overview, highlighting the war's roots in political struggles and offering perspectives on healthcare issues and diaspora initiatives.Links:"A Love Letter to Sudan" - Interview with Professor Munzoul Assal by Åse Johanne Roti Dahl, communication adviser at CMI, May 2023. www.cmi.no/news/3137-a-love-letter-to-sudanGlobal Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism: grfdt.com/Sudan Doctor's Union: www.sdu-canada.ca/Sudan Doctor's Union donations campaign link, established on Zeffy: www.zeffy.com/en-CA/fundraising/…-a5c5-0f67021c45aaAfrican Studies at McGill University: asdmcgill.com/Doctors Without Borders Sudan: www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do…%20support."Sudan: How a tea-seller displaced by conflict led her family away from hunger." Article by Mohamed Elamin, World Food Programme, 2 August 2023.www.wfp.org/stories/sudan-how-t…ly-out-hungers-jaws

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Governance Uncovered is a podcast by the Governance and Lcoal Development Institute at the University of Gothenburg. This podcast is supported by the Swedish Research Council.In this episode, we have Dalia Abdelhady, Associate Professor in Sociology at Lund University, joining us in a conversation on diasporas. We'll discuss how events back home, whether natural disasters or political crises affect diaspora communities and how they engage with their homelands. We are also joined by Hamza Ouhaichi, a board member of the Moroccan Association in Malmö, Sweden, and a PhD student in computer science at Malmö University. Hamza will talk about how they work with community support at the Moroccan Association in Malmö and their recent emergency response efforts after the devastating earthquake in Morocco.Don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. And without further ado, let's get into the episode!References:Abdelhady, D., & Aly, R. (Eds.) (2022). The Routledge Handbook on Middle Eastern Diasporas. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429266102Abdelhady, D. (2011). The Lebanese Diaspora: The Arab Immigrant Experience in New York, Montreal and Paris. New York University Press.Abdelhady, D., & Aly, R. (2022). Coming to and coming from the Middle East: the unfolding of diaspora. In D. Abdelhady, & R. Aly (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook on Middle Eastern Diasporas (pp. 1-19). Routledge.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIn today's episode, we are joined by Michael Wahman, Associate Professor at Michigan State University's Department of Political Science.Host Ellen Lust and Michael discuss his book Controlling Territory, Controlling Voters, recently published by Oxford University Press. Michael's research leading up to this book, which spanned seven years, delves into the complex topic of electoral violence in Zambia and Malawi.The interview delves into the concept of electoral violence, examining its manifestations and its broader impact on the electoral process. Michael's research highlights the significance of low-scale violence and the fear it instills among voters, especially women.Furthermore, the interview explores the concept of geographically polarized electoral systems, a critical framework for understanding when and why electoral violence occurs. Michael explains how competition over territory, rather than individual voters, becomes a focal point in these systems, making election violence a tool for controlling space and shaping electoral outcomes.Michael also provides some practical implications of his work, emphasizing the importance of taking low-scale violence seriously, working with domestic election observers, and finding local solutions to de-escalate election violence.Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe if you liked the episode! And drop us a note on what you would like to hear next. We always like to hear from you!Reference: Wahman, Michael. (2023). Controlling Territory, Controlling Voters: The Electoral Geography of African Campaign Violence. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780198872825

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIONThis podcast is supported by the Swedish Research Council. In this episode, we're joined by Marika Sosnowski, a postdoctoral research fellow at Melbourne Law School. Marika and host Ellen Lust discuss Marika's new book Redefining Ceasefires: Wartime Order and State Building in Syria. The book challenges traditional notions of ceasefires and examines their effects on governance beyond just halting violence. Marika emphasizes the complexity of ceasefires in Syria, particularly in the context of local governance. She discusses the case of the 2016 nationwide ceasefire and how it affected governance dynamics in different areas in Syria. She mentions that while violence decreased overall, targeted assassinations of key governance figures increased, leading to unexpected consequences for local governance efforts. The conversation also explores the disconnect between international perspectives on ceasefires and the perspectives of those living in conflict zones. Marika suggests that a human-centered view of ceasefires, focused on the needs and goals of those directly affected, could yield different outcomes. Overall, the interview sheds light on the multifaceted nature of ceasefires, their impact on governance, and the importance of considering local perspectives and needs when analyzing their effects.Mentioned work: Sosnowski, Marika. (2023). Redefining Ceasefires: Wartime Order and Statebuilding in Syria. Cambridge University Press.Sosnowski, Marika. (2023). "Fear and Violence, Loyalty and Treason: Settlement of Status in Syria." International Studies Quarterly. https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/router/5996379d-fdb6-4363-9389-2a9e5e6bc039

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT In this episode, Oliver Harman, Cities Economist for the International Growth Centre's Cities that Work initiative based at Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and Riccardo Crescenzi, Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science, will be discussing their book "Harnessing Global Value Chains for Regional Development: How to Upgrade through Regional Policy, FDI, and Trade." They highlight the significance of considering global value chains at the regional level and the importance of coordination between different levels of government for effective policy implementation.Next, we're joined by Rebecca Grace Tan, a Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, who delves into her research on Singaporean politics, migration, citizenship, multiculturalism, and nationalism. She explores how the Singaporean state navigates the challenge of cultural pluralism while cultivating a common national identity, particularly through their framework of multiracialism.Selected Work: "Renegotiating Multiracialism: the grassroots integration of new migrants’ ethnic identities in Singapore," Asian Ethnicity. "Defanging Public Discontent in an Authoritarian Regime: Grassroots Volunteering and Immigration in Singapore," Commonwealth and Comparative Politics.Our final guest is Nick Kuipers, an assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. Nick discusses his study on civil service exams and their impact on representation in municipalities, as well as individuals' attitudes. He uncovers the unintended consequences of high-stakes exams, which exacerbate the representation gap between privileged and underprivileged groups. Nick also sheds light on how passing or failing these exams affects individuals' satisfaction, social cohesion, and national identification.Selected Work: Forthcoming. "City Size and Public Service Access: Evidence From Brazil and Indonesia" (with A. Post). Perspectives on Politics.Forthcoming. "Failing The Test: The Countervailing Attitudinal Effects of Civil Service Examinations," American Political Science Review.This podcast is produced by the Governance and Local Development Institute, University of Gothenburg, and supported by the Swedish Research Council.