ABSTRACT This study examines how different policy issues and institutional factors influence the strength of political consensus and polarized voting in the United States (US) Congress between 1991 and 2020. Utilising the Jordan Tama important congressional votes dataset, the analysis investigates the impact of external factors, such as foreign trade, immigration, domestic policy, spending, military/security issues and presidential position, as well as internal factors, such as divided party control. Our analysis employed descriptive statistics for all variables, pairwise correlation, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, binary logistic regression and marginal effects modelling to estimate predictors. The results indicate that immigration and domestic policy issues significantly reduce consensus and increase polarization, while spending bills foster greater bipartisan agreement. Presidential involvement and periods of divided‐party control emerge as strong predictors of polarized voting, whereas foreign trade and international finance do not significantly alter underlying partisan and consensus dynamics in both houses. The findings contribute to partisan and electoral theories by demonstrating how specific policy domains and institutional dynamics interact to shape legislative outcomes in the contemporary polarized political environment. The study highlights challenges facing efforts to restore legislative functionality and the foundational role of compromise in American democracy.

ABSTRACT Mounting climate and environmental crises remain a key challenge for West African countries. More vulnerabilities among West African populations seem to have been created due to increased uncertainty and lack of confidence to invest in the business environment. In view of this, the study explores the impact of climate change vulnerability on per capita GDP/income in the West African context over the period 2000–2023. Using pooled mean group (PMG) estimator and panel non‐causality test, climate change vulnerability index has an adverse impact on both per capita GDP and gross national income (GNI) per capita in the long run. This suggests that high susceptibility to climate risks is likely to reduce the availability of economic resources, exacerbating poor development outcomes in the long term. Findings further stress that increased climate vulnerability could amplify existing inequalities and other socioeconomic problems. The study also recognizes that the associated challenges of the levels of climate vulnerability and socioeconomic conditions are interconnected, as these indicators could reinforce each other based on the evidence of bidirectional causality between them. It is emphasized that the prevailing socioeconomic conditions, particularly in West Africa, can be strongly linked to climate phenomena. Growth and income gains are unlikely to be sufficiently high in the face of rising susceptibility to changing weather patterns, generating renewed socio‐economic concerns. Hence, it is recommended that more equitable and effective responses to climate change in terms of mitigation and adaptation measures are imperative and be fully motivated towards desired socioeconomic outcomes across the West African sub‐region.

Regional integration and environmental sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from South Asia" "Social entrepreneurship and future employment in Nigeria" "Leadership and the fourth industrial revolution: A systematic literature review" "C OVID-19 pandemic and African innovation: Finding the good from the bad using Twitter data and text mining approach" "Fintech applications in social welfare schemes during Covid times: An extension of the classic TAM model in India" These should have been for the Special Issue "Social Innovation, Sustainability, and Governance in Times of Crisis", not "Fourth Industrial Revolution, Innovation & Sustainable Development of the Global South in Post-Covid-19 Era".In addition, the Issue Information in Volume 74 Issue 251 was published without attributing the article "From plague to plague: COVID-19 and the New Decameron(s)" to the Special Issue "Social Innovation, Sustainability, and Governance in Times of Crisis".These have been corrected online.We apologise for these errors.

ABSTRACT This article examines the sociopolitical implications of cashless government‐to‐person (G2P) transfers in Bangladesh. It focuses on their role in peacebuilding through the lens of social cohesion. Drawing on a mixed‐methods study across four major social safety net programs—Old Age Allowance, Widow/Deserted and Destitute Women Allowance, Maternity Allowance and the Hijra Community Allowance—the research compares beneficiary experiences under both cash‐based and digital modalities. Findings reveal that although digital payments improve convenience, safety and perceptions of dignity, they also generate new challenges, including digital literacy gaps, reliance on intermediaries and small‐scale rent‐seeking. Quantitative data sometimes indicate stronger performance under cash‐based systems; however, qualitative evidence highlights beneficiaries’ preference for digital transfers due to enhanced transparency and reduced risks of robbery and harassment. The study further uncovers a divergence in trust between NGOs and state institutions, suggesting that NGO‐led delivery, although effective, may inadvertently sideline state legitimacy unless better co‐managed. By situating these results within peacebuilding theory, the article argues that G2P transfers contribute to positive peace by strengthening both horizontal (community) and vertical (state–citizen) cohesion, provided implementation challenges are addressed. The findings have implications for designing inclusive digital financial ecosystems that align social protection with state legitimacy and sustaining peacebuilding.

ABSTRACT This study examines the sustainability of digital loans and its effect on household welfare (HW) in Lagos, Nigeria. The study also examines the effect of digital loan administration on HW. Survey research design, convenience sampling and structured questionnaires were used to collect data of 648 households. The data were analysed using the structural equation modelling. Digital loan is a significant and positive predictor of HW. However, interest payment has a negative effect on HW. Financial attitude and willingness to contract digital loans are positive predictors of HW. The benefits of digital loans on HW should be balanced with the potential risks of over‐indebtedness and high interest rates, which undermine welfare if loans are not managed effectively. The sustainability of digital loans is hinged on the implementation of a fair interest rate on loans system by the digital loan providers, incorporation of a fair and ethical debt recovery process with favourable penalties, fair collateral on digital loans, flexible repayment plan, favourable financial attitude of digital loan seekers and the willingness of households to apply for favourable digital loans. Digital loan providers may consider implementing comprehensive financial education programs that emphasize on responsible borrowing and effective financial management.

ABSTRACTThe study investigates the detrimental effect of social media engagement on subjective wellbeing, through a mixed‐methods (Qual + quan) approach to identify the motivation for social media usage. Using purposive cum snowball sampling technique, the qualitative research included 45 in‐depth interviews with young social media users, analysed through a grounded theory approach. The Quantitative phase surveyed 443 young, with data analysed using SEM (AMOS) to verify the proposed framework. Qualitative findings highlight that fear of missing out (FoMO) and mood regulation are key triggers that lead to communication and information overload, which controls the compulsive use of social media, which negatively affect subjective wellbeing. On the basis of these, insight, the conceptual framework, was developed and validated through the Stimulus–Organism–Behaviour–Consequence (SOBC) framework, with quantitative analysis confirming all purposed hypotheses. The study provides significant practical implications, recommending that marketers to adopt ethical communication strategies, guiding parents and educators in fostering healthy screen habits, and urging institutions to develop awareness programmes for mindful social media usage. The research originality lies in the application of the SOBC model to examine adverse effects of social media on young adults in India, providing new insight into the intricate connection between dark aspect of social media and subjective wellbeing.

ABSTRACT This study examines the effect of diversification in workforce, supplier networks and revenue sources on firms’ financial and non‐financial performance. On the basis of the latest Economic Census that covers Egyptian firms, the author constructed diversity indices based on Blau and Entropy frameworks at the firm level. To address endogeneity and omitted variable bias, an instrumental variable approach with historical instruments was employed. The findings show that diversity indices (Blau and Entropy) significantly affect firm performance, with workforce diversity (education and occupation), supplier network diversity (local and international resources) and revenue sources (local and international distribution) being key drivers. The study also shows three important mediating factors. In particular, firms with workers from different backgrounds experience better performance through higher innovation and value creation. Similarly, firms with diverse suppliers experience higher performance by accessing better quality production capabilities and support services. Finally, firms that have diverse revenue sources have lower business risks, which positively affect their performance. The findings are robust across alternative constructions of diversification indices and performance measures.

ABSTRACT Drawing on fieldwork in Nuapada district of Odisha in India conducted between two waves of COVID‐19 pandemic, the article evaluates two of Odisha Millets Mission's (currently known as Shree Anna Abhiyan) interventions, viz., increasing production and public procurement. By using farmers’ perception of an increase, as against no change or decrease, the outcome of interest is examined through an ordered logit. In addition, a multiple linear regression model identifies the variables affecting marketed surplus. The determinants of farmers’ perception on production gains were on account of area under finger millet cultivation, adoption of system of crop intensification, seed treatment, frequency of weeding and on having received training on agronomic practices. Marketed surplus is on account of area under finger millet and frequency of weeding. The agroecological approach of intervention using agronomic methods offers valuable sustainable lessons within and beyond Odisha, including for the Global South.

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of assault crimes involving dangerous weapons under Section 324 of the Malaysian Penal Code, focusing on Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from 2015 to 2020. The research addresses the critical issue of understanding urban crime patterns to inform effective preventive measures. Using a geographic information system (GIS)‐based methodology, the study employs spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran's I), mean centre analysis and standard deviational ellipse to identify and characterize crime hotspots and trends across different time frames. Findings reveal significant clustering of assaults, particularly during evening (12:00–6:59 PM) and night (7:00–11:59 PM) hours, with an alarming increase in evening incidents. These results underscore the need for time‐sensitive interventions targeting high‐risk periods and locations. The study concludes that advanced spatial analysis offers invaluable insights into urban crime, advocating for its integration into proactive policing strategies and urban planning. This research contributes to improving public safety by enabling data‐driven decision‐making and fostering sustainable crime prevention policies.

ABSTRACTMindful of the dismal macroeconomic position and welfare performance of most countries in the Sub‐Saharan African (SSA) region, this study sets out to investigate the nexus between macroeconomic resilience and social vulnerability in the wake of the COVID‐19‐induced global economic meltdown. The study adopted a panel data analysis technique via the panel vector autoregression (PVAR) approach alongside other econometric tests. The study revealed that fiscal deficit to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio (FDGDP), external debt to GDP ratio (EDGDP), discomfort index (DISCO) (the sum of inflation and unemployment rates), governance index (GOVN) and exchange rate (EXCR) significantly impact on the socially vulnerable and constitute a serious impediment to the ability of SSA economies to mobilize the needed resources to offset any external shock. The novelty of this study rests on its inventive endeavour to empirically assess the nexus between macroeconomic resilience and social vulnerability. The focus on SSA makes it more compelling given the dismal macroeconomic position and welfare performance of SSA, which poses a possible threat for the prospects for the attainment of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the region by 2030.