The Democratic Nature of the Internet’s Infrastructure: Discussion Paper 3/2023
The Democratic Nature of the Internet’s Infrastructure: Discussion Paper 3/2023

Author: Konstantinos Komaitis

Publisher: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)

Published: 2023-05-26

Total Pages: 29

ISBN-13: 9176716414

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The strength of the Internet lies in its original design, which in some ways mirrors democratic ideas. As with the separation of powers in a true democratic state, the architecture of the Internet has no centre of control and allows power to flow from the bottom up and even from the margins, rather than always from above. During the past few years, policymakers have directed their attention towards the top layers of the ‘Internet stack’, those where the effect on democracy is more easily observable. Little attention has been paid to the infrastructure of the Internet—the part that is invisible to users yet constitutes the essence of what the Internet is really about. This paper seeks to alert democratic stakeholders to often ignored aspects of the digital threats to democracy, and to highlight the key weak spots of the Internet as an infrastructure upon which democracy itself partly rests.

Global Trends 2040
Global Trends 2040

Author: National Intelligence Council

Publisher: Cosimo Reports

Published: 2021-03

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 9781646794973

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.

Powering the Digital Economy: Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Finance
Powering the Digital Economy: Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Finance

Author: El Bachir Boukherouaa

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2021-10-22

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13: 1589063953

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This paper discusses the impact of the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the financial sector. It highlights the benefits these technologies bring in terms of financial deepening and efficiency, while raising concerns about its potential in widening the digital divide between advanced and developing economies. The paper advances the discussion on the impact of this technology by distilling and categorizing the unique risks that it could pose to the integrity and stability of the financial system, policy challenges, and potential regulatory approaches. The evolving nature of this technology and its application in finance means that the full extent of its strengths and weaknesses is yet to be fully understood. Given the risk of unexpected pitfalls, countries will need to strengthen prudential oversight.

Varieties of Democracy
Varieties of Democracy

Author: Michael Coppedge

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2022-10-06

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781108440967

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Varieties of Democracy is the essential user's guide to The Varieties of Democracy project (V-Dem), one of the most ambitious data collection efforts in comparative politics. This global research collaboration sparked a dramatic change in how we study the nature, causes, and consequences of democracy. This book is ambitious in scope: more than a reference guide, it raises standards for causal inferences in democratization research and introduces new, measurable, concepts of democracy and many political institutions. Varieties of Democracy enables anyone interested in democracy - teachers, students, journalists, activists, researchers and others - to analyze V-Dem data in new and exciting ways. This book creates opportunities for V-Dem data to be used in education, research, news analysis, advocacy, policy work, and elsewhere. V-Dem is rapidly becoming the preferred source for democracy data.

World Development Report 2019
World Development Report 2019

Author: World Bank

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2018-10-31

Total Pages: 201

ISBN-13: 1464813566

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.

The Europa International Foundation Directory 2023
The Europa International Foundation Directory 2023

Author: Europa Publications

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-07-27

Total Pages: 663

ISBN-13: 1003806325

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This fully revised directory of international foundations, trusts, charitable and grantmaking NGOs and other similar non-profit institutions provides a comprehensive picture of foundation activity on a worldwide scale. Now in its 32nd edition, The Europa International Foundation Directory includes: Information on some 2,700 organizations, organized by country or territory, including details of funding priorities and projects, geographical area of activity, principal staff and contact details Details of co-ordinating bodies and centres that assist foundations, grantmaking organizations and other NGOs Bibliography Comprehensive index section This new edition has been revised and expanded to include the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on this growing sector.

Lifelines
Lifelines

Author: Stephane Hallegatte

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2019-07-16

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1464814317

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Infrastructure—electricity, telecommunications, roads, water, and sanitation—are central to people’s lives. Without it, they cannot make a living, stay healthy, and maintain a good quality of life. Access to basic infrastructure is also a key driver of economic development. This report lays out a framework for understanding infrastructure resilience - the ability of infrastructure systems to function and meet users’ needs during and after a natural hazard. It focuses on four infrastructure systems that are essential to economic activity and people’s well-being: power systems, including the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity; water and sanitation—especially water utilities; transport systems—multiple modes such as road, rail, waterway, and airports, and multiple scales, including urban transit and rural access; and telecommunications, including telephone and Internet connections.

Communities in Action
Communities in Action

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2017-04-27

Total Pages: 583

ISBN-13: 0309452961

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.