Article 12 Jan 2026
Mehmet Recai Uygur, Fatih Tekin, Fatma Sever and Samson Abiodun Toye
Politics in all regimes hinges on ordinary acts of obedience, yet the mechanisms that sustain it differ. This article theorizes “sustainable obedience” as obedience (i.e., rule-following and deference to collectively binding authority) that reproduces itself because
Politics in all regimes hinges on ordinary acts of obedience, yet the mechanisms that sustain it differ. This article theorizes “sustainable obedience” as obedience (i.e., rule-following and deference to collectively binding authority) that reproduces itself because the marginal costs of monitoring and sanctioning are kept low by institutional and cultural feedback. We develop a dual-channel model: a fear channel (deterrence through selective coercion and information control) and a trust channel (procedural justice, impartial enforcement, and legitimacy) that interact through path dependence and habit formation. Mixed methods combine cross-national indices (V-Dem, Freedom House, World Values Survey) with comparative discourse and document analysis (2014–2025) to trace these mechanisms in three contrasting regimes: the Netherlands (liberal democracy), Turkey (competitive authoritarianism), and Russia (closed autocracy). Findings show trust-based obedience dominates in the Netherlands and is temporarily supplemented by proportionate deterrence during crises; Turkey institutionalizes a high and persistent fear architecture, with limited compensatory appeals to performance and electoral legitimacy; Russia sustains obedience primarily through multi-layered coercion and digital control backed by ideological narratives. We derive testable propositions about substitution and complementarity between channels and show how crises can normalize exceptional measures. Normatively, democratic resilience depends on renewing the trust architecture without entrenching fear; authoritarian resilience remains cost-effective yet ultimately fragile under information shocks.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 15–33
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 15–33
141 Views41 Downloads
Article 11 Jan 2026
John C. G. Lee, Yeney Widya Prihatiningtias, Febryanti Simon and Samantha Siu Ling Lee
Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities.
Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities. This study examines these issues through an integrated theoretical framework—combining Policy Transfer, Multi-stakeholder Governance, and Sustainable Livelihoods theories—using a mixed-methods approach that synthesises global policy benchmarks, peer-reviewed literature, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) alignment metrics. Key findings identify governance fragmentation, supply chain inefficiencies (notably 15–20% food spoilage in eastern regions), and digital divides as critical constraints. The research proposes a three-tiered intervention framework: (1) geospatially tailored procurement mechanisms; (2) incentivised corporate partnerships for cold-chain infrastructure; and (3) co-created R&D for climate-resilient crops. These strategies synergistically advance SDG 1 (Poverty Reduction), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 4 (Quality Education), demonstrating potential for farmer income gains, reduced child stunting, and improved school attendance. The study contributes to theoretical debates on adaptive policy transfer and offers Indonesia a scalable blueprint for integrated food-security transformation in archipelagic contexts.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 1–14
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 1–14
108 Views32 Downloads
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