Mining has become one of the most strategically relevant pillars of the 21st‑century geopolitical landscape. In a world defined by industrial competition, fragmented supply chains, and the race to secure inputs for advanced manufacturing, critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, rare earth elements—have acquired a significance that extends far beyond economics. They are now essential for industrial autonomy, technological infrastructure, and the manufacturin

The analysis of the role of modern institutions and culture in advancing Human Rights (HR) is essential to understand the conditions that enable or hinder their effective realization. From the New Institutionalism (NI) approach, institutions are understood as central actors shaping political behaviour, as they structure norms, values, identities, and culture. In this framework, culture is conceived as a set of shared norms, meanings, and ideas. However, although institution

There is an implicit premise in debates about digital politics: greater visibility on social networks necessarily equates to a greater capacity for mobilization. However, from the discussion in the seminar and the analysis of Margetts et al. (Margetts, Hale, & John, 2015), it is possible to point out that online collective action, despite having the same logic as classic collective action, fails quickly and only a few manage to consolidate. While digital platforms transform t

Why is it relevant for democracies of the 21st century to be able to detect, in time, the presence of charismatic-plebiscitary leaders (CPL)? Before answering this question, it is necessary to refer to the main characteristics that define a CPL. First, charisma is defined as an extraordinary quality, which does not depend on whether the leader actually possesses exceptional abilities, but rather on how followers “see things” and whether they believe them (Subedi & Scott, 2021

Around 75% of Extractive Industry GDP in Sub‑Saharan Africa and Latin America is generated in countries or regions where more than 20% of the population lives in poverty, and 50% of that GDP comes from areas where poverty exceeds 40% (2020). This reveals a structural paradox: the territories that sustain a significant share of global mineral supply chains are also those facing the deepest socioeconomic deprivation. In principle, mining development strategies should be designe

A few weeks ago, the Queensland State Government announced one of the highest coal royalty tax regimes in the world. Although the immediate financial burden falls on mining companies, the broader economic impact will be transmitted across the entire ecosystem: suppliers, contractors, employees, regional economies, and ultimately the State’s own fiscal base. Reduced investment and lower future growth inevitably translate into lower long‑term fiscal revenues, weaker regional de

Global demand for minerals essential to the energy transition—copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and related inputs—is expected to accelerate sharply over the coming years. This surge represents a historic opportunity for countries that hold a significant share of global production and for mining companies positioned within these supply chains. The opportunity is particularly strong for firms with deep commercial and political linkages to China, which today accounts for 39% t