Inequality of opportunities, institutional distrust, and beliefs about socio-economic outcomes in the Western Balkans

IF 1.7 Q2 GEOGRAPHY

Regional Science Policy and Practice Pub Date : 2025-01-04 DOI:10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100174

Elvisa Drishti , Idlir Duhanxhi , Nevila Mehmetaj , Drini Imami , Edvin Zhllima , Arjola Halluni

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Abstract

This paper explores how inequality of opportunities (IOp) and institutional distrust shape beliefs about social and economic outcomes in the Western Balkans. Drawing on data from the Public Opinion Survey (2017–2021) conducted by the Regional Cooperation Council, we apply a robust multivariate regression framework to assess both the direct and interaction effects of these factors. Our findings demonstrate that higher levels of IOp are strongly associated with perceptions of social and economic unfairness, while institutional distrust amplifies these perceptions, revealing a dynamic interplay between socio-economic disparities and public confidence in institutions. The study highlights the critical need for targeted policy measures to mitigate IOp and rebuild institutional trust, which could fundamentally reshape public beliefs and foster equitable growth. Policymakers are urged to prioritise reducing socio-economic disparities and enhancing institutional transparency and accountability to promote trust and sustainable development in the region.

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西巴尔干地区的机会不平等、制度不信任以及对社会经济结果的信念

本文探讨了西巴尔干地区的机会不平等（IOp）和制度不信任如何影响人们对社会和经济结果的看法。根据区域合作理事会2017-2021年民意调查的数据，我们采用稳健的多元回归框架来评估这些因素的直接影响和相互影响。我们的研究结果表明，较高的IOp水平与社会和经济不公平的感知密切相关，而制度不信任放大了这些感知，揭示了社会经济差异和公众对制度的信心之间的动态相互作用。该研究强调，迫切需要采取有针对性的政策措施来缓解IOp，重建机构信任，这可以从根本上重塑公众信念，促进公平增长。敦促政策制定者优先考虑减少社会经济差距，提高机构透明度和问责制，以促进该地区的信任和可持续发展。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Regional Science Policy and Practice GEOGRAPHY-

CiteScore

3.60

自引率

5.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Regional Science Policy & Practice (RSPP) is the official policy and practitioner orientated journal of the Regional Science Association International. It is an international journal that publishes high quality papers in applied regional science that explore policy and practice issues in regional and local development. It welcomes papers from a range of academic disciplines and practitioners including planning, public policy, geography, economics and environmental science and related fields. Papers should address the interface between academic debates and policy development and application. RSPP provides an opportunity for academics and policy makers to develop a dialogue to identify and explore many of the challenges facing local and regional economies.