A recent survey in Ukraine indicates unprecedented 89% support for NATO membership, showcasing a historic shift in attitudes across regions. This brief, by Anna Anisimova (SITE), explores the evolution of pro-NATO sentiment, regional divides, and the impact of Russian aggression on public opinion.

A 2023 study by SITE researchers explores the overlooked link between foreign aid and female empowerment. Using aid project data and surveys, it reveals a modest but significant positive effect on various aspects of women's empowerment. Read the policy brief to learn more!

On 8-10 September, 2023, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) and the FREE Network hosted the annual Retreat in Visby to discuss its institutes’ respective work of research areas, from politics to climate change to consumer behavior and joint efforts within the Network.

In the 20th century, women's presence grew in academia and other high-skilled professions, yet disparities persist. This brief highlights the key takeaways from the conference organized by the Centre of Economic Analysis (CenEA), together with the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) and the Forum for Research on Gender Economics (FROGEE) on 21-22 June, 2023, in Warsaw.

In this brief, Pamela Campa and co-author examine the EU commissions (EC) proposal and highlight its commendable aim of strengthening environmental regulation enforcement at the EU level. However, they also note its limitations in terms of the enforcement tools it encompasses. Their focus is on discussing the potential benefits of utilizing administrative law tools for enforcing environmental regulation, in contrast to the current emphasis on criminal law in the EC's approach.

In this brief, Jonathan Lehne and Maiting Zhuang examines the fragility of democratic institutions in Eastern Europe, comparing expert assessments and general population surveys. Experts' concerns have intensified, yet voters in almost all new EU member states and across age groups express growing satisfaction with their democracies. The study reveals a shift where people's perception of democracy is increasingly influenced by election outcomes rather than actual institutional change, even when media freedom or judicial independence is restricted by governments.

Several countries, including France, Canada, and Israel, have adopted the Nordic model of prostitution legislation to combat sexual exploitation. However, researchers from SITE highlight that these reforms might unintentionally increase sex tourism, necessitating comprehensive policy considerations.

In this policy brief, researchers from SITE explores the challenges of quantifying political discourse using 30 years of party manifestos. It analyzes the evolution of dominant topics in European politics, particularly in transition countries. The brief utilizes data from the Manifesto Project to describe the development of political discourse in Europe, emphasizing differences between Western European countries and Eastern European transition economies.

In this brief SITE researchers, Anna Anisimova and Cecilia Smitt Meyer, present a short overview of some of the most important statistics on Russia’s economic performance no longer publicly available. They also discuss some alternative measures to track the Russian economy which can be used to provide more accurate assessments of the effect of sanctions and thus reduce the impact of Russia’s data warfare.

In this policy brief, researchers Marcel Garz (Jönköping University) and Maiting Zhuang (SITE) illustrate the media's power to affect behavioural change, using the Swedish experience during Covid-19 as an example.