International labour migration programs provide a vulnerable workforce that services various sectors in developed economies. The agriculture sector is one arena in which the employment of migrant workers has become more pervasive. Annually, approximately 30,000 workers are employed in the Canadian agriculture sector through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP). In this paper, I focus on the SAWP workers in tobacco farming, and investigate the ways that labour control is achieved on two small-scale farms. I draw upon original empirical evidence from interviews with three Mexican and nine Jamaican workers, two union representatives, and two farm owners in South-Western Ontario, Canada. My findings show that various factors at multiple scales shape the labour control regime and significantly advantage farm owners over workers. Based on my findings, I argue that the labour control regime is conditioned exogenously by multi-scalar factors and generated endogenously at the point of production.

The authors investigate the perceptions, preferences, and valuation of university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the potential to adopt electric vehicles (EVs) for personal transport by surveying a diverse sample of 664 students from the seven emirates (the capital Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain). Details were elicited about social, economic, and environmental factors that influence the potential to adopt EVs for personal transport, perceived advantages of EVs over gasoline automobiles, and knowledge about EVs. The authors employed the SPSS software platform to categorize various factors according to age and gender. Respondents reported a wide variety of perspectives about EVs including environmental benefits and functional drawbacks. Findings show that participant perceptions, preferences, and valuation about EVs are influenced by a multiplicity of social, economic, and environmental factors. Neglect of these factors will undermine the potential to shift preferences toward greater adoption of emerging sustainable transport technologies.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented social and economic effects. In this study, the authors investigate the human interaction trends and spending behavior of individuals in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 outbreak. An online survey was employed to assess the changes in human interactions and spending behavior among people in the United Arab Emirates. The findings indicate a decrease in spending on gasoline, restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops as well as an increase in spending on on-line shopping and groceries. During the pandemic, 80 percent of respondents reduced the number of visits with family and friends. Respondents also indicated greater cooperation among family members in performing household chores, with all members of the family, including children, participating in cooking, and increased cooperation between family members. The authors observed variations in the level and composition of consumer spending across the United Arab Emirates with variations by age, gender, and income level. The survey results highlight a specific relevance in government interventions tasked with the strategy, implementation, and monitoring of economic impacts arising from the spread of the coronavirus and forced public health measures to mitigate the health costs of the crisis.

The aim of the paper is to examine the emergence of transnational higher education (TNHE) and international branch campuses (IBCs) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  The findings demonstrate that the emergence of TNHE and IBCs has been the result of interrelated political, economic, social, and academic factors.  First, the formation of the GCC was a key moment during which member states sought to stimulate scientific progress through the development of higher education as part of a strategy to meet labor demands and economic development.  Second, the commodification of education and the drive to increasing profits in educational institutions combined with decreases in government funding to Western universities during the neo-liberal era of capitalism have been an impetus for Western universities to seek ‘new markets’ beyond their borders.  Third, the liberating of regional trade policies in services, including education, combined with the internationalization of education has enabled the cross-border movement of students, educators, and institutions.  Fourth, the UAE’s unique demographic group mix, which consists of a majority of international expatriates, combined with significant government funding in the education sector and international partnerships has resulted in the rapid expansion of TNHE and IBCs.