20 Zhang, C., Meng, M., Yi, F., Chen, Z. et al. Wavelength-speci c urban nighttime light modulates expressed sentiment across China. Nature Cities (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00384-x Focus of Study This study demonstrates that arti cial light at night (ALAN) has wavelength-speci c effects on expressed sentiment across Chinese cities. Using multispectral satellite data and 4.2 million geotagged Weibo posts, it nds that emotional impacts vary by spectral composition, exposure distance, season, and nighttime hour. Importantly, simulations show that reducing brightness alone cannot fundamentally mitigate negative sentiment risk. Instead, spectral optimization, particularly reducing blue and green wavelengths, plays a decisive role. The combined strategy of brightness reduction and color- temperature adjustment achieves an average 90% reduction in negative sentiment risk, highlighting the importance of multidimensional lighting governance. Policy Recommendations These ndings generate four key policy implications. First, urban lighting regulations should move beyond intensity-based standards and incorporate spectral indicators, such as limits on blue-light ratios or the spectral band. Second, cities should adopt spatially targeted, risk-based lighting controls informed by sentiment-risk mapping. Third, nighttime lighting should be integrated into public health and urban resilience frameworks, recognizing emotional well-being as a governance objective. Fourth, municipalities should promote adaptive and intelligent lighting systems capable of dynamically adjusting both brightness and spectral composition. Together, these measures support a shift toward human- centered, evidence-based urban nighttime governance. Yan, Yifei, Alfred M. Wu, Biao Huang, and Fangxin Yi. “Policy Capacity Matters Differently Over Time: The Emergence and Persistence of Participatory Budgeting in China.” Public Administration and Development (2025). Focus of Study This study explores the emergence and long-term persistence of participatory budgeting (PB) in China’s Wenling County, challenging the conventional view that deliberative democratic practices can only thrive in liberal political environments. Utilizing Wu, Ramesh and Howlett’s policy capacity framework and data from interviews with local of cials and stakeholders, the research analyzes the role of three core policy capacities—political, analytical, and operational—over time. It nds that strong political capacity (including elite political will and public participation willingness) was critical for PB’s initial launch in 2005. As political capacity waned in subsequent years, the gradual build-up of analytical capacity (specialized knowledge, data analysis, and stakeholder training) and operational capacity ( scal resources, procedural standardization, and institutionalized policy tools) became pivotal to sustaining PB amid evolving institutional conditions. The Wenling case, with over two decades of PB practice, demonstrates how the relative importance of different policy capacities shifts across a policy’s lifecycle. Policy Recommendations Policymakers seeking to initiate and sustain participatory governance reforms like PB should prioritize building political capacity (aligning elite vision and mobilizing public support) in the early stages. Additionally, investing in long-term analytical capacity (e.g., specialized training and data infrastructure) and operational capacity (e.g., standardized procedures and stable scal support) can enhance reform resilience, ensuring continuity even as initial political enthusiasm diminishes. For non-Western and developing contexts, institutionalizing these technical capacities can help overcome the vulnerability of reforms to political turnover. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE
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