Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Behind Closed Doors: How Remittance Flows Changed Repression Dynamics In Beneficiary States During Covid-19, Ketevan Tsurtsumia

Senior Projects Spring 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the global world in a lot of ways. Extensive research has been done on its effect on the economic growth of states, the effectiveness of government responses, the efficacy of different vaccines, and vaccine diplomacy. However, changes in state repression have been a neglected topic in research focused on understanding and analyzing the processes that took place during the pandemic. This paper will take on the topic of state repression dynamics during COVID-19 and further develop this relationship using remittances as an additional variable that affects state repression, taking state repression as a dependent variable. Finally, …

The Path To Development And Democracy, Does It Matter Which Comes First? Nicolas, Nicolas Soucy

Senior Projects Spring 2023

In this paper I have looked into the relationship between economic development and the type of political regime used to achieve development. Throughout my research I approach the idea that economic development is more related to the initial conditions of the state independent of the regime style in place. I have looked at states that achieved development through a democracy, states that achieved development through more of an authoritarian regime, and states that have not achieved development yet. When looking at the process of economic development the initial conditions of macroeconomic and political stability, equality of opportunity, and a collective …

Unraveling The Enigma Of Japan’S Lost Decades: An Econometrics Study Using Var Model, Mingche Sun

Senior Projects Spring 2023

This paper investigates the driving factors of Japan’s stagnation for over 20 years. Through reading various studies and reports, the main factors considered in this econometric study are the government policies, including fiscal and monetary policies, demographic change, and the international competition. These are represented by government spending, interest rates, age dependency ratio, and net export, respectively. The Vector Autoregression (VAR) Model is used in two separate periods. The findings show that for the first period (1991-2000), the age dependency ratio, net exports and interest rate slowed down the economy; however, for the second period, the net exports became the …

Financial Alcoholism: An Institutionalist Analysis Of The Repeal Of The Glass-Steagall Act And 2008 Financial Crisis, Eli C. Shapiro

Senior Projects Spring 2023

The thesis argues that the the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999 was not a leading cause of the 2008 Financial Crisis but did contribute to its scope. It finds that the American economy was already on track before the repeal for a late-2000s financial crisis due to sectoral imbalances as well as the rise of money manager capitalism during the decades before the repeal. However, the repeal contributed to the "legitimization" of financial holding companies and originate-to-distribute model, spreading toxic assets around the financial sector and exposing depositors to this risk during a time of rapidly increasing banking …

Don’T Talk To Me Until I’Ve Had My Coffee: An Analysis Of Colombia’S Changing Coffee And Agricultural Sector In The Face Of Climate Change, Nita Vemuri

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Abstract

“With each year that passes, Atlantic and Pacific cyclone generating areas have experienced higher sea surface temperatures and increases in the intensity and duration of tropical storms.” (Sherbinin et al., 2007) While climate change remains a myth to some, it has become a reality for many, especially those whose livelihoods depend on climate-vulnerable fields and occupations. Latin American countries are especially subjected to climate change consequences because of their vast agricultural sectors and their reliance on ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) patterns, “There is a clear relationship …

The Power Of Knowledge: The Relationship Between The Racial Wealth Disparity And Generational Transmission, Cedaniel R. Sumpter

Senior Projects Spring 2023

My hypothesis is that generational knowledge plays a pivotal role in the accumulation of wealth. African Americans have a historical lack of engagement in financial markets, which can be attributed to a combination of historical discriminatory practices and institutional racism, and familial instability. These factors each contribute to the wealth gap between white and black Americans. The discussion lacks the multidimensional landscape that is required to understand it. Even within an economic context, the wealth gap cannot be explained nor understood without the context of American social structure, political influence, healthcare availability and more. I will begin to expand the …

A Patriarchal Pandemic: Analyzing The Global Impacts Of Covid-19 On Women And The Gendered Dynamics Of Policies, Paige Gregg

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Utilizing empirical and contemporary research, this Senior Project aims to explore the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted women through social, economic, and policy avenues. This project starts by identifying the unequal effects on health, gender based violence, economic security and unpaid care the pandemic had on women. It then transitions to establish historical and systematic occurrences of gender bias in macroeconomic policies. It lays out the specifics of policy implementation during the COVID crisis, and outlines the numerical and regional variations in gender-sensitive policies. It surmises that, overall the gendered policy response was subpar, given the disproportionate …

Logistics Planning: Putting Math To Work In A Business Setting, Michael C. Hannan

Senior Projects Spring 2023

The optimization of business procedures benefits all aspects of the product. Maximizing efficiency can lead to more profits for the business, cheaper products for the consumer, and less fuel consumption for the environment. Tracing the history of optimization, we can see that people have always strived for the most efficient way to allocate scarce resources. However, the field of optimization did not blossom until innovations in mathematics allowed us to solve a majority of real world problems. The discovery of linear and nonlinear programming in the 1940s allowed us to optimize problems that were unsolvable before. This paper introduces how …

The Sanctions Weapon: The Dual-Sided Policy Shaping The Russo-Ukrainian War, Murphy J. Foss

Senior Projects Spring 2023

The Russian full-scale conventional invasion of Ukraine has prompted dramatic economic action on behalf of the United States, which seeks to preserve its own interests and defend the sovereignty of Ukraine. This economic action has come in the form of sanctions. This paper identifies two major categories of sanctions, positive and negative, which work through different mechanisms in order to help achieve American interests. Negative sanctions are coercive and seek to modify the behavior of the target country (Russia) through punishment by inflicting costs for undesired action. Positive sanctions are a form of payment and can be used by the …

What It Takes To Be The Best: The Competitive Balance In Formula 1 Racing, Dylan Jung

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Competitive balance is an essential aspect of sports that ensures every team or player has a fair chance of winning, which creates a level playing field. It refers to the degree of parity between teams or players in a particular sport, and it is a critical factor that contributes to the overall excitement and engagement of fans. A lack of competitive balance can lead to decrease fan engagement and interest, which can ultimately impact the financial viability of the sport. The results of this study have provided valuable insights into the concept of competitive balance in Formula One. Maintaining competitive …

A Multivariate K-Means Cluster Analysis Of Historical Pharmaceutical Research And Development Expenditure Efficiency’S Relationship To Forward Earnings And Sales Multiples, Nicholas Leonard Anduze

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Building Economic Resilience: A Comparative Study Of Ethnic Financing Institutions In Jewish, Japanese, And Korean American Communities, Kevin Lee

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

From Economic Miracle To Developmental Basket Case: The Political Economy Of Puerto Rico’S Operation Bootstrap, Kevyn J. Piña

Senior Projects Spring 2023

This study investigates why Operation Bootstrap, which once brought industrialization to Puerto Rico and was deemed successful, did not become a sustainable social and economic strategy. The study delves into how Puerto Rico's colonial position affected this shift from success to failure. Although Operation Bootstrap initially prospered due to American funding and technological advancements, Puerto Rico's colonial status ultimately impeded progress. A review of Puerto Rico's history with the United States, including issues of debt and economic development, reveals that the island's colonial past has made it challenging to address concerns related to economic advancement. This essay explores the relationship …

Pre-Existing Illness Discrimination In Healthcare: How Barriers To Specialty Medication Effect Public Health Costs And Access, Charles M. Coryell

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Abstract: Rising costs in specialty meds are at the center of the problems in healthcare. Pharmaceutical companies have grown to have nearly unchecked pricing power with specialty medications. Insurance companies have responded to rising prices in specialty medications by making these medications difficult to access for patients who need them. Policies to address the problems in healthcare have failed because they do not recognize the impact that the specialty medicine market has on the overarching story. Healthcare policy will be effective if it directly addresses specialty med costs and accessibility. This paper proposes an expansion of Medicare part D to …

Freedom To Choose: The Economic Impact Of Reduced Abortion Access On Women’S Labor Market Outcomes, Zaara A. Masud

Senior Projects Spring 2023

This project aims to look at the economic impact of a reduction in abortion access on women's labor market outcomes. To do this, I use Sen and Nussbaum's capabilities approach to analyze the different capabilities that would be impacted and find that women's educational attainment, income, and labor force participation rates are all lower without access to abortion.

Exploring The Rise In Anti-Immigrant Violence In South Africa: An Interdisciplinary Analysis Of Historical, Economic, And Political Factors, Yaseer Bolaji Abdulfatai

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.