[URPE] Conference: Development in the Face of Crisis, May 25, NSSR

[Johann Jaeckel]

One-Day Conference: Development in the Face of Crisis

25 May 2010
New School for Social Research
Wolff Conference Room, 9th Floor
6 East 16th Street, NYC

Students and faculty members of the economics department at the New
School for Social Research invite you to attend a one-day conference
on Development in the Face of Crisis. In two thematic session, the
conference will explore issues of poverty, inequality and
vulnerability. For a detailed program refer to attachment. In order to
have advanced access to the papers presented at the conference,
contact the individual authors.

----

Student Conference: Development in the Face of Crisis

25 May 2010

Wolff Conference Room, 9th Floor

6 East 16th Street, NYC





Tentative Program as of 17 May 2010:





*9.30-10.00am – Fruit and Coffee*

* *

*10.00-10.10am – INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Larry O’Connell*

* *

*10.10am-12.30pm – SESSION ONE: Conceptualization and Measurement, Part 1,
Poverty, Inequality and Vulnerability*
*Moderator: Johann Jaeckel*



*PANELISTS: *

* *

*Mary Kaltenberg*, *Economic Geography and Actor Network Theory: Towards a
Relational and Structural Analysis.*

*(**kaltm276 at newschool.edu* <kaltm276 at newschool.edu>*)*



*Laurence O’Connell*, *Measuring Amartya Sen's Capability Approach ** **-
Using the American Community Survey for Bronx, NY and Brooklyn, NY Counties.
(**oconl416 at newschool.edu* <oconl416 at newschool.edu>*)*



*Daniel Scheer*, *An Alternative Poverty Measure for NYC.*

*(**sched425 at newschool.edu* <sched425 at newschool.edu>*)*



*Taun Toay*, *Chronic Disease and Vulnerability*.

(*toayt168 at newschool.edu* <toayt168 at newschool.edu>)


*Faculty Discussant: Lopamudra Banerjee *





*12.30-1.30pm – Lunch (provided)*





* *

*1.30-3.30pm – SESSION TWO: Causes of Deprivations*
*Moderator: Kidaya Ntoko*



*PANELISTS:*

* *

*Syed Ali Asjad Naqvi*, *Mapping Spatial Inequality in Punjab: Theory and
Application of Geographically Weighted Regressions.*

*(**naqvs160 at newschool.edu* <naqvs160 at newschool.edu>*)*



*Omer Siddique*, *Inequality, Institutions, and Colonialism: A Review of
Literature and a Case Study of Indian Subcontinent and Pakistan.*

*(**siddio32 at newschool.edu* <siddio32 at newschool.edu>*)*



*John Winkel*, *A New Approach to the Understanding of Discrimination in an
Economic Framework.*

*(winkj003 at newschool.edu)*


*Faculty Discussant: Sanjay Reddy *



* *

*3.30-4.00pm – Coffee and Cookies*





*4.00-5.30pm –CLOSING PANEL: The Role of Perspective: Macro vs. Micro.*
*Moderator: Taun Toay*



*PANELISTS:**
*

*Lopamudra Banerjee *

*Duncan Foley*

*Sanjay Reddy*

*Arjun Jayadev*

* *

*5.30-??? Pub debate over issues raised at the conference.*






*ABSTRACT ADDENDUM*



Mary Kaltenberg

Title: *Economic Geography and Actor Network Theory: Towards a Relational
and Structural Analysis.*



Abstract:

This article explores various branches, methodologies and models that
describe different aspects of economic geography. Although many geographers,
anthropologists, sociologists and economists discuss rapid changes in our
socio-economic-political relationships, there is no unifying methodology.
This paper attempts to use the socio-geographic framework of actor network
theory (ANT) to describe changes in income inequality patterns. Using this
structural, yet relational analysis one can describe income inequality
caused by power and influence through the nation-state, institutions, limits
to accessibility of technology and positionality. Suggested Journals: The
Journal of Economic Geography and Economic Geography.





Syed Ali Asjad Naqvi

Title: Mapping Spatial Inequality in Punjab: Theory and Application of
Geographically Weighted Regressions



Abstract:

The argument this paper will make is that data tends to exhibit spatial
autocorrelation in socioeconomic variables which have to be incorporated in
any kind of empirical analysis. The theory on spaces, which will be
discussed in detail in section 3, is based on a well established fact that
spatial dependence among contiguous neighbors is itself an important
explanatory variable and if incorporated, helps improves the fit of  the
data.

Suggested Journals: [to be submitted]





Laurence O'Connell

Title: *Measuring Amartya Sen's Capability Approach ** **- Using the
American*
*Community Survey for Bronx, NY and Brooklyn, NY Counties.*



Abstract:
Amaryta Sen suggests poverty or an individual’s welfare should not
necessarily be measured via income or wealth, but rather in terms of the
individual’s potential capabilities.  Since the 1960s, the Capabilities
Approach has been the main alternative to measuring poverty. While
appealing, the major issue has been, “How do we define or measure
capability?” This paper will use the American Community Survey (ACS) and
documents published by New York City, to see if we can provide a statistical
measure of capability, in Bronx, New York, by Community District. The paper
will try to discover if there is any statistical
relationship between the poverty level and capability factors; such as:
education facilities, open space / green space, number of day care centers,
senior citizen centers, number of libraries, etc. Suggested Journals:
Challenge Magazine, Poverty & Public Policy.





Daniel Scheer

Title: *An Alternative Poverty Measure for NYC*.



Abstract:

The New York City Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) has been engaged in
developing an alternative poverty measure for New York City based on the
National Academy’s (NAS) recommendations for several years.  CEO has
employed the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) as its main
dataset because it provides a large, annual sample for New York City.  While
the ACS is a rich data source for measuring pre-tax cash income, its Food
Stamp data is incomplete and suffers from multiple forms of measurement
error.  In addition, there are complications stemming from the survey’s unit
of analysis.  Addressing these data issues is critical for the development
of CEO’s poverty measure as an effective tool for evaluating poverty trends
and the impact of anti-poverty programs.

This paper will provide a brief overview of the NAS-style poverty measure,
followed by an analysis of the data issues inherent in the ACS and the
imputation methods needed to construct a dataset that includes the yearly
value of Food Stamps.  It will conclude with a discussion of the procedure
for calculating standard errors with the imputed data.





Omer Siddique

Title: *Inequality, Institutions, and Colonialism: A Review of Literature
and a Case Study of Indian Subcontinent and Pakistan*



Abstract:

This paper explores the relationship between inequality and institutions,
and impact of colonialism on these variables. I will, first analyze the
Engerman and Sokoloff’s (op. cit.) argument, along with the paper of
Morrisson (op. cit.) in the light of other literature that has investigated
the relationship between institutions and inequality. Then taking up the
case of the Indian subcontinent and Pakistan I will see how these arguments
apply to this particular case. After an introductory section, Section 2 of
this paper, following Morrisson (op. cit.), turns to the relationship
between factor endowment, colonialism, and institutions is presented.
Section 3 discusses the case of the subcontinent, both in Mughal and British
eras, and that of Pakistan. The discussion of institutions, inequality, and
power structure is presented in Section 4; Section 5 summarizes and
concludes the discussion.  Suggested Journals [to be submitted]



Taun N. Toay

Title: *Chronic Disease and Vulnerability*.



Abstract:

Vulnerability, as a concept, in the economic literature presents a fairly
new area of research within the field of development. Separate - yet
interrelated in important ways - from issues of poverty and inequality,
vulnerability presents a unique lens through which economist can view
multiple risk factors to single households or individuals. While the theory
behind such decomposition is very engaging, empirical applications are few
and far between. This paper seeks to apply vulnerability analysis to the
HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. HIV/AIDS presents an apt case for
vulnerability analysis in that the trends in infection overlay with multiple
risks in terms of socioeconomics and demographics of affected households.
The author presents several strands of vulnerability methodology in an
attempt to ultimately apply data to the method deemed best suited to the
question at hand: what can vulnerability research applied to HIV/AIDS tell
policymakers over existing methodologies? The full answer to this question
will require subsequent research.  Suggested Journals: Journal of
Development Studies, Journal of African Development, World Development.





John Winkel

Title: *A New Approach to the Understanding of Discrimination in an Economic
Framework.*



Abstract:

This paper attempts to update the framework of discrimination analysis,
which has been relatively unchanged since the models introduced by Becker
and Arrow almost 50 years ago. For the purposes of this paper I would
propose to add two factors, namely social identity formation and power. (A
formal description of a model incorporating those two factors will be the
next step, for the moment I will simply attempt to justify these factors as
necessary additions.) The models put forth by Becker and Arrow neglect
important social aspects that are crucial in understanding the dynamics of
discrimination. The additions of extensions based on Ackerlof and Kranton
incorporating social identity formation and power models by Bowles and
Gintis and Bartlett allow a more comprehensive understanding of the basis
for discrimination. The formation of the opposing groups engaging in these
discriminatory interactions is a function of the individuals in the group
and their relations to both others in their own group and those in the
opposing group. The additions provide the necessary depth beyond simple
labor supply models to understand the persistence of discrimination in the
labor market. Suggested Journals: [to be submitted]







-- 
Johann
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