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22. VI Informe sobre la Desigualdad en España: Los efectos de las transiciones demográfica, climática y digital en la desigualdad
- Author:
- Juan Francisco Albert, Luis Ayala Cañón, Jordi Bosch Meda, Jesús Cruces, and Antonio Ferrer
- Publication Date:
- 05-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Fundación Alternativas
- Abstract:
- El sexto Informe sobre la Desigualdad en España (2024) de la Fundación Alternativas centra su atención sobre el análisis de los efectos sobre la desigualdad y la pobreza de las transiciones demográfica, climática y digital, con un énfasis en su dimensión territorial. La valoración más compartida es que los cambios producidos por estos tres movimientos simultáneos, envejecimiento de la población, transición climática y transformación digital, van a afectar de manera notable a las desigualdades interterritoriales e interpersonales de nuestro país. En consecuencia, se propone una reflexión que aborde un análisis conjunto y desde la perspectiva de las políticas públicas de estos retos que permita avanzar en el conocimiento de los efectos de las transformaciones en marcha y de las que habrán de producirse en el futuro, ofreciendo adicionalmente una serie de recomendaciones de políticas. Estas recomen- daciones incluyen algunas medidas para abordar la transición demográfica y reducir sus efectos sobre la desigualdad territorial, las necesarias propuestas de reforma fiscal, las políticas de cuidados, la distribución territorial de los fon- dos para la digitalización y la prevención de riesgos climáticos por territorios, entre otras cuestiones de creciente importancia en el ámbito público. En la elaboración y producción del documento y sus recomendaciones han colaborado, además, la Fundación 1º de Mayo (CC OO) y Oxfam Intermón.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Demographics, Inequality, Economy, and Public Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Spain
23. Asset Ownership, Rates of Return, and the U.S. Working Class
- Author:
- Leila Davis and Charalampos Konstantinidis
- Publication Date:
- 12-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Abstract:
- In this paper, we analyze the intersection of asset market participation and inter-class wealth inequality in the United States by showing that working-class households earn lower rates of return on their assets than non-working-class households. We, first, operationalize an empirical definition of working-class status using the Survey of Consumer Finances for 1989-2022. Using this classification, we, second, document that inter-class income and wealth inequality have risen since 1989. Third, we show that, with the exception of business assets, working-class households hold similar asset classes as non-working-class households and receive financial income. However, working-class households receive a 2.5 percentage point lower average rate of return than non-working-class households, conditional on observable demographic and economic differences across classes. This gap reflects differential returns on businesses and real estate. These results suggest that expanded asset market access in the U.S. has conferred unequal benefits by class status and widened inequalities along class lines.
- Topic:
- Markets, Inequality, Assets, and Working Class
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
24. Class and Space in Indian Cities
- Author:
- Vamsi Vakulabharanam and Sripad Motiram
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Abstract:
- Indian cities have always been marked by stark class disparities and these have only become more pronounced in recent decades. Although academic literature has explored class relations (broadly) in Indian cities, there is a dearth of studies that rigorously explore class-space interactions. Given this, we use a socio-spatial methodology, a rigorous class scheme, and data from a spatially representative survey from Hyderabad and Mumbai that we specially designed to explore city spaces. We use three different notions of space: residence, work, and commuting, and present patterns that are not well-known for Indian cities. Along these three spatial dimensions, we show that class and space mutually determine each other. We show that in both cities, the class distribution varies across residential zones, and how a class fares depends upon its zone of residence. Class location also determines whether the work location of an individual is far from the residential location and the extent of commuting. We demonstrate considerable residential coexistence of classes in city neighborhoods. Apart from being an interesting feature of Indian cities, does this coexistence have any implications? We use an instrumental variable regression to show that class-based spatial integration results in higher economic development. Residents of mixed-class neighborhoods, particularly lower-classes, are less likely to be poor and more likely to be better educated, compared to their counterparts living in segregated neighborhoods. Based on this finding, we make a case for a more integrated and egalitarian restructuring of Indian city spaces.
- Topic:
- Political Economy, Inequality, Class, and Cities
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and India
25. Inequality and the Environment: Global Inequality Research Award Lecture
- Author:
- James K. Boyce
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Abstract:
- This lecture, delivered at the ceremony for the inaugural Global Inequality Research Award at Sciences Po in Paris, provides a trajectory of the author’s work on inequality and the environment that was recognized by the award. Thirty years ago, many economists and environmentalists saw inequality as a non-issue. Today there is widespread recognition of its importance. The lecture reviews how inequalities in the distribution of wealth and power affect both the magnitude and incidence of environmental harms and discusses some of the synergies between policies to reduce inequality and to improve environmental quality.
- Topic:
- Economics, Environment, and Inequality
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
26. The Incidence, Costs, and Correlates of High-Cost, High-Risk Consumer Credit Among Black and Latino Households
- Author:
- Edwith Theogene and Christian E. Weller
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Abstract:
- Black and Latino households regularly have a lot less wealth than white households. Many people of color, mainly Black and Latino households, also often have to resort to more costly and risky debt than is the case for white households. We present data from FINRA’s nationally representative 2021 Financial Capability Survey on the distribution of various forms of household credit by race and ethnicity. The data show that incidences of high-cost, high-risk consumer credit is higher among Black and Latino households than among white households. Loan denials, credit market discrimination and credit steering all factors likely contributing to this greater incidence. Further, the costs associated with those forms of credit are also higher for Black and Latino households than they are for white households, even within the same types of credit. Finally, these forms of credit correlate with lower savings, especially among Black and Latino households. The results indicate that the more widespread incidence of consumer credit among Black and Latino households likely contributes to the persistence of the racial wealth gap.
- Topic:
- Race, Inequality, Discrimination, Credit, Wealth, and Consumer Credit
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
27. The Gender-Based Violence Crisis in Haiti
- Author:
- Christopher Hernandez-Roy and Juliana Rubio
- Publication Date:
- 09-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Abstract:
- Gender-based violence (GBV) in Haiti is a widespread and escalating problem, exacerbated by the country’s deep-rooted gender inequalities, systemic impunity, and political instability. As the political and security crisis in Haiti has deepened in recent years, the use of GBV, particularly sexual violence, has increased as a systematic tool of intimidation and punishment, and ultimately of control. Local civil society organizations are continuing their efforts to support survivors of GBV, but they require additional external assistance. With the formation of a new interim government and the arrival of the Kenyan-led, UN-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission earlier in 2024, it becomes imperative to understand GBV’s deeply entrenched roots and recent expansion and escalation in order to begin to effectively address this crisis.
- Topic:
- Inequality, Gender Based Violence, and Sexual Violence
- Political Geography:
- Caribbean and Haiti
28. Insights into the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis: An International Comparison
- Author:
- Munira Z. Gunja, Evan D. Gumas, Relebohile Masitha, and Laurie Zephyrin
- Publication Date:
- 06-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Commonwealth Fund
- Abstract:
- The United States continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, despite a decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. And within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women. Most of these deaths — over 80 percent — are likely preventable.1 With policies and systems in place to support women during the perinatal period, several high-income countries report virtually no maternal deaths. As policymakers and health care delivery system leaders in the U.S. seek ways to end the nation’s maternal mortality crisis, these countries may offer viable solutions. This brief updates an earlier Commonwealth Fund study of differences in maternal mortality, maternal care workforce composition, and access to postpartum care and social protections between the U.S. and other high-income countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.2 In this edition, we have also included data on Chile, Japan, and Korea — all high-income countries with universal health care systems. For our analysis, we used the most recently available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), of which the U.S. is a member. Where country-specific data are more than five years old, we note whether more recent published data from other sources are available for that country. Readers should be aware that because the methods we used to derive updated numbers from other sources may be different from methods the OECD uses, data points may not be comparable to the U.S. rates. For complete details on our methods, see “How We Conducted This Study.”
- Topic:
- Development, Inequality, Public Health, and Maternal Mortality
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, France, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, North America, Sweden, Netherlands, New Zealand, and United States of America
29. Supporting Safer Digital Spaces: MENA Region Highlights
- Author:
- Nadia Al-Sakkaf and Natasha Chhabra
- Publication Date:
- 09-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
- Abstract:
- Digital technologies are being used to inflict significant harm online, known as technology-facilitated violence. In particular, harm affects certain groups based on their gender, which is known as technology-facilitated gender-based violence. This modern form of violence perpetuates inequality and has significant impacts on its targets, including silencing the voices of women and other gender minorities online. Supporting a Safer Internet is a multi-year project led by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Ipsos. As part of the project, an international survey collected data from 18,149 people of all genders in 18 countries. Participants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region were not asked to report their sexual orientation or gender identity due to safety and legal limitations in those countries. For this reason, this version of the Highlights report has been developed with a specific focus on the data gathered from participants in those countries. Qualitative and contextual data from the SecDev Foundation has been utilized in this report to complement and provide a deeper understanding of the statistical data derived from this project. Recommendations from the MENA region agree with the Ipsos global survey recommendations for governments, technology companies, civil society organizations and researchers.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Inequality, Gender, Digital Platforms, and Digital Governance
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and North Africa
30. The Invisible Leverage of the Top 1 Percent: Absentee Debtors and Their Hedge Funds
- Author:
- Stefano Sgambati
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- City Political Economy Research Centre (CITYPERC), University of London
- Abstract:
- The existing literature on finance, debt and inequality depicts economic elites as a creditor class. According to a popular thesis, over the past four decades, the rich and ultra-rich households in the top 1 percent have experienced a saving glut (excess income), which they have invested in the debts of the poor and their governments. While it is undeniable that the rich have expanded their income share at the expenses of the poor, to refer to them as ‘creditors’ or ‘lenders’ is a misrepresentation of how they actually expand their wealth and income shares by financial means. For it conceals the fact that a great deal of their investments is leveraged, that is, carried out with borrowed money. This article shows that the debts generated by individuals and households in the top 1 percent easily surpass those of all other households and even exceed those of the most indebted states in the world. However, these debts are hard to estimate, and indeed they are not accounted for in statistics on household debt. This is because households in the top 1 percent do not borrow from banks, like normal households do, but they are instead absentee debtors who borrow through the hedge funds, private equity firms, personal investment trusts, and big banks of which they are dominant shareholders and ultimate beneficiaries. To gain an insight into their invisible leverage, the article looks at how much hedge funds borrow, and why their leverage matters.
- Topic:
- Debt, Political Economy, Inequality, Finance, Elites, Hedge Funds, and Leverage
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus