It's frustrating to hear of immigration abuses like this. Right here in Boulder. Even legal immigrants on temporary work visas often have no recourse when mistreated by employers, because losing their job means losing their visa.
Our immigration laws need reform, no matter what side of the aisle you happen to sit on.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
What does globalization do for individuals?
The title is a little bit misleading, but several of my students have expressed ideas in opposition to globalization that seem to sound like neo-dependency theory--ideas that globalization and world trade tends to disadvantage poor people in poor countries.
If you're one of these folks, you might be interested in this post from Chris Blattman (a world-class development economist) on Mexican export-processing factories. He cites two studies examining the effects of participating in this labor market on individuals.
Effects are mixed. The key passage:
There is a longstanding debate about these issues--the effects of globalization on the poor--and we will talk about the environmental piece of this debate in PSCI 3206 later in the semester. Scholars generally agree nowadays that globalization can be either harmful or helpful to individuals, though it probably does more good than bad, economically.
Of course, we don't just value economic outcomes, and there are good reasons to be concerned about the effects of globalization on particular groups of individuals.
If you're one of these folks, you might be interested in this post from Chris Blattman (a world-class development economist) on Mexican export-processing factories. He cites two studies examining the effects of participating in this labor market on individuals.
Effects are mixed. The key passage:
- Workers earn better wages than in non-export oriented industries;
- Women who get jobs have taller children;
- But youth drop out of school earlier to take the jobs; and
- For those that drop out, their wages in the long term are lower than if they had stayed in school and gone to work for the factories later.
There is a longstanding debate about these issues--the effects of globalization on the poor--and we will talk about the environmental piece of this debate in PSCI 3206 later in the semester. Scholars generally agree nowadays that globalization can be either harmful or helpful to individuals, though it probably does more good than bad, economically.
Of course, we don't just value economic outcomes, and there are good reasons to be concerned about the effects of globalization on particular groups of individuals.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
China releases environmental census
From the NY Times:
China’s government on Tuesday unveiled its most detailed survey ever of the pollution plaguing the country, revealing that water pollution in 2007 was more than twice as severe as was shown in official figures that had long omitted agricultural waste.
A few of you have been discussing how measurement isn't science. Which is, of course, true. But measurement is important to all scientific endeavors, as well as policy analysis. This environmental census may be a step in the right direction for China. Or it might not. China, as we well know, lacks the domestic mechanisms for downward accountability (like elections) that often make pressures for environmental reforms possible.
When dealing with policy issues, we are often tempted to just "do something," but without good data, often, the best we can do at knowing what the appropriate course of action is is just guesswork.
For the whole story, see here.
China’s government on Tuesday unveiled its most detailed survey ever of the pollution plaguing the country, revealing that water pollution in 2007 was more than twice as severe as was shown in official figures that had long omitted agricultural waste.
A few of you have been discussing how measurement isn't science. Which is, of course, true. But measurement is important to all scientific endeavors, as well as policy analysis. This environmental census may be a step in the right direction for China. Or it might not. China, as we well know, lacks the domestic mechanisms for downward accountability (like elections) that often make pressures for environmental reforms possible.
When dealing with policy issues, we are often tempted to just "do something," but without good data, often, the best we can do at knowing what the appropriate course of action is is just guesswork.
For the whole story, see here.
Pucallpa, Peru mayor acquitted of ordering political assassination
Pucallpa is one of the case studies from my dissertation research--a small city on the banks of the Ucayali river, a tributary of the Amazon.
One of the noisiest places I've ever been--more 2-stroke motorcycle taxis on the road than cars. But it quiets down nicely after about 9PM.
The mayor was accused of corruption by a commentator on a local radio show. He isaccused of subsequently ordering the murder of the commentator. Not sure if I buy the court's story on this one--"contradictory" evidence by the prosecution. The Peruvian judicial system works better than a lot of Latin American court systems, but it isn't exactly a shining example of transparency and the rule of law.
The full story (in English) is here.
One of the noisiest places I've ever been--more 2-stroke motorcycle taxis on the road than cars. But it quiets down nicely after about 9PM.
The mayor was accused of corruption by a commentator on a local radio show. He isaccused of subsequently ordering the murder of the commentator. Not sure if I buy the court's story on this one--"contradictory" evidence by the prosecution. The Peruvian judicial system works better than a lot of Latin American court systems, but it isn't exactly a shining example of transparency and the rule of law.
The full story (in English) is here.
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