INQUIRY

New York University • College of Arts and Science
a certain threshold, there is no clear relationship between
net worth and the probability of moving. Furthermore, it
was found that household high net worth is not a sufficient
condition for moving, whereas not household net worth not
exceeding the budget constraint can be a burden to moving.
Unobserved long-term characteristics such as parental
education level, developmental environment or awareness
of the possibility of moving affect students’ decision as well.
This project gives some insight into the characteristics of
international students from developing countries.
Small States in the World Bank: What are the Economic
Gains from Membership?
Amanda Lim, Economics, International Relations
Sponsor: Professor Leonid Peisakhin, Politics
Countries with small populations face exclusion from
the improved growth levels of their larger peers as a result
of the macroeconomic challenges inherent to size. Though
small states have performed reasonably well over an
extended period of time, indivisible fixed costs and diseconomies
of scale are intrinsic characteristics of small states
that impede economic development. This research project
examines the economic gains associated with membership in
the World Bank for small countries. It observes the growth
in GDP, foreign investor confidence, percent of new GDP
that is invested instead of consumed, monetary supply and
income volatility in small versus large economies. The study
predicts that though overall gains from membership will be
lower for small states as a result of higher costs of participation
and global integration, membership status will increase
international credibility in international markets and reflect
concrete benefits from joining. This analysis runs robust
regressions for eight dependent variables in 1985, 2009 and
2013, and findings reveal that large states generate higher
gains than small states from World Bank membership. Their
gains in GDP indicators, FDI, GFCF and M2, are consistently
greater than small economies with the exception of
GDP volatility. Small states observed lower and decreasing
trends of GDP volatility tied with membership duration,
while large states experienced higher and increasing trends
of volatility. Findings suggest that though membership in the
World Bank may not help small states overcome limitations
of size or achieve economic gain equivalent to larger members,
it may serve as an important buffer for GDP volatility
for small states entering the international stage.
Forming Opinions about Capital Punishment
Ai Na Liu, Sociology
Sponsor: Professor Ruth Horowitz, Sociology
This study examines factors that form individual perspectives
on capital punishment. It seeks to answer two questions:
What do people consider most when thinking about capital
punishment? To what extent do these factors affect their
opinions? Unlike prior research on capital punishment, which
focuses on the historical, demographical or factual explanations
behind support for or against the death penalty, this
study focuses on what people truly consider. In particular, this
research explores how the extent and accuracy of people’s
knowledge regarding capital punishment as it operates in the
United States of America shapes their attitude towards the
death sentence. Current literature suggests that geography,
race and the historical practice of lynching determine public
opinions; however, this paper suggests education may be the
most important contributor to the formation of opinions about
capital punishment. What seems to be a deeply divisive issue,
if only public opinion polls are examined, becomes more
uniform when people’s underlying knowledge of capital
punishment is considered. The more people accurately know
about capital punishment— the moral dilemmas, the costs, the
characteristics of those subjected to capital punishment and
the alternative methods of punishment—the less likely they
will support its use. Yet, given an ideal justice system where
most of this knowledge is irrelevant, most seem willing to
support capital punishment in principle.
Distance Learning
Micah Loewinger, Journalism, Philosophy
Sponsor: Professor Jason Samuels, Journalism
Distance Learning details the life of Omar, a gifted
college student suffering from schizophrenia. This film tells
the story of how delusional thinking, auditory and visual
hallucinations and crippling social anxiety forced Omar
to leave his busy New York college life behind. At home,
Omar turns to online education and online employment. In
the face of his crippling illness, the internet provides Omar
a new means to engage with society and pursue his lofty
dreams of becoming a mathematician. At the same time,
Omar’s new online life promotes his isolation and creates
further distance between him and his loved ones. Furthermore,
Distance Learning looks into Omar’s conservative
Muslim upbringing and his struggle to reconcile the belief
system of his parents with his own anarchist outlook and
vegan lifestyle. Distance education is a booming industry,
yet still considered inferior to its traditional brick-and-mortar
alternative by many employers and academics. However, for
vulnerable populations, including the mentally ill, this new
mode of learning may be the key to a fulfilling life.
Watching Me, Watching You: Discovering and Interacting
with Muslimah YouTubers
Costanza Maio, Global Liberal Studies
Sponsor: Professor Theresa Senft, Global Liberal Studies
This project analyzes the cyberworld of TazzyPhe and
saimasmileslike, two Muslim women YouTubers based in
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