Courses Offered in 2021-2022:

• “Political Economy of Inequality,” Professor Danish Khan
• “Political Economy of Urban Development,” Professor Danish Khan
• “Race and Inequality in the US,” Professor Leanne Roncolato
• “Public Policy, Poverty, and Human Capability,” Professor Patrick Fleming 
• "Culure and Power in Human Socieities," Professor Adeem Suhail

Forum Events:

• "The Resilience of Patriarchal Systems," the Annual Van Dyck Lecture, Professor Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts, October 26, 2022
• “The Year 2050: Resources are Scarce and the World is Scared,” a student-faculty discussion with the Economics Club, Day of Dialogue, October 6, 2021.
• “Sadie Alexander: Race, Economic Uncertainty, and the Rights of Citizenship,” the Annual Wayne K. Van Dyck lecture delivered by Nina Banks, Professor of Economics at Bucknell University, and President of the National Economic Association, November 4, 2021.
• “Women, Gender, the Economy, and the Economics Profession: A Photo Exhibit” — Stager Hall Third Floor, on-going.

Research Projects:

• Labor Market Conditions in South-Eastern Pennsylvania - This research project, carried out in collaboration with Lancaster's Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), investigates labor market conditions for marginalized, poor and working-poor communities in Lancaster and neighboring counties by collecting data on income flows, traditional and new employment patterns, barriers to full paid-employment opportunities, and other relevant factors, disaggregated by race/ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability status, and other demographic characteristics. The project aims to identify gaps in existing data and to offer a critical analysis of the data and current understanding and representation of labor market conditions.
• A Lancaster Social Justice Index – This project investigates the state of social justice in Lancaster based on indicators of poverty; urban planning and development; refugee resettlement and integration; and gender, racial, and environmental justice. Funded by the Center for Sustained Engagement with Lancaster, and the Committee on Grants. Contributing students: Gabriel Anthony-Kemp ’22, Gabriel Berdett Laila Carneiro ’20, Jillian Ireland ’21, Nithya Ramaswamy ’22, Lingfeng Shan ’21; Faculty advisors: Aleci, Callari, Zein-Elabdin.
• A Lancaster Audit: Toward a Lancaster Moral Budget – This project, carried out in collaboration with Lancaster’s Put People First, PA, aims to produce Lancaster County and City budgets adapted from the Poor People’s Moral Budget issued by the National Poor People’s Campaign. Funded by the Center for Sustained Engaged with Lancaster, and the Economics Department. Contributing students: Jadaic Admir ’20, Margot Rathke ’20, Lingfeng Shan ’20, Isaac Yu ’20; Faculty advisors: Aleci, Callari.
• Gentrification in the City of Lancaster, PA – Research on gentrification has focused almost exclusively on major metropolitan centers. Much less analysis has been done on small “legacy cities” like Lancaster. This project analyzes patterns of real estate activity and neighborhood change in key districts in Lancaster to sharpen the empirical and theoretical lens through which to examine processes of gentrification as they may have formed in the city over the past 15 years. The project also investigates the discursive construction of this phenomenon through an analysis of public discourse on gentrification. Contributing student: Davis Cook ’21; Faculty advisor: Aleci.

Students can get involved in the Initiative by taking a course; doing research through independent studies or summer projects with faculty; organizing a discussion; inviting a speaker; participating in a conference, or implementing any new ideas of their own. Funding for summer research is available through the F&M Committee on Grants, the Center for Sustained Engagement with Lancaster, and the Economics Department. 

 The project team:

• Antonio Callari, Department of Economics Professor (Emeritus), IPPSOJ Community Liaison
• Danish Khan, Department of Economics Professor, IPPSOJ Co-Director
• Eiman Zein-Elabdin, Department of Economics Professor, IPPSOJ Co-Director
• Tony Maynard, Department of Economics Professor, Research Associate, and Student Mentor
• Troy Walters, Economic Research Associate, Consultant
• Theza Friedman '24, Economics, Anthropology, International Studies
• Alfee Rubayet '24, Economics, Government
• Apurva Subedi '24, Economics, Mathematics, Music Performance
• ​Nina Vu '23, Economics, Computer Science

Faculty:

• Nicole Jones Young, Department of Business, Organizations, and Society Professor