Economics - Catalyst

The Upheaval of the Indian Farming System

February 19, 2021November 10, 2021 Mehak Balwani and Nikhita Panwar

Demonstrations led by farmers over recent months represent the largest-ever mobilization of farmers in independent India. The death toll has risen to over 70 lives. The overarching demand is the repeal of three laws and the maintenance of minimum support prices (MSPs). In the larger context, however, the standoff can be seen as the fallout caused by the demise of the Green Revolution.

A Look at the Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity

February 10, 2021November 10, 2021 Jasmine Acharya

Approximately 60-80% of the world’s food is grown by women, but women farmers are consistently seen to be less productive than male farmers. On top of continuing to tackle institutional barriers, it is important to encourage the implementation of policy solutions that could help close this gap. The empowerment of women farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa has the power to greatly improve productivity in the agricultural industry, helping engender positive spillover effects such as improving GDP, increasing food security and lowering overall poverty.

Reparative Conversations: Transitional Justice in Albania, an Interview with Kristale Ivezaj Rama

December 16, 2020November 10, 2021 Adriana Gabriela Franco

Rama believes this project is a “tiny seed” in the greater movement towards transitional justice, something those living in Albania need to be able to move forward. Limitations on free speech and an unstable economy are just some of the lasting effects of this period in Albania, and as Rama so eloquently put, the “people can’t think about the past if they are too preoccupied with the present and worry about their future”.

After 4 Years of Trumponomics, America Still Needs Globalization

December 5, 2020November 10, 2021 Mehak Balwani

Trump has long claimed to be a successful businessman and promised time and again to rejuvenate the US economy. However, Trumponomics has ignored possible treatments for the US economy – investments into education, job creation, and upskilling – and laid the blame for the erosion of the American middle class on the globalization of labor markets

Challenging the International Response to the Refugee Crisis

November 11, 2020November 10, 2021 Melanie Baume

Thus far, the global response of most developed countries has been to funnel money into the international refugee support system, which provides humanitarian aid relief through the establishment of refugee camps. As these camps are short-term solutions, in most host countries, refugees lack the right to work or move freely. This might not have been a problem if the duration of their stay were short, however the conflicts from which refugees flee usually last indefinitely.

The Indian Migrant Labour Crisis and Its Implications

October 22, 2020November 10, 2021 Mehak Balwani

Often, governments are expected to provide help to the vulnerable during a pandemic. Yet instead of giving workers the job security and resources they needed, governments of several predominantly agricultural states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, commenced changes to labour laws. These have largely benefitted industries, leaving informal labour more vulnerable than ever.

The Impending Water Crisis Along the World’s Longest River

October 14, 2020November 10, 2021 Misbah Lalani

The sense of urgency and stubbornness both countries have displayed amidst this power struggle is a result of an inherent pride in identity. A sense of nationalism serves as both a unifying force within the countries for their respective causes, as well as a driver of animosity between them.