http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/inequality Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 23 May 2026 15:53:38 -0400 Sat, 23 May 2026 15:53:38 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1936/explaining-the-gender-gap-in-the-criminal-justice-system-how-family-based-gender-roles-shape-perceptions-of-defendants-in-criminal-court By Katharina Geppert - Numerous studies have investigated why women are vastly underrepresented in prisons across the United States. In explaining this “gender gap,” scholars have found that women are treated more leniently than men at various stages of the judicial process. Explanations for women’s lenient treatment are often oversimplified as “sex differences” in criminal behavior and could benefit from further investigation. Through qualitative interviews with federal judges and attorneys, as well as observations of criminal court proceedings, this study examines how the family, as a... Wed, 09 Feb 2022 01:17 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1936/explaining-the-gender-gap-in-the-criminal-justice-system-how-family-based-gender-roles-shape-perceptions-of-defendants-in-criminal-court http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1794/the-impact-of-economic-complexity-on-productive-structure-and-income-inequality-in-indonesia-and-venezuela By Osama Siddiq - Recent work with the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) has shown that a country’s productive structure constrains its level of economic growth and income inequality. Building on previous research that identified an increasing gap between Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with that of China and other High Performing East Asian Economies (HPEA), this paper compares how the diverging productive structures of the Venezuelan and Indonesian economies have impacted the generation and distribution of income in each country. I use time-series regression analysis to show the impact of economic complexity... Wed, 09 Sep 2020 12:11 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1794/the-impact-of-economic-complexity-on-productive-structure-and-income-inequality-in-indonesia-and-venezuela http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1736/educational-investment-and-sociopsychological-wellbeing-among-rural-chinese-women By Jason Hung - Universal secondary education is vital if rural China is to achieve long-term socioeconomic sustainability, as education offers the pragmatic skills and knowledge base that would allow those living in rural China to adapt to the knowledge-intensive global economy (Rong and Shi, 2001: 108-9; Bush and Haiyan, 2000: 62; Oxfam Report, 1999: 1; Liu, 2004: 5; Bennell and Furlong, 1998). In rural China, each student ostensibly has access to nine years of mandatory education (Liu, 2004: 6). However, local governments are often incapable of subsidizing compulsory schooling, particularly post-primary schooling... Wed, 09 May 2018 12:52 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1736/educational-investment-and-sociopsychological-wellbeing-among-rural-chinese-women http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1722/old-history-in-the-new-cuba-exploring-the-legacy-of-race-and-economic-inequality-on-the-island-today By Elizabeth L. Drake - After the fall of the USSR, the Cuban government implemented temporary economic liberalization policy reforms that remain today.3 Under Raúl Castro's leadership the economy continues to expand.4 However, as the economy broadens by moving towards a free-market model, there is an increase in both economic and social exclusivity stemming from the racist history of slavery on the island. Thus, Afro-Cubans lack the ability to participate in the free market aspect of the Cuban economy, placing them at an economic disadvantage. While current literature discusses Cuba in terms of either economic... Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1722/old-history-in-the-new-cuba-exploring-the-legacy-of-race-and-economic-inequality-on-the-island-today http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1515/child-care-policy-and-female-labor-force-participation-a-comparison-of-germany-and-sweden By Analia Cuevas-Ferreras - Labor markets have traditionally been regarded as the product of a demand and supply of labor.2 In Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage, political economists Peter A. Hall and David Soskice put forth two types of economies whose variant organization and structures lead them to experience distinct hiring incentives, which can impact the configuration of a country's labor market leading to gendered hiring practices. On the one hand, there are Liberal Market Economies (LMEs), which are free market economies "characterized by a relatively decentralized system... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1515/child-care-policy-and-female-labor-force-participation-a-comparison-of-germany-and-sweden http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1514/bridging-the-gap--towards-a-transatlantic-approach-to-reducing-inequality-a-policy-proposal By Sergio Mukherjee - Part of the problem is that an exclusive focus on growth, defined as the increase in a country's productive capacity by comparing the monetary value of the goods and services produced by a country (GDP) within two successive periods of time, overlooks the potential inequality of distribution and access to important social services, such as adequate schooling and healthcare. While it is true that the nature and extent of poverty and inequality vary across the world, both relative and extreme poverty restrict people to operate at the margins of society. As a result, people not only have limited... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1514/bridging-the-gap--towards-a-transatlantic-approach-to-reducing-inequality-a-policy-proposal http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1573/the-american-dream-discourses-of-equality-and-achievability-for-black-americans By Emily Dalgo - What is the meaning of the American Dream for educated black Americans? How do perceptions of the equality and the achievability of the American Dream among educated black Americans correlate with the dominant discourse on the subject? This research project determines the dominant discourses of perceived equality and opportunity on the American Dream for educated black Americans, taking into account the current context and historical context of black Americans. Throughout history, the American Dream has been central to the American value system and has helped to define the essence of American... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1573/the-american-dream-discourses-of-equality-and-achievability-for-black-americans http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1353/book-review-a-brief-history-of-neoliberalism-by-david-harvey-2005 By Florence Lee - Michael Thompson, reviewing A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey, calls it ‘the world according to David Harvey’ (2005). This is an accurate remark: although erring slightly on the side of conspiracy, the book is a breathtaking overview of the ‘neoliberal world’ through Harvey’s neo-Marxist and anti-capitalist lens. The book is aimed at the general reader and is a non-technical, concise introduction to many of the key features of neoliberal theory: the economic practices proposing that human wellbeing can be attained by reducing state intervention, promoting... Fri, 12 Feb 2016 03:11 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1353/book-review-a-brief-history-of-neoliberalism-by-david-harvey-2005 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1324/addressing-the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-shortcomings-of-federal-legislation By Nikita Mehandru - The most commonly cited statistic for the gender wage gap in the United States is that women earn seventy-eight cents to every dollar men earn. A great deal of contention however, surrounds the interpretation of this measure as well as others seeking to quantify the gender wage gap. While the number solely represents full-time men and women not necessarily performing the same work, it still captures an economic reality: gender discrimination in wages persists. Further, there are gender differences specific to occupation, number of hours worked, educational attainment, and work experience. Politicians... Tue, 05 Jan 2016 05:06 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1324/addressing-the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-shortcomings-of-federal-legislation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1316/foodservice-experience-and-tipping-behavior-further-evidence-of-wage-inequality-between-tipped-and-non-tipped-workers By Katherine S. Fisher - This study focuses on the relationship between prior foodservice experience and a person’s tipping behavior. Using data from a survey of 500 University of Maryland undergraduate students, an analysis is completed by regressing restaurant experience and waiting experience on perceived average tip percentage while controlling for gender and ethnicity. A positive, significant relationship is found between the two independent variables regarding work experience and the dependent variable. This research is an attempt to illustrate the wage-inequality between tipped workers and non-tipped workers... Wed, 02 Dec 2015 10:28 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1316/foodservice-experience-and-tipping-behavior-further-evidence-of-wage-inequality-between-tipped-and-non-tipped-workers http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1315/globalization-inequality-and-the-concentration-of-wealth-in-the-uk By Shaun Docherty - Stories like these, exposing the avarice of capitalism, are becoming an almost daily feature of British broadsheets and are testimony to the fact that extreme wealth polarisation and inequality are now major issues for poverty campaigners and economists alike. These trends are both morally repugnant and a reflection of major flaws in the assumptions that underpin free-market economic theory. The free-market is both a mechanism that has facilitated unprecedented growth and development in human history and a wrecking-ball with no morals and the potential to tear societies apart. As inequality spirals... Mon, 30 Nov 2015 09:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1315/globalization-inequality-and-the-concentration-of-wealth-in-the-uk http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/924/inequality-and-corruption-drivers-of-tunisias-revolution By Dor Srebernik - Many analysts argue that the reason Tunisia fulfilled a democratic transition is that their Islamist Ennahda party is more moderate and inclined toward civilian political order than its Islamist counterparts in other countries, such as Egypt. Ennahda’s willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with secularists in writing a constitution is viewed as the main factor behind the democratic transition. However, this popular approach underemphasizes the main driving forces behind the Tunisian revolution, which are the underlying economic inequalities and structure of the country’s patronage... Mon, 13 Oct 2014 05:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/924/inequality-and-corruption-drivers-of-tunisias-revolution http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1595/the-effects-of-electoral-systems-and-gender-quotas-on-female-representation-in-national-legislatures By Amy Manning - Women make up anywhere from 0% to 56% of the national legislatures around the world. Research has attributed this wide spectrum to political, socioeconomic, and cultural or ideological factors. After testing these existing theories on a sample of 188 countries, this study offers a more comprehensive explanation for this wide variation in female representation. A quantitative analysis of the cases yields four statistically significant factors: type of electoral system, presence or absence of quotas, socioeconomic status, and predominant religion. These factors all affect the proportion of women... Sat, 31 May 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1595/the-effects-of-electoral-systems-and-gender-quotas-on-female-representation-in-national-legislatures http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/864/barriers-for-women-to-positions-of-power-how-societal-and-corporate-structures-perceptions-of-leadership-and-discrimination-restrict-womens-advancement-to-authority By Dee-Ann Schwanke - Women’s advancement in the corporate workplace has taken significant strides over the last century. Research demonstrates, however, that despite an increased presence of female employees in mid-management positions, executive positions continue to be male dominated. Women are underrepresented in areas of governance, directorship, and executive leadership. This seems to contradict the apparent momentum of the promotion of women. This paper will unveil some of the hidden barriers that stubbornly exist for women in business. It will review research that demonstrates why gender inequality is... Mon, 30 Sep 2013 04:36 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/864/barriers-for-women-to-positions-of-power-how-societal-and-corporate-structures-perceptions-of-leadership-and-discrimination-restrict-womens-advancement-to-authority http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/739/the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-current-policy-and-an-improved-approach-for-closing-the-gap By Sareen Armani - In 21st century America, newborn Americans are in fact not magically granted equality upon birth. Rather, these children enter a world where society is, even now, infatuated with unequal and simplistic categorizations that hierarchize people based on the genetically determined color pigmentation of their skin, the genitalia underneath their clothes, or the monetary amount attributed to their clothes. The intersectionality that is race, sex, and social class continues to define human beings in America, inhibiting equal advancement in our society. When confronting the elephant in the room and mentioning... Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/739/the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-current-policy-and-an-improved-approach-for-closing-the-gap http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/718/minorities-and-homelessness-in-the-united-states-and-europe-a-comparative-analysis By Carmen Radu - This study asks the question of why minorities are so overrepresented among the homeless, with a focus on the United States and Europe in a comparative perspective. I combine Charles Tilly’s theoretical model on how to challenge durable inequality with the human rights approach, and argue that only a human rights approach that addresses the full spectrum of rights can challenge durable inequality and overcome the problem of minority overrepresentation among the homeless, by challenging the structures of social exclusion. This research adds to the growing literature that focuses specifically... Wed, 26 Dec 2012 01:05 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/718/minorities-and-homelessness-in-the-united-states-and-europe-a-comparative-analysis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/712/justice-and-inequality-in-the-world-trading-system-a-critical-assesment By Dominykas Broga - It has been argued that the global trading system is supposed to promote global efficiency and growth, but a rising chorus of voices is asserting that the global economy operates in a way that is fundamentally unfair and seems to be ‘rigged in favor of the rich’[2]. Those voices require more equality in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yet, neo-liberals argue that unequal outcomes in the world economy are acceptable on the assumption that equality of opportunity still exists.[3] Others defend the world trading system on the grounds that existing inequalities are fair, because they... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/712/justice-and-inequality-in-the-world-trading-system-a-critical-assesment http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/510/john-rawls-robert-nozick-and-the-difference-principle-finding-common-ground By Colin R. Fraser - A large portion of Robert Nozick’s Anarchy, The State and Utopia is dedicated to refuting the theories of John Rawls. Specifically, Nozick takes issue with Rawls’ conception of distributive justice as it pertains to economic inequalities. Rawls wrote that economic inequalities should only be permitted if they are to the benefit of society, and especially if they are to the benefit of its least advantaged members; this has come to be known as “the difference principle”. Nozick believed that no one had any business “permitting” economic inequalities at all. To... Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:59 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/510/john-rawls-robert-nozick-and-the-difference-principle-finding-common-ground http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/167/being-educated-for-failure By Robert S. Harvey - Racism still flourishes in American society, and the institution that perpetuates this new idea of racism is the least expected—public schools. Racism today is as equally alive as the civil rights movement of the 1950’s, the whips and lynchings of the 1800’s, and even the transatlantic Middle Passage slave trade of the 1600’s. The old racism was based on legal ownership and division of public institutions. In contrast, the new racism is based on educational philosophies, and social theories. And while conversations about the importance of and need for diversity—the... Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:44 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/167/being-educated-for-failure http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/162/restoring-the-social-justice-identity-of-the-black-church By Robert S. Harvey - The act of preaching motivates the soul and the melodies of song enlivens the emotion, yet motivation and enlivening are not enough for debt to be eliminated, graduation rates to rise, and affordable housing and healthcare to be attained—all parts of the social crisis. As part of the black church—parishioner and clergy—this is the moment to reclaim identity; and when the black church returns to its mission and restores its identity in this society, only then will it be able to serve as a collective utility of social transformation and positive change for “such a time as... Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:03 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/162/restoring-the-social-justice-identity-of-the-black-church