Moynihan Institute News, Research and Commentary

“The country’s democratic revolution is being targeted by both external and internal sources of misinformation and propaganda,” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“The Color of Coronavirus,” co-authored by Professor of Economics Devashish Mitra, was published in Southern Economic Journal.

Professor of Geography and the Environment Farhana Sultana, concerned about how her work may be repurposed, says, “All this occurs while our intellectual property is woefully inadequately compensated, since there is abuse and profit off our mostly free intellectual labor by private corporations reaping profits in the billions of dollars annually from the sale of our books.”

“While it [India] has acquired some economic and political heft in global affairs on account of its large economy, it must rapidly raise the economic fortunes of the average Indian. Its current demographic situation makes this necessary. It is crucial that the country find productive employment for its young and rapidly expanding labor force in a way that fulfills the aspirations of these new workers,” writes Devashish Mitra, professor of economics.

“History and Bioarchaeology,” co-authored by Professor of Anthropology Shannon Novak, was published in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology.

The designation was created with a generous gift from alumna and longtime advisory board member Cathy Daicoff.

Nimisha Thakur is one of 22 scholars in the United States to receive the award, which is considered the largest and most prestigious award for Ph.D. candidates in the humanities and social sciences addressing questions of ethical and religious values.

Devashish Mitra, professor of economics, says that some wealth distribution “might not be a bad idea.” But, he adds, “it is a politically contentious issue, and there might be political problems in enacting any kind of means to redistribute wealth.’’

Five Maxwell students and alumni are among the 14 Syracuse University students and alumni who have been named as 2024 recipients.

“Globally, safe water access for all can be achieved only by involving Indigenous and local communities in water governance and climate planning. People are not voiceless, they simply remain unheard. The way forward is through listening,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

“Import Competition, Labor Market Regulations, and Firm Outsourcing,” co-authored by Professor of Economics Devashish Mitra, was published in the Journal of Development Economics.

"Why Don't South Asians in the U.S. Count As 'Asian'?: Global and Local Factors Shaping Anti-South Asian Racism in the United States," co-authored by Professor of Sociology Prema Kurien, was published in Sociological Inquiry.

“The control of oil and gas resources has been a key factor in many conflicts and geopolitical imperialism, either by providing part of the motivation for an invasion or by helping countries fund their militaries,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment. “Conflict, in turn, feeds production by driving up oil and gas prices,” she adds.

The relationship between the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the government and people of India dates back more than 70 years, with thousands of senior officials taking advantage of Executive Education’s training and degree programs, and others study through some of the most prestigious fellowships offered.

While there is an unavoidable conflict in a petrostate hosting a climate summit, it may also be fitting: The country that was home to the oil industry’s beginnings may also host negotiations that could one day bring the petroleum era to an end. “It is possible to frame it as something of a closure,” says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment.

"The recent set of labour reforms are also an encouraging development. Numerous labour regulations have been consolidated into four codes, eliminating contradictions among them," writes Devashish Mitra, professor and chair of economics. 

Women in Bangladesh suffer disproportionately during floods, as Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, has documented in a study, in part because they bear the brunt of responsibility for managing water and food for their household, as well as taking care of their children.

“Carbon inequality is effectively a colonisation of the atmosphere by the capitalist elite of the planet through hyper-consumption and pollution, while the cost of that climate coloniality is borne disproportionately by the marginalised and vulnerable communities in developing countries,” says Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.

Two Maxwell students are among the five selected as Lender Center for Social Justice student fellows and will work on a research project that examines American news media coverage and United States policymaking related to the war on terror.