Penn Journal of Philosophy, Politics & Economics
ISSN
2474-6622 (online)
Publisher
Discipline
American Politics
Applied Ethics
Behavioral Economics
Economic Policy
Economics
Education Policy
Energy Policy
Environmental Policy
Ethics and Political Philosophy
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Health Policy
International Economics
International Relations
Philosophy
Political Science
Political Theory
Psychology
Public Policy
Social Policy
Social Psychology
Applied Ethics
Behavioral Economics
Economic Policy
Economics
Education Policy
Energy Policy
Environmental Policy
Ethics and Political Philosophy
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Health Policy
International Economics
International Relations
Philosophy
Political Science
Political Theory
Psychology
Public Policy
Social Policy
Social Psychology
Description
The Penn Journal of Philosophy, Politics & Economics, formerly known as SPICE: Student Perspectives on Institutions, Choices & Ethics, is the undergraduate journal of the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) department. It is published yearly in print and online. Penn JPPE accepts submissions from undergraduate students in all majors within Penn. Articles submitted will be evaluated for publication based on the decisions of the editorial board - comprised largely of PPE majors - and referees, who are chosen by the editorial board and who must be undergraduates at Penn. Please send all inquiries about the journal to penn-pjppe@sas.upenn.edu.
Journal Volumes
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 109
Publication How Personally Relevant Cases of COVID-19 Influence Individuals’ Level of Concern towards the Virus(2021-04-05) Nicklas, Timothy JThis paper presents the findings of a statistical analysis exploring the ways in which personally relevant cases of COVID-19 influence an individual's level of concern towards the virus. The analysis makes use of public opinion data collected throughout the pandemic by a market research company called Ipsos. This study conducts an OLS regression analysis using three different samples of data from three distinct periods of time during the pandemic. The paper addresses each component of the study's deductive approach, outlining everything from the initial hypothesis to the conclusions and broader implications. Ultimately, this study does show evidence that an individual's personal experience with COVID-19 influences their attitudes towards the virus. This is consistent with the findings of previous psychological research that has explored how personally salient information affects humans' attitudes and beliefs.Publication For the Economy or for Security? Using 5G to Explain Federal Intervention in US-China Technological Competition(2022-04-20) Matheson, WillThe United States under the Trump administration shifted federal policy toward greater state intervention in the technology innovation economy in response to perceived advances in this space by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This shift is noteworthy given the free-market orthodoxy that traditionally defines US politics and has persisted despite similar perceptions of competition from more state-driven economies in the past (e.g., Japan in the 1980s). This paper seeks to understand why this shift in American economic orthodoxy appears to be occurring now, in reaction to Chinese technological innovation. It does so by beginning to investigate the motivations for shifting US federal 5G policy. It evaluates two explanations for the shift: that the economic relationship with China and broader domestic backlash to globalization have initiated a genuine shift in economic thinking toward industrial policy, or that perceptions of great power competition with the PRC create a national security impetus for intervention in the technology space that supersedes economic orthodoxy. While both trends likely play a role in the shift in federal innovation strategy, I find that the national security dimension of the US-China relationship plays the most significant role in shaping this federal policy change.Publication A Letter From The Editor(2020-05-18) Liu, JennaPublication A Letter From the Editor(2021-04-05) Liu, AndrewLetter from the Editor regarding the Spring 2021 editionPublication Investigating Host Countries’ Refugee-Related Policies and Its Effect on Lived Experiences of Rohingya Refugees(2022-04-20) Puapattanakajorn, NichanunRohingya refugees are one of the most discriminated against and vulnerable populations in the world. As a consequence of being persecuted in their homeland by the Myanmar government, many Rohingya have fled their homes to seek refuge in neighboring countries. However, the acceptance of Rohingya refugees has varied in different locations, resulting in the subpar treatment of the refugees. This paper explores how the host state government’s policy and stance on migrants and migrant protection within a country influences the level of violence faced by Rohingya refugees residing in their country. The host states chosen for the study include Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India. The two main types of violence Rohingya refugees face residing in the host states include: (1) state-inflicted violence such as through detention centers and police harassment; and (2) policies, or the lack thereof, that facilitate the occurrence of violence such as human trafficking and inhumane living conditions. The paper exposes how the international community and host countries’ soft stance towards supporting Rohingya refugees and lack of harsh condemnation towards Myanmar has shaped the violent experiences of Rohingya refugees.Publication A Letter from the Editor(2022-04-20) Liu, AndrewPublication Platform Injustice: Material Imbalances and Epistemic Injustice on Digital Discursive Platforms(2022-04-20) Singh, SahajIn this paper, I argue that the existence of material power imbalances in systems of discourse represents a novel concern in the literature on epistemic injustice. This epistemic injustice, which I call Platform Injustice, arises from the undue assertion of agency over the background features of a system of discourse, in order to manipulate, diminish, or magnify the vocalization and reception of speech-acts. First, I demonstrate the unprecedented nature of platform control as an epistemic wrong. Next, I identify case studies of platform injustice in modern social media. Then, I situate platform injustice within Dotson’s typology of epistemic injustices; so, I can finally, identify paths to achieving platform justice and an epistemology of liberation.Publication Digital Norms and Their Place in a Tech-Based Future(2021-04-05) Squillaro, Joseph MOne impact of the technological revolution has been technology’s effects on social norms and the nudges needed to ensure efficiency and security in today’s “digitally required” world. I define these phenomena as digital norms and they inform interpersonal contact and tech-based choices. This paper looks specifically at norm interactions between Generation X and Generation Z. To test these digital norms and gauge their presence in both generations, this paper outlines a survey experiment of 50 people (25 Gen X and 25 Gen Z) and seeks to extrapolate assumptions on technology while providing policy recommendations. What was found was that civil liberty and morality expectations roll over into the expectations within digital norms. Thus, digital norms, and how we choose to interact with them, can be viewed as a themed social norm which abides by much of the same rules outlined by behavioral economics. They serve as the fundamental underpinning to how technological innovation gets perpetuated and ultimately how tech will facilitate future societal interaction.Publication Mask-wearing and Trustworthiness in a Modified Investment Game: A Pilot Study(2022-04-20) Ryan, Noah; Panganiban, Joselle; Velasquez, Sophia; Cook, LiamSince the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, face masks have emerged as a flashpoint of controversy in public discourse. While most Americans appreciate the public health importance of mask-wearing, some view masks as an unwanted imposition; some still, an affront to deep-seated values of individual liberty. In this paper, we present the results of an experiment aimed at assessing what effects, if any, face mask usage has on perceptions of an individual’s trustworthiness. While previous studies have used images of masked faces to elicit survey responses, this experiment used self-reported mask usage as a primer in a modified investment game to assess potential relations between mask usage and perceived trustworthiness. We find evidence to suggest individuals who report wearing masks more frequently are trusted more than individuals who report seldom wearing masks. Given the importance of trust between often-masked medical professionals and the public in the setting of infectious disease outbreaks, we believe the findings of this experiment may prove fruitful in elucidating the effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) usage on perceptions of trustworthiness.Publication Death is Different. Death Sentencing is Not.(2019-05-15) Unwalla, SimoneThis paper investigates the conditional demands of Death-Is-Different jurisprudence in the United States criminal justice system and argues that the dissonance between the need for heightened protections in capital sentencing and the reality of our capital-sentencing institutions ultimately renders the death penalty, as it currently exists in our society, impermissible. This claim is substantiated in three parts: first, through an analysis of foundational death penalty decisions from the Supreme Course, which condemn the arbitrary nature of capital juries while simultaneously justifying their constitutional necessity as sentencing agents; second, through an examination of the development of Death-Is-Different jurisprudence and its conceptual implications for the application of the death penalty; and finally, through an identification of the faults that render capital juries unable to meet the protective standard that America's Death-Is-Different principle requires.