Current Legacy Fund Projects Funded in 2009:

Political Responses to Financial Crisis around the World: How and why have governments around the world differed in their response to the recent financial crisis? When are private businesses influential on the nature of stabilization packages that are adopted? Funds will be used to hire undergraduate students to assist in developing a database, tracking the number and type of stabilization reform proposals in countries around the world, thereby facilitating an in-depth analysis of the current crisis using new data.

Local Social Spending in Bolivia: Many Latin American countries, including Bolivia, have recently elected Left-leaning presidents who promise to deliver services to the poor. Is there a connection between having a Leftist in power and social spending at the local level? Funds will be used to enable graduate students to collect data on social spending at the local level in Bolivia.

Social Networks and Democratic Practice—An Experimental Approach: How do individuals make informed political choices? Using a “simulated campaign” as part of a before and after survey, this project will examine whether friends, family, and acquaintances help us wade through complex and confusing campaigns to vote for candidates that match our self-stated preferences. Funds will be used to provide financial incentives for members of the public to participate and to hire a graduate student to help with the project.