Unraveling Disruptions in Social Benefit Systems
Angie Jo, a political science doctoral candidate, has found herself at the centre of a fascinating research journey, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her academic journey, marked by a winding path, began with an initial focus on art and architecture at Harvard University. However, her focus shifted dramatically when the pandemic struck, leading her to study welfare states in crisis.
Jo observed striking patterns among fiscal measures taken by countries to protect their citizens from economic collapse during the pandemic. A notable observation was that countries typically seen as least generous on social welfare were deploying the most dramatic emergency responses. This led her to investigate the behaviour of what she terms as the "liberal welfare regimes," such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
These liberal welfare regimes exhibit a pattern where government assistance is viewed as a last resort during normal periods. However, during crises like Covid, they spend historically unprecedented amounts on emergency aid. Jo's research aims to understand why this pattern occurs and whether these responses lead to lasting institutional reforms or temporary patches.
In contrast, countries like Denmark or Sweden, which are examples of "social democratic welfare regimes," were able to use their existing social policy tools and administrative infrastructure during the pandemic. Jo noted that these countries, despite not being as wealthy as Western democracies, were able to navigate the pandemic more effectively due to their well-established welfare systems.
Jo's research is not limited to the Covid-19 pandemic. She is also investigating how different types of welfare regimes respond to collective crises. Her work seeks to understand why countries like the U.S., which offer minimal state support, suddenly mobilize an enormous emergency response to a crisis and let it vanish after the crisis passes.
Jo started her doctoral studies in political science in 2019, coinciding with the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her academic journey took a winding path, including moving from South Korea to California at a young age, returning to Korea for high school, and eventually attending Harvard University. After a year working in macroeconomics research at a hedge fund, Jo was drawn to questions in political economy, realising that the interactions between markets and governments were what lay behind the trades in finance.
Jo's research now examines how different types of welfare regimes respond to collective crises and whether these responses lead to lasting institutional reforms or temporary patches. Her findings could provide valuable insights into how governments can better respond to future crises, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of society are not left behind.
