Understanding the NGO revolution in Korea

Using institution‐building theory from the school of neoliberalism, the paper examines the role of leadership and institutional bargaining in moving the “10+3” regional cooperation framework forward. The core argument developed here is that close cooperation between Japan and China is key to the future of “10+3”, and ASEAN states and South Korea should utilize the “10+3” platform for bringing Japan and China together. Finally, some ASEAN states’ fear that a more integrated East Asia will mean the withdrawal of U.S. presence in the region is very remote.     

The Impact of Housing Prices on Health in the United States Before,During, and After the Great Recession

We estimate the effects of U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area housing prices on a variety of health outcomes and health-related behaviors separately for homeowners and tenants. The constructed data set consists of information on individuals from the 2002–2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System combined with homeownership data from the March Current Population Survey and housing prices from Freddie Mac. We estimate positive effects on homeowners' mental health when housing prices increase. We also find negative effects on tenants' health and health-related behaviors with increases in housing prices. These estimated contemporaneous effects are concentrated among low-income homeowners and tenants, and the effects for tenants are not persistent in the long run. However, the cumulative effects of an increase in housing prices on obesity become more pronounced for homeowners in the long run, resulting in worse self-reported health.     

The role of the state in skill formation: evidence from the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan

We propose a new interpretation of the role of the state inskill formation, with reference to three East Asian newly industrializedeconomies. Rather than see the state as simply redressing externalities,we interpret the state as matching the supply and demand forskills in a rapidly growing economy. This role can be superiorto a strategy of allowing education and training institutionsto be driven by autonomous processes. The role is most likelyto be observed in developmental states. We examine the politicalmechanisms that have helped to ensure that educational and trainingpolicy formation are subordinated to the imperatives of economicgrowth. While the East Asian model cannot be imported wholesaleto western countries such as Britain in different historicalcircumstances, the example lends credence to the value of thestate taking a strategic approach to education and trainingpolicy.