Abstract:
In this thesis I examine the nation state’s place in the formulation and understanding of
global income inequality. The literature is very conflicted on the directional relationship
between neoliberal economic globalization and income inequality. I theorize that current
measurements of inequality, which use countries as “units” of measurement, are
insufficient. A subnational analysis of inequality shows varied rises and falls in
inequality across a national space. The varied directional impacts of neoliberal economic
globalization on income inequality in this paper helps to shed light on why there is so
much conflict in the literature. I further argue that future analyses of income inequality
should move beyond the state as a unit of analysis so that the true impacts of
decentralized economic policies, government programs, and the overall effects of
globalization can be understood by states, policy makers, and nongovernmental
organizations.
