s a Political Economy major, my internship at Stepping Stones offered a rare opportunity to connect academic theory and real-world application. The hukou system, which restricts rural-to-urban migration and ties access to social services, exemplifies the political economy of resource allocation – determining who receives resources and by what mechanisms. This systemic inequality particularly impacts education, a critical component of upward mobility, by denying migrant children access to quality public schools in urban areas. This experience illuminated the tangible consequences of these policies. Teaching English to students from underprivileged backgrounds, I witnessed firsthand how resource distribution disparities perpetuate inequality cycles.
As a political economy major, my internship offered a rare opportunity to connect academic theory to real-world applications. The hukao system, which restricts rural-to-urban migration and ties access to social services, exemplifies the political economy of resource allocation (determining who receives resources and by what mechanisms). This systemic inequality particularly impacts education, a critical component of upward mobility, by denying migrant children access to quality public schools in rural areas. This experience illuminated the tangible consequences of those policies and showed me firsthand how resource distribution disparities perpetuate inequality cycles.