Formal institutions are not the only system limiting individual choice in societies with laws or regulations. Informal institutions have created their own conditions to influence choice, mainly through social expectations. Although it is not just based on the expectations set for ourselves, we sometimes rely on the expectations of others within the community before making decisions with a distinctive dilemma with more than one possible outcome. This project features a literature review of Elinor Ostrom's model of managing the commons with informal institutions, cross-examining it with Cristina Bicchieri's social norms model. It will allow us to evaluate how norms and formal institutions, in retrospect, assist in the formation of common culture within setting cultural patterns in social groups. This presentation will enable the attendee to understand the impact of norms and their relationships with other social elements in life while focusing on Ostrom's solutions to the tragedy of the commons issue.

In the 1950's, Women's reproductive freedom was nonexistent and even taboo. Well known feminist Margaret Sanger led the rights for women to have access to birth control. Founder and leader of Planned Parenthood, Margaret teamed up with scientist, Dr. John Rock, and socialite, Katharine Dexter McCormick, to make the birth control pill a reality. Ethically, however, the project raises serious questions about how women of color are treated in scientific research and medical practices. From analyzing the treatment of enslaved people in the United States to present day politics, such as Roe v. Wade being overturned, it is determined that the mistreatment of Black, brown, and indigenous women continues to this day.

This research explores how the effects of a woman's reproductive life cycle affect their engagement in positions of governance. Women are underrepresented in politics and governance, but while researchers have often seen this as a problem of political ambition, we lack insight into how the reproductive life cycle influences women’s political careers. Many young women who want to have a family put their careers on hold, while other women decide to pursue their career and start a family later in life. Still others attempt both and have a family young and pursue running for office, and still suffer or have a hard time because of social pressure from both sides. How have female politicians navigated these options and with what impact on their political careers and aspirations? This mixed methods research project combines the results of an original survey of female politicians in the Bay Area with interviews conducted with a few key state politicians. This research contributes to understanding the obstacles and what women face in governance, especially in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court and is crucial at this moment where a woman's personal sovereignty is at risk.

Many scholars argue that it is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens from physical harm and systematic fear of harm. The level of fear in a society is a good metric for identifying how well governmental and institutional systems are protecting the well-being of citizens. In my presentation, I would argue that states need to control the level of fear in society without systematically violating fundamental rights of its citizens. This principle of reducing systematic fear also applies to economic well-being: Each child should be ensured a fair start and later in life they should have no fear of the government taking what they have rightfully earned.