Profile
Abigail Vaughn is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. She studies the politics of international finance and, in particular, how political incentives shape the degree to which countries contribute to and benefit from the global financial safety net. Her dissertation challenges the notion of central bank independence by arguing that central banks are powerful political actors that engage in financial statecraft. One element of her dissertation focuses on currency swap agreements, which played a key role in mitigating the 2008 financial crisis, but which nevertheless remain an underexplored instrument of international politics. She finds evidence that central banks who offer currency swaps are not exclusively motivated by economic interests but also respond to the geostrategic goals of their home government. From a recipient’s perspective, the results suggest that access to short-term funding depends not only on who one’s international friends are, but also who they aren’t. Her dissertation further analyzes the economic and political implications of currency swap agreements for recipient countries. In addition to her research, Abigail is committed to undergraduate mentorship and teaching. She has spent the last two summers as a mentor working closely with undergraduate students from Morehouse College and Spelman College for UCSD’s Summer Training Academy for Research Success. Her department has recognized her twice with TA Excellence awards.
