Recent life tables provided by the Society of Actuaries demonstrate mortality rate estimates for the United States by year from 1982 through 2018, separated by socioeconomic deciles and quintiles. These estimates were utilized to determine how life insurance rates might vary based on the socioeconomic category of a specific United States county. The aim of this study is to determine how the data provided in these life tables can be utilized to curate life insurance rates and plan designs for employees at a specific company in the United States. The results indicate that there are significant differences in mortality across these socioeconomic quintiles, including greater life expectancy for individuals located in counties of a higher quintile. While there are no limits to the implications of these results in the insurance industry, this report highlights how the demographics of individuals working for a specific company could potentially alter life insurance rates for its employees.

Numerous scholars have studied the experiences of women in zones of conflict, often with a focus on women as victims or as the makers of peace. One element that has been largely understudied is leadership—specifically, the gender dynamics of leadership during times of violence. I theorize that gender socializations are emphasized when the state faces conflict, extending gender role perceptions to the political realm. I hypothesize that heightened violence causes fewer women to run for political office while causing equal or greater numbers of men to run. Using a case-study analysis of Afghanistan and Pakistan, I analyze the percent of candidates in each administrative area that are female in relation to the number of overall and civilian deaths in the province. The results show some support for my hypothesis, suggesting that civilian deaths have a negative impact on female candidacy. The results also show that levels of violence do not generally lessen the overall number of candidates, demonstrating that men run at similar or heightened rates during times of conflict. These findings show the need for further research on the relationship between violence and candidacy, specifically as it impacts female candidates. This research has important implications for democratic systems in nations with ongoing violence, as it demonstrates the possible need for additional measures to ensure equal political participation.