Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, AB
Advisor: John Tomasi
Thesis: Fashionably Fake: How online brand communities mitigate asymmetric information in the luxury fashion industry
Thesis Committee: Daniel D'Amico (Director), Damien Mahiet, Deborah Hurley
Politics, Philosophy, Economics (PPE) is an interdisciplinary approach to solving societal problems by intersecting ideas concerning politics, philosophy, and economics. This concentration uses analytical frameworks to understand how policies are made within the state and how they shape decision making. Utilizing PPE as a framework, my concentration analyzed current issues in the fashion industry.
Luxury fashion shoppers face asymmetric information about the authenticity of goods in the secondhand market. A content analysis of major online brand communities (OBCs) finds that OBCs mitigate the asymmetric information by providing a variety of services to their members. While some OBCs provide authentication services and host discussions that cast counterfeit purchases as immoral, replica communities similarly provide members with resources that increase access to replicas and encourage positive attitudes towards fake fashion.
Acknowledgments:
First and foremost, I must thank God for Your endless grace. You have given me the strength and faith to pursue my passion.
Deepest gratitude to my advisor, Professor Tomasi, and my thesis committee: Professor D’Amico, Professor Mahiet, and Professor Hurley. Thank you all for supporting me throughout this journey.
Dean Chang, thank you for your mentorship, advising, and encouragement. Your support of my Independent Concentration allowed me to study what I love. You granted me my dream college experience, and I am now on my dream career path.
To my family, I will never be able to thank you enough for your many sacrifices. I love you all.
Finally, thank you to my friends, RA, ND, NB, JD, HL, MG, SH, VB, KB, WL: My time at Brown will be forever cherished because of you.
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Working with you has been a genuine privilege and joy! Our conversations on fashion politics, information asymmetry, and much more—which unfolded for the most part against the background of the pandemic—impressed on me a deep appreciation of your intellectual curiosity, courage, and determination. As excited as I am about the next chapter of your studies, I want, first and foremost at this time, to celebrate all you have achieved already: congratulations! Damien Mahiet
Thank you for your dedicated advising efforts over two years, Jasmine! Please stay in touch! Peggy Chang
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