Proposals for projects, term papers and theses

Projects 2025-2026

1. Analysis of the distribution of influence in the National Development Bank of the BRICS countries (MirEk, E, GMU) 
The work consists of the following stages
• Find information on the distribution of the share capital of the BRICS National Development Bank among the BRICS member countries.
• Find out the ratio of the share capital of the BRICS member countries in this bank and the GDP (and GNP) of these countries.
• Assess the volume of mutual economic cooperation between the BRICS member countries:
• Find out how much each BRICS member country finances infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS countries, as well as in developing countries.
• Assess the level of cooperation of each BRICS member country with financial institutions and national development banks.
• Based on the information received and analyzed, calculate the influence indices of the BRICS member countries in this bank.
• To assess how the influence indices of the BRICS member countries will change after the new countries join the interstate association.

2. Analysis of the distribution of influence in the parliaments of the world (5 papers) (P, BI, GMU) 
The work consists of the following stages:
• Get information about the results of parliamentary elections in several countries.
• Calculate the classical indices of the influence of the parties in the parliaments of these countries (Bantzaf, Shapley–Shubik, Johnston, Digen–Pakel indices).
• To analyze the changes in the values of these influence indices in the parliaments of a country of different convocations (for example, over the past few decades). 
• Based on available information sources, assess the degree of proximity of the political positions of the parties running for Parliament.
• Using this information, calculate the values of the party influence indices, taking into account the preferences of parties to enter into coalitions with other parties.

3. Assessment of the polarization of parliaments (5 papers) (P, BI, GMU)
The work consists of the following stages
• Get information about the composition of the parliament of a number of countries.
• Based on available information sources, assess the proximity of the positions of the parties in the parliament of a particular country on important domestic and international issues.
For example: 
- Attitude towards joining the European Union (for Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein).
- Attitudes towards separatism (for Belgium – Flemish and Walloons; for Spain – Catalonia and the Basque Country; for Canada – Quebec; for Great Britain – Scotland; ...)
- Attitude towards refugees and migrants.
- Climate change (global warming).
- Attitude towards the nationalization of large industrial enterprises.
- …
• Calculate the index of polarization of the parliament of a country:
- one-dimensional polarization index (when using a scale for a single problem;
- Multidimensional polarization index (when 2 or more scales are used).

4. Intersectoral interaction of the world's economies (E, BI)
Abstract: The paper is devoted to the study of intersectoral interaction of the world's economies using network analysis methods. The work will build supply chains for goods within and between countries, calculate new group interaction indices, and identify the most vulnerable sectors to sudden economic events. The study will allow for a better understanding of global economic processes, as well as provide an opportunity to conduct scenario analysis to model various options for economic development. The work may be of interest to students who want to delve deeper into the analysis of the global economy, working with data and network analysis.

5. Assessment of intersectoral interactions between the BRICS economies
Abstract: The work is devoted to the study of intersectoral interaction between the economies of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia) and its comparison with the intersectoral interaction of the economies of other countries of the world. The work includes building supply chains, using network analysis methods and new group influence indices, and researching the most vulnerable sectors of the economy. The results of the study can be used to form a strategy for the economic development of the BRICS countries.

6. Export/import/production of electric power (E, BI) 

7. Oil export/import (E, BI) 

8. Network analysis of international migration (MirEk, P, GMU) 

9. Network analysis of international migration

10. Network analysis of International trade (MirEk, E)

11. Assessment of the representativeness of parliaments (5 papers) (P, BI, GMU) 
The work consists of the following stages:
• Get information about the composition of parliaments in a number of countries.
• Calculate the classical indices of parliamentary representation in these countries (maximum deviation, Rae, Grofman, Gallagher, Lusemore–Hanby indices.)
• Calculate the value of the parliamentary representativeness index, which takes into account the turnout and the number of voters who voted against all (for those countries where there is a corresponding column in the ballots).
• Analyze the changes in the values of these indices of parliamentary representation in a country for different convocations (for example, over the past few decades). 

12. Analysis of new voting procedures (paradoxes) (3 papers) (E, PMI, BI)
The work consists of the following stages
• Read the literature on voting paradoxes.
• Compile a list of all known voting procedures that aggregate the individual preferences of voters, expressed in linear orderings of candidates, into a collective decision.
• Identify from these voting procedures those procedures that are known from the literature to be subject to certain paradoxes (for example, the Condorcet paradox, the monotony paradox, the consistency paradox, the agenda paradox, the no-show paradox, the dominated-bill-wins paradox, the inverted-order paradox, etc.).
• To investigate voting procedures for which no paradoxes have been found, for their susceptibility to certain paradoxes.

13. Network analysis of student migration from 2013 to 2025 (BI) Annotation. The student migration network at the country level will be analyzed. After conducting a network analysis, the most influential member countries of the international higher education system will be identified, and trends in network elements will be revealed. Understanding the structure of such a network and the factors influencing it can potentially allow individual countries to increase their influence within it and influence the development of the international higher education system.

14. Network analysis of cross-country oil trade (E)
     Global oil consumption underscores its primary importance in the global economy and energy sector, which makes it necessary to study the economic consequences associated with a reduction in oil supplies. Existing approaches to assessing the sustainability of the international oil trade network do not take into account the possible collective impact exerted by groups of countries acting together, for example, through the imposition of economic sanctions. The purpose of this work is to analyze the sustainability of international oil trade in the event of supply disruptions based on data on bilateral oil trade for the period from 2000 to 2021. Network analysis is used as the main research method. Work is underway to identify the most significant countries using classical and new centrality indices, analyze the consequences of scenarios involving a reduction in oil supplies, and identify the most vulnerable countries. Additionally, the current Russian policy in the field of oil trade is investigated and the measures taken by the state bodies of the Russian Federation to reduce the consequences of crisis phenomena in the international oil trade are discussed.

E – Economy
MirEk – World Economy
PMI – Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
BI – Business Informatics
P – Political Science
GMU - State and Municipal Administration