American Predatory Lending

The 2008 Financial Crisis

At the State Level

American Predatory Lending and the Global Financial Crisis is a multi-method interdisciplinary team working under the Bass Connections project within Duke University. Over the past two years, this student-faculty undertaking has explored the state-level dynamics leading up to the 2008 Crisis. This website is populated with the products of our collaborative research.

Our Research

Legislation

The Policy Analysis team curated interactive timelines of important United States legislation, at both the state and national levels, affecting the residential mortgage market before, during, and after the Global Financial Crisis. The team also drafted legislative memos that provide in-depth analyses on specific legislation related to the crisis.

Oral Histories

The Oral Histories team curates a record of perspectives and reflections on policy and market dynamics in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis by capturing firsthand narratives. This academic record will serve as a novel base for the public to understand this momentous period in recent history through the voices of industry experts, legislators, and business leaders who had key exposure in the decade prior to the crisis.

Data Analysis

The Data Analysis team conducted time series analyses of mortgage and aggregate economic data during the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis, at both the state and national levels. The team also conducted text analyses on oral histories and financial blog posts, including a set of visualizations that show the variation in portrayals of the financial crisis by type of stakeholder: government policymaker, banking executive, and consumer advocate.

Business Analysis

The Business Analysis team conducted a case study on a Southeastern bank that grew through strategic choices and frothy economic conditions, but ultimately faltered during the crisis. Future case studies will focus on nonbank lenders and local community banks. Our team separately traced the evolution of mortgage lending, through the lenses of underwriting standards, regulatory policy, subprime lending, and entities engaged in lending.