<![CDATA[The Inequality Podcast]]>7ae7984f-25ee-5251-b3d7-cb25a2ea81a0Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:30:04 +0000Captivate.fmStone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobilityhttps://artwork.captivate.fm/1d2c06fc-119e-4e80-89b8-bafc880af4e8/mYzsm3x_PZQJIrt_AUrWKcpj.pngThe Inequality PodcastStone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and MobilityStone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and MobilityPresented by the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, The Inequality Podcast brings together scholars across disciplines to discuss the causes and consequences of inequality and strategies to promote economic mobility. This podcast is hosted by economists Steven Durlauf and Damon Jones, psychologist Ariel Kalil, and sociologist Geoff Wodtke. https://the-inequality-podcast.captivate.fmfalseepisodicnopodcastJoe Soss on Welfare Reform and ‘Legal Plunder’Joe Soss on Welfare Reform and ‘Legal Plunder’To a large degree, the levels of inequality present in the United States intensified in the 1980s and 1990s. Starting in those decades, the poorest Americans began facing new threats, such as the “reforms” made to social welfare programs and the rise of mass incarceration. Our guest today has spent 30 years studying how politics and policy have shaped the lives of America’s poor, and his new book explores a lesser-known trend, one that persists today: the massive revenues the legal system extracts from the poor, a phenomenon he calls “legal plunder.”

Joe Soss is the Cowles Chair for the Study of Public Service at the University of Minnesota. His most recent book (with sociologist Joshua Page) is Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. In this conversation with host Geoff Wodtke, Soss discusses the mechanisms through which the legal system strips resources from the poor, as well as how poverty governance became defined by “neoliberal paternalism,” which he chronicled in his first book, Disciplining the Poor.

]]>To a large degree, the levels of inequality present in the United States intensified in the 1980s and 1990s. Starting in those decades, the poorest Americans began facing new threats, such as the “reforms” made to social welfare programs and the rise of mass incarceration. Our guest today has spent 30 years studying how politics and policy have shaped the lives of America’s poor, and his new book explores a lesser-known trend, one that persists today: the massive revenues the legal system extracts from the poor, a phenomenon he calls “legal plunder.”

Joe Soss is the Cowles Chair for the Study of Public Service at the University of Minnesota. His most recent book (with sociologist Joshua Page) is Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. In this conversation with host Geoff Wodtke, Soss discusses the mechanisms through which the legal system strips resources from the poor, as well as how poverty governance became defined by “neoliberal paternalism,” which he chronicled in his first book, Disciplining the Poor.

]]>df850aff-4e14-491a-93e2-136ea355e6b2Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -050048:14falsefull5353Mario Small on Networks and Urban PovertyMario Small on Networks and Urban PovertyWe all belong to networks. Whether in the boardroom or the barroom, human beings use networks to try to achieve their goals. But not all networks are created equal, and so access to them (or the lack thereof) can drive inequality. At the same time, the networks with which we identify most — such as friends, family and colleagues — are often not the connections that prove most decisive. Rather, as our guest today has argued, it is weak ties that frequently leave the strongest influence on the course of our lives.

Mario Small is a sociologist at Columbia University. He is the author of Unanticipated Gains: Origins of Network Inequality in Everyday Life, and his work has explored how networks shape both mobility and inequality. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Small discusses core insights from his 20-plus years studying urban inequality, advice for blending quantitative and qualitative methods, and the surprisingly potent networks that emerge around New York City daycare centers.

]]>We all belong to networks. Whether in the boardroom or the barroom, human beings use networks to try to achieve their goals. But not all networks are created equal, and so access to them (or the lack thereof) can drive inequality. At the same time, the networks with which we identify most — such as friends, family and colleagues — are often not the connections that prove most decisive. Rather, as our guest today has argued, it is weak ties that frequently leave the strongest influence on the course of our lives.

Mario Small is a sociologist at Columbia University. He is the author of Unanticipated Gains: Origins of Network Inequality in Everyday Life, and his work has explored how networks shape both mobility and inequality. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Small discusses core insights from his 20-plus years studying urban inequality, advice for blending quantitative and qualitative methods, and the surprisingly potent networks that emerge around New York City daycare centers.

]]>d89a996d-ecb7-4d6a-99c3-324cc0899f1eMon, 06 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -050054:41falsefull5252Kim Bowes on Ancient Romans’ Economic LivesKim Bowes on Ancient Romans’ Economic LivesAmong ancient civilizations, Rome inspires a special kind of fascination in the Western World. While the parallels between society now versus then are often overstated, we nevertheless can better understand ourselves by endeavoring to understand those who lived 2,000 years ago. Our guest’s work explores one facet of Roman life that reverberates in the way we live today: the surprisingly sophisticated financial affairs of average Romans.

Kim Bowes is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her latest book is Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent. The book draws on her own archeological work to chronicle Romans’ struggles with work, affordability, credit markets, and more. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, she discusses the ways consumerism defined plebeian life, the challenges of collecting data about the ancient world, and what the skeletons of Roman farmers can tell us about the economic lives they lived.

]]>Among ancient civilizations, Rome inspires a special kind of fascination in the Western World. While the parallels between society now versus then are often overstated, we nevertheless can better understand ourselves by endeavoring to understand those who lived 2,000 years ago. Our guest’s work explores one facet of Roman life that reverberates in the way we live today: the surprisingly sophisticated financial affairs of average Romans.

Kim Bowes is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her latest book is Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent. The book draws on her own archeological work to chronicle Romans’ struggles with work, affordability, credit markets, and more. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, she discusses the ways consumerism defined plebeian life, the challenges of collecting data about the ancient world, and what the skeletons of Roman farmers can tell us about the economic lives they lived.

]]>f1283971-26cd-4a9b-86cd-de76c1eb6b10Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -050051:59falsefull5151Joseph Stiglitz on Pioneering the Economics of InequalityJoseph Stiglitz on Pioneering the Economics of InequalityAcross three seasons of The Inequality Podcast, thinkers from a range of disciplines have discussed how their work helps us understand inequality. Given the breadth and depth of the research featured, it is difficult to believe that the subject was once an afterthought in economics. For our 50th episode, we present a scholar whose groundbreaking ideas have proven integral to the study of inequality for over a half century, anticipating many current arguments and representing the foundations for others.

Joseph Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate and a professor of economics at Columbia University. He is the author of many books, the most recent of which is The Origins of Inequality, and Policies to Contain It. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, he discusses his 60-year career studying the economics of inequality, including his influential studies of labor markets, his tenure working in the Clinton White House, and his thoughts on how AI might shape inequality.

]]>Across three seasons of The Inequality Podcast, thinkers from a range of disciplines have discussed how their work helps us understand inequality. Given the breadth and depth of the research featured, it is difficult to believe that the subject was once an afterthought in economics. For our 50th episode, we present a scholar whose groundbreaking ideas have proven integral to the study of inequality for over a half century, anticipating many current arguments and representing the foundations for others.

Joseph Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate and a professor of economics at Columbia University. He is the author of many books, the most recent of which is The Origins of Inequality, and Policies to Contain It. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, he discusses his 60-year career studying the economics of inequality, including his influential studies of labor markets, his tenure working in the Clinton White House, and his thoughts on how AI might shape inequality.

]]>a73cb77d-adfe-4aeb-8e0e-ad241aa03b0cMon, 09 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -050044:34falsefull5050René Flores on Immigration Enforcement and ‘Social Illegality’René Flores on Immigration Enforcement and ‘Social Illegality’As part of the current immigration crackdown, federal agents have turned to profiling, making stops on the basis of occupation or perceived ethnicity. In a system where confirming legal status can take days or weeks, agents are finding shortcuts in stereotypes. Aside from the dubious constitutionality of these stops, the assumptions behind these tactics raise questions: What makes someone look illegal? According to whom? And how do these perceptions emerge?

René Flores is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Chicago. His work investigates how social boundaries form around immigrants and racial minorities and how these divisions contribute to inequality. In this conversation with host Geoff Wodtke, Flores discusses the complicated views Americans express about immigrants in surveys, how those views affect immigrants and non-immigrants alike, and how a perception of “social illegality” can extend beyond actual documentation status.

]]>As part of the current immigration crackdown, federal agents have turned to profiling, making stops on the basis of occupation or perceived ethnicity. In a system where confirming legal status can take days or weeks, agents are finding shortcuts in stereotypes. Aside from the dubious constitutionality of these stops, the assumptions behind these tactics raise questions: What makes someone look illegal? According to whom? And how do these perceptions emerge?

René Flores is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Chicago. His work investigates how social boundaries form around immigrants and racial minorities and how these divisions contribute to inequality. In this conversation with host Geoff Wodtke, Flores discusses the complicated views Americans express about immigrants in surveys, how those views affect immigrants and non-immigrants alike, and how a perception of “social illegality” can extend beyond actual documentation status.

]]>fcd8b90e-4465-461d-821d-9490db50d44fMon, 23 Feb 2026 05:30:00 -050044:04falsefull4949Immigration, Assimilation, and Intergenerational Mobility, Featuring Ran Abramitzky and Leah BoustanImmigration, Assimilation, and Intergenerational Mobility, Featuring Ran Abramitzky and Leah BoustanImmigration has once again taken center stage in the United States. While the federal government’s crackdown continues to unfold, the ideas driving immigration politics are far from new. Concerns about economic competition and cultural assimilation would have been familiar to Americans a century ago. Yet research from our guests demonstrates that many of the commonly held beliefs about immigrants are, in fact, largely myths.

Economists Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan are the authors of Streets of Gold: America’s Untold Story of Immigrant Success. They are responsible for groundbreaking work in the study of economic history, finding inventive ways to harness both qualitative and quantitative methods. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, they discuss misconceptions about the economics of immigration, the persistence of upward mobility among the children of immigrants, and what those children’s names might tell us about cultural assimilation.

This conversation was recorded in October.

]]>Immigration has once again taken center stage in the United States. While the federal government’s crackdown continues to unfold, the ideas driving immigration politics are far from new. Concerns about economic competition and cultural assimilation would have been familiar to Americans a century ago. Yet research from our guests demonstrates that many of the commonly held beliefs about immigrants are, in fact, largely myths.

Economists Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan are the authors of Streets of Gold: America’s Untold Story of Immigrant Success. They are responsible for groundbreaking work in the study of economic history, finding inventive ways to harness both qualitative and quantitative methods. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, they discuss misconceptions about the economics of immigration, the persistence of upward mobility among the children of immigrants, and what those children’s names might tell us about cultural assimilation.

This conversation was recorded in October.

]]>665ba53f-fd6b-4676-9d6b-d30ca7c05fb1Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:30:00 -050049:43falsefull4848Sven Beckert on How Capitalism WonSven Beckert on How Capitalism WonThere is an old cliche about imagining the end of capitalism. But explaining the rise of capitalism presents its own challenges. Human beings have congregated in marketplaces for millennia. When did simple barter and trade tip into what we call capitalism? And why did that particular system conquer the world? Answering such questions requires an interdisciplinary approach, and perhaps there is no better starting place than with experts in the two fields that have the most skin in this game: economists, who study capitalism’s inner workings, and historians, who chronicle how humanity got here.

Sven Beckert is a professor of history at Harvard. His new book is Capitalism, and it chronicles how human history was transformed by this relatively recent advent. In this conversation with host (and economist) Steven Durlauf, Beckert discusses slavery’s role in the development of capitalism, why it took hold across the globe, and what, if anything, may spell its demise.

]]>There is an old cliche about imagining the end of capitalism. But explaining the rise of capitalism presents its own challenges. Human beings have congregated in marketplaces for millennia. When did simple barter and trade tip into what we call capitalism? And why did that particular system conquer the world? Answering such questions requires an interdisciplinary approach, and perhaps there is no better starting place than with experts in the two fields that have the most skin in this game: economists, who study capitalism’s inner workings, and historians, who chronicle how humanity got here.

Sven Beckert is a professor of history at Harvard. His new book is Capitalism, and it chronicles how human history was transformed by this relatively recent advent. In this conversation with host (and economist) Steven Durlauf, Beckert discusses slavery’s role in the development of capitalism, why it took hold across the globe, and what, if anything, may spell its demise.

]]>c20a99df-0d30-4632-a3dd-542750f88bc7Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:30:00 -050051:08falsefull4747Jonathan Levy on What Really Makes Up ‘The Economy’Jonathan Levy on What Really Makes Up ‘The Economy’Economics as a discipline holds particular authority among the social sciences. The field owes its heft in part to the sophistication of its methods and models, both of which seem to grow ever more intricate. But what if in its quest for more complex techniques, mainstream economics is overlooking basic yet essential questions: For one, what is the economy?

Jonathan Levy is a historian at Sciences Po. His latest book is The Real Economy, which critiques contemporary economics and draws on historical analysis to posit a new conception of “the economy.” He is also the author of Ages of American Capitalism, which chronicles the evolution of the U.S. economy. In this conversation, he discusses his work, what Keynes learned from Freud, and what economists can learn from historians with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>Economics as a discipline holds particular authority among the social sciences. The field owes its heft in part to the sophistication of its methods and models, both of which seem to grow ever more intricate. But what if in its quest for more complex techniques, mainstream economics is overlooking basic yet essential questions: For one, what is the economy?

Jonathan Levy is a historian at Sciences Po. His latest book is The Real Economy, which critiques contemporary economics and draws on historical analysis to posit a new conception of “the economy.” He is also the author of Ages of American Capitalism, which chronicles the evolution of the U.S. economy. In this conversation, he discusses his work, what Keynes learned from Freud, and what economists can learn from historians with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>10dcb677-1fef-46d4-acfd-bcd0b2f56cffMon, 12 Jan 2026 05:30:00 -050053:45falsefull4646A New History of Equality, Featuring Darrin McMahon, Jonathan Levy, Jenny Trinitapoli, and Steven DurlaufA New History of Equality, Featuring Darrin McMahon, Jonathan Levy, Jenny Trinitapoli, and Steven DurlaufWith the university closed for its winter recess, we are sharing a favorite recording from the Stone Center’s archives. It is a live panel discussion about Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea, a book by Dartmouth history professor Darrin McMahon. The book is an intellectual feast, spanning centuries and bursting with insight about humanity’s quest to realize one of its highest, most fraught ideals: equality.

The discussion includes the book’s author, as well as Jonathan Levy, today a historian at Sciences Po; Jenny Trinitapoli, a sociologist at UChicago; and Steven Durlauf, the Stone Center’s director and a co-host of this podcast.

This event was recorded in May 2024.

]]>With the university closed for its winter recess, we are sharing a favorite recording from the Stone Center’s archives. It is a live panel discussion about Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea, a book by Dartmouth history professor Darrin McMahon. The book is an intellectual feast, spanning centuries and bursting with insight about humanity’s quest to realize one of its highest, most fraught ideals: equality.

The discussion includes the book’s author, as well as Jonathan Levy, today a historian at Sciences Po; Jenny Trinitapoli, a sociologist at UChicago; and Steven Durlauf, the Stone Center’s director and a co-host of this podcast.

This event was recorded in May 2024.

]]>cc2c8c44-3fe1-4d55-a0fa-94161aab0a67Mon, 29 Dec 2025 05:30:00 -050057:11falsefull4545Lena Edlund on Women, Wealth, and OpportunityLena Edlund on Women, Wealth, and OpportunityOver the past century, women’s roles in society have been transformed. It is straightforward enough to list changes in norms — around marriage, sex, jobs, and more. What is less obvious is how these updated norms have reshaped economies. Relationships have shifted between men and women, between women and their workplaces, and between the state and the family. The challenge now is evaluating the success of this new order: What has truly changed, and where is there more work to be done?

Lena Edlund is an Associate Professor of Economics at Columbia University. Her research interrogates the economics of gender and family, drawing on a range of other fields, including anthropology and evolutionary biology. In this conversation, she discusses her work on a variety of topics — from the long history of marriage, to contemporary gender gaps in wealth and voting patterns — with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>Over the past century, women’s roles in society have been transformed. It is straightforward enough to list changes in norms — around marriage, sex, jobs, and more. What is less obvious is how these updated norms have reshaped economies. Relationships have shifted between men and women, between women and their workplaces, and between the state and the family. The challenge now is evaluating the success of this new order: What has truly changed, and where is there more work to be done?

Lena Edlund is an Associate Professor of Economics at Columbia University. Her research interrogates the economics of gender and family, drawing on a range of other fields, including anthropology and evolutionary biology. In this conversation, she discusses her work on a variety of topics — from the long history of marriage, to contemporary gender gaps in wealth and voting patterns — with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>3023b28b-8e2a-4e15-b935-c06ed7a2138fMon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -050041:44falsefull4444Stephen Raudenbush on Creating ‘Ambitious’ SchoolsStephen Raudenbush on Creating ‘Ambitious’ SchoolsOver the past several decades, American schools have improved significantly. The drastic gaps in achievement and funding that defined the early-to-mid 20th century have lessened, yielding an education system that, while not perfect, is far better than it was a generation or two ago. Even so, these gaps remain most pronounced for the students who start school with the fewest advantages, and research shows that efforts to close such gaps must begin early. How can schools better meet the needs of these students—and catch up with their peers throughout the developed world?

Stephen Raudenbush is the Lewis-Sebring Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Sociology, the College, and the Harris School of Public Policy. He is among the most influential sociologists living today, with contributions spanning methodological advances to landmark studies of neighborhood conditions, crime, and schools. In this conversation, he discusses his research on schools and key insights from his book, The Ambitious Elementary School, with host Geoff Wodtke.

]]>Over the past several decades, American schools have improved significantly. The drastic gaps in achievement and funding that defined the early-to-mid 20th century have lessened, yielding an education system that, while not perfect, is far better than it was a generation or two ago. Even so, these gaps remain most pronounced for the students who start school with the fewest advantages, and research shows that efforts to close such gaps must begin early. How can schools better meet the needs of these students—and catch up with their peers throughout the developed world?

Stephen Raudenbush is the Lewis-Sebring Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Sociology, the College, and the Harris School of Public Policy. He is among the most influential sociologists living today, with contributions spanning methodological advances to landmark studies of neighborhood conditions, crime, and schools. In this conversation, he discusses his research on schools and key insights from his book, The Ambitious Elementary School, with host Geoff Wodtke.

]]>40826e0c-c9a9-400e-bbb0-a9c50376e0f9Mon, 01 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -050044:27falsefull4343Doug Downey on ‘How Schools Really Matter’Doug Downey on ‘How Schools Really Matter’From the Great Society to No Child Left Behind, policymakers from both parties have argued America’s schools are broken and need fixing. These failing schools, the thinking goes, exacerbate the inequality between advantaged groups and everyone else. But this approach comes with risks. For one, how might that focus on education overlook other, potentially more consequential sources of inequality? And are America’s schools really that bad?

Doug Downey is a professor of sociology at The Ohio State University. In his book, How Schools Really Matter, he argues that schools do more to reduce inequality than previously assumed. More pernicious sources of inequality, he writes, are found elsewhere — and, unfortunately, may require policy changes that are more politically inconvenient than education reform. On this episode, he discusses his work with host Geoff Wodtke.

]]>From the Great Society to No Child Left Behind, policymakers from both parties have argued America’s schools are broken and need fixing. These failing schools, the thinking goes, exacerbate the inequality between advantaged groups and everyone else. But this approach comes with risks. For one, how might that focus on education overlook other, potentially more consequential sources of inequality? And are America’s schools really that bad?

Doug Downey is a professor of sociology at The Ohio State University. In his book, How Schools Really Matter, he argues that schools do more to reduce inequality than previously assumed. More pernicious sources of inequality, he writes, are found elsewhere — and, unfortunately, may require policy changes that are more politically inconvenient than education reform. On this episode, he discusses his work with host Geoff Wodtke.

]]>6e68e770-c21a-43dd-8075-5d34bb4e5929Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -050045:02falsefull4242Nicole Fortin on the Economic Progress of WomenNicole Fortin on the Economic Progress of WomenInequality along gender lines stubbornly persists both in the United States and abroad. In addition, measuring the relative importance of its varied causes can be difficult. But creative approaches to study design and decomposition methods have yielded new insights. Today’s guest is responsible for many of them.

Nicole Fortin is a professor at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia. She is also a director of the Stone Centre on Wealth and Income Inequality at UBC. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Fortin discusses her research on gender inequality in the workforce and higher education, as well as how deunionization and AI have reshaped the labor market.

]]>Inequality along gender lines stubbornly persists both in the United States and abroad. In addition, measuring the relative importance of its varied causes can be difficult. But creative approaches to study design and decomposition methods have yielded new insights. Today’s guest is responsible for many of them.

Nicole Fortin is a professor at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia. She is also a director of the Stone Centre on Wealth and Income Inequality at UBC. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Fortin discusses her research on gender inequality in the workforce and higher education, as well as how deunionization and AI have reshaped the labor market.

]]>fe348e72-9979-47e4-ad91-74118eb12b76Mon, 03 Nov 2025 05:30:00 -050039:09falsefull4141Damon Jones on Household Finance and Racial InequalityDamon Jones on Household Finance and Racial InequalityA sudden loss of income can devastate a household’s financial health, just as a payment from the government can bolster it. The extent of the change in fortune — for good or ill — depends on factors such as household savings, which are, in turn, influenced by other forces, including racial inequality and economic policy. In short, understanding household finance requires grappling with myriad variables — many of which are covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

Damon Jones is an associate professor and associate director of the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He is also a co-host of The Inequality Podcast. On this episode, he discusses his work with fellow co-host and Stone Center director Steven Durlauf, covering income shocks and their implications for racial inequality, Black economists’ contributions to the field, universal basic income, and more.

]]>A sudden loss of income can devastate a household’s financial health, just as a payment from the government can bolster it. The extent of the change in fortune — for good or ill — depends on factors such as household savings, which are, in turn, influenced by other forces, including racial inequality and economic policy. In short, understanding household finance requires grappling with myriad variables — many of which are covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

Damon Jones is an associate professor and associate director of the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He is also a co-host of The Inequality Podcast. On this episode, he discusses his work with fellow co-host and Stone Center director Steven Durlauf, covering income shocks and their implications for racial inequality, Black economists’ contributions to the field, universal basic income, and more.

]]>e3a0dce0-58a1-4581-9b8f-584acfb74764Mon, 20 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -050047:18falsefull4040Joseph Fishkin on ‘Bottlenecks’ and DemocracyJoseph Fishkin on ‘Bottlenecks’ and Democracy“Equal opportunity” is a powerful and popular idea. But in both theory and practice, actually equalizing opportunity may not always be the right goal. For example, a parent raising a child makes a million decisions large and small that will impact that child’s opportunities. Truly equalizing opportunity might mean standardizing many parental decisions, stripping parents of their agency and personality. Is that an ideal worth striving for? This conversation explores the idea of opportunity pluralism—the view that instead of aiming for perfectly equal opportunities, we should focus on expanding the range of paths through which people can thrive—an approach that could help disrupt the cycle in which limited options for most people keep power concentrated in the hands of a few.

Joseph Fishkin is a professor of law at UCLA. His book, Bottlenecks: A New Theory of Equal Opportunity, argues that society should focus less on equalizing opportunity and more on removing unnecessary obstacles to human flourishing. His latest book, The Anti-Oligarchy Constitution: Reconstructing the Economic Foundations of American Democracy, traces the history of a once-robust thread of political thought: that constitutional democracy is incompatible with the concentration of economic power. He discusses his work on “bottlenecks” and democracy with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>“Equal opportunity” is a powerful and popular idea. But in both theory and practice, actually equalizing opportunity may not always be the right goal. For example, a parent raising a child makes a million decisions large and small that will impact that child’s opportunities. Truly equalizing opportunity might mean standardizing many parental decisions, stripping parents of their agency and personality. Is that an ideal worth striving for? This conversation explores the idea of opportunity pluralism—the view that instead of aiming for perfectly equal opportunities, we should focus on expanding the range of paths through which people can thrive—an approach that could help disrupt the cycle in which limited options for most people keep power concentrated in the hands of a few.

Joseph Fishkin is a professor of law at UCLA. His book, Bottlenecks: A New Theory of Equal Opportunity, argues that society should focus less on equalizing opportunity and more on removing unnecessary obstacles to human flourishing. His latest book, The Anti-Oligarchy Constitution: Reconstructing the Economic Foundations of American Democracy, traces the history of a once-robust thread of political thought: that constitutional democracy is incompatible with the concentration of economic power. He discusses his work on “bottlenecks” and democracy with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>1d68e107-9d49-4eb7-973b-50376219be2aMon, 06 Oct 2025 05:30:00 -050049:24falsefull3939Alexander Monge-Naranjo on the College Affordability CrisisAlexander Monge-Naranjo on the College Affordability CrisisChoosing a college is one of the biggest financial decisions a young adult will make. It’s no secret that college is expensive, and that lower-income students often require more assistance to manage those high costs. What’s less well known is how access to credit—or the lack thereof—can enhance or reduce inequality.

Alexander Monge-Naranjo is a vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. His work has examined college choice, financing, and repayment decisions. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss his research on education financing in the United States, place-based disadvantages in Latin America, and their impact on mobility.

]]>Choosing a college is one of the biggest financial decisions a young adult will make. It’s no secret that college is expensive, and that lower-income students often require more assistance to manage those high costs. What’s less well known is how access to credit—or the lack thereof—can enhance or reduce inequality.

Alexander Monge-Naranjo is a vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. His work has examined college choice, financing, and repayment decisions. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss his research on education financing in the United States, place-based disadvantages in Latin America, and their impact on mobility.

]]>702dc470-e0da-45f9-8a16-fece7a9bc200Mon, 22 Sep 2025 05:30:00 -050031:51falsefull3838Francisco Ferreira on Inherited InequalityFrancisco Ferreira on Inherited InequalityWhen it comes to inheritance, prosperity and adversity are two sides of the same coin. Inheritance can allow parents to pass economic security and opportunity to their children. But inheritance can also transmit disadvantages. The children of low-income parents may live in under-resourced neighborhoods, attend low-performing schools, receive inadequate health care, and overall be offered limited pathways for mobility. So to what extent is inequality itself inherited? And how might that process differ around the world?

Francisco “Chico” Ferreira is the Amartya Sen Professor of Inequality Studies at the London School of Economics, where he is also Director of the International Inequalities Institute. Before that, he had a long career at the World Bank, including serving as Chief Economist for the Africa Region. In this episode, he discusses his work on rethinking how intergenerational mobility ought to be conceptualized with host Steven Durlauf, comparing how inherited inequality manifests differently in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. 

]]>When it comes to inheritance, prosperity and adversity are two sides of the same coin. Inheritance can allow parents to pass economic security and opportunity to their children. But inheritance can also transmit disadvantages. The children of low-income parents may live in under-resourced neighborhoods, attend low-performing schools, receive inadequate health care, and overall be offered limited pathways for mobility. So to what extent is inequality itself inherited? And how might that process differ around the world?

Francisco “Chico” Ferreira is the Amartya Sen Professor of Inequality Studies at the London School of Economics, where he is also Director of the International Inequalities Institute. Before that, he had a long career at the World Bank, including serving as Chief Economist for the Africa Region. In this episode, he discusses his work on rethinking how intergenerational mobility ought to be conceptualized with host Steven Durlauf, comparing how inherited inequality manifests differently in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. 

]]>68c67fcd-fa5e-4a80-ab25-1fc8c412b068Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:30:00 -050035:40falsefull3737Wendy Carlin on Changing Economics’ “Core” CurriculumWendy Carlin on Changing Economics’ “Core” CurriculumMany undergraduates study the economy in depth only once: in an introductory survey course. But a traditional “Econ 101" syllabus can omit vital topics, including inequality and climate change. These subjects are often left for later courses, which most students will never take.

Wendy Carlin is a professor of economics at University College London, where she co-directs the UCL Stone Center. She oversees CORE Econ, a project that aims to refocus the undergraduate economics curriculum on “the most important problems faced by our societies,” including injustice, climate and the future of work. On this episode, Carlin discusses the CORE Econ initiative and her research with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>Many undergraduates study the economy in depth only once: in an introductory survey course. But a traditional “Econ 101" syllabus can omit vital topics, including inequality and climate change. These subjects are often left for later courses, which most students will never take.

Wendy Carlin is a professor of economics at University College London, where she co-directs the UCL Stone Center. She oversees CORE Econ, a project that aims to refocus the undergraduate economics curriculum on “the most important problems faced by our societies,” including injustice, climate and the future of work. On this episode, Carlin discusses the CORE Econ initiative and her research with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>b1eb238d-2280-4a00-b749-2310f0109cadMon, 25 Aug 2025 05:30:00 -050040:16falsefull3636Eric Schliesser on Adam Smith’s Warnings About InequalityEric Schliesser on Adam Smith’s Warnings About InequalitySome 300 years after his birth, Adam Smith remains a towering figure in economic thought — and one whose ideas are often oversimplified. While Smith is rightly remembered as a champion of free markets, he also wrote extensively about those left behind by unfettered capitalism, articulating a moral philosophy not nearly as well known as “the invisible hand.”

Eric Schliesser is a professor of political science at the University of Amsterdam. His book, Adam Smith: Systematic Philosopher and Public Thinker, reintroduces contemporary readers to a forgotten side of Smith, one interested in inequality and political power. Schliesser speaks with host Steven Durlauf about this aspect of Smith’s work, as well as the decline of the economist-as-moral-philosopher.

]]>Some 300 years after his birth, Adam Smith remains a towering figure in economic thought — and one whose ideas are often oversimplified. While Smith is rightly remembered as a champion of free markets, he also wrote extensively about those left behind by unfettered capitalism, articulating a moral philosophy not nearly as well known as “the invisible hand.”

Eric Schliesser is a professor of political science at the University of Amsterdam. His book, Adam Smith: Systematic Philosopher and Public Thinker, reintroduces contemporary readers to a forgotten side of Smith, one interested in inequality and political power. Schliesser speaks with host Steven Durlauf about this aspect of Smith’s work, as well as the decline of the economist-as-moral-philosopher.

]]>f4f14ca8-759e-4d5b-8a9a-e3be752c9f90Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:30:00 -050039:27falsefull3535Cristobal Young on ‘The Myth’ of Millionaire Tax FlightCristobal Young on ‘The Myth’ of Millionaire Tax FlightIn every corner of the world, right-wing and even centrist policymakers voice a similar argument: that raising taxes will lead high earners to flee. In the United States, fear of tax flight looms large in blue states, where lawmakers worry local millionaires will decamp for tax havens like Florida and Texas. But research shows that even in states like Illinois, New York and California, millionaires tend to stay put. Why?

Cristobal Young, a sociologist at Cornell and the author of The Myth of Millionaire Tax Flight, argues that even in this era of remote work, the wealthy still rely on local assets: professional networks, concentrated expertise, and more. Drawing on insights from anonymized tax returns and census data, Young documents the reasons that the rich tend to stay in high-tax states despite having the resources and incentives to flee. On this episode, Young discusses his work and its implications for inequality with hosts Steven Durlauf and Geoff Wodtke.

]]>In every corner of the world, right-wing and even centrist policymakers voice a similar argument: that raising taxes will lead high earners to flee. In the United States, fear of tax flight looms large in blue states, where lawmakers worry local millionaires will decamp for tax havens like Florida and Texas. But research shows that even in states like Illinois, New York and California, millionaires tend to stay put. Why?

Cristobal Young, a sociologist at Cornell and the author of The Myth of Millionaire Tax Flight, argues that even in this era of remote work, the wealthy still rely on local assets: professional networks, concentrated expertise, and more. Drawing on insights from anonymized tax returns and census data, Young documents the reasons that the rich tend to stay in high-tax states despite having the resources and incentives to flee. On this episode, Young discusses his work and its implications for inequality with hosts Steven Durlauf and Geoff Wodtke.

]]>d1273b97-f6fb-470b-aa28-5b5cf1dc56b5Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:30:00 -050047:19falsefull3434Caterina Calsamiglia on Incentive and Equity Effects in School Choice and Education PolicyCaterina Calsamiglia on Incentive and Equity Effects in School Choice and Education PolicyFew policy areas generate the level of charged debate that education policy does. For parents and teachers alike, issues such as school choice, standardized testing, and discipline have persisted as political lightning rods. In such a contentious environment, finding evidence-based solutions is essential to improving both decision-making and educational outcomes.

Caterina Calsamiglia is an ICREA Research Professor and the group leader of the Computational Social Science and Humanities unit at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), where she also leads the Welfare and Equity Group. In this conversation, Calsamiglia and host Steven Durlauf discuss her research into school choice, testing and more.

]]>Few policy areas generate the level of charged debate that education policy does. For parents and teachers alike, issues such as school choice, standardized testing, and discipline have persisted as political lightning rods. In such a contentious environment, finding evidence-based solutions is essential to improving both decision-making and educational outcomes.

Caterina Calsamiglia is an ICREA Research Professor and the group leader of the Computational Social Science and Humanities unit at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), where she also leads the Welfare and Equity Group. In this conversation, Calsamiglia and host Steven Durlauf discuss her research into school choice, testing and more.

]]>ec0862f4-e068-4e94-b2c6-658cf9d91f50Mon, 14 Jul 2025 05:30:00 -050040:58falsefull3333Fabian Pfeffer on Wealth Inequality Across CountriesFabian Pfeffer on Wealth Inequality Across CountriesWhatever a country’s level of income inequality, its level of wealth inequality is even worse. In fact, in many countries there is no correlation between the level of income inequality and wealth inequality. So if differences in income aren’t the main factor driving wealth inequality, what is?

Fabian Pfeffer is a professor of sociology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich where he holds the Chair for Social Inequality and Social Structures. He is the founding director of the Munich International Stone Center for Inequality Research. Before that, he was the founding director of the Center for Inequality Dynamics at the University of Michigan. In this conversation, Pfeffer and host Steven Durlauf discuss wealth inequality dynamics across nations and generations.

]]>Whatever a country’s level of income inequality, its level of wealth inequality is even worse. In fact, in many countries there is no correlation between the level of income inequality and wealth inequality. So if differences in income aren’t the main factor driving wealth inequality, what is?

Fabian Pfeffer is a professor of sociology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich where he holds the Chair for Social Inequality and Social Structures. He is the founding director of the Munich International Stone Center for Inequality Research. Before that, he was the founding director of the Center for Inequality Dynamics at the University of Michigan. In this conversation, Pfeffer and host Steven Durlauf discuss wealth inequality dynamics across nations and generations.

]]>8f283054-150d-4639-8400-fc970be285caMon, 30 Jun 2025 05:30:00 -050043:21falsefull3232Rachel Kranton on Identity and EconomicsRachel Kranton on Identity and EconomicsIn traditional economic models, individuals have one overriding motivation: utility. While this utility-maximizing paradigm has its advantages, it risks overlooking other forces that shape individual decision-making. One such force is group identity. Whereas a utility-maximizing model emphasizes what one wants, an identity-based model might emphasize what one believes they should want — because of who they are.

Rachel Kranton is the James B. Duke Professor of Economics at Duke University, where she specializes in how institutions and social forces affect economic outcomes. Her work has helped build the foundation for an approach to economics that incorporates identity, transforming the way economists understand individual decision-making. She joins hosts Steven Durlauf and Ariel Kalil to discuss her identity-based approach to studies of schools, gender dynamics, workplace culture, and more.

]]>In traditional economic models, individuals have one overriding motivation: utility. While this utility-maximizing paradigm has its advantages, it risks overlooking other forces that shape individual decision-making. One such force is group identity. Whereas a utility-maximizing model emphasizes what one wants, an identity-based model might emphasize what one believes they should want — because of who they are.

Rachel Kranton is the James B. Duke Professor of Economics at Duke University, where she specializes in how institutions and social forces affect economic outcomes. Her work has helped build the foundation for an approach to economics that incorporates identity, transforming the way economists understand individual decision-making. She joins hosts Steven Durlauf and Ariel Kalil to discuss her identity-based approach to studies of schools, gender dynamics, workplace culture, and more.

]]>36e4a215-678f-4ec9-8e63-16a01f31664bMon, 16 Jun 2025 05:30:00 -050041:25falsefull3131Educational Attainment and Inequality, featuring Salvador Navarro and Stephen TrejoEducational Attainment and Inequality, featuring Salvador Navarro and Stephen TrejoThe most complete measures of inequality consider the full life-course of an individual, from childhood to adulthood, and from adulthood to old age. One determinant of life outcomes is education, particularly whether one has obtained a college degree. Research has shown clear benefits of earning a diploma. But many qualified young people do not pursue one. Why?

Today on the show, we present two conversations that address this question. First, host Steven Durlauf is joined by Salvador Navarro, professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario and a Stone Center affiliate. They discuss his research into the complex set of factors that lead some students not to attend college. Then, Steven is joined by Stephen Trejo, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin and a leading expert on the economic standing of Hispanic Americans. They discuss why college graduation rates have remained stubbornly low among the children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants.

]]>The most complete measures of inequality consider the full life-course of an individual, from childhood to adulthood, and from adulthood to old age. One determinant of life outcomes is education, particularly whether one has obtained a college degree. Research has shown clear benefits of earning a diploma. But many qualified young people do not pursue one. Why?

Today on the show, we present two conversations that address this question. First, host Steven Durlauf is joined by Salvador Navarro, professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario and a Stone Center affiliate. They discuss his research into the complex set of factors that lead some students not to attend college. Then, Steven is joined by Stephen Trejo, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin and a leading expert on the economic standing of Hispanic Americans. They discuss why college graduation rates have remained stubbornly low among the children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants.

]]>eb2446ac-1871-4717-99c5-36f9f6d12746Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:30:00 -050046:38falsefull3030Deirdre Bloome on Intergenerational-Contextual Approaches to InequalityDeirdre Bloome on Intergenerational-Contextual Approaches to InequalitySome of the most heated debates in American life center on how much intergenerational inequality is influenced by historical context. Inequality, of course, doesn’t come out of nowhere—history always exerts some influence—but to what extent are today’s ills attributable to those of the past?

The challenge for scholars is to pinpoint the exact mechanisms through which decades- or centuries-old forces persist. The past may not be dead—so how does it live on, empirically?

Deirdre Bloome, Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and Faculty Member at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss her work measuring the historical evolution of racial inequalities in the family and the economy, and their lasting impact on mobility.”

]]>Some of the most heated debates in American life center on how much intergenerational inequality is influenced by historical context. Inequality, of course, doesn’t come out of nowhere—history always exerts some influence—but to what extent are today’s ills attributable to those of the past?

The challenge for scholars is to pinpoint the exact mechanisms through which decades- or centuries-old forces persist. The past may not be dead—so how does it live on, empirically?

Deirdre Bloome, Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and Faculty Member at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss her work measuring the historical evolution of racial inequalities in the family and the economy, and their lasting impact on mobility.”

]]>ddd63ba2-db10-4e07-b5d5-02d61207b1caMon, 19 May 2025 05:30:00 -050045:20falsefull2929Dionissi Aliprantis on Segregation and Neighborhood EffectsDionissi Aliprantis on Segregation and Neighborhood EffectsDecades after the end of Jim Crow, residential segregation remains a major factor in American life. The historical causes of this are well-known; less so are the ongoing forces that maintain segregation, despite progress made in other areas. For example, why do so many more high-income Black households live in low-income neighborhoods when compared to their affluent white counterparts? What drives this and other forms of 21st-century segregation?

Dionissi Aliprantis is a Research Fellow at the Center for Economic Research on Governance, Inequality and Conflict (CERGIC) at the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) de Lyon in France. His research has focused on identifying neighborhood effects, quantifying the factors contributing to the racial wealth gap, and more. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss segregation, neighborhood effects, and the methodological challenges in studying them.

]]>Decades after the end of Jim Crow, residential segregation remains a major factor in American life. The historical causes of this are well-known; less so are the ongoing forces that maintain segregation, despite progress made in other areas. For example, why do so many more high-income Black households live in low-income neighborhoods when compared to their affluent white counterparts? What drives this and other forms of 21st-century segregation?

Dionissi Aliprantis is a Research Fellow at the Center for Economic Research on Governance, Inequality and Conflict (CERGIC) at the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) de Lyon in France. His research has focused on identifying neighborhood effects, quantifying the factors contributing to the racial wealth gap, and more. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss segregation, neighborhood effects, and the methodological challenges in studying them.

]]>0c753c09-b7a0-4c1c-89be-7005e49c9373Mon, 05 May 2025 05:30:00 -050041:53falsefull2828Scott Page on Complex Systems Thinking and DiversityScott Page on Complex Systems Thinking and DiversityTraditional economic models often rely on tidy assumptions: rational agents, stable equilibria, linear relationships and so on. But those models can struggle to capture the messy reality of actual systems. Societies are constantly evolving. Assumptions can shift. And isolating the variables that underlie such changes can be daunting.

Scott Page is the John Seely Brown Distinguished University Professor of Complexity, Social Science, and Management at the University of Michigan. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss the relatively brief history of complex systems thinking and its impact on the social sciences. They also discuss Page’s work on diversity and its capacity to create more robust systems.

]]>Traditional economic models often rely on tidy assumptions: rational agents, stable equilibria, linear relationships and so on. But those models can struggle to capture the messy reality of actual systems. Societies are constantly evolving. Assumptions can shift. And isolating the variables that underlie such changes can be daunting.

Scott Page is the John Seely Brown Distinguished University Professor of Complexity, Social Science, and Management at the University of Michigan. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss the relatively brief history of complex systems thinking and its impact on the social sciences. They also discuss Page’s work on diversity and its capacity to create more robust systems.

]]>f18842eb-2acc-48cf-8088-0e9cdb04e4feMon, 21 Apr 2025 05:30:00 -050055:42falsefull2727Daniel Aldana Cohen on the Climate and Housing CrisesDaniel Aldana Cohen on the Climate and Housing CrisesThe United States doesn’t have enough affordable housing. It has also failed to adequately address the climate crisis. These statements may not appear connected in any obvious way, but addressing one crisis inevitably leads to questions about the other. How do we build millions of new homes without leaving a massive carbon footprint? Perhaps one answer is to retrofit. But if cities fund eco-friendly renovations in working-class neighborhoods, what’s to stop “green gentrification”?

Daniel Aldana Cohen’s work sits at this intersection. He is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is director of the Socio-Spatial Climate Collaboration and serves as a member of the Graduate Group of the Designated Emphasis in Political Economy. On this episode, he speaks with host Geoff Wodtke about how the United States might forge a way out of these twin crises, drawing on policy successes found abroad and in American history.

]]>The United States doesn’t have enough affordable housing. It has also failed to adequately address the climate crisis. These statements may not appear connected in any obvious way, but addressing one crisis inevitably leads to questions about the other. How do we build millions of new homes without leaving a massive carbon footprint? Perhaps one answer is to retrofit. But if cities fund eco-friendly renovations in working-class neighborhoods, what’s to stop “green gentrification”?

Daniel Aldana Cohen’s work sits at this intersection. He is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is director of the Socio-Spatial Climate Collaboration and serves as a member of the Graduate Group of the Designated Emphasis in Political Economy. On this episode, he speaks with host Geoff Wodtke about how the United States might forge a way out of these twin crises, drawing on policy successes found abroad and in American history.

]]>b3595d9e-363f-49a8-b6c5-170f408bb916Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:30:00 -050040:21falsefull2626Peter Boettke on Classical Liberalism’s Moral PhilosophyPeter Boettke on Classical Liberalism’s Moral PhilosophyEconomists are often accused of practicing a “dismal science,” a discipline defined by the sober measurement of humanity’s limits: scarcity, zero-sum propositions, and inequality. But the old stereotype overlooks a more hopeful side of the science, one in which economists resemble moral philosophers.

Peter Boettke is among the foremost scholars of this latter brand of economics. He teaches at George Mason University, where he is the Director of the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center. A disciple of what is often called the Austrian school, Boettke has written about how a society organized by classical liberalism can lead to human flourishing. He discusses the intellectual history of this philosophy with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>Economists are often accused of practicing a “dismal science,” a discipline defined by the sober measurement of humanity’s limits: scarcity, zero-sum propositions, and inequality. But the old stereotype overlooks a more hopeful side of the science, one in which economists resemble moral philosophers.

Peter Boettke is among the foremost scholars of this latter brand of economics. He teaches at George Mason University, where he is the Director of the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center. A disciple of what is often called the Austrian school, Boettke has written about how a society organized by classical liberalism can lead to human flourishing. He discusses the intellectual history of this philosophy with host Steven Durlauf.

]]>bfe601ef-e0f6-4f0c-8439-07e38ebc2c24Mon, 24 Mar 2025 05:30:00 -050047:21falsefull2525The Age of Unpredictable and Precarious Work, featuring Jake Rosenfeld and Daniel SchneiderThe Age of Unpredictable and Precarious Work, featuring Jake Rosenfeld and Daniel SchneiderFor tens of millions of Americans, working life is characterized by uncertainty and limited recourse. Hours can be plentiful one week and fleeting the next, and often unpredictable, with shifts arranged on short notice, at odd hours, or canceled just as erratically. The prevalence of at-will employment amplifies this insecurity, as the threat of job loss—a potentially devastating blow to both workers and their dependents—is ever-present. Often powerless against corporate practices that prioritize shareholder value over employee welfare, these workers are vulnerable to job insecurity and diminished bargaining power.

Today, we examine the unstable state of American work and how we got here. First, host Geoff Wodtke is joined by Jake Rosenfeld, professor and chair of sociology at Washington University in Saint Louis. They trace the history of the American labor movement from its midcentury heyday to its downfall. The consequences of the decline in union membership loom large over the second conversation, with Daniel Schneider, a sociologist and professor at Harvard. He discusses his work exploring the extent to which precarious work has hobbled American households’ personal and economic health.

]]>For tens of millions of Americans, working life is characterized by uncertainty and limited recourse. Hours can be plentiful one week and fleeting the next, and often unpredictable, with shifts arranged on short notice, at odd hours, or canceled just as erratically. The prevalence of at-will employment amplifies this insecurity, as the threat of job loss—a potentially devastating blow to both workers and their dependents—is ever-present. Often powerless against corporate practices that prioritize shareholder value over employee welfare, these workers are vulnerable to job insecurity and diminished bargaining power.

Today, we examine the unstable state of American work and how we got here. First, host Geoff Wodtke is joined by Jake Rosenfeld, professor and chair of sociology at Washington University in Saint Louis. They trace the history of the American labor movement from its midcentury heyday to its downfall. The consequences of the decline in union membership loom large over the second conversation, with Daniel Schneider, a sociologist and professor at Harvard. He discusses his work exploring the extent to which precarious work has hobbled American households’ personal and economic health.

]]>45795a26-f130-4218-93cf-a71976669106Mon, 10 Mar 2025 05:30:00 -050001:05:48falsefull2424Advances and Obstacles in Gender Inequality, Featuring Martha Bailey and Natasha QuadlinAdvances and Obstacles in Gender Inequality, Featuring Martha Bailey and Natasha QuadlinSixty years ago, equal pay laws, the women’s movement, and widespread access to contraception ushered in a new era, transforming the lives of American women. In the years since, women’s place in higher education, the labor market, and wider society has dramatically expanded. American women live with the legacy of that progress yet remain hemmed in by its limits.

Today, we present two conversations that examine the past and present of gender inequality in America. First, we are joined by economic historian Martha Bailey, the Director of UCLA's California Center for Population Research (CCPR), to discuss the outcomes of War On Poverty programs and the rise of contraception use. Later, host Geoff Wodtke speaks with sociologist Natasha Quadlin, associate professor at UCLA and fellow of the CCPR. They dissect a particularly vexing aspect of contemporary gender inequality: that women now outnumber men on college campuses, yet still face unique obstacles when they enter the job market.

]]>Sixty years ago, equal pay laws, the women’s movement, and widespread access to contraception ushered in a new era, transforming the lives of American women. In the years since, women’s place in higher education, the labor market, and wider society has dramatically expanded. American women live with the legacy of that progress yet remain hemmed in by its limits.

Today, we present two conversations that examine the past and present of gender inequality in America. First, we are joined by economic historian Martha Bailey, the Director of UCLA's California Center for Population Research (CCPR), to discuss the outcomes of War On Poverty programs and the rise of contraception use. Later, host Geoff Wodtke speaks with sociologist Natasha Quadlin, associate professor at UCLA and fellow of the CCPR. They dissect a particularly vexing aspect of contemporary gender inequality: that women now outnumber men on college campuses, yet still face unique obstacles when they enter the job market.

]]>e2b94237-bfdc-4bc8-a380-06d990898e84Mon, 24 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -050001:08:08falsefull2323Lauren Rivera on Meritocracy and Its FailingsLauren Rivera on Meritocracy and Its FailingsIn the United States, meritocracy looms large. Proponents argue that one should earn wealth and prestige through hard work, intelligence, and ability. However, any defender of meritocracy should contend with its shortcomings. Lauren Rivera is the Peter G. Peterson Chair in Corporate Ethics at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School, and the author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs, a book-length study of hiring practices at elite banks, law firms, and consulting companies. What she documents are processes that often fail to reward the most deserving candidates and perpetuate existing privileges.

In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Rivera lays out the case against meritocracy as it is currently understood, citing her work in Pedigree as well as other research that shows supposedly meritocratic systems failing women, racial minorities, and people with disabilities.

]]>In the United States, meritocracy looms large. Proponents argue that one should earn wealth and prestige through hard work, intelligence, and ability. However, any defender of meritocracy should contend with its shortcomings. Lauren Rivera is the Peter G. Peterson Chair in Corporate Ethics at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School, and the author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs, a book-length study of hiring practices at elite banks, law firms, and consulting companies. What she documents are processes that often fail to reward the most deserving candidates and perpetuate existing privileges.

In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Rivera lays out the case against meritocracy as it is currently understood, citing her work in Pedigree as well as other research that shows supposedly meritocratic systems failing women, racial minorities, and people with disabilities.

]]>98b5b0ea-0a6e-49e7-932a-009f08b6c602Mon, 10 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -050053:04falsefull2222David Lay Williams on the Intellectual History of InequalityDavid Lay Williams on the Intellectual History of InequalityThousands of years before the modern era, great thinkers were theorizing about economic inequality. Unequal conditions were a focus of both Plato and Jesus, just as it was for later thinkers like Hobbes, Rousseau and Marx.

David Lay Williams is a professor of political science at DePaul University. His new book, “The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx,” traces some 2,500 years of intellectual history about inequality, drawing surprising new lessons from some of the foremost figures in the Western canon. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Williams discusses his findings and what we can still learn from these world-historic thinkers.

]]>Thousands of years before the modern era, great thinkers were theorizing about economic inequality. Unequal conditions were a focus of both Plato and Jesus, just as it was for later thinkers like Hobbes, Rousseau and Marx.

David Lay Williams is a professor of political science at DePaul University. His new book, “The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx,” traces some 2,500 years of intellectual history about inequality, drawing surprising new lessons from some of the foremost figures in the Western canon. In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Williams discusses his findings and what we can still learn from these world-historic thinkers.

]]>33fc2e4d-7af3-42af-a847-35a5af0f620dMon, 27 Jan 2025 05:30:00 -050048:05falsefull2121Transdisciplinary Approaches to Wealth Inequality, Featuring Alberto Bisin and Jean-Philippe BouchaudTransdisciplinary Approaches to Wealth Inequality, Featuring Alberto Bisin and Jean-Philippe BouchaudAs this podcast has highlighted before, cross-disciplinary collaboration can enrich practically any investigation into the nature of inequality. It is hard to find more compelling evidence of this than recent breakthroughs in the study of wealth inequality.

Today on the show, we speak to two experts who have made fundamental contributions to this literature, in part by drawing on physics, math, and even Renaissance-era history.

Our first guest is Alberto Bisin. Alberto is a professor of economics at New York University. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss how models of wealth inequality have evolved over time, as well as how recent models have successfully incorporated tools from the physics literature.

Expanding on those insights from physicists, in our second segment, Steven speaks with Jean-Philippe Bouchaud. A physicist and mathematician by training, Jean-Philippe has long been a pioneer of “econophysics,” and his work consistently reveals novel, eye-opening ways economists can supplement their work using physics and math.

]]>As this podcast has highlighted before, cross-disciplinary collaboration can enrich practically any investigation into the nature of inequality. It is hard to find more compelling evidence of this than recent breakthroughs in the study of wealth inequality.

Today on the show, we speak to two experts who have made fundamental contributions to this literature, in part by drawing on physics, math, and even Renaissance-era history.

Our first guest is Alberto Bisin. Alberto is a professor of economics at New York University. He joins host Steven Durlauf to discuss how models of wealth inequality have evolved over time, as well as how recent models have successfully incorporated tools from the physics literature.

Expanding on those insights from physicists, in our second segment, Steven speaks with Jean-Philippe Bouchaud. A physicist and mathematician by training, Jean-Philippe has long been a pioneer of “econophysics,” and his work consistently reveals novel, eye-opening ways economists can supplement their work using physics and math.

]]>fe1e836c-40fa-477b-9dfc-ece8b1be1ee6Mon, 13 Jan 2025 05:30:00 -050057:28falsefull2020Sports, Race, and Labor, Featuring Bomani Jones, Ilyana Kuziemko, Matthew Notowidigdo, and Kenneth ShropshireSports, Race, and Labor, Featuring Bomani Jones, Ilyana Kuziemko, Matthew Notowidigdo, and Kenneth ShropshireCollege athletics has tumbled into an unpredictable era. Money paid to players for their name, image and likeness has shaken long-held assumptions about what it means to be a college athlete. But although NIL deals have kicked off a new era in college sports, the tensions and conflicts involved are nothing new — nor are they unique to college athletics.

Today on the show, we present a conversation that places the debate around paying college athletes into a broader context, drawing on the work of our esteemed panelists. The discussion, which was recorded live on stage earlier this year, features sports analyst Bomani Jones; Princeton Professor of Economics and Stone Center Affiliate Ilyana Kuziemko; Booth Professor of Economics Matthew J. Notowidigdo; and Professor Emeritus at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Kenneth L. Shropshire. Damon Jones, Stone Center Associate Director and one of our show’s co-hosts, moderates the panel.

]]>College athletics has tumbled into an unpredictable era. Money paid to players for their name, image and likeness has shaken long-held assumptions about what it means to be a college athlete. But although NIL deals have kicked off a new era in college sports, the tensions and conflicts involved are nothing new — nor are they unique to college athletics.

Today on the show, we present a conversation that places the debate around paying college athletes into a broader context, drawing on the work of our esteemed panelists. The discussion, which was recorded live on stage earlier this year, features sports analyst Bomani Jones; Princeton Professor of Economics and Stone Center Affiliate Ilyana Kuziemko; Booth Professor of Economics Matthew J. Notowidigdo; and Professor Emeritus at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Kenneth L. Shropshire. Damon Jones, Stone Center Associate Director and one of our show’s co-hosts, moderates the panel.

]]>0e966148-07a2-465f-959a-c7c434b6ac5bMon, 30 Dec 2024 05:30:00 -050001:23:23falsefull1919The Costs of Mass Incarceration Featuring Christopher Muller and Hedy LeeThe Costs of Mass Incarceration Featuring Christopher Muller and Hedy LeeOne of the most pernicious drivers of inequality in the United States over the past half century has been mass incarceration. Moreover, the consequences of mass incarceration have been borne not just by those held in prisons, but by their families and communities as well.

First, Harvard sociologist Christopher Muller traces the historical roots of mass incarceration. He illuminates the close association between incarceration rates and the demand for labor, a relationship that has persisted from the 19th century American South down through the present day.

Then, Duke sociologist Hedy Lee discusses her work on the oft-overlooked effects of mass incarceration on the families of incarcerated people. From the mental toll on spouses and children, to the nickel-and-diming of prison commissaries, the conversation catalogs a wide array of unexpected costs brought on by mass imprisonment.

]]>One of the most pernicious drivers of inequality in the United States over the past half century has been mass incarceration. Moreover, the consequences of mass incarceration have been borne not just by those held in prisons, but by their families and communities as well.

First, Harvard sociologist Christopher Muller traces the historical roots of mass incarceration. He illuminates the close association between incarceration rates and the demand for labor, a relationship that has persisted from the 19th century American South down through the present day.

Then, Duke sociologist Hedy Lee discusses her work on the oft-overlooked effects of mass incarceration on the families of incarcerated people. From the mental toll on spouses and children, to the nickel-and-diming of prison commissaries, the conversation catalogs a wide array of unexpected costs brought on by mass imprisonment.

]]>ab6de996-5758-4bc6-b22d-043d42fa41ecMon, 16 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -050042:34falsefull1818Bhash Mazumder on Intergenerational Mobility and Its Many DimensionsBhash Mazumder on Intergenerational Mobility and Its Many DimensionsInequality is rarely static. It can grow or shrink over time. Perhaps no one understands that dynamic better than economist Bhash Mazumder, whose work has been foundational in understanding and measuring intergenerational mobility.

In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Bhash recounts how his research revealed a clearer picture of income mobility in the United States: namely, how previous estimates of mobility were far too rosy. Throughout their discussion, measurement issues abound. They consider typical metrics such as income and wealth, but also less obvious approaches, including surveys of physical and mental health. Last, they discuss how mobility has been shaped by two major events in American history: first, redlining policies that began during the New Deal, and second, urban renewal projects that were sparked by the Great Migration.

]]>Inequality is rarely static. It can grow or shrink over time. Perhaps no one understands that dynamic better than economist Bhash Mazumder, whose work has been foundational in understanding and measuring intergenerational mobility.

In this conversation with host Steven Durlauf, Bhash recounts how his research revealed a clearer picture of income mobility in the United States: namely, how previous estimates of mobility were far too rosy. Throughout their discussion, measurement issues abound. They consider typical metrics such as income and wealth, but also less obvious approaches, including surveys of physical and mental health. Last, they discuss how mobility has been shaped by two major events in American history: first, redlining policies that began during the New Deal, and second, urban renewal projects that were sparked by the Great Migration.

]]>a8a7142d-704a-4ef4-a79f-b4da3d64ce14Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -050046:48falsefull1717Family, Identity, and Inequality, Featuring Ariel Kalil and Mesmin DestinFamily, Identity, and Inequality, Featuring Ariel Kalil and Mesmin DestinConversations about inequality tend to center on macro-level forces, such as political, economic, and social systems. But today on the show, we present two conversations that examine factors that unfold on a smaller scale: inside people’s everyday domains.

In our first segment, host Steven Durlauf interviews fellow host Ariel Kalil, a developmental psychologist at the University of Chicago, about her work on family structure and the ways it can influence inequality. They drill down on the roles extended family members like grandparents play in raising children, how growing up with a single parent appears to have a more pronounced effect on boys, and how economic scarcity can hamper parents’ ability to give attention to their children.

After that, Ariel and Steven speak with Mesmin Destin, a developmental psychologist at Northwestern. Drawing on research into identify formation, including the damaging effects of stereotype threat, Mesmin’s work explores identity-based motivation. The group considers various applications of this concept and how it may help alleviate inequality, including interventions that can help young people develop positive beliefs that are specific to their background and the benefits peer-to-peer mentorship programs.

]]>Conversations about inequality tend to center on macro-level forces, such as political, economic, and social systems. But today on the show, we present two conversations that examine factors that unfold on a smaller scale: inside people’s everyday domains.

In our first segment, host Steven Durlauf interviews fellow host Ariel Kalil, a developmental psychologist at the University of Chicago, about her work on family structure and the ways it can influence inequality. They drill down on the roles extended family members like grandparents play in raising children, how growing up with a single parent appears to have a more pronounced effect on boys, and how economic scarcity can hamper parents’ ability to give attention to their children.

After that, Ariel and Steven speak with Mesmin Destin, a developmental psychologist at Northwestern. Drawing on research into identify formation, including the damaging effects of stereotype threat, Mesmin’s work explores identity-based motivation. The group considers various applications of this concept and how it may help alleviate inequality, including interventions that can help young people develop positive beliefs that are specific to their background and the benefits peer-to-peer mentorship programs.

]]>c3eb210c-0ec4-4f63-b312-1abe8cc957a9Mon, 18 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -050057:10falsefull1616How Neighborhoods and Schools Shape Inequality, Featuring Felix Elwert, David Harding, Geoffrey Wodtke, and Marissa ThompsonHow Neighborhoods and Schools Shape Inequality, Featuring Felix Elwert, David Harding, Geoffrey Wodtke, and Marissa ThompsonNeighborhoods and schools—through factors like socioeconomic composition, access to resources, racial segregation, and social networks—contribute to patterns of inequality and influence mobility. Today’s guests provide cross-disciplinary insights into how these environments shape opportunities and outcomes.

First, host Steven Durlauf speaks with the University of Wisconsin’s Felix Elwert, UC Berkeley’s David Harding, and the Stone Center’s own Geoffrey Wodtke on their research, which investigates neighborhood effects and how they manifest throughout economic and social systems, with a spotlight on segregation in schools.

Their discussion is followed by a conversation with Columbia University’s Marissa Thompson, who studies education’s role in shaping inequality. She shares her findings with hosts Geoffrey Wodtke and Damon Jones on how parents form their perceptions of neighborhood schools, how those perceptions can drive segregation, and what policy interventions might make a difference.

Read the 2011 study authored by Geoff, Felix and David, “Neighborhood Effects in Temporal Perspective: The Impact of Long-Term Exposure to Concentrated Disadvantage on High School Graduation.”

Read Marissa’s 2023 study of parental perceptions of school segregation, “My School District Isn’t Segregated: Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Information on Parental Preferences Regarding School Segregation.”

Learn more about the Stone Center at our website.

]]>Neighborhoods and schools—through factors like socioeconomic composition, access to resources, racial segregation, and social networks—contribute to patterns of inequality and influence mobility. Today’s guests provide cross-disciplinary insights into how these environments shape opportunities and outcomes.

First, host Steven Durlauf speaks with the University of Wisconsin’s Felix Elwert, UC Berkeley’s David Harding, and the Stone Center’s own Geoffrey Wodtke on their research, which investigates neighborhood effects and how they manifest throughout economic and social systems, with a spotlight on segregation in schools.

Their discussion is followed by a conversation with Columbia University’s Marissa Thompson, who studies education’s role in shaping inequality. She shares her findings with hosts Geoffrey Wodtke and Damon Jones on how parents form their perceptions of neighborhood schools, how those perceptions can drive segregation, and what policy interventions might make a difference.

Read the 2011 study authored by Geoff, Felix and David, “Neighborhood Effects in Temporal Perspective: The Impact of Long-Term Exposure to Concentrated Disadvantage on High School Graduation.”

Read Marissa’s 2023 study of parental perceptions of school segregation, “My School District Isn’t Segregated: Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Information on Parental Preferences Regarding School Segregation.”

Learn more about the Stone Center at our website.

]]>5899b38e-1f67-40d4-a6c9-5222b00b7161Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -050001:00:31falsefull1515Janet Gornick on the Importance of Measuring Socio-Economic InequalityJanet Gornick on the Importance of Measuring Socio-Economic InequalityOn this episode of The Inequality Podcast, host Steven Durlauf is joined by Janet Gornick, director of the Stone Center of Socio-Economic Inequality at The City University of New York and one of the world’s foremost experts on the measurement of socio-economic inequality. They discuss her many contributions to improving the quantity and quality of inequality data available to researchers, including her time as director of LIS, the organization formerly known as the Luxembourg Income Study. The importance of data-gathering efforts like LIS remains front and center as the conversation progresses into a discussion of gender inequality and differences in family structures across countries. Last, the two reflect on the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to social science research and consider what questions new scholars should pursue in the future.

Read a selection of Janet’s work here, and follow her on Twitter/X.

Explore the LIS Database here.

Read more about The Stone Center at CUNY, which houses the U.S. office of LIS, at their website.

]]>On this episode of The Inequality Podcast, host Steven Durlauf is joined by Janet Gornick, director of the Stone Center of Socio-Economic Inequality at The City University of New York and one of the world’s foremost experts on the measurement of socio-economic inequality. They discuss her many contributions to improving the quantity and quality of inequality data available to researchers, including her time as director of LIS, the organization formerly known as the Luxembourg Income Study. The importance of data-gathering efforts like LIS remains front and center as the conversation progresses into a discussion of gender inequality and differences in family structures across countries. Last, the two reflect on the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to social science research and consider what questions new scholars should pursue in the future.

Read a selection of Janet’s work here, and follow her on Twitter/X.

Explore the LIS Database here.

Read more about The Stone Center at CUNY, which houses the U.S. office of LIS, at their website.

]]>869a8adf-1c56-4ba4-b9d1-68fb11ccd9f1Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -050049:23falsefull1414Miles Corak on the Great Gatsby Curve and Cross-Country Comparisons of Inequality and MobilityMiles Corak on the Great Gatsby Curve and Cross-Country Comparisons of Inequality and MobilityIn the first episode of the new academic year, Steven sits down with Miles Corak to discuss cross-country comparisons of inequality and intergenerational mobility. They discuss the Great Gatsby Curve, the mechanisms behind the intergenerational persistence of socioeconomic status, and related innovations in economic research and policy in the U.S. and Canada.

Read Miles’ blog post about the Gatsby curve here.

]]>In the first episode of the new academic year, Steven sits down with Miles Corak to discuss cross-country comparisons of inequality and intergenerational mobility. They discuss the Great Gatsby Curve, the mechanisms behind the intergenerational persistence of socioeconomic status, and related innovations in economic research and policy in the U.S. and Canada.

Read Miles’ blog post about the Gatsby curve here.

]]>cb4fc087-cf2b-49e2-8760-68a7349178cfMon, 07 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -050050:05falsefull1313The Two-Parent Privilege by Melissa Kearney: A Discussion (Live Recording)The Two-Parent Privilege by Melissa Kearney: A Discussion (Live Recording)Since the 1970s, two-parent households have declined, while single-parent households have become more commonplace in the United States. This shift has occurred due to various factors, ranging from changes in labor markets, mass incarceration, and changing social norms surrounding marriage and parental responsibilities. In her book “The Two-Parent Privilege,” Melissa Kearny explores how this shift in family structure is related to childhood outcomes. Kearney argues that resources and stability afforded by a two-parent household yield significantly better outcomes: their children are much more likely to graduate high school, get a college degree, and have high earnings in the job market as adults. By contrast, children who grow up in single-parent households have substantially lower chances of such a life trajectory and are likely to raise their children alone. These empirical regularities have natural public policy implications.

Join University of Maryland Professor Melissa Kearney to discuss her new book and how modern trends in family structure perpetuate inequality and erode social mobility. Geoffrey Wodtke, Associate Director of the Stone Center, moderates the discussion. Steven Durlauf, Director of the Stone Center, Damon Jones, an Associate Director of the Stone Center, and Ariel Kalil, a Stone Center Advisor, offer expert commentary. This event aims to present its audience with evidence of the effects of family structure on childhood outcomes and to explore public policies to strengthen the potential for two-parent households while making the consequences of single-parent households less onerous.

This event was recorded on November 29th, 2023.

LINKS:

Full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvDMUTO7lxE&t=1646s


Harris School YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisPublicPolicy


The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind (University of Chicago Press): https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo205550079.html


]]>Since the 1970s, two-parent households have declined, while single-parent households have become more commonplace in the United States. This shift has occurred due to various factors, ranging from changes in labor markets, mass incarceration, and changing social norms surrounding marriage and parental responsibilities. In her book “The Two-Parent Privilege,” Melissa Kearny explores how this shift in family structure is related to childhood outcomes. Kearney argues that resources and stability afforded by a two-parent household yield significantly better outcomes: their children are much more likely to graduate high school, get a college degree, and have high earnings in the job market as adults. By contrast, children who grow up in single-parent households have substantially lower chances of such a life trajectory and are likely to raise their children alone. These empirical regularities have natural public policy implications.

Join University of Maryland Professor Melissa Kearney to discuss her new book and how modern trends in family structure perpetuate inequality and erode social mobility. Geoffrey Wodtke, Associate Director of the Stone Center, moderates the discussion. Steven Durlauf, Director of the Stone Center, Damon Jones, an Associate Director of the Stone Center, and Ariel Kalil, a Stone Center Advisor, offer expert commentary. This event aims to present its audience with evidence of the effects of family structure on childhood outcomes and to explore public policies to strengthen the potential for two-parent households while making the consequences of single-parent households less onerous.

This event was recorded on November 29th, 2023.

LINKS:

Full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvDMUTO7lxE&t=1646s


Harris School YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisPublicPolicy


The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind (University of Chicago Press): https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo205550079.html


]]>c482114d-b56a-46f2-9d51-da40f5c7ab1cMon, 22 Jan 2024 05:30:00 -050001:35:08falsefull112121Conversations on Inequality and Public Policy: Affirmative Action with Glenn Loury (Live Recording)Conversations on Inequality and Public Policy: Affirmative Action with Glenn Loury (Live Recording)The 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC struck down race-based college admissions. It reignited debates about affirmative action as a tool for addressing inequality and historical injustice. In an interview recorded live at the Harris School of Public Policy in November, Stone Center Director Steven Durlauf and Brown University economist Glenn Loury discuss their different perspectives on affirmative action. Ethan Bueno de Mesquita, Interim Dean of the Harris School, moderates the event.

This is the first installment of a series of Conversations on Inequality. These conversations aim to present audiences with arguments on both sides of a complex and nuanced issue with the hope of fostering a citizenry able to evaluate opposing perspectives critically and make informed decisions.

LINKS

Full Video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1dc3D6iwlI&t=187s

Harris School YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisPublicPolicy

]]>The 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC struck down race-based college admissions. It reignited debates about affirmative action as a tool for addressing inequality and historical injustice. In an interview recorded live at the Harris School of Public Policy in November, Stone Center Director Steven Durlauf and Brown University economist Glenn Loury discuss their different perspectives on affirmative action. Ethan Bueno de Mesquita, Interim Dean of the Harris School, moderates the event.

This is the first installment of a series of Conversations on Inequality. These conversations aim to present audiences with arguments on both sides of a complex and nuanced issue with the hope of fostering a citizenry able to evaluate opposing perspectives critically and make informed decisions.

LINKS

Full Video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1dc3D6iwlI&t=187s

Harris School YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisPublicPolicy

]]>edefa2c2-1ee4-40f4-ad71-8702587819cbMon, 18 Dec 2023 05:30:00 -050001:26:11falsefull111111Guido Alfani on the History of the Rich in the WestGuido Alfani on the History of the Rich in the WestSteven talks to Guido Alfani, professor of economic history at Bocconi University, about the history of wealth inequality in western civilization. They discuss how the roles and perceptions of the rich have changed over time, touching on important moments in Western civilization, such as the Renaissance, the Middle Ages, the Industrial Revolution, and the modern era. Dr. Alfani also offers his thoughts on how things like religion, culture, war, disease, and government policies alleviate (or help contribute to) persistent wealth inequality.   The Inequality in Perspective segment explores the lives of Tiberius and Sempronius Gracchus, two brothers who pursued radical reforms to redistribute land and address inequality during the waning years of the Roman Republic. Be sure to check out Dr. Alfani’s new book, As God’s Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West, available now.

TIMELINE:

00-29:50: Interview with Dr. Alfani

29:50-44:49: Inequality in Perspective segment

LINKS:


As Gods Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West, by Guido Alfani (published by Princeton

University Press): https://press.princeton.edu/our-authors/alfani-guido


The Gracchi Attempt Reform (part of a series on The Rise and Fall of Rome):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTwjsIhcQmI


Who Were the Gracchi Brothers of Ancient Rome?: https://www.thoughtco.com/gracchi-brothers-tiberius-gaius-gracchus-112494

]]>Steven talks to Guido Alfani, professor of economic history at Bocconi University, about the history of wealth inequality in western civilization. They discuss how the roles and perceptions of the rich have changed over time, touching on important moments in Western civilization, such as the Renaissance, the Middle Ages, the Industrial Revolution, and the modern era. Dr. Alfani also offers his thoughts on how things like religion, culture, war, disease, and government policies alleviate (or help contribute to) persistent wealth inequality.   The Inequality in Perspective segment explores the lives of Tiberius and Sempronius Gracchus, two brothers who pursued radical reforms to redistribute land and address inequality during the waning years of the Roman Republic. Be sure to check out Dr. Alfani’s new book, As God’s Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West, available now.

TIMELINE:

00-29:50: Interview with Dr. Alfani

29:50-44:49: Inequality in Perspective segment

LINKS:


As Gods Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West, by Guido Alfani (published by Princeton

University Press): https://press.princeton.edu/our-authors/alfani-guido


The Gracchi Attempt Reform (part of a series on The Rise and Fall of Rome):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTwjsIhcQmI


Who Were the Gracchi Brothers of Ancient Rome?: https://www.thoughtco.com/gracchi-brothers-tiberius-gaius-gracchus-112494

]]>997ab150-153b-4e23-96e1-ee00f4853e65Mon, 04 Dec 2023 05:30:00 -050044:50falsefull110101Conrad Miller on Affirmative Action and DiscriminationConrad Miller on Affirmative Action and DiscriminationConrad Miller, Associate Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy at the University of California-Berkley’s Haas School of Business, joins Steven to discuss discrimination and affirmative action. The conversation digs into the methodology and surprising conclusions from four of Dr. Miller’s papers: one that explores federal affirmative action policies in hiring, another that examines how racial composition of a workforce changes absent federal intervention, a third that examines the role of state policy in prolonging gender discrimination in Saudi Arabia, and a fourth that scrutinizes police search data to see whether it is actually possible to strike a balance between effective searches and equitable, nondiscriminatory treatment. These papers collectively illustrate how government policy can be used for good (and bad) in addressing discriminatory hiring practices and beliefs. The Inequality in Perspective segment discusses the legal background and important Supreme Court cases surrounding affirmative action both in employment and higher education.

Outline:

00-28:40 -- Interview

28:41-43:00 -- IIP Segment


Links:


https://www.oyez.org/ (A fantastic database containing summaries and audio from Supreme Court cases going back to 1955)


Teamsters v. United States: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1976/75-636


Connecticut v. Teal: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1981/80-2147


Metro Broadcasting v. Federal Communication Commission: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1989/89-700


Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Peña: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1994/93-1841


Regents of the University of California v. Bakke: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811


Grutter v. Bollinger: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-241


Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/20-1199


Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/21-707

]]>Conrad Miller, Associate Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy at the University of California-Berkley’s Haas School of Business, joins Steven to discuss discrimination and affirmative action. The conversation digs into the methodology and surprising conclusions from four of Dr. Miller’s papers: one that explores federal affirmative action policies in hiring, another that examines how racial composition of a workforce changes absent federal intervention, a third that examines the role of state policy in prolonging gender discrimination in Saudi Arabia, and a fourth that scrutinizes police search data to see whether it is actually possible to strike a balance between effective searches and equitable, nondiscriminatory treatment. These papers collectively illustrate how government policy can be used for good (and bad) in addressing discriminatory hiring practices and beliefs. The Inequality in Perspective segment discusses the legal background and important Supreme Court cases surrounding affirmative action both in employment and higher education.

Outline:

00-28:40 -- Interview

28:41-43:00 -- IIP Segment


Links:


https://www.oyez.org/ (A fantastic database containing summaries and audio from Supreme Court cases going back to 1955)


Teamsters v. United States: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1976/75-636


Connecticut v. Teal: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1981/80-2147


Metro Broadcasting v. Federal Communication Commission: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1989/89-700


Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Peña: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1994/93-1841


Regents of the University of California v. Bakke: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811


Grutter v. Bollinger: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-241


Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/20-1199


Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/21-707

]]>da7da75b-1a29-4ac1-a59c-aa3d996ec48eMon, 13 Nov 2023 05:30:00 -050044:08falsefull1991Xi Song on Intergenerational Mobility at Home and AbroadXi Song on Intergenerational Mobility at Home and AbroadSteven talks to Xi Song, associate professor of Sociology and Demography at the University of Pennsylvania, about trends in intergenerational mobility across time and space. Dr. Song details how intergenerational mobility declined in the United States after World War II but then dives further to explore the diversity of experiences for different groups. She discusses the trends in mobility as broken down by race, immigration status, and gender. Steven and Dr. Song even outline the different ways that mobility can be defined and measured, from occupational mobility to exchange and structural mobility. Dr. Song then details trends in mobility in different countries, particularly in China, as well as the potential advantages of having centuries of genealogical data at your disposal. The Inequality in Perspective segment explores China’s One Child Policy and its possible impacts on intergenerational mobility. Special thanks to Dr. Lixing Li, economics professor at Peking University and affiliate of the Stone Center, for his contributions to the segment.

LINKS:


“The One-Child Policy Amplifies Economic Inequality Across Generations in China” (IZA Institute of Labor Economics): https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/13617/the-one-child-policy-amplifies-economic-inequality-across-generations-in-china#:~:text=13617%3A%20The%20One%2DChild%20Policy,Inequality%20across%20Generations%20in%20China&text=This%20study%20finds%20that%20China's,since%20its%20introduction%20in%201979


“A Grand Socioeconomic Reshuffle: The One-Child Policy and Intergenerational Mobility in China” (NBER): https://conference.nber.org/conf_papers/f176999.pdf


“China’s Aging Population is a Major Threat to its Future” (TIME): https://time.com/5523805/china-aging-population-working-age/

]]>Steven talks to Xi Song, associate professor of Sociology and Demography at the University of Pennsylvania, about trends in intergenerational mobility across time and space. Dr. Song details how intergenerational mobility declined in the United States after World War II but then dives further to explore the diversity of experiences for different groups. She discusses the trends in mobility as broken down by race, immigration status, and gender. Steven and Dr. Song even outline the different ways that mobility can be defined and measured, from occupational mobility to exchange and structural mobility. Dr. Song then details trends in mobility in different countries, particularly in China, as well as the potential advantages of having centuries of genealogical data at your disposal. The Inequality in Perspective segment explores China’s One Child Policy and its possible impacts on intergenerational mobility. Special thanks to Dr. Lixing Li, economics professor at Peking University and affiliate of the Stone Center, for his contributions to the segment.

LINKS:


“The One-Child Policy Amplifies Economic Inequality Across Generations in China” (IZA Institute of Labor Economics): https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/13617/the-one-child-policy-amplifies-economic-inequality-across-generations-in-china#:~:text=13617%3A%20The%20One%2DChild%20Policy,Inequality%20across%20Generations%20in%20China&text=This%20study%20finds%20that%20China's,since%20its%20introduction%20in%201979


“A Grand Socioeconomic Reshuffle: The One-Child Policy and Intergenerational Mobility in China” (NBER): https://conference.nber.org/conf_papers/f176999.pdf


“China’s Aging Population is a Major Threat to its Future” (TIME): https://time.com/5523805/china-aging-population-working-age/

]]>0c2235d4-9ba5-4b2a-b62e-763055ba941fMon, 23 Oct 2023 05:30:00 -050046:04falsefull1881Michael Esposito on Racial Health DisparitiesMichael Esposito on Racial Health DisparitiesSteven and Geoff are joined by Michael Esposito, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, in a discussion about racial health disparities that continue to plague the United States. They explore how things like redlining, law enforcement practices, and unequal access to medical care contribute to racial gaps in both health outcomes and even mortality rates. Dr. Esposito also offers his thoughts on how budget priorities could be adjusted to address a wider definition of “public safety”. The Inequality in Perspective segment takes a deep dive into the history of redlining ad residential segregation in Chicago.

LINKS:


Mapping Inequality (amazing reference for HOLC maps from across the country): https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=12/41.776/-87.652&city=chicago-il&area=D99


Mahalia Jackson’s Person to Person interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDQC2fjD-Hk


“Historic Home Mortgage Redlining in Chicago” (Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society): https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jillistathistsoc.107.2.0204


“Home histories: Mahalia Jackson’s Home” (South Side Weekly): https://southsideweekly.com/rich-history-mahalia-jackson-chatham-home/


Chicago FHA Map (UChicago credentials required): https://luna.lib.uchicago.edu/luna/servlet/detail/UCHICAGO~2~2~590~1240108:Mortgage-risk-classified-by-distric?qvq=q:chicago%20map%20federal;lc:uofclibmgr2~4~4,ARCHIVISION~2~2,UCHICAGO~28~28,uofclibmgr2~5~5,UCHICAGO~5~5,UCHICAGO~2~2,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~5~5,uofclibmgr~21~21,UCHICAGO~12~12,ARCHIVISION~6~6,RUMSEY~8~1,UCHICAGO~19~19,UoEsha~4~4,UCHICAGO~11~11,UCHICAGO~18~18,uofclibmgr2~7~7,RUMSEY~9~1,uofclibmgr2~9~9,uofclibmgr2~3~3,ESTATE~2~1,UCHICAGO~6~6,UCHICAGO~7~7,uofclibmgr2~1~1,UCHICAGO~10~10,BINDINGS~1~1,UCHICAGO~14~14,PRATTPRT~21~21,uofclibmgr2~2~2,UCHICAGO~1~1,PRATTPRT~12~12,ARCHIVISION~4~4,BardBar~1~1,ARCHIVISION~5~5,AMICO~1~1,ChineseArtENG~1~1,HOOVER~1~1,uofclibmgr2~10~10,FOLGERCM1~6~6,UCHICAGO~20~20,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~1~1,uofclibmgr~20~20,UCHICAGO~3~3,ARCHIVISIONBASETO14~1~1,uofclibmgr~16~16,UCHICAGO~15~15,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~4~4,ARCHIVISION~3~3,UCHICAGO~17~17,UCHICAGO~16~16&mi=0&trs=5

]]>Steven and Geoff are joined by Michael Esposito, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, in a discussion about racial health disparities that continue to plague the United States. They explore how things like redlining, law enforcement practices, and unequal access to medical care contribute to racial gaps in both health outcomes and even mortality rates. Dr. Esposito also offers his thoughts on how budget priorities could be adjusted to address a wider definition of “public safety”. The Inequality in Perspective segment takes a deep dive into the history of redlining ad residential segregation in Chicago.

LINKS:


Mapping Inequality (amazing reference for HOLC maps from across the country): https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=12/41.776/-87.652&city=chicago-il&area=D99


Mahalia Jackson’s Person to Person interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDQC2fjD-Hk


“Historic Home Mortgage Redlining in Chicago” (Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society): https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jillistathistsoc.107.2.0204


“Home histories: Mahalia Jackson’s Home” (South Side Weekly): https://southsideweekly.com/rich-history-mahalia-jackson-chatham-home/


Chicago FHA Map (UChicago credentials required): https://luna.lib.uchicago.edu/luna/servlet/detail/UCHICAGO~2~2~590~1240108:Mortgage-risk-classified-by-distric?qvq=q:chicago%20map%20federal;lc:uofclibmgr2~4~4,ARCHIVISION~2~2,UCHICAGO~28~28,uofclibmgr2~5~5,UCHICAGO~5~5,UCHICAGO~2~2,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~5~5,uofclibmgr~21~21,UCHICAGO~12~12,ARCHIVISION~6~6,RUMSEY~8~1,UCHICAGO~19~19,UoEsha~4~4,UCHICAGO~11~11,UCHICAGO~18~18,uofclibmgr2~7~7,RUMSEY~9~1,uofclibmgr2~9~9,uofclibmgr2~3~3,ESTATE~2~1,UCHICAGO~6~6,UCHICAGO~7~7,uofclibmgr2~1~1,UCHICAGO~10~10,BINDINGS~1~1,UCHICAGO~14~14,PRATTPRT~21~21,uofclibmgr2~2~2,UCHICAGO~1~1,PRATTPRT~12~12,ARCHIVISION~4~4,BardBar~1~1,ARCHIVISION~5~5,AMICO~1~1,ChineseArtENG~1~1,HOOVER~1~1,uofclibmgr2~10~10,FOLGERCM1~6~6,UCHICAGO~20~20,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~1~1,uofclibmgr~20~20,UCHICAGO~3~3,ARCHIVISIONBASETO14~1~1,uofclibmgr~16~16,UCHICAGO~15~15,LUNAIMAGINGIIIFSALADTUA~4~4,ARCHIVISION~3~3,UCHICAGO~17~17,UCHICAGO~16~16&mi=0&trs=5

]]>ad051348-89c7-425b-b8ee-fbafb6738f61Mon, 02 Oct 2023 05:30:00 -050045:59falsefull1771Matthew Kahn on Climate Change EconomicsMatthew Kahn on Climate Change EconomicsSteven sits down with Matthew Kahn, Provost Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California, to discuss the interactions between inequality and climate change. Dr. Kahn outlines how changes in the environment are altering people’s lives across the globe, from hurricane-ravaged residents of New Orleans to rice-farmers-turned-shrimp-sellers in Dhaka. The lively discussion even explores the idea of progressives buying oil fields, up-zoning on higher ground, and allowing insurance premium prices to rise in order to reflect risk. The Inequality in Perspective segment explores the divide between the Global North and the Global South and how it complicates climate mitigation.

Links:

International Panel on Climate Change’s 2022 Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_FullReport.pdf


“Renewing Global Climate Change Action for Fragile and Developing Countries” (Brookings Institute): https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/NOV-2022-Signe_Mbaye_FINAL-1.pdf


“It is Unfair to Push Poor Countries to Reach Zero Carbon Emissions too Early” (Brookings Institute): https://www.brookings.edu/articles/it-is-unfair-to-push-poor-countries-to-reach-zero-carbon-emissions-too-early/


The Brandt Line: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/articles/brandt-line-after-forty-years-more-north-south-relations-change-more-they-stay-same


]]>Steven sits down with Matthew Kahn, Provost Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California, to discuss the interactions between inequality and climate change. Dr. Kahn outlines how changes in the environment are altering people’s lives across the globe, from hurricane-ravaged residents of New Orleans to rice-farmers-turned-shrimp-sellers in Dhaka. The lively discussion even explores the idea of progressives buying oil fields, up-zoning on higher ground, and allowing insurance premium prices to rise in order to reflect risk. The Inequality in Perspective segment explores the divide between the Global North and the Global South and how it complicates climate mitigation.

Links:

International Panel on Climate Change’s 2022 Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_FullReport.pdf


“Renewing Global Climate Change Action for Fragile and Developing Countries” (Brookings Institute): https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/NOV-2022-Signe_Mbaye_FINAL-1.pdf


“It is Unfair to Push Poor Countries to Reach Zero Carbon Emissions too Early” (Brookings Institute): https://www.brookings.edu/articles/it-is-unfair-to-push-poor-countries-to-reach-zero-carbon-emissions-too-early/


The Brandt Line: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/articles/brandt-line-after-forty-years-more-north-south-relations-change-more-they-stay-same


]]>22d18787-f26f-4ada-aec2-145a621c38feMon, 11 Sep 2023 05:30:00 -050046:53falsefull1661Nathan Wilmers on the Changing Labor Market LandscapeNathan Wilmers on the Changing Labor Market LandscapeSteven and Geoff talk to Nathan Wilmers, the Sarofim Family Career Development Associate Professor and an Associate Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management, about the role that inequality plays in the ever-evolving labor market. Nathan covers a wide gamut of topics, including the changing trends in wage inequality, declining union participation, the challenges of internal promotion, and the cyclical relationship between unequal income distribution and the luxury goods market. He also offers his thoughts on how these trends might look into the future, as well as what things can be done to ensure a healthy wage growth, especially for those at the bottom of the distribution. Our Inequality in Perspective segment take a deep dive into recent developments in the gig economy from both a personal and academic lens. Special thanks to Dmitri Koustas, Associate Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, for his contributions to the segment.

Links:

The MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/institute-work-and-employment-research/about-iwer


“The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012-2021: Interactive Research Brief (Becker-Friedman Institute): https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/research-summary/interactive-research-brief-the-evolution-of-platform-gig-work-2012-2021/


“The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012-2021: Working Paper (Becker-Friedman Institute): https://bfi.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/BFI_WP_2023-69.pdf


“Taking a Page from Inclusive Capitalism, the US Gig Economy is Here to Stay” (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/nigelwilson/2023/02/08/taking-a-page-from-inclusive-capitalism-the-us-gig-economy-is-here-to-stay/?sh=3dfdbee925f0

]]>Steven and Geoff talk to Nathan Wilmers, the Sarofim Family Career Development Associate Professor and an Associate Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management, about the role that inequality plays in the ever-evolving labor market. Nathan covers a wide gamut of topics, including the changing trends in wage inequality, declining union participation, the challenges of internal promotion, and the cyclical relationship between unequal income distribution and the luxury goods market. He also offers his thoughts on how these trends might look into the future, as well as what things can be done to ensure a healthy wage growth, especially for those at the bottom of the distribution. Our Inequality in Perspective segment take a deep dive into recent developments in the gig economy from both a personal and academic lens. Special thanks to Dmitri Koustas, Associate Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, for his contributions to the segment.

Links:

The MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/institute-work-and-employment-research/about-iwer


“The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012-2021: Interactive Research Brief (Becker-Friedman Institute): https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/research-summary/interactive-research-brief-the-evolution-of-platform-gig-work-2012-2021/


“The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012-2021: Working Paper (Becker-Friedman Institute): https://bfi.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/BFI_WP_2023-69.pdf


“Taking a Page from Inclusive Capitalism, the US Gig Economy is Here to Stay” (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/nigelwilson/2023/02/08/taking-a-page-from-inclusive-capitalism-the-us-gig-economy-is-here-to-stay/?sh=3dfdbee925f0

]]>f39f1fdd-234e-4a60-8d5b-5ac83b212ac9Mon, 21 Aug 2023 05:30:00 -050053:18falsefull1551Shelly Lundberg on the Disparities Women Encounter in the WorkforceShelly Lundberg on the Disparities Women Encounter in the WorkforceWe talk to Shelly Lundberg, the Leonard Broom Professor of Demography and Associate

Director of the Broom Center for Demography at the University of California, Santa

Barbara, about the long-embedded gender gaps in many professional fields, including

her own—economics. She guides us through the role that anti-discrimination

legislation has played in correcting these disparities, and addresses the

flawed ways that economists have traditionally taught and measured them. Our

Inequality in Perspective segment considers the challenges faced by Marthe

Gautier, the female French scientist believed to be the first person to discover

an extra chromosome in those with Down’s Syndrome, in having her contribution

to research duly recognized.

The Broom Center for Demography: https://broomcenter.ucsb.edu/


“After More than 50 Years, a Dispute Over Down Syndrome

Discovery” (Science): https://www.science.org/content/article/after-more-50-years-dispute-over-down-syndrome-discovery


“Down Syndrome Discover Dispute Resurfaces in France” (Nature): https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2014.14690

]]>We talk to Shelly Lundberg, the Leonard Broom Professor of Demography and Associate

Director of the Broom Center for Demography at the University of California, Santa

Barbara, about the long-embedded gender gaps in many professional fields, including

her own—economics. She guides us through the role that anti-discrimination

legislation has played in correcting these disparities, and addresses the

flawed ways that economists have traditionally taught and measured them. Our

Inequality in Perspective segment considers the challenges faced by Marthe

Gautier, the female French scientist believed to be the first person to discover

an extra chromosome in those with Down’s Syndrome, in having her contribution

to research duly recognized.

The Broom Center for Demography: https://broomcenter.ucsb.edu/


“After More than 50 Years, a Dispute Over Down Syndrome

Discovery” (Science): https://www.science.org/content/article/after-more-50-years-dispute-over-down-syndrome-discovery


“Down Syndrome Discover Dispute Resurfaces in France” (Nature): https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2014.14690

]]>da0fb345-d5b2-4614-9ce7-c77c49a7af72Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -050040:19falsefull1441Luis Bettencourt on Cities as Microcosms of Social MobilityLuis Bettencourt on Cities as Microcosms of Social MobilitySteven sits down with Luis Bettencourt to discuss what cities can teach us about inequality. Luis Bettencourt is a Professor of Ecology and Evolution and the Inaugural Director of the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation at the University of Chicago as well as an External Professor of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute. With research interests spanning ecology, sociology, and physics, Luis extends insights from these disciplines to the study of inequality in urban landscapes to understand growth, opportunity, and mobility throughout the cities of the world and their capacity for social progress. Our Inequality in Perspective segment tells the story of a man navigating new trials while living in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

The Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation: https://miurban.uchicago.edu/


The Million Neighborhoods Initiative: https://millionneighborhoods.org/#2/8.84/17.54


INFORMATION ABOUT THE FAVELAS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:


"Brazil’s Favelas Organize to Fight COVID-19" (United Nations): https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/brazil%E2%80%99s-favelas-organize-fight-covid-19


"Brazil’s Favelas Offer Lessons in Building Trust" (The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/09/opinion/brazil-favelas-pandemic-trust.html


"Covid-19 and the Brazilian Reality: The Role of Favelas in Combating the Pandemic" (Frontiers in Sociology): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8022550/

]]>Steven sits down with Luis Bettencourt to discuss what cities can teach us about inequality. Luis Bettencourt is a Professor of Ecology and Evolution and the Inaugural Director of the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation at the University of Chicago as well as an External Professor of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute. With research interests spanning ecology, sociology, and physics, Luis extends insights from these disciplines to the study of inequality in urban landscapes to understand growth, opportunity, and mobility throughout the cities of the world and their capacity for social progress. Our Inequality in Perspective segment tells the story of a man navigating new trials while living in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

The Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation: https://miurban.uchicago.edu/


The Million Neighborhoods Initiative: https://millionneighborhoods.org/#2/8.84/17.54


INFORMATION ABOUT THE FAVELAS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:


"Brazil’s Favelas Organize to Fight COVID-19" (United Nations): https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/brazil%E2%80%99s-favelas-organize-fight-covid-19


"Brazil’s Favelas Offer Lessons in Building Trust" (The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/09/opinion/brazil-favelas-pandemic-trust.html


"Covid-19 and the Brazilian Reality: The Role of Favelas in Combating the Pandemic" (Frontiers in Sociology): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8022550/

]]>ac8a24b6-3b38-473b-82d7-e1cb4ff98debMon, 10 Jul 2023 05:30:00 -050044:08falsefull1331Bonus Episode: Four Questions for Sam BowlesBonus Episode: Four Questions for Sam BowlesIn this bonus episode, Sam Bowles dives deep into the ancient origins of inequality, Marxian economic theory, the evolution of the economics curriculum, and The Moral Economy.

Link to our first episode with Sam Bowles: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-episode-four-questions-for-sam-bowles/id1693218758?i=1000617556338

The CORE Curriculum Website: https://www.core-econ.org/


The Moral Economy by Sam Bowles: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300230512/the-moral-economy/



In recognition of Juneteenth, we invite you to learn more about this important holiday.


From the HISTORY Channel: https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth


From the New York Times: https://archive.ph/ujbjS

]]>In this bonus episode, Sam Bowles dives deep into the ancient origins of inequality, Marxian economic theory, the evolution of the economics curriculum, and The Moral Economy.

Link to our first episode with Sam Bowles: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-episode-four-questions-for-sam-bowles/id1693218758?i=1000617556338

The CORE Curriculum Website: https://www.core-econ.org/


The Moral Economy by Sam Bowles: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300230512/the-moral-economy/



In recognition of Juneteenth, we invite you to learn more about this important holiday.


From the HISTORY Channel: https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth


From the New York Times: https://archive.ph/ujbjS

]]>a9a6ab39-d23e-4c8b-a15b-a5897591e0e0Mon, 19 Jun 2023 05:30:00 -050033:51falsefull1221Sam Bowles on What Economists Owe to SocietySam Bowles on What Economists Owe to SocietyIn our first episode of The Inequality Podcast, we talk to legendary economist Sam Bowles, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Arthur Spiegel Research Professor at the Sante Fe Institute, and Affiliated Scholar at the University of Siena in Italy. Steven and Sam cover a scholarly gamut, including Sam’s intellectual upbringing, his transformative encounter with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his thoughts on equality of voice in capitalist structures, and the ethical courage of pursuing questions rather than answers. For our Inequality in Perspective segment, we look at Pullman, the ill-fated company town located on Chicago’s far south side.

Sam Bowles book, "Democracy and Capitalism": https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/samuel-bowles/democracy-and-capitalism/9780465016013/?lens=basic-books

LINKS TO INFORMATION ABOUT PULLMAN

Dr. Ely’s Article for Harper’s Monthly: https://archive.org/details/8502ElyPullmanasocialstudy/page/n5/mode/2up

Pullman National Historical website: https://www.nps.gov/pull/index.htm

Smithsonian Magazine Article about George Pullman: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/rise-fall-sleeping-car-king-180971240/

In recognition of Juneteenth, we invite you to learn more about this important holiday.

From the HISTORY Channel: https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth

From the New York Times: https://archive.ph/ujbjS

]]>In our first episode of The Inequality Podcast, we talk to legendary economist Sam Bowles, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Arthur Spiegel Research Professor at the Sante Fe Institute, and Affiliated Scholar at the University of Siena in Italy. Steven and Sam cover a scholarly gamut, including Sam’s intellectual upbringing, his transformative encounter with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his thoughts on equality of voice in capitalist structures, and the ethical courage of pursuing questions rather than answers. For our Inequality in Perspective segment, we look at Pullman, the ill-fated company town located on Chicago’s far south side.

Sam Bowles book, "Democracy and Capitalism": https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/samuel-bowles/democracy-and-capitalism/9780465016013/?lens=basic-books

LINKS TO INFORMATION ABOUT PULLMAN

Dr. Ely’s Article for Harper’s Monthly: https://archive.org/details/8502ElyPullmanasocialstudy/page/n5/mode/2up

Pullman National Historical website: https://www.nps.gov/pull/index.htm

Smithsonian Magazine Article about George Pullman: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/rise-fall-sleeping-car-king-180971240/

In recognition of Juneteenth, we invite you to learn more about this important holiday.

From the HISTORY Channel: https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth

From the New York Times: https://archive.ph/ujbjS

]]>d0c57831-530e-4a53-a7c5-998c24336a2eMon, 19 Jun 2023 05:30:00 -050051:58falsefull1111