Changing Opportunity: Sociological Foundations of Economic Mobility

Recent research has shown how children's chances of achieving the "American Dream" of upward income mobility vary sharply by race, class, and geography. Raj Chetty, the William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University, will discuss how the contours of economic opportunity in America have changed in recent decades. Data on 57 million children reveal sharp changes in economic mobility by race and class in the past twenty years. These rapid trends provide a new lens to study the determinants of economic opportunity, one that points to sociological mechanisms as key drivers of changes in economic outcomes. His talk will conclude by discussing the implications of this new evidence for programs and policies to expand economic opportunity for all, from changes in local neighborhoods and college campuses to federal policy reforms.

Raj Chetty will be in conversation with David B. Grusky, Edward Ames Edmonds Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Professor of Sociology, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Faculty Fellow at the Center for Population Health Sciences, Faculty Director of the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, coeditor of Pathways Magazine, and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

This event is co-sponsored by the McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the Stanford Department of Economics. 

Please note that this event is in-person only, and RSVPs are requested to attend. Walk-ins are welcome. A short reception will follow the event. 

Speaker Bios:

Raj Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University. He is also the Director of Opportunity Insights, which uses “big data” to understand how we can give children from disadvantaged backgrounds better chances of succeeding. Chetty's research combines empirical evidence and economic theory to help design more effective government policies. His work on topics ranging from tax policy and unemployment insurance to education and affordable housing has been widely cited in academia, media outlets, and Congressional testimony. Chetty received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2003 and is one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard's history. Before joining the faculty at Harvard, he was a professor at UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Chetty has received numerous awards for his research, including a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and the John Bates Clark medal, given to the economist under 40 whose work is judged to have made the most significant contribution to the field

David B. Grusky is Edward Ames Edmonds Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Professor of Sociology, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Faculty Fellow at the Center for Population Health Sciences, Faculty Director of the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, coeditor of Pathways Magazine, and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research addresses recent trends in social mobility, the sources of gender inequality, the role of rent, money, and social closure in reducing opportunity, new ways to improve the country’s infrastructure for monitoring labor market outcomes, and new policies for reducing poverty and increasing mobility.

This event will be recorded, and a photographer present to document the event. The video recording will be available shortly after the event. By RSVPing, you consent for your image to be used for Center-related promotions and platforms. If you have any questions, please contact ethics-center [at] stanford.edu (ethics-center[at]stanford[dot]edu). 

If you require disability-related accommodation, please contact disability.access [at] stanford.edu (disability[dot]access[at]stanford[dot]edu) as soon as possible or at least 7 business days in advance of the event.

Learn more about the McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society.