Creating Equality of Opportunity in America: New Insights from Big Data

April 20, 2024

8pm

Raj Chetty

 

Children’s chances of earning more than their parents have fallen from 90% to 50% over the past half century in America. In his work with colleagues at Harvard, Professor Chetty asks how we can restore the American Dream of upward mobility for our children? He will discuss how and why children’s chances of climbing the income ladder vary across neighborhoods, the persistence of racial disparities in economic mobility, and the role of social capital in promoting upward mobility.  The talk will conclude by discussing how these research findings can be used to change policies in domains ranging from affordable housing to higher education to improve economic opportunities for all.

 

Raj Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University, Director of the nonprofit Opportunity Insights, recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard history.