The Minority Report
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THE MINORITY REPORT The annual news of the AEA’s Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession, The the National Economic Association, and the American Society of Hispanic Economists the Issue 7, Winter 2015 Rising Inequality, Falling Support for Redistribution among Blacks and the Elderly By Ilyana Kuziemko, Princeton University, and Ebonya Washington, Yale University Since the 1970s, income inequality has been on the rise redistribution over time. Our focal question—drawn from in the United States. The standard political economy the General Social Survey (GSS)—states, “Some people model predicts that the rise in income inequality should think that the government in Washington ought to reduce be accompanied by increasing support for income the income differences between the rich and the poor, redistribution, as the median voter stands to gain perhaps by raising the taxes of wealthy families or by increasingly more from redistributive policies. Yet, while giving income assistance to the poor. Others think that the share of income accruing to the top one percent the government should not concern itself with reducing more than doubled between 1978 and 20071, over this this income difference between the rich and the poor. same time frame demand for income redistribution Here is a card with a scale from 1 to 7. by others. Beyond the US in other Organisation for Think of a score of Economicremained flatCo-operation by some measures and Development and even (OECD)decreased 1 as meaning that countries that have seen rising income inequality, the government citizens have generally not exhibited greater demand for ought to reduce the redistribution (Kenworthy and McCall 2008). income differences between rich and Explaining the fall in redistributive support during poor, and a score of this time of rising income inequality has inspired a 7 meaning that the government should not concern itself large literature. In this report2 we offer new “clues” to with reducing income differences. What score between 1 and 7 comes closest to the way you feel?’’ We subtract this by demographic group in the trend in support for variable from 8 so that it is increasing in support for the puzzle by documenting significant heterogeneity Continued on page 4 CONTENTS C Rising Inequality, Falling support PROFILES IN ECONOMICS ACS Gini Index of Income for Redistribution among Blacks Inequality: Evidence from Sandy Darity: Changing and the Elderly .......................1 Washington, D.C. ...................18 Conceptions of Poverty..........12 On the Consequences of Announcement ......................21 Increased Immigration Mark Hugo Lopez: Using Data to Economic Jobs Beyond Enforcement ...........................6 Tell the Story .........................14 Academia ..............................22 Samuel L. Meyers, Jr.: A Caroline Hoxby: A Comparative Selected Conference Trailblazer in His Own Way ......8 Advantage .............................16 Sessions ................................25 American Society of Hispanic Economists ASHE, established in 2002, is one American The Minority AS Society of Allied Social Science Association. Advancing Minority Representation in Economics Hispanic Itof isthe a professionalaffiliated members association of the of Economists economists who are concerned HE with the under-representation of R eport Hispanic Americans in the economics profession at a time when Hispanics represent 16 percent of the U.S. population. Its primary goals include: Welcome to the latest issue of The Minority Report, 1. Promoting the vitality of Hispanics in the economics a joint publication of the American Economic profession through education, service, and excellence; Association’s Committee on the Status of Minority 2. Promoting rigorous research on economic and policy Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP), the issues affecting U.S. Hispanic communities and that American Society of Hispanic Economists (ASHE), and nation as a whole; and the National Economic Association (NEA). This Report 3. Engaging more Hispanic Americans to effectively showcases the people, programs, research, and other participate in the economics profession. activities of the three groups, which work together to www.asheweb.net increase the representation and presence of minorities [email protected] in the economics profession. ASHE Officers - 2014 AEA`s Committee on the Status of Minority Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes (President), San Diego State University Groups in the Economics Profession Alberto Davila (President-elect) University of Texas - Pan American CSMGEP was established by the American Economic (Past President), University of North Texas Association (AEA) over 40 years ago to increase the David J. Molina (Treasurer), Eastern New Mexico University representation of minorities in the economics profession, Sue K. Stockly primarily by broadening opportunities for the training of underrepresented minorities. National Economic Association It has been operating under its current name since 1974, when it became a full, free- The NEA was founded in standing AEA Committee. CSMGEP, which is 1969 as the Caucus of Black comprised of economists from all areas of the Economists to promote profession, also works to ensure that issues related to the the professional lives of representation of minorities are considered in the work of minorities within the the AEA , makes an annual report to the AEA on the activities profession. Through its of the Committee as well as on the status of minorities in journal, The Review of Black Political Economy, and its annual the economics profession, and engages in other efforts to meeting/sessions, the organization produces and distributes promote the advancement of minorities in the economics knowledge of economic issues that are of exceptional interest profession. to native and immigrant African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color. www.aeaweb.org/committees/CSMGEP [email protected] www.neaecon.org CSMGEP Members - 2014 NEA Officers - 2014 Trevon Logan (President), The Ohio State University Cecilia Rouse (Co-Chair), Princeton University Lisa Cook (President-elect), Michigan State University Gary Hoover (Co-Chair), University of Alabama Warren Whatley (Immediate Past President), University of Francisca Antman, University of Colorado at Boulder Michigan C. Kirabo Jackson, Northwestern University Romie Tribble, Jr. (Secretary), Spelman College Rucker Johnson, University of California, Berkeley Hazel Robinson (Treasurer), Howard University Trevon Logan, The Ohio State University Fernando Lozano, Pomona College Lisa Saunders, University of Massachusetts, Amherst The Minority Report Newsletter Senior Co-Editors: Cecilia Rouse and Gary Hoover Gustavo Suarez, Federal Reserve Board Design/Editing: Dawn’s Desktop Ebonya Washington, Yale University Questions about The Minority Report may be addressed to Cecilia Rouse, [email protected] 2 The Minority Report CSMGEP Pipeline Programs CSMGEP currently sponsors training and mentorship programs for students at different stages of their education as well as “newly minted” PhDs. The Summer Training Program AEA Economics Mentoring Program Summer Economics Fellows Program In 1974, the American Economic In the mid-1990s, CSMGEP created Sponsored by the American Association established the AEA the AEA Mentoring Program Economic Association and the Summer Training Program to (formerly known as the Pipeline National Science Foundation, prepare talented undergraduates Program) for under-represented the Summer Economics Fellows for doctoral programs in economics minority students in Ph.D. programs Program is designed to increase and related disciplines, by in economics. Since then the the participation and advancement offering a unique opportunity for Program has expanded to include of women and underrepresented students to gain technical skills in new doctorates. In the program, minorities in economics. Fellows economics and conduct independent students are matched with a mentor spend a summer in residence at a research. The Program provides who sees the student through the sponsoring research organization courses in economic theory, critical junctures of their graduate or public agency, such as the Urban mathematics, and econometrics program or the early stages of their Institute or a Federal Reserve Bank. as well as research seminars post-graduate career. The goal is to Summer economics fellowships are intended to acquaint students help students successfully complete available to senior graduate students with key economic concepts and their doctorate and secure academic and junior faculty. Applications issues. This Program is open to and professional jobs in economics. are due by February 15. For more The AEA Mentoring Program also information, go to http://www. of race, ethnicity, or gender. The hosts an annual Summer Pipeline aeaweb.org/committees/CSMGEP/ Minorityall qualified Fellowships students, areregardless open to Conference to which all participants pipeline/summerfellows/ and their mentors are invited. The For more information, please residents, with preference for those conference, which is held each contact Dan Newlon, Coordinator whoqualified are members U.S. citizens of historically and permanent year at the site of the AEA Summer AEA Summer Economics Fellows disadvantaged racial or ethnic Training Program, brings together Program at dan.newlon@aeapubs. minority groups and advance undergraduate students, graduate org. the diversity of the Economics students,