Research and Data Priorities for Improving Economic and Social Mobility: Proceedings Of A Workshop

By: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education and Committee on National Statistics and Committee on Population

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Synopsis: Inequalities in income, wealth, health, and life expectancy have been increasing over the past several decades in the United States. Since around 1980, fewer Americans than before are doing better than their parents did - that is, more are experiencing downward socioeconomic mobility in terms of occupational status and income. A number of efforts are currently underway to develop evidence-based strategies for increasing inter- and intragenerational mobility and improving economic and social well-being in the United States. These efforts require an improved understanding of the factors that influence social and economic mobility, the mechanisms through which these factors operate, and how these relationships and mechanisms vary across and within different population subgroups. To this end, the Committee on Population and the Committee on National Statistics at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual workshop on February 14-15, 2022. The purpose of the workshop was to identify key research and data needs and priorities for future work on social and economic mobility. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.