Inequality in the 21st Century: A Reader

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Why are so many types of inequality suddenly increasing? Should we be worried that we're moving into a "second gilded age" with unprecedented levels of income inequality? In this new collection, David B. Grusky and Jasmine Hill present readings that lay bare the main changes in the social and economic landscape, what's driving these changes, and what might be done to reverse them. This reader delivers the latest and most influential contributions on economic inequality, social mobility, educational inequality, racial and ethnic relations, and gender inequality. The contributions span many fields and are authored by such top scholars as Emmanuel Saez (economist, UC Berkeley), Kathryn Edin (sociologist, Johns Hopkins), Raj Chetty (economist, Stanford), Florencia Torche (sociologist, NYU), Thomas Piety (economist, EHESS), and Lucien Bebchuk (law, Harvard). The readings are thematically organized, and each section begins with an introduction from Grusky and Hill that place the selections within a broader context. The pieces are expertly excerpted, allowing readers to quickly understand the main forces at work, the debates still in play, and what's still unknown. The resulting collection is a pitch-perfect introduction for undergraduates or anyone interested in learning why we're entering a new era of inequality and what can be done to change the tide. -- provided by publisher.