Drèze lecture by Raj Chetty
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The presentation and video are now available.
As part of CORE's 60th anniversary celebrations, we are delighted to welcome Prof. Raj Chetty to give this year's Drèze lecture.
The lecture will take place on June 12, 20026 (from 2pm till 4pm) at Aula Magna - Louvain-la-Neuve*.
To register, please fill in this form: Drèze lecture by Raj Chetty – Remplir le formulaire
Prof. Raj Chetty will present on:
The Social Origins of Economic Opportunity: Theory and Evidence
Children from low-income families often have poor economic opportunities -- a fact that underlies many social and political challenges today. Canonical economic theories of income dynamics emphasize liquidity constraints in investing in human capital as the key factor that hinders upward income mobility across generations. This talk will first present a summary of recent empirical evidence showing that social connections shape both individuals’ long-term outcomes and the peer groups people join (such as neighborhoods or schools), thereby influencing the formation of social capital itself. It will then present a new equilibrium theory of income dynamics across generations in which social capital influences both the choice of peer groups and individuals' outcomes. The model explains several features of aggregate trends in economic inequality and mobility that are challenging to explain with existing theories. The talk will conclude by characterizing the impacts of policy interventions to promote economic mobility. The model predicts that redistributive financial transfers and loans for human capital investment have little impact on economic mobility in equilibrium. Policies that promote social integration (e.g., social support for moving to mixed-income neighborhoods) and place-based investments that increase employment among adults in low-income neighborhoods (e.g., targeted job training programs) have greater promise for expanding economic opportunity.
More info about Prof.Raj Chetty:
Raj Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Economics at Harvard University and the Director of Opportunity Insights, which uses big data to study the science of economic opportunity: how we can give children from all backgrounds better chances of succeeding? Chetty’s work has been widely cited in academia, media outlets, and policy discussions in the United States and beyond.
*As places are limited, only registered participants will be admitted. If the maximum number of participants is exceeded, you will receive an email confirming that you have been placed on the waiting list.