Inequality in the 21st Century

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 play, 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. Readers will encounter pieces from top scholars in a variety of fields, including Emmanuel Saez (Economist, UC Berkeley), Kathryn Edin (Sociologist, Johns Hopkins), Raj Chetty (Economist, Harvard), Florencia Torche (Sociologist, NYU), and Lucien Bebchuk (Law, Harvard).

The readings spanning these fields are expertly excerpted to get readers quickly and immediately to the heart of the scholarship. In each area, Grusky and Hill also provide a concise introduction to the key questions, allowing readers to quickly understand the main forces at work, the debates still in play, and what’s still unknown. The resulting collection is 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.