Polarization and the Changing American Economy
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley discusses changes in American society since World War Two. He contends that, while the United States provided a reasonable degree of economic equality and opportunity in the 1950's and 1960's, i...
Race, Ethnicity and Family: Economics of the African-American Family
Poverty has long been a fact of life in many African-American communities. In part this has been due to discrimination but, more recently, broad-based structural changes in the American economy have also played a part. The financial challenge fac...
Race and the Accumulation of Wealth
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley notes that the typical Black family in America today has about one-eighth the net worth of the typical White family. He observes that, despite the Civil Rights gains of the 1960's, the gap betwe...
Race-Class Debate, The
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley discusses the "race-class debate," which focuses on whether racial background or class and economic standing is more important in predicting opportunity in the United States.
Class-Based Affirmative Action:
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley talks about class-based affirmative action as an alternative to the much more common, but increasingly unpopular race-based affirmative action.
Civil Rights Legislation and Equal Opportunity
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley talks about Civil Rights legislation and equal opportunity in the United States. Professor Conley states that while Civil Rights legislation of the 1960's "opened the game up" and allowed Black ...
Sociology and Public Policy
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley talks about the wealth gap between low asset families and those with financial resources, and discusses various public policy strategies that might narrow that gap.
Decline of Unions
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley talks about the decline of unions in the latter half of the 20th century. He says that today, only one American worker in ten is a member of a union. Professor Conley discusses various possible ...
Social Class and Social Mobility
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley talks about what he says is the myth that the United States is the land of opportunity and social fluidity. According to Professor Conley, although most Americans believe the United States to be...
Social Class in America
Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dalton Conley observes that sociologists have traditionally viewed social class in America as being a function of three elements: education, occupation and income. Professor Conley argues that there's actuall...