Economist Kevin Corinth will consider the common belief that younger Americans are worse off economically than predecessor generations in his talk on Monday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. in Statler Hall, room 198. “Living Standards Across Generations: Are Younger Americans Falling Behind?” is sponsored by the Program on Freedom and Free Societies (F&FS) and is free and open to the general public. It will also be livestreamed; register to participate online.
“This is a question receiving considerable public attention, generating anxiety and influencing the choices students make about their futures,” said Michael Fontaine, professor of classics in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of F&FS. “Drawing on his research on economic mobility and living standards, Kevin Corinth will examine the evidence and contribute to a careful, evidence-based discussion. We encourage students, faculty, and the broader community to take part in this timely and important conversation.” Fontaine will introduce Corinth and moderate the following Q&A.
In his talk, Corinth will argue that the truth about living standards is nuanced: there is no across-the-board generational decline, but there are real affordability problems – and getting that distinction right matters for both policy and public perceptions. He will also argue that a clearer reading of the evidence should justify a more optimistic view of younger Americans’ economic future than today’s dominant narrative suggests.
A senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Corinth holds the Daniel C. Searle Chair and is deputy director of the Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility. His research includes economic mobility, poverty, safety net programs, homelessness and social capital. He has a Ph.D. and an M.A. in economics from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in economics and political science from Boston College.
Before joining AEI, Corinth served as the staff director of the Joint Economic Committee in Congress and chief economist in the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, where he previously served as chief economist for domestic policy and senior economist for poverty and social issues. He has also worked as executive director of the Comprehensive Income Dataset Project at the University Chicago.
Corinth has testified before Congress and has been widely published in the popular press, including in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and the New York Times. He has published academic articles in scholarly journals such as the Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Urban Economics and the Journal of Economic Perspectives.
“Are Younger Americans Falling Behind?” is being presented thanks to the generous support of Michael J. Millette ’87 and the Millette family as well as that of the Triad Foundation and other donors. This event is held in partnership with the AEI Academic Program's Collegiate Network.
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