CSI : Conceptual Challenges in Poverty and Inequality

This symposium convenes economists, philosophers, and sociologists to take stock of current analytic understandings of poverty and inequality. For the most part, contemporary research on inequality relies on the conceptual advances of several decades ago, even as the basic structure of inequality appears to be changing in fundamental ways.

This conceptual inertia can be seen, for example, in the reliance on conventional poverty indices, in the application of Rawlsian and Nozickian frameworks in analyzing rights-based approaches to poverty reduction, and in the modelling of social mobility in the sociology literature. While important work continues within these traditions, the structure of poverty and inequality may well be changing in ways that require fresh conceptual approaches.

By assembling the leading economists, philosophers, and sociologists in the field, CSI (in collaboration with the Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative) intends to open a discussion that identifies the major conceptual problems in the field and possibly leads to new conceptions, models, or theories of poverty and inequality.

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Organizers: Kaushik Basu, Carl Marks Professor of International Studies, Professor, Department of Economics; Gary Fields, Chair, Department of International and Comparative Labor, Professor, Labor Economics, School of Industrial and Labor Relations; David B. Grusky, Director, Center for the Study of Inequality, Professor, Department of Sociology; Ravi Kanbur, Director, Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative, T.H. Lee Professor of World Affairs, Professor, Department of Economics; Richard Miller, Professor, Department of Philosophy
Sponsors: Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative; Center for the Study of Inequality
Funding: Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative; Center for the Study of Inequality


Conceptual Challenges in Poverty and Inequality April 16-17, 2002 Room 401, Warren Hall Schedule [PDF]		This symposium convenes economists, philosophers, and sociologists to take stock of current analytic understandings of poverty and inequality. For the most part, contemporary research on inequality relies on the conceptual advances of several decades ago, even as the basic structure of inequality appears to be changing in fundamental ways. This conceptual inertia can be seen, for example, in the reliance on conventional poverty indices, in the application of Rawlsian and Nozickian frameworks in analyzing rights-based approaches to poverty reduction, and in the modelling of social mobility in the sociology literature. While important work continues within these traditions, the structure of poverty and inequality may well be changing in ways that require fresh conceptual approaches. By assembling the leading economists, philosophers, and sociologists in the field, CSI (in collaboration with the Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative) intends to open a discussion that identifies the major conceptual problems in the field and possibly leads to new conceptions, models, or theories of poverty and inequality. --- Participants 1. Francois Bourguignon, World Bank 2. Douglas S. Massey, University of Pennsylvania 3. Martha Nussbaum, University of Chicago 4. Amartya K. Sen, Master, Trinity College 5. William Wilson, Harvard University Organizers: Kaushik Basu, Carl Marks Professor of International Studies, Professor, Department of Economics; Gary Fields, Chair, Department of International and Comparative Labor, Professor, Labor Economics, School of Industrial and Labor Relations; David B. Grusky, Director, Center for the Study of Inequality, Professor, Department of Sociology; Ravi Kanbur, Director, Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative, T.H. Lee Professor of World Affairs, Professor, Department of Economics; Richard Miller, Professor, Department of Philosophy Sponsors: Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative; Center for the Study of Inequality Funding: Poverty, Inequality, and Development Initiative; Center for the Study of Inequality