Poverty and social policy

Showing 241 - 270 of 305 results

News

U-M's Ford School to expand social policy, equity work, thanks to Kohn Charitable Trust

Apr 9, 2021

A set of gifts totaling $17 million from the Kohn Charitable Trust will establish a resource hub at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy to catalyze interdisciplinary research on policy that promotes social equity and...

In the Media

Cooney and Shaefer: Pandemic shows government matters

Apr 4, 2021 Bridge Michigan

Patrick Cooney and Luke Shaefer write an opinion for Bridge Michigan. "While a lot of people are hurting right now, we have also found the data tell a pretty simple story: when government acts to buffer families by stabilizing their finances,...

News

NYT cites Shaefer’s poverty research as laying the groundwork for the American Rescue Plan

Mar 25, 2021 The New York Times

A recent New York Times article cites Luke Shaefer and Kathryn Edin’s 2015 award-winning book, $2.00 a Day as a marker that led to the passage of important elements of the $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” which includes temporary measures to...

In the Media

Harris discusses financial inclusion and earned wage access

Mar 22, 2021 Future of Pay Podcast

Adrienne Harris sits down with the Future of Pay podcast to discuss ways to increase financial inclusion, earned wage access, and the fixed pay cycle. "The fact that people get paid every two weeks or every month is really born of an arcane system...

In the Media

Stevenson: Pandemic raises questions about inequality

Mar 21, 2021 Bloomberg News

“We’re going to get some gains coming out of this pandemic, but we want to make sure that those gains are more evenly shared, and that we’re supporting workers at the bottom and not just workers at the top," said Betsey Stevenson, also noting the...

News

Erb-Downward Q&A: What the American Rescue Plan means for children experiencing homelessness

Mar 15, 2021 University of Michigan Poverty Solutions

The American Rescue Plan Act, the latest $1.9 trillion pandemic stimulus plan, includes $800 million to support children and youth experiencing homelessness. Jennifer Erb-Downward, a senior research associate at the University of Michigan’s...

Publication

Policy memo: Pilkauskas and Michelmore on "The anti-poverty policy of the American Rescue Plan that no one is really talking about"

Mar 15, 2021

As the Biden administration embarks on its first hundred days, experts from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy have produced a series of policy briefs on key issues. Download the PDF of this brief or read the web-formatted version...

Natasha Pilkauskas and Katherine Michelmore

In the Media

Shaefer: Child benefit in stimulus is transformational, aligns with industrialized countries

Mar 10, 2021 PRI's The World

“There are a lot of countries that [provide a monthly child tax benefit] already; some for decades: Canada, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Australia. These countries have decided, 'hey, raising kids is expensive, and the government has a reason...

News

Cavaillé's fairness model aims to boost understanding of politics of income redistribution

Mar 8, 2021

How popular is Robin Hood, anyway? With rising global income inequality, Charlotte Cavaillé asks why society isn’t doing more to redistribute income. Cavaillé, assistant professor of public policy at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of...

Alumni spotlight

Interview with MPP, STPP alum Melvin Washington II

Mar 4, 2021

Melvin Washington is an alumnus of the Ford School’s Master of Public Policy Program and the Science, Technology, & Public Policy Graduate Certificate Program. In his role as a Program Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice, he puts this passion...

News

Ford School expert tells lawmakers: Equity needs to go hand-in-hand with innovation in energy, climate

Mar 3, 2021

Pursuing energy and climate innovations grows ever more critical, but must include the involvement and participation of marginalized, vulnerable communities from the beginning. That's the message Ford School professor and director of the Science,...

Professor Shobita Parthasarathy leads a discussion in the Betty Ford Classroom

News

Addressing structural inequity during Black History Month at the Ford School

Mar 1, 2021

The Ford School marked Black History Month by lifting up Black voices with a series of discussions about identifying inequities in society and seeking policy solutions to address them. Research centers, student groups, faculty, staff, and alumni all...

News

Stevenson tapped for analysis on deficit spending, disparate effect of the “shecession” and the divorce rate

Feb 28, 2021

The Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion relief package raises many questions. CNN quoted Stevenson supporting the package's temporary provisions lifting low-income families which are "really the foundation of setting up a fairer society." She...

News

Parthasarathy testifies about equity in innovation before key Congressional subcommittee

Feb 25, 2021

On February 25, Shobita Parthasarathy testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies. The hearing included four invited experts to speak about energy and climate innovation issues....

Screen cap of Shobita Parthasarathy testimony

Publication

Dynarski’s research shows default options key to student loan repayment

Feb 13, 2021

Susan Dynarski’s recent research, “Designed to fail: Effects of the default option and information complexity on student loan repayment,” shows the powerful effects of default options and how making an income driven repayment (IDR) plan the default...

News

U-M research on material hardship in 2020 offers guidance for next economic relief package

Feb 9, 2021 Michigan News

Material hardship in the United States rose significantly in the final months of 2020 and was particularly high for households with children, according to new research from Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. The rise in hardship...

In the Media

Biden plan to address child poverty could be transformative, says Shaefer

Feb 3, 2021 New York Times

“To me, it’s the most transformational thing that’s under discussion, and nobody’s talking about it,” said Luke Shaefer. Read the full article in the New York Times...

News

Stevenson says Biden administration needs to focus on those worst affected by COVID recession

Jan 30, 2021

Ford School economics professor Betsey Stevenson says that rebuilding the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 recession will be painful, as massive changes in how business is done take effect. While that happens, she told ABC Australia's The Money...

News

Parthasarathy on the dangers of facial recognition technology in schools

Jan 29, 2021 Los Angeles Times

As facial recognition technology has become more commonplace in law enforcement, some schools have considered implementing facial recognition technology on their respective campuses. However, after public backlash over privacy concerns, many...

News

Robert Hampshire joins Biden administration to work in transportation research and technology

Jan 21, 2021

Robert Hampshire, associate professor at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, whose research and policy engagement focuses on understanding the societal, climate and equity implications of autonomous and connected...

Publication

Policy memo: Shaefer and Cooney on "Expanding the Child Tax Credit in the age of COVID-19"

Jan 21, 2021

As the Biden administration embarks on its first hundred days, experts from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy have produced a series of policy briefs on key issues. Download a PDF of this brief or read the web-formatted version...

In the Media

Parthasarathy comments on Biden's science strategy

Jan 21, 2021 Axios

Emphasizing a need to pay attention to marginalized communities, Shobita Parthasarathy says "Giving people more involvement in decision-making about what research is prioritized and how it is carried out could help "align government's values with...

News

Ford School experts address Biden priorities in new policy memos

Jan 19, 2021

As the Biden administration embarks on its first hundred days, experts from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy have produced a series of policy briefs in their areas of expertise. All of the prepared briefs can be downloaded...

Issue memos for an incoming administration graphic

In the Media

Parthasarathy lauds Biden's choice for science and society advisor

Jan 18, 2021 Science Mag

"What an incredibly important and forward-thinking move to include social perspectives on science and tech policy in the office," said Shobita Parthasarathy about Alondra Nelson, the new deputy director for science and society in the White House...

News

Ford School for Public Policy, UMMA, and the Democracy & Debate Theme Semester welcome Mitch Landrieu in conversation on the role and power of public monuments in MLK Day panel

Jan 13, 2021

The debate over the removal of Jim Crow-era statues of Confederate leaders in cities across the country, including two in the U.S. Capitol building itself, and the 2018 opening of the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in...

News

Davenport addresses injustice in new podcast series

Dec 18, 2020

What do Kant, Hobbes and Ice Cube have in common? And what can they tell us about racial injustice in America? The answers can be found in a new podcast series featuring Christian Davenport, Ford School professor of public policy by courtesy. In A...

In the Media

A looming crisis as Covid-19 relief, protections set to expire, says Seefeldt

Dec 16, 2020 Detroit Free Press

“I think there is a looming crisis … people are going to have to make choices about what they pay,” said Kristin Seefeldt. “They're already making choices about what bills to pay. It becomes this heat or eat choice that is really devastating for...

State & Hill

Equal opportunity, equal talent

Dec 9, 2020

Two new professorships will address structural inequality and social policy By Rebecca Cohen (MPP ‘09) "Talent is distributed evenly throughout our society, but opportunity most certainly is not." Harold and Carol Kohn heard...

L-R: Arlene Kohn, Karl Kohn, Martha Kohn

In the Media

Federal government should build on CARES Act success to support families, says Shaefer

Nov 30, 2020 FOX 17 West Michigan

“The things that we did in the CARES Act in May, they really worked to a greater degree than I think a lot of people have appreciated,” Shaefer said. “So we can build on that and do more. I’d like us to do more for families with kids.” Read the...

In the Media

Danziger joins 127 economists calling for continued COVID-19 stimulus

Nov 25, 2020 WBCK

In an open letter, Danziger joined 127 other economists calling for additional COVID-19 stimulus, stating, "While the economy continues on the path to recovery, it’s critical that we quickly implement a robust stimulus to help promote a sustained...