Description
Book SynopsisA collection of essays providing evidence that the connection between intelligence and inequality is weak and demonstrates that targeted educational and economic reforms can reduce the income gap and improve the country's aggregate productivity and economic well-being.
Trade Review"A distinguished group of editors has compiled this collection of 12 papers by some of the most notable scholars in the field... This book raises important issues about economic inequality, returns to human capital investment, and the role of government."--Choice "This is an enlightening and provocative book of essays that should be examined by anyone with an interest in current hypotheses and evidence on the determinants of inequality in America."--George Farkas, Contemporary Sociology "A useful collection of empirical studies, models, and discussion that, taken together, make a case for a sharp change in American policy towards more aggressive efforts to reduce inequality... The breadth and depth of these essays and the strong presentations of evidence and argument make them of interest even to those least supportive of the views advanced here."--John D. Owen, Economics of Education Review "With technical papers from a range of disciplines, the volume makes fairly solid reading, but it presents some fascinating ideas and results which are broadly accessible."--Danny Yee, Danny Reviews
Table of ContentsList of Contributors Introduction By Kenneth Arrow, Samuel Bowles, Steven Durlauf Pt. 1. Merit, Reward, and Opportunity 1. Merit and Justice By Amartya Sen 2. Equality of Opportunity By John E. Roemer Pt. 2. The Causes and Consequences of "Intelligence" 3. IQ Trends over Time: Intelligence, Race, and Meritocracy By James R. Flynn 4. Genes, Culture, and Inequality By Marcus W. Feldman, Sarah R. Otto, Freddy B. Christiansen Pt. 3. Schooling and Economic Opportunity 5. Schooling, Intelligence, and Income in America By Orley Ashenfelter, Cecilia Rouse 6. Does Schooling Raise Earnings by Making People Smarter? By Samuel Bowles, Herbert Gintis 7. A Reanalysis of The Bell Curve: Intelligence, Family Background, and Schooling By Sanders Korenman, Christopher Winship 8. Occupational Status, Education, and Social Mobility in the Meritocracy By Robert M. Hauser, John Robert Warren, Min-Hsiung Huang Contributors: "et al." 9. Understanding the Role of Cognitive Ability in Accounting for the Recent Rise in the Economic Return to Education By John Cawley, James Heckman, Lance Lochner Contributors: "et al." Pt. 4. Policy Options 10. Inequality and Race: Models and Policy By Shelly J. Lundberg, Richard Startz 11. Conceptual Problems in the Enforcement of Anti-Discrimination Laws By Glenn Loury 12. Meritocracy, Redistribution, and the Size of the Pie By Roland Benabou Index
