Children and the Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty
This presentation by UC Davis economist Marianne Page describes
the mechanisms that lie behind the intergenerational transmission
of poverty, the understanding of which is necessary in order to
design effective policies to improve poor children’s life
chances.
Panelists on the topic include Kim Johnson, Child Care & Refugee
Branch, Department of Social Services; Loren Kaye, California
Foundation for Commerce and Education; and Assemblymember Kevin
McCarty, 7th District, California State Assembly.
This presentation was part of the UC Davis Poverty Research and
Policy Summit at UC Center Sacramento on April 22, 2016. For more
information about the event, visit http://poverty.ucdavis.edu/summit.
The idea that individuals can escape poverty through hard work is
a fundamental tenant of American society. Intergenerational
mobility is lower in the United States than in any other
developed country in the world. One in ten American children
spends at least half of their childhood in poverty. Understanding
the mechanisms that lie behind the intergenerational transmission
of poverty is necessary in order to design effective policies to
improve poor children’s life chances.
Marianne Page is a Professor of Economics and
Co-Director of the Center for Poverty & Inequality Research
at UC Davis. She has authored numerous scholarly articles
focusing on low-income families. A labor economist, she is
an expert on intergenerational mobility and equality of
opportunity in the United States. She has also published on
issues related to the U.S.
1138 Social Sciences & Humanities Building
Davis, CA
