Social, Political and Economic Inequality (SPEI)

Overview

<p><em>The severe consequences of the Covid19-pandemic, including its economic disruptions, and the recent mass protests to combat systemic racial inequality in policing and other institutions have reaffirmed the importance of social science research examining economic, political, racial, ethnic, generational, and social inequalities relevant to public policy and social change. RSF encourages proposals that analyze any of these issues on topics of interest under our Social, Political and Economic Inequality program</em>. <a href="//www.russellsage.org/research/funding/covid-19-pandemic">View Covid-19 Priorities here</a>. </p> <p>The Russell Sage Foundation’s program on Social, Political, and Economic Inequality supports innovative research on the factors that contribute to social, political and economic inequalities in the U.S., and the extent to which those inequalities affect social, psychological, political, and economic outcomes, including educational access, job opportunities, social mobility, civic participation and representation, and the transmission of advantage and disadvantage within and across generations.</p> <p>We seek innovative investigator-initiated research that will expand our understanding of social, political, and economic inequalities and the mechanisms by which they influence the lives of individuals and families. We welcome projects that explore the relevance of economic, racial, ethnic, age, gender, immigration, residence, or other statuses for the distribution of social, political and economic outcomes within and across these groups. RSF priorities do not include analyses of health​ or mental health outcomes or health behaviors ​as these are priorities for other funders. ​For the same reason, RSF seldom supports studies focused on educational processes or curricular issues but does prioritize analyses of inequities in educational attainment or student performance.</p> <p>RSF is particularly interested in analyses that make use of newly available data or demonstrate novel uses of existing data. We also support original data collection when a project is focused on important program priorities. Proposals to conduct field experiments, in-depth qualitative interviews, and ethnographies are also encouraged.</p> <p>RSF encourages methodological variety and inter-disciplinary collaboration. Proposed projects must have well-developed conceptual frameworks and research designs. Analytical models must be well-specified and research questions and hypotheses must be clearly stated.</p> <p>The kinds of questions that are of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:</p> <ul> <li>Economic Wellbeing, Equality of Opportunity, and Intergenerational Mobility</li> <li>Political Institutions and the Policy Process</li> <li>Psychological and/or Cultural Changes</li> <li>Educational Attainment</li> <li>Work, Labor Markets and Occupations</li> <li>Children and Families</li> <li>Neighborhoods and Communities</li> <li>Criminal Justice & the Legal System</li> </ul> <p>We are particularly interested in analyses that make use of newly available data or demonstrate novel uses of existing data. We also support original data collection. Proposals to conduct field experiments, in-depth qualitative interviews, and ethnographies are also encouraged.</p> <p>The Foundation encourages methodological variety and inter-disciplinary collaboration. All proposed projects must have well-developed conceptual frameworks and research designs. Analytical models must be specified and research questions and hypotheses (where applicable) must be clearly stated.</p>