U.S. Economic Inequality Past and Present—and Should We Care? (Zoom)
Fall (4-8 hours) | Registration opens 7/29/2025 12:00 AM EDT
It is a commonplace of contemporary political discussion that economic inequality in the U.S. (1) rose dramatically in the late 19th century, (2) declined after the New Deal, but (3) increased sharply in recent decades, rivaling the Gilded Age. This course examines the history of American inequality, the different types of economic inequality at issue, and different proposals to reduce inequality. We also consider the costs and benefits associated with both inequality and alternative ways of reducing it. Although we focus on economic inequality in the U.S., we address comparisons with other countries.
This course will combine lecture with class discussions.
Robert Grafstein
Bob Grafstein is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, where he also served as associate dean and interim dean. He received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD from the University of Chicago. Specializing in political economy, he is the author of two books, co-editor of one, and author of numerous articles in leading political science journals. He has taught numerous Osher courses at Dartmouth and UGA.