Have U.S. States Contributed to the Growing Inequalities in Life Expectancy?

Posted: 3/4/2019 ()

Jennifer Karas Montez, Professor of Sociology at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, will discuss the importance of macro-level explanations, particularly U.S. state policies, to understand how life expectancy in the United States is increasingly being shaped by where we live and how much schooling we have completed. Most speculation has focused on “micro-level” explanations, such as individuals’ personal choices and lifestyle behaviors. Weaving together results from several recent and ongoing studies, this presentation will build the case that the diverging policy contexts of U.S. states—resulting from decades of deregulation, devolution of political authority from federal to state levels, and state preemption laws—have likely played a critical role in the widening inequalities in life expectancy. This Seminar is co-sponsored with the West Coast Poverty Center.

Please visit the seminar page to reserve time to meet with Professor Karas Montez.

Date: 03/08/2019

Time: 12:30-1:30 PM

Location: 121 Raitt Hall