BCC-SBE: Exploring the Need for a New Nationally Representative Household Panel in the United States: A Workshop Proposal

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

The aim of this project is to convene experts in the social and behavioral sciences to assess the need for a new nationally representative household longitudinal study in the United States for better understanding social and behavioral outcomes and processes. This will be accomplished by convening a Steering Committee composed of experts from various social and behavioral science disciplines and specialty areas, who will identify key topical areas of evaluation and commission scholarly papers on each topical area.  The papers will be presented and discussed at a commissioned workshop.  A final document will be produced by the Steering Committee, summarizing themes and lessons from the workshop and, if deemed appropriate, proposing major design features and content areas of a new nationally representative household longitudinal study.  A by-product of the project that will be important for moving forward will be the development of a community of scholars interested in, and willing to devote effort to, a new data collection effort of this type. The significance of this activity is to identify the information content and data collection methodologies that are needed to understand the dynamic nature of the economic and social lives of American families.