Doctoral Dissertation Research: Public Views about Economic Inequality and Government Policies

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

This research studies mass sample surveys as tools for measuring public opinion about economic inequality and government policies. The PI visits three American states (South Carolina, West Virginia, and Vermont) to talk to individuals from a variety of backgrounds regarding their attitudes. Through gathering a range of perspectives from different corners of the country and across economic status, this project seeks to gain insights into how citizens view economic inequality in their own words, as well as their beliefs about ways in which the government should address economic challenges facing citizens. In this project, the PI seeks to better understand the causal mechanisms underlying views about inequality and government measures aimed at decreasing inequality. It is theorized that Americans believe in conditional equality, where they support equalizing policies as long as they perceive the beneficiaries as "people like me." It is hypothesized the public prefers the government to do more in some circumstances and less in others. The fieldwork for the project involves multiple types of data collection, including focus groups and in-depth interviews with local residents, and draws on both positivist and interpretivist methodological approaches. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.