LANE KENWORTHY , PH . D .
PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY Daniel Yankelovich Endowed Chair on Social Thought
Research focus : I study the causes and consequences of living standards , poverty , inequality , mobility , unemployment , economic growth , social policy , taxes , public opinion and politics in the United States and other affluent countries .
Real-world impact : Much of my research has direct policy implications , in that it aims to figure out what sorts of institutions and policies are effective in improving the lives of ordinary people . Whether policymakers listen is another matter .
What surprises you still about your subject area , and why ? Social scientists usually are ( rightly ) skeptical of any single research finding . But we tend to be much more skeptical if the finding contradicts our prior beliefs or convictions than if the finding is consistent with them . It isn ’ t surprising that policymakers do this , but we scientists ought to know better .
Throughout history , whose chair would you most want to sit in ? Gandhi during the Indian struggle for independence . He ’ s a complex and fascinating person — an important historical figure during an important historical struggle .
Photo : Taylor Sanderson , ’ 15
44 TRITON | WINTER 2016