Following the spirit of the late Sir Tony Atkinson, researchers around the world have been collaborating to leverage administrative registers to document trends and patterns in inequality. This tremendous effort at improving the measurement of inequality, led by prominent public finance economists like Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez, has been central to putting back inequality at the centre of the academic, public and policy debates. 

In this inaugural lecture the speakers will illustrate how big data from administrative registers allows to go beyond standard measurement of inequality. The discussed topics include gender inequality, the contribution of tax evasion and price inflation to inequality in wealth and consumption, and inequality in health outcomes. The panellists will discuss how new data sources can provide new insights to old questions and allow to answer new questions as well. The presentations are followed by a discussion by Professor Platt and a Q&A moderated by Professor Ferreira.

This event launches the new research theme Public Economics of Inequality, which aims to bring the classic approach in Public Economics and its most recent advances to the study of inequality. This approach will be tested and embedded in the interdisciplinary environment that the III provides. The research theme aims to (i) measure different dimensions of inequality, (ii) provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying inequality and (iii) guide the design of policy to tackle inequality more effectively.

Speakers:

Dr Xavier Jaravel (@XJaravel) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute. He is a member of the French Council of Economics Analysis. He is also an Associate Editor at the Review of Economic Studies. His research studies inclusive growth, innovation, international trade, and inequality.

Professor Camille Landais (@landais_camille) is a Professor in the Department of Economics and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute. He is the Director of the CEPR Public Economics program and Co-editor at the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. He is also a member of the French Council of Economics Analysis. His research studies topics in public and labor economics and gender inequalities.

Dr Daniel Reck (@danhreck) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute. His research interests include behavioral public economics and tax evasion.

Professor Johannes Spinnewijn is a Professor in the Department of Economics and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute. He is also Co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics and Associate Editor at the American Economic Review and the Review of Economic Studies. His research studies topics in public, health and behavioral economics.

Discussant:

Lucinda Platt (@PlattLucinda) is Professor of Social Policy and Sociology in the Department of Social Policy at LSE and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute at LSE.

Chair:

Francisco Ferreira (@fhgferreira) is the Amartya Sen Professor of Inequality Studies and Director of the International Inequalities Institute at LSE.

The International Inequalities Institute (@LSEInequalities) at LSE brings together experts from many of the School's departments and centres to lead cutting-edge research focused on understanding why inequalities are escalating in numerous arenas across the world, and to develop critical tools to address these challenges.

This event will have live captioning and BSL interpreters.

Podcast & Video

A podcast and video of this event will be made available to download after the event.

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel