Studies
The Project studies the nature, precursors, and consequences of racial differences in access to financial services. It examines whether and how states, cities, neighborhoods, networks, and technology play a role in people's ability to build wealth, avoid cycles of debt, maintain their socio-economic well-being, and achieve upward mobility. To meet its ends, the Project relies on large-scale administrative data from private and public sources, national survey data, archival research, and in-depth interviews.
Structure and Space
Space matters to racial inequality. This study seeks to understand the ecology of financial services across neighborhoods.
People and Outcomes
People with immediate needs for cash often turn to payday lenders. This study examines how people think about and are affected by borrowing from payday lenders, conventional banks, and other sources given the contexts in which they live.
Methods and Concepts
“Big data” alone cannot contribute to science. This study examines how field research can improve the ability of large-scale data research to produce reliable social science.