Implications for society, government and business.
Income distribution has been at the forefront of academic and policy debate for many decades in many countries. Year after year, the UN has reported a growing inequality gap in all countries, developed and developing. Such a growing disparity is currently particularly pronounced in the USA where those at the top 1% of the income pyramid have witnessed a three-fold increase in real income since 1980 - while the living standards of the average worker have barely risen.
Some would argue that this growing inequality gives top earners greater ability to influence the political process (through think-tanks, lobbying, campaign funds).
The purpose of this research is to explore in depth the causes, consequences and policy implications of rising income inequality. The research may be conducted at a national level or on the basis of a comparative study. It is likely to be empirically based using official statistics.
Within this context we seek to provide an international platform to assess and consider the scale and implications of the growing income gap across the world from the standpoint of society, government and business.
Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Inequality and Poverty/Dynamics of Inequality and Poverty
- Economic Growth and Inequality
- Measurement and Causes of Income Inequality
- Socioeconomic Implications of Income Inequality
- Inequality, Welfare and Income Distribution
- Fiscal Policy, Inequality and Welfare
- Heterodox Perspectives on Income Distribution
- Inequality and the Financial Crisis
- Inequality Between Countries
- Government Policies and Inequality
- Neoliberalism
- Income Distribution and Economic Crisis
Supervisors: Dr Constantinos Alexiou and Professor Joseph Nellis
Application Details: The PhD candidate should hold a minimum 2.1 class undergraduate degree in economics, finance or related discipline and have passed, or expect to have passed by autumn, a Master’s degree or equivalent research experience in a work setting. See Admission Requirements for English language requirements.
Deadline: Expressions of interest alongside a CV are invited via email to: constantinos.alexiou@cranfield.ac.uk and j.g.nellis@cranfield.ac.uk
