Abstract: How is the changing structure of our cities impacting the life chances of children? Recent social mobility research underscores the importance of community and local labor market contexts for children’s long-term economic prospects. Much less is known, however, about how the changing structure and configuration of urban areas may be affecting social mobility outcomes. In this talk, we present a new computational framework and century-long analysis that links the evolving structures of US cities and regions to the income attainment of children from low-income backgrounds.

Bio: Dylan Connor is an associate professor at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, where he also leads the Community Dynamics Lab. He uses big data to study the role of geographic forces in shaping migration, social mobility, and inequality over long periods of time. His work has been published across a range of interdisciplinary outlets including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Science Advances, Demography, Journal of Economic History, and the Annals of the American Association of Geographers.

Click here to add this event to your Google Calendar.