Mind the Gap: The Impact of Income Inequality
on Our Democracy
Tuesday, June 4, 5:30-7:30 pm
TYCO Visitor Center at Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth
On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, New Hampshire Humanities hosted its fourth event in the 2018 - 2019 Ideas on Tap series. At the event, more than 60 Granite Staters engaged in a conversation entitled “Mind the Gap: The Impact of Income Inequality on Democracy.” The event took place at Portsmouth’s historic Strawberry Bank and featured the speakers listed below, moderated by Dr. Tricia Peone, New Hampshire Humanities Program Manager.
The Big Questions we asked:
• What does income inequality look like? In what ways does it impact people’s lives?
• What is the historic context of income inequality in New Hampshire and the U.S. generally?
• How does New Hampshire’s poverty rate compare to the rest of the nation?
• How does New Hampshire’s tourism industry affect wealth stratification?
• How does the cost of housing affect wealth disparity?
• What is the impact of income inequality on democracy?
Panelists included:
Moderator
DR. TRICIA PEONE is Program Manager at New Hampshire Humanities and coordinates the Humanities to Go and Humanities@Work programs. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire in early American history and received her B.S. and M.A. in history from SUNY Brockport. Before joining New Hampshire Humanities, Tricia taught courses on New England history and worked as a historical consultant in the cultural resources industry. Her scholarship focuses on the history of magic and the occult from the Renaissance to today.
Panelists
Dr. JESSICA CARSON is a Research Assistant Professor with the Vulnerable Families Research Program at the Carsey School of Public Policy. Since joining Carsey in 2010, she has studied poverty, work, and the social safety net, including policies and programs that support low-income workers like affordable health insurance, food assistance programs, and quality child care. Her other interests include health within and across families, and the intersection of health and employment across the income spectrum. Jess is also working on a long-term project around the challenges and opportunities facing people who live and work in rural communities She has a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of New Hampshire.
Dr. KYLE HUBBARD is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and serves as Program Director of the Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Business & Governance. Kyle’s main academic interests are in Medieval Philosophy, particularly the work of St. Augustine of Hippo, and in business ethics. His current research focus in business ethics centers on just wages and what makes for meaningful work. Dr. Hubbard received a Ph.D. from Fordham University and resides in Goffstown with his wife Beth and their four children.
Dr. THOMAS SHAPIRO is the David R. Pokross Professor of Law and Social Policy and Director, Institute on Assets and Social Policy at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Professor Shapiro’s primary interest is in racial inequality and public policy. He is a leader in the asset development field with a particular focus on closing the racial wealth gap. The Hidden Cost of Being African American: How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality, (Oxford University Press, 2004) was widely reviewed, including by the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and others. The book was named one of the Notable Books of 2004 by The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He also co-authored the award-winning Black Wealth/White Wealth, which received the 1997 Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award from the American Sociological Association.
Suggested reading:
Estimated People Living in Poverty by NH county
Rural Housing Challenges
Study finds link between housing costs, income inequality
Minimum Wage in New Hampshire
2019 Ideas on Tap Lead Sponsor:
2019 Ideas on Tap Sponsors:
