The promotion of greater opportunity is a central goal of public policy. Why? Why is the creation of a more mobile society a legitimate goal, as opposed to equal outcomes, or happiness, or efficiency?

Even if we can agree resources and policies ought to be deployed in the service of greater equality of opportunity, ethical questions remain - at least as great as the empirical ones – such as: when, where and how? When in the lifecycle is it legitimate to intervene? Where should interventions take place: at home, at school, in the community, in the workplace? And how should interventions be framed: as voluntary or coercive, focused on institutions or individuals, investing extra resources or constraining choices?

This two-day Conference will bring together philosophers, economists and social scientists to address the following issues:

  1. Why Equal Opportunity?
  2. Failing Families, Failing Parents
  3. Culture, Identity and Values
  4. The Cultivation of Character.

Session Information:

Session 1: Why Equal Opportunity?

The Facts: An overview of empirical evidence on intergenerational social mobility in the U.S. and U.K., including an alaysis of the key contributory factors.

Presenter: Jo Blanden, University of Surrey, U.K.

The Philosophy: Equality of opportunity is an attractive normative goal. But it conflicts with other goals and values, e.g. family autonomy, individual self-ownership, and pluralism of beliefs.

Presenter: John Roemer, Yale University

Session 2: Failing Families, Failing Parents

The Facts: The empirical evidence on the influence of parenting, family functioning and family formation on child and adult outcomes, with a brief overview of potential policy interventions.

Presenter: Isabel V. Sawhill, Brookings Institution

The Philosophy: What is the justification for policy interventions in parenting, marriage or the family? Where and on what grounds does the state have to ‘draw the line’, despite known consequences for opportunity?

Presenter: Bill Galston, University of Maryland and Brookings Institution

Session 3: Time, Prudence, and Life Chances

Time Horizons, Time Capabilities and Intergenerational Inequality.

Presenter: Richard V. Reeves, HCEO and Brookings

The Pursuit of Happiness in the U.S.: Inequality in Agency, Optimism, and Life Chances

Presenter: Carol Graham, University of Maryland and Brookings

Session 4: Cultivating Character

The Facts: Empirical evidence on the link between development of character attributes and life chances, including upward mobility.

Presenter: James J. Heckman, HCEO and the University of Chicago

The Philosophy: What philosophical rationale, if any, justifies public policy interventions to build character and make ‘better citizens’?

Presenter: Stephen Macedo, Princeton University

Session 5: Conclusions & Frontiers

Key emerging themes and potential future work.

Presenters: Steven Durlauf, HECO & Wisconsin; Richard V. Reeves, HCEO & Brookings