Overview

What new theories, evidence, explanations, and policies have shaped our studies of income distribution in the 21st century?Editors Tony Atkinson and Francois Bourguignon assemble the expertise of leading authorities in this survey of substantive issues. In two volumes they address subjects that were not covered in Volume 1 (2000), such as education, health and experimental economics; and subjects that were covered but where there have been substantial new developments, such as the historical study of income inequality and globalization. Some chapters discuss future growth areas, such as inheritance, the links between inequality and macro-economics and finance, and the distributional implications of climate change. They also update empirical advances and major changes in the policy environment.

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Reviews

The literature on income distribution has undergone transformative change in the decade and a half since the first Handbook appeared. These timely new volumes by recognized scholars provide a comprehensive review of our current state of understanding and the challenges that inequality poses. --Robin Boadway, Queens University Few issues are more topical, in both the academic and policy debates, than the distribution of income and wealth. This handbook takes the reader to the frontier of all aspects of these debates: its superb contributions, by the foremost experts in the field, cover historical developments, data issues, statistical methods, theoretical approaches, and policy implications. A must for academics and interested general readers alike. --Roberto Perotti, Universit Bocconi The increase in inequality is a pressing problem. Too often it is addressed with uninformed, oversimplified ideological slogans. If you want to go beyond those and really learn about this complicated topic, this is the essential and most complete book to read. A gem. --Alberto Alesina, Harvard University In every academic discipline, fads come and fads go. But in economics the very core of our subject is the study of the distribution of income and well-being across the population. From this analysis stems all our best theories and our best empirical research. This Handbook distills that wisdom and presents the latest findings by those who happen to be giants in our discipline. Its chapters will provide the platform from which will emerge the most exciting and important research for decades to come. --Danny Quah, London School of Economics

The literature on income distribution has undergone transformative change in the decade and a half since the first Handbook appeared. These timely new volumes by recognized scholars provide a comprehensive review of our current state of understanding and the challenges that inequality poses. --Robin Boadway, Queens University

Thirteen papers explore advances made in the past fifteen years in understanding the extent, causes, and consequences of inequality. --Journal of Economic Literature, Handbook of Income Distribution, Vol 2A The literature on income distribution has undergone transformative change in the decade and a half since the first Handbook appeared. These timely new volumes by recognized scholars provide a comprehensive review of our current state of understanding and the challenges that inequality poses. --Robin Boadway, Queens University Few issues are more topical, in both the academic and policy debates, than the distribution of income and wealth. This handbook takes the reader to the frontier of all aspects of these debates: its superb contributions, by the foremost experts in the field, cover historical developments, data issues, statistical methods, theoretical approaches, and policy implications. A must for academics and interested general readers alike. --Roberto Perotti, Universita Bocconi The increase in inequality is a pressing problem. Too often it is addressed with uninformed, oversimplified ideological slogans. If you want to go beyond those and really learn about this complicated topic, this is the essential and most complete book to read. A gem. --Alberto Alesina, Harvard University In every academic discipline, fads come and fads go. But in economics the very core of our subject is the study of the distribution of income and well-being across the population. From this analysis stems all our best theories and our best empirical research. This Handbook distills that wisdom and presents the latest findings by those who happen to be giants in our discipline. Its chapters will provide the platform from which will emerge the most exciting and important research for decades to come. --Danny Quah, London School of Economics

Author Information

Sir Tony Atkinson is Professor of Economics at Oxford University and Fellow of Nuffield College, where he was Warden from 1994 to 2005. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and has been President of the Royal Economic Society, of the Econometric Society, of the European Economic Association, and of the International Economic Association. He was knighted in 2001 for services to economics and is Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur. Francois Bourguignon is Director of the Paris School of Economics and Professor of Economics at the Ecole des hautes etudes en sciences sociales. Among his many distinctions is the Chevalier de L'Ordre Nationale de la Legion de l""Honneur.

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