2012 Downing Lecture

The Great Recession and the Distribution of Household Income

Professor John Micklewright, Professor of Economics and Social Statistics and head of the Department of Quantitative Social Science at the Institute of Education, University of London

What are the impacts on household incomes of the major economic downturn that occurred in almost all OECD countries starting in late 2007?

The lecture draws on a study of 21 rich countries (including Australia), using data from national accounts, household surveys, and other sources. Besides a broad multi-country analysis, there are detailed investigations for Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The headline findings are that for most countries, there was little change in household income distributions in the two years following the downturn (2007–9), but in the subsequent five to ten years, much greater change is likely, as a result of governments’ fiscal consolidation and the slow pace of economic recovery. The social safety nets developed since the Great Depression have therefore played an important cushioning role in the short term.

About the speaker

John Micklewright is Professor of Economics and Social Statistics and head of the Department of Quantitative Social Science at the Institute of Education, University of London. He previously held chairs at Queen Mary, the European University Institute, and the University of Southampton, and worked for several years in UNICEF. His research addresses issues relating to the distribution of income, the labour market, education, charitable giving, and survey methods.

His work includes Economic Transformation in Eastern Europe and the Distribution of Income (CUP, 1992, with A B Atkinson), The Dynamics of Child Poverty in Industrialised Countries (OUP, 2001, with B Bradbury and S Jenkins) and Inequality and Poverty Re-Examined (OUP, 2007, with S Jenkins).

The Great Recession and the
Distribution of Household Income pdf

Date:	Thursday 8 March 2012
Time:	6.00pm, followed by light refreshments at 7.00pm
Venue:	Basement Theatre, The Spot 198 Berkeley Street University of Melbourne Parkville Campus
Cost:	Free and open to the public
Registration:	Online registration is essential
Enquiries:	Christine Cheng at fbe-lectures@unimelb.edu.au or call +61-3-8344 3507