Melanie Zaber
Melanie Zaber is an associate economist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND and codirector of the RAND Lowy Middle-Class Pathways Center. Her research interests span workforce development, postsecondary education, gender equity, and access to civil justice. Her research has examined household transitions (coresidence, marriage, divorce, bankruptcy), analyzed workforce pipelines (principals, military linguists, building tradespeople), and explored postsecondary finance (market power, state grant aid, student debt). Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Institute for Civil Justice, and the Social Security Administration. Current projects include an exploration of the persistence of women in STEM careers and an analysis of the longer-term education and career outcomes of participants in a high school youth development program.
Income Inequality
Most Americans Consider Themselves Middle-Class. But Are They?
There are different ways of determining who should be considered middle-class. But there is one thing they have in common: all reveal...
Latest news
Democracy
Elections Hinder Companies’ Access to Credit
A large body of literature has produced uncertain conclusions about how elections affect firms’ access to credit. In a wide-ranging analysis of...
Commentary
How Financial Contracting Could Help the Police Force Manage Its Aims More Effectively
Hamid Mehran proposes funded deferred pay, an incentive structure to mitigate the risk and costs of police misconduct.
Event Notes
Event Notes: “China’s Political Economy” in Review
The Stigler Center's "China Political Economy" webinar series returns Thursday, February 9. Here's a reminder of what we covered in our first...
Economic History
To Build an Equitable Economy, We Must Understand Capitalism’s Racist Heritage
American capitalism was built on racial exploitation, from the enslavement of Black people to institutionalized discrimination and its structural impact on our...
Industrial Policy
How To Ensure Industrial Policy Promotes Public Over Private Gain
Industrial policy was once so out of fashion that it was jokingly called “the policy that shall not be named.” Now it’s...
Fiscal Policy
More than Economics, Ideology Determines US Voters’ Preferences for Redistribution
The US stands out among developed economies for its comparatively low level of redistribution as a percentage of GDP. Gustavo de Souza...
Research
Stakeholder Motivations for “Private Sanctions” Against Russia
As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, a new study measures stakeholders’ desire to see their firms exit Russia and...
