Events

Anna Aizer, Brown University - "The Long Term Impact of Welfare Receipt in Childhood"

Anna Aizer, associate professor of economics and public policy at Brown presents the first estimates of the long term effects of cash transfers (welfare) during childhood on health and human capital. Using 1911-1930 data from the Mothers’ Pension program (the first U.S. government sponsored welfare program for families with dependent children), her research reveals that children who received welfare lived longer and completed more years of schooling. These results suggest that income transfers to poor families can ameliorate adverse early life conditions and improve children’s long-term health and human capital.

Aizer's research focuses on understanding the intergenerational persistence of poverty. More specifically, she studies the role that family violence, health, stress and human capital investment patterns play in perpetuating poverty across generations.

A light lunch will be provided. This lecture is free and open to the public.