Sociology of Wealth
New study finds private financial firms disproportionately promote upper-class white men
New research on 806 Wall Street executives finds that hedge funds and private equity firms, often built as informal partnerships, are markedly whiter, more male, and more Ivy League than traditional banks.
Why people at the bottom of the ladder speed up their speech to match the boss
A new study finds that employees in low-power positions speed up their speech to match fast-talking partners, while those higher up stay consistent regardless of tempo.
California’s $20 fast food wage pushed restaurant prices up 3.4% across the state, new analysis finds
A new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data finds that California's $20 fast food minimum wage pushed restaurant prices up 3.3 to 3.6 percent, with implied fast food price hikes of roughly 5 percent.
The psychology of “manifesting”: Why believers feel more successful but often aren’t
A new scale measuring belief in "manifestation" finds that about a third of Americans endorse it. Believers feel more successful and optimistic, but show no higher income or education, and take more financial risks.
What 120 studies reveal about financial literacy as a lever for economic inclusion
A systematic review of 120 studies maps what financial literacy programs teach, who they reach, what effects participants report, and where implementation breaks down across diverse global contexts.
When ICE ramps up, U.S.-born workers don’t fill the gap, study finds
A new working paper finds that in U.S. areas where ICE arrests surged in 2025, likely undocumented immigrants worked less, U.S.-born workers didn't fill the gap, and less-educated U.S.-born men actually lost ground.