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Strengthening Families

Team Description

Our focus is on strengthening the conditions that enable healthy family formation and stability, with the aim of improving child and adult well-being, advancing economic security and mobility, and reinforcing the social fabric of American communities. We will consider the forces that have led to a decline in marriage and a rise in single-parent households, primarily among non-college-educated Americans; the specific challenges facing economically vulnerable families and populations; and the economic, cultural, and institutional pressures contributing to declining fertility and family formation. Our work is grounded in the view that strong, stable families promote well-being and are foundational to a thriving society.


kearneyheadshot

Melissa Kearney

Gilbert F. Schaefer Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame

mkearne9@nd.edu 


Team Members

 Eric Bettinger

Gordon Dahl