Pioneering Duke economist William 鈥淪andy鈥 Darity, arguably the nation鈥檚 leading authority on reparations for Black American descendants of slavery, has been named by the American Economic Association (AEA), officials with the university鈥檚 Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, .
Darity, the Cook Center鈥檚 founding director, is the Samuel DuBois Cook Professor of Public Policy, African and African American Studies, and Economics.
Darity is to receive this honor this year. Fewer than 200 economists have been named an AEA Distinguished Fellow since the award began in 1965.
In the AEA announcement, officials described Darity as a 鈥渄istinguished economist whose groundbreaking research has significantly advanced our understanding of racial inequality, labor economics, and wealth disparities.鈥
鈥淭hrough his research, mentorship, and public advocacy, [he] continues to be a leading voice in the pursuit of economic justice and equality.鈥
鈥淭his is a special honor,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 have no idea who penned the lovely [AEA] citation, but I am especially grateful for the acknowledgement of my role in the development of stratification economics, the evolving national conversation on reparations for black American descendants of U.S. slavery, and mentoring forthcoming generations of social justice scholars.鈥
In their Tuesday release, Cook Center officials pointed to Darity鈥檚 to the field that spans many areas, 鈥減articularly in his analysis of the inequalities of race, class, and ethnicity.鈥
Darity is a founder of the , 鈥渨hich argues that inequality arises from structural disparities in the distribution of resources and power, and that dominant groups act in ways that work to maintain their strong position relative to others,鈥 according to the release.
Darity鈥檚 research has proven substantive in public policy, and his work in the field of social equity has been widely recognized and celebrated.
During the past decade, while working with Darrick Hamilton, 鈥淒arity outlined and proposed the idea of 鈥,鈥 a program that would provide universal wealth transfers via a progressive child development account and foster economic equity,鈥 according to the Cook Center release. Last year, to implement a baby bonds program.
The Duke economist is also among a cadre of scholars who have argued for a as a means of reducing poverty.
