Whither Meritocracy?

Exploring the ethical justifications for the implementation of meritocracy and whether its outcomes are indeed meritocratic.
Conference
Location The Sky Suite at The Keller Center, Harris School of Public Policy, 1307 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL, 60637
Organizers Steven Durlauf, James Robinson
Featured Speakers Jake Rosenfeld, Rebecca Zwick, Daniel Markovits, Pierre Nguimkeu, Ruixue Jia, Lauren Rivera, Mary Blair-Loy, Bishnu Gupta, Juan Camilo Cárdenas,  Leopoldo Fergusson, David Williams, Agnès Van Zanten, Guido Alfani, Samuel Maves, James Robinson, David Lay Williams, Harry Brighouse
Research Areas Policy and Political Economy, Mobility, Race and Ethnicity, Gender, Education

Meritocracy, while commanding broad public assent, remains a focal point of policy debates and scholarly controversies. Culminating into a special issue of the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science that will explore both the positive and normative dimensions of meritocracy, the papers presented at this conference will address questions ranging from the meaning of meritocracy to the ethical justifications for its implementation, the degree to which various socioeconomic outcomes are meritocratic, and whether the policies designed to implement meritocratic objectives actually achieve their aims.

While debates on meritocracy are often prominent in the United States, advocates and critics alike frequently fail to engage with the idea—both as it is perceived and as it is practiced—in different societies and cultures. This special issue will offer a comparative understanding of how the concept of meritocracy varies across societies that do not share the individualistic orientation of the Western world, featuring the work of scholars focusing on the United States, as well as on Africa, China, France, India, and Latin America.  

Participation is by invitation only.

 

Schedule

Friday, September 12

Start Time
End Time
Session
Session Leaders

8:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
 Breakfast and Registration  

9:00 a.m. 
9:10 a.m.
 Opening Remarks
 
9:10 a.m.
9:50 a.m.
 Meritocracy is Self-Defeating Daniel Markovits
9:50 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
 Prospective versus Retrospective Meritocracy Steven Durlauf
10:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m.
 Coffee Break  
10:45 a.m.
11:25 a.m.
 Meritocracy and Political Theory David Lay Williams
11:25 a.m.
12:05 p.m.
 Meritocracy and Education Harry Brighouse
12:05 p.m.
1:05 p.m.
 Lunch  
1:05 p.m.
1:45 p.m.
 Meritocracy and Gender Mary Blair-Loy
1:45 p.m.
2:25 p.m.
Meritocracy in Historical Perspective
 Guido Alfani
2:25 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
 Social Mobility in Africa

Pierre Nguimkeu

James Robinson
3:00 p.m.
3:15 p.m.
Coffee Break
  
3:15 p.m.
3:55 p.m.
Meritocracy and Elite Reproduction
 Lauren Rivera
3:55 p.m.
4:35 p.m.
Inequality and Social Mobility in Latin America

Juan Camilo Cárdenas

Leopoldo Fergusson
4:35 p.m.
5:15 p.m.
Social Mobility in China
 Ruixue Jia

 

Saturday, September 13

Start Time
End Time
Session
Session Leaders
8:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
 Breakfast and Registration
 
9:00 a.m. 
9:40 a.m.
Test Scores and Meritocracy in College Admissions
Rebecca Zwick
9:40 a.m.
10:20 a.m.
 Meritocracy in France Agnès Van Zanten
10:20 a.m.
10:40 a.m.
 Coffee Break  
10:40 a.m.
11:20 a.m.
Social Mobility in India
 Bishnu Gupta
11:20 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
 Social Determinants of Inequality (Institutional Discrimination and Institutional Targeting) Samuel Maves
12:00 p.m.
12:40 p.m.
Meritocracy and Labor Markets
 Jake Rosenfeld
12:40 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
 Closing Remarks  
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
 Lunch To Go