Economic inequality in later life

Abstract

The rapid increase of economic inequality in the past few decades is one of the most disturbing social and economic issues of our time. Economic opportunities are not randomly distributed, but determined by people’s positions within the social structure. Multiple social identities—race, class, gender, and sexual orientation—shape economic and social experiences that accumulate over the life course and determine economic status in late life. This article provides an overview of economic inequality across race, class, and gender, and introduces the articles in the Summer 2018 issue of Generations.