The Federal Reserve System invites paper submissions for its 11th biennial Community Development Research Conference to be held May 9–10, 2019, in Washington, DC. Renewing the Promise of the Middle Class will bring together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss important issues facing individuals and their communities. The conference will share research on ways to strengthen and widen paths to the middle class.
The decade since the foreclosure crisis and the Great Recession has seen a marked change in the ways to achieve and maintain a middle-class life. For many Americans, the traditional paths—attending college, buying a home, and saving for retirement—may now be out of reach or may never have been enough to guarantee financial security.
The conference will explore the latest research on factors influencing the financial and socioeconomic status of individuals and families, including:
- Emerging trends, recent developments, and historical legacies in education, employment, housing, credit, wealth, health, and other areas affecting the middle class
- Policies and programs to create an inclusive and resilient middle class
- Specific actions and initiatives by individuals and institutions—including state and local governments, financial institutions, community groups, businesses, the military, philanthropies, and nonprofits—to create new and enduring paths to the middle class.
The call for papers is now open. Researchers, please submit your extended abstract or draft paper for consideration. We prefer research with clear relevance to policy or practice that will be completed by the time of the conference. Submissions are due by October 9, 2018.
For more information on the conference, please visit the conference website. For questions about the call for papers, contact CDConference@chi.frb.org.