Mark R. Rank is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts and speakers in the country on issues of poverty, inequality, and social justice.
Dr. Rank’s areas of research and teaching have focused on poverty, social welfare, economic inequality, and social policy. His first book, "Living on the Edge: The Realities of Welfare in America," explored the conditions of surviving on public assistance, and achieved widespread critical acclaim.
Professor Rank's most recent book, "One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All," provides a new understanding of poverty in America. His life-course research has demonstrated for the first time that a majority of Americans will experience poverty and will use a social safety net program at some point during their lives.
He is currently working on a book with his long-time collaborator, Thomas Hirschl of Cornell University, that explores various aspects of economic risk and turmoil across the adulthood years. Their research is designed to shed empirical light on the tenuous nature of the American Dream in today's society, and how to restore its relevance and vitality.
Courtesy of Washington University in St. Louis.