America has long been seen as a land of opportunity where, through hard work and perseverance, an individual can achieve prosperity and success. This is the American dream. Today, however, this ideal seems harder to realize, as income inequality grows and social mobility appears to have slowed.

In addition to income inequality, Professor Robert Putnam suggests that there is also a growing inequality of opportunity. For many children in lower income families, systemic obstacles – economic, social and political – become insurmountable and prevent social mobility and the realization of the American dream. What has caused this trend away from equal opportunity in the US? How can we address the crisis of inequality and shorten the opportunity gap? Professor Putnam will delve into this complex problem and its multifaceted solution, which he says begins with a commitment to invest in other people’s children.

Speaker Robert D. Putnam is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.

The discussion will be moderated by Larry Kramer, President, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1476