Low wealth in rich countries: Exploring cross-national variation at the lower tail of the wealth distribution

David Rothwell, Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University, USA. 

Within most OECD countries there is now abundant data on assets and wealth. Understanding wealth inequality has garnered much attention from researchers. Yet, a systematic and theoretically informed conceptual framework for explaining cross-national variation in low levels of asset holding is lacking. In this two-part seminar, Rothwell will first make a case for better understanding low asset holding and describe cross-national variation in select indicators (for example, emergency savings, asset poverty). Part 2 will explore policies, institutions, and demographics that potentially explain the precarious levels of asset held by families in the United States relative to other countries.

David Rothwell is Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University in the United States. His research interests include poverty, families, and social policy. In this work Rothwell aims to understand the mechanisms driving social and economic inequalities. Current projects examine child poverty across countries and over time, poverty measurement based on financial assets and net worth, financial stability of families with a child with a neurodevelopmental disability, and factors that influence financial capability and inclusion. Much of this work compares policies and institutional frameworks between the US, Canada, and other OECD countries.