This is an award under the Grants for Improving Doctoral Dissertation Research Program. This study will look at a previously unstudied aspect of black-white differences by examining the contributions of total family wealth or assets to children's educational attainment and the subsequent contributions of children's wealth on the likelihood of forming stable families. It builds on theories of social stratification and uses data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to statistically model the effects of wealth. %%% This study will contribute to sociological understanding of differences between blacks and whites in family formation and stability and in educational attainment. Its focus on the effects of family assets will also be of use to policy makers concerned with stabilizing the family and equalizing opportunity for children. In addition to the scientific gains to be achieved by the research, this award will materially assist a highly promising student in completing research for the Ph.D. dissertation. Thus it contributes to the future scientific manpower of the nation and the thorough training of the next generation of social scientists.
