Changing trends in the U.S. middle class, threats to democracy in Africa, and the first Black woman vice president.
| A fitting legacy for George Floyd: Vice President Kamala Harris The extraordinary and wrenching national reckoning with racism after the killing of George Floyd is key to understanding both this election and the power of Black lawmakers. Camille Busette puts into context the historic moment that propelled now Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris into her position. Read more |
| Threats to democracy in Africa: The rise of the constitutional coup Political systems throughout Africa have undergone significant transformations over the past few decades, but many nations are still struggling to establish legitimate democracies. John Mukum Mbaku points to a key roadblock: incumbent presidents modifying constitutions to eliminate term and age limits. Read more |
| The middle class is already racially diverse Four decades ago, most of the American middle class was white. But over time, the racial composition of the middle class has changed dramatically. Christopher Pulliam, Richard Reeves, and Ariel Gelrud Shiro shed light on this trend and argue that racial justice and improving the well-being of the middle class are now complementary goals for public policy. Read more |
Help support Brookings with a donation Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts’ work. |
The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution’s response, read our full guidance here. |
|
