Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I’m an economist studying cities and states and their importance in the economy, focusing on their policies, finances and budgets.

The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, triggered massive protests around the world against police violence and systemic racism. Those events, in turn, prompted a surge in pledges from ...

The rapid growth of America’s multiracial population is outpacing the systems used to measure race, leading to flawed data that can skew decisions in healthcare, policy, and research. Studies show ...