#2020APPAM, or more formally 42nd Annual Fall Research Conference, kicked off today in cyberspace, with countless sessions, panels, posters and a fascinating plenary. Here is the recap of the plenary: Racial Justice and the Policy Lifecycle: What Have We Learned from the Policy Response to Racial Inequities in the United States over Time?

Over the past half century, there have been multiple policy efforts to address racial inequities across education, housing, environmental quality, health, income support, and other areas of social policy.

The design, implementation, and effects of these policies have been a regular subject of policy analysis. Panelists Rucker Johnson (University of California, Berkeley), Bradley Hardy (American University), David Konisky (University of Indiana), and Javier Rodriguez (Claremont Graduate University) discussed successes and failures in the opening plenary session moderated by NYU’s Sherry Glied.

“Race is one of the single most predictive factors in receiving benefits of the social safety net,” Johnson said. “All things being equal, states with larger black populations receive less benefits, and it accounts for a significant portion of the gap. We can’t afford to be ‘colorblind’ in designing just policies.”

By many measures, quantifying and measuring racial disparities have improved over the last 50 years, but enacting policy that holistically responds to racial inequality is lacking, in part because policies designed to be “colorblind” are hoping to address race-based inequities. “This is an area where we could see more creativity,” Konisky said. “People are experiencing very different things under similar programs because of how implementation plays out.”

Rodriguez added, “how are policymakers implementing programs? Are they learning or not? Many policymakers have little scientific training, and more scientists are needed in policy making.”

As the incoming Biden Administration takes office, clear-eyed analysis of previous policy development could spur more effective initiatives to address racial justice and inequity. “There is an opportunity there,” Hardy said. “Hopefully, they can take advantage of it.”

Just like in previous years, students, an important part of APPAM's membership, are writing blog posts in which they recap the Super Sessions they attended. Today, two blog posts from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Economics PhD student Cora Bennett.

Sanya Carley, Indiana University

Government Responses to Crime and Racial Inequality - Cody Tuttle, University of Maryland

Kirabo Jackson, Northwestern University

Randall S. Brown, Mathematica

Robert D. Costrell, University of Arkansas

Elizabeth Linos, Lisa T. Quan, University of California, Berkeley and Elspeth Kirkman, The Behavioral Insights Team

Emily Parker, Cornell University

The second day of the conference packs in even more research punch with not three but FOUR sets of concurrent and super sessions, including the Kershaw and Rossi Lectures. Then, the virtual Poster Session gives us another taste of up-and-coming scholarship. After that we gather 'round the Zoom room for the Presidential Address: Family Matters: Reflections on Who Counts and Why, and then another new virtual conference first: Policy Area Receptions.

Since the panel sessions are set-up as meetings, you're an active participant, just like in person. And while you probably know how to make sure you're presenting your best self at a physical meeting, let's run through a few quick points on tips for the Virtual Conference:

Want even more tips? You're in luck! Ashley Causey-Golden, Equity and Inclusion Fellow and former APPAM Policy Council Student Representative, recorded a fun and quick webinar on how to best prepare for an APPAM Conference, and especially for our virtual #2020APPAM!

The best part of a research conference is undoubtedly the amazing work being presented, but the second best part of a research conference is getting to meet, see, mingle and network with fellow researchers, academic and practitioners, in the hallways of the meeting space. And while we can't do that physically, we have something you might like. A Slack! You may have already used Slack, but if you haven't don't worry, it's very intuitive, easy to set up, and you can even just use your browser (no need to install anything if you don't want to).

We're going to use the Slack as way to connect with peers, talk about each other's research in special policy area channels and find new ways to communicate with each other during a Virtual Conference!

Don't forget to join the Slack, and use our Online Program!