Michael Hout

Michael Hout (born May 14, 1950) is a professor of sociology at New York University. He previously served as a professor at the University of Arizona and University of California-Berkeley.

His contributions to sociology include using demographic methods to study social change in inequality, religion, and politics. Hout's current work uses the General Social Survey to study the changing occupational hierarchies, social mobility, and long-term trends associated with political polarization. He has digitized occupational information in the GSS since 1972. Other recent projects used the GSS panel to study Americans' changing perceptions of class, religion, and happiness. In 2006, Hout and Claude Fischer published ''Century of Difference'', a book on twentieth-century social and cultural trends in the United States. Other books include ''Truth about Conservative Christians'' with Andrew Greeley, ''Following in Father's Footsteps: Social Mobility in Ireland'', and ''Inequality by Design.''

One of Hout's most notable works, “Maximally Maintained Inequality: Expansion, Reform, and Opportunity in Irish Education, 1921-75” examines the persistence of social class differences in educational attainment despite the expansion of secondary education in Ireland. The study concluded that educational expansion alone does not necessarily reduce social inequality. Instead, structural factors such as economic incentives, cultural expectations, and institutional constraints play a significant role in maintaining class disparities in education.

In his 2012 article, “Social and Economic Returns to College Education in the United States” Hout explores the debate over whether education primarily reflects pre-existing advantages or has an independent effect on socioeconomic outcomes. The study found that higher education has a positive causal impact, particularly for individuals from backgrounds less likely to pursue higher education. It suggests that college attendance can contribute to greater social mobility. Provided by Wikipedia