Mike Hout

My research uses demographic methods to study social change in inequality, religion, and politics mostly in the USA and Europe, but occasionally in other countries. For much of my career, I have been involved with the General Social Survey (GSS), a long-running NSF project. My current work uses federal surveys, tax records, and the GSS to study changing occupational hierarchies, social mobility, and long-term trends associated with political polarization. 

I co-chair the Board of the Societal Expert Advising Network (SEAN), sponsored by the National Science Foundation, at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. SEAN provides advice to local and national decision makers on how best to apply social science insights to solve pressing problems. During Covid, our focus was the application of behavioral and social science knowledge to fighting the pandemic. Now we contribute to NASEM’s Climate Change Crossroads. SEAN does not do full consensus panels; we issue rapid expert consultations (RECs) that synthesize the work of past panels as it relates to specific questions from decision makers. Click on the link below to read more:

https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/societal-experts-action-network