Thomas M. Shapiro

Thomas M. Shapiro is the Pokross Professor of Law and Social Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. His research focuses on racial inequality and public policy, particularly the racial wealth gap and asset-based approaches to inequality.

Shapiro's primary research examines how wealth disparities perpetuate racial inequality across generations, with emphasis on housing, education, and inheritance patterns. His work integrates economic analysis with sociological frameworks to understand structural barriers to wealth accumulation in minority communities.

His publications explore wealth inequality transmission mechanisms, racial disparities in homeownership, and the impact of neighborhood and school segregation on opportunity structures. Books consistently address the intersection of race, policy, and intergenerational wealth transfer.

Honors include the Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award from the American Sociological Association, C. Wright Mills Award, Outstanding Book Award from the Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights, and recognition as a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Fellow. His book 'The Hidden Cost of Being African American' was named a Notable Book of 2004 by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Dr. Shapiro teaches seminars in Assets and Social Policy, Sociological Inquiry of Inequality, and Qualitative Research Methods. His media appearances include Tony Brown's Journal, The Tavis Smiley Show, Talk of the Nation, and CNN.