Kain, John Forest (1935–2003)

Abstract

John Kain was an empirical economist who significantly changed analysis and modeling in urban economics. Modern urban economics was extensively developed during the 1960s, and Kain’s contributions were particularly important in several key areas. His most famous line of inquiry revolved around the interactions of race and urban location and the importance of housing segregation for black welfare. He was also one of the early pioneers in developing general equilibrium urban simulation models that were capable of addressing interesting and important policy questions. His analyses of urban transportation policies have been influential in both developed and developing countries (Meyer et al. 1966). A fourth significant endeavour, while having some of the same underpinnings, went to the issues of educational achievement.

This chapter was originally published in The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd edition, 2008. Edited by Steven N. Durlauf and Lawrence E. Blume.