Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Florencia Torche

@ftorche.bsky.social

3.9K followers 700 following 52 posts

Professor of Sociology at Princeton

Florencia Torche is a Chilean sociologist. She is the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Public and International Affairs and Sociology at Princeton University. Torche is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on the persistence of inequality across generations. .. more

Sociology 32%

Political science 32%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Cameron Campbell, Gema Zamarro , and 1 more Nicholas A. Christakis, Cameron Campbell, Gema Zamarro, Florencia Torche

Emma Zang @dremmazang.bsky.social · 9d

🚨 We’re hiring! Yale Sociology is searching for a Senior Quantitative Sociologist to join our department.

Apply here: apply.interfolio.com/174709

Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

apply.interfolio.com

1 11 16

Reposted by Cas Mudde, Joseph Schafer, Robert Black , and 8 more Cas Mudde, Joseph Schafer, Robert Black, David R. Miller, Brian Keegan, Sam Kamin, Florencia Torche, Patrick Stokes, Stella M. Rouse, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Colin Woodard

Hakeem Jeffries @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social · 12d

The Trump administration’s threat to deploy troops in Portland is unlawful.

Here’s a thought.

Focus on protecting the healthcare of the American people.

4.8K 400 1.9K

Reposted by Catherine Baker, Karen L. Cox, Florencia Torche , and 1 more Catherine Baker, Karen L. Cox, Florencia Torche, Ernesto Castañeda

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 20d

Revisiting this piece I wrote in April 2025. "State Terror: A brief guide for Americans"
snyder.substack.com/p/state-terror

State Terror

A brief guide for Americans

snyder.substack.com

8 280 670

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · 20d

Interested in intergenerational mobility in the United States? Join the National Academies for a webinar on Economic and Social Mobility in the United States on Monday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. ET.

More information & registration: www.nationalacademies.org/event/45575_... @nationalacademies.org

www.nationalacademies.org

Reposted by Michael D. Green, Mirya R. Holman, Stephen D. Murphy , and 5 more Michael D. Green, Mirya R. Holman, Stephen D. Murphy, José Antonio Noguera, David L. Anderson, Florencia Torche, Stephen Pimpare, David Darmofal

Rita Hamad @ritahamad.bsky.social · 28d

Thrilled to co-author 2 recent qualitative papers that perfectly demonstrate the importance of mixed methods research to inform US policy. In the first aptly titled "It's confusing as hell" we examined lived experiences of low-income people applying for the EITC. academic.oup.com/healthaffair... 1/

4 26 91

Reposted by Norbert Schwarz, Christopher McCabe, Jon Green , and 7 more Norbert Schwarz, Christopher McCabe, Jon Green, Daryl Adair, Kate Starbird, Florencia Torche, Guillaume Allègre, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Antonio Fatás, Peter Jacobs

Charlie Warzel @cwarzel.bsky.social · Sep 10

I wrote about what I think is a genuinely revealing document of elite depravity and impunity. It is shocking and sickening. But it's also a crucial moment. We're about to see what happens when conspiracy theorists actually get what they asked for but it turns out not to be what they want.

You Really Need to See Epstein’s Birthday Book for Yourself

This time, the conspiracy theorists were right.

www.theatlantic.com

270 3.8K 11K

Reposted by Joshua L. Rosenbloom, Trevon D. Logan, Aaron Sojourner , and 3 more Joshua L. Rosenbloom, Trevon D. Logan, Aaron Sojourner, Florencia Torche, Jay Shambaugh, Southern Africa

Erica Groshen @ericagroshen.bsky.social · Aug 13

Ending publication of monthly Current Economic Statistics (CES) would violate the will of Congress as expressed federal law.

It would also violate OMB's Statistical Policy Directive 3, which governs all Principal Federal Economic Indicators, including the CES.
www.bls.gov/bls/statisti...

www.bls.gov

4 14 33

Reposted by Céline Bessière, Rense Nieuwenhuis, Gayle Kaufman , and 1 more Céline Bessière, Rense Nieuwenhuis, Gayle Kaufman, Florencia Torche

ASA Family Section @asa-family.bsky.social · Apr 24

Do you want to be included in our family starter pack or know other family sociologists who should be included? Leave a comment here, and follow our starter pack to hear the latest research on families! go.bsky.app/E3PGiEm

32 20 26

Reposted by Frank van Tubergen, Markus Klein, Moris Triventi , and 1 more Frank van Tubergen, Markus Klein, Moris Triventi, Florencia Torche

Moris Triventi @mtriventi.bsky.social · Oct 11

📢 Calling all scholars in #SocialStratification & #SocialMobility! Join us for the 2025 RC28 Spring Conference " at @unimi on March 25-27. 📝 Submit abstracts from Oct 4 to Nov 7 here: rc28milan2025.com #RC28 #Sociology #Inequality #Education

RC28 - Conference

We invite all scholars working in the field of social stratification and social mobility to contribute to the 2025 RC28 Spring Conference on March 25-27,

rc28milan2025.com

21 25

Reposted by Lindsey Macmillan, Florencia Torche

Zach Bleemer @zbleemer.bsky.social · May 19

New study: The relative wage premium for going to college has halved for low-income Americans since 1960.

What is to blame? Rising selectivity? Tuition hikes? State disinvestment? We decompose changes in the premium since 1900 to find out.

🧵#EconTwitter nber.org/papers/w33797

1 30 62

Reposted by Siniša Malešević, Ingrid Tucci, Florencia Torche

American Sociological Association @asanews.bsky.social · Feb 5

ASA mourns the sudden loss of former President Michael Burawoy, who died tragically in Oakland, CA, on February 3. Burawoy received the ASA Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award and W.E.B. Du Bois Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award. His will be greatly missed.

1 43 120

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · Jul 17

Very saddened to learn of the passing of Richard Alba, a towering figure in the sociology of immigration. His work shaped the understanding of assimilation, ethno-racial boundaries, and the changing American mainstream.
🔗 www.gc.cuny.edu/news/memoria...

In Memoriam: Distinguished Professor Emeritus Richard Alba

An eminent demographer and sociologist, he challenged conventional thinking on how immigrants integrate into U.S. society.

www.gc.cuny.edu

2 22

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · Jul 17

welcome to Bluesky, @stefanie-deluca.bsky.social !

Reposted by Florencia Torche

Karen Benjamin Guzzo @karenguzzo.bsky.social · Jul 16

For an excellent take on polygenic scores & embryo selection read this great post by @drjenndowd.bsky.social.

Can You Pay to Get Taller, Smarter Embryos?

Genetic prediction is not as good as you think.

jenndowd.substack.com

2 5

Reposted by Stuart White, Florencia Torche

Manuel Schechtl @schechtlm.bsky.social · Jul 16

⚠️ New timely WP ⚠️ Rising wealth inequality and democratic backsliding at the US state-level #EconSky #Sociology #PolicySky
@stone-lis.bsky.social WP here: doi.org/10.31235/osf...

2 22 71

Reposted by Brian A. Nosek, Linda J. Skitka, Jennifer A. Richeson , and 5 more Brian A. Nosek, Linda J. Skitka, Jennifer A. Richeson, Jason Stajich, Jonathan Parker, Caroline Krafft, Devon Greyson, Florencia Torche

ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · Jul 15

"two first-rate economists, David Cutler and Ed Glaeser, have made a stab at estimating the impact of cuts at NIH. Their analysis suggests that these cuts might save $500 billion in federal spending over the next 25 years — while imposing more than $8 trillion in losses."

For MAGA, Ignorance is Strength

Research cuts aren’t about shrinking government, they’re about killing science

paulkrugman.substack.com

32 890 2.2K

Reposted by Florencia Torche

Emily Rauscher @emilyrauscher.bsky.social · Jul 10

Two new papers on when and how school spending matters. With fabulous co-authors @greermellon.bsky.social @susannaloeb.bsky.social
Now if only the federal govt would fund schools appropriately...

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10....

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

1 3 20

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · Jul 9

Compensation is inferred from behavior: hypogamous wives (more educated than their husbands) are more likely to take their husband's name than education-equal wives—a gap that persists and even slightly widens between 2000 and 2021.

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · Jul 8

*National* -- now and always!

Reposted by Nicole Boivin, John Appleby, Rachel S. Franklin , and 2 more Nicole Boivin, John Appleby, Rachel S. Franklin, Florencia Torche, Andrew M. Riggsby

Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · Jun 16

“Historically, no one lived past age 35”

"I’ve heard *so* many versions of this claim, including recently from a menopause doctor (implying menopause is not “natural” because noone lived long enough to go through it). Every time someone states this “fact,” a demographer loses a piece of their soul"

There Were Still Old People When Life Expectancy Was 35.

A demography myth that won't die

jenndowd.substack.com

120 820 3.1K

Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Mark E. Schaffer, Alberto Bisin , and 2 more Hugo Mercier, Mark E. Schaffer, Alberto Bisin, Florencia Torche, Baptiste Coulmont

Paolo Crosetto @paolocrosetto.bsky.social · Jun 15

A *null* result I'm very proud of!

Led by Rustam Romaniuc, 35 coauthors from all over France tested nudge interventions to boost voter turnout.

None worked, and we are possibly not surprised -- but a well-powered null result *is* a result!

Paper:

kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...

The main figure from the voter turnout paper -- no effect of any nudge intervention on voter turnout.

5 78 300

Reposted by Fabrizio Bernardi, Patrick Präg, Florencia Torche

Demography - the flagship journal of PAA @readdemography.bsky.social · Jun 10

“SES, Genes & Differential Effects of Parental Separation on Educational Attainment”: @fabriberna.bsky.social & @gaiaghirardi.bsky.social find the largest penalty for “high-SES students whose parents separate is…among those w/ a low PGI EA.” @eui-eu.bsky.social read.dukeupress.edu/demography/a...

2 13

Reposted by Michael Pollard, Florencia Torche

Karen Benjamin Guzzo @karenguzzo.bsky.social · Jun 10

Declining birth rates are likely driven by "pregnancy avoidance" decisions - people repeatedly deciding that it's not a good time to get pregnant *right now* rather than deciding not to have any (more) children at all, as my colleagues and I show in a new paper. 1/ doi.org/10.1007/s111...

Despite low U.S. fertility rates since the Great Recession, two-child norms remain pervasive, suggesting individuals are unable to achieve their goals. To understand what may be driving the apparent mismatch between goals and behavior, we focus on pregnancy avoidance, as individuals may be deciding against births in the short term rather than deciding not to have any, or any more, children. Further, we incorporate subjective evaluations of the future related to economic and relational factors as well as objective socioeconomic indicators, drawing from the Narratives of the Future framework and Easterlin’s theory about expected standard of living. We use data from the 2018–2020 wave of the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (N = 880), a population-based dataset, to examine short-term pregnancy avoidance among adults aged 29–36. We find that higher levels of personal economic pessimism and concerns about having a good relationship in the future are associated with greater importance of avoiding a pregnancy in the short term, even when controlling for objective characteristics such as economic hardship, relationship status, and other sociodemographic covariates. The results highlight the need to incorporate both subjective and objective statuses in research on fertility decision-making, and the implications of these findings point to short-term pregnancy avoidance and fertility postponement as a potential mechanism underlying contemporary low birth rates in the U.S.

2 21 72

Reposted by Florencia Torche

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · Jun 5

Excellent explainer of COVID vaccines for kids by @drjenndowd.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/jenndowd...

Do kids need COVID vaccines?

Let's talk about it.

open.substack.com

6 29 66

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · May 30

That’s true! But the point might be increasingly important, as more people return to school and complete education later than the “normative” age

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · May 30

Good point! Main issue is marriage selectivity—especially for status-unequal marriages—has likely changed over time. We control for both spouses' characteristics (age, etc) & examine key plausible confounder: gender egalitarianism of different types of couples (Fig 8) Not perfect but as best we can

Reposted by Laura Huenneke, Florencia Torche, Jordi Cat

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · May 30

Breaking news: Contradicting HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC continues to recommend the coronavirus vaccines for healthy children, according to new documentation posted to the agency's website.

Contradicting RFK Jr., CDC keeps recommending covid vaccine for kids

While RFK Jr. said coronavirus vaccines would be removed from the CDC schedule for healthy children, it’s still recommended in consultation with doctors.

www.washingtonpost.com

620 4.9K 21K

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · May 30

Exactly!
If you use it for teaching, I’d be happy to share slides.

Florencia Torche @ftorche.bsky.social · May 30

So interesting, Jenn! We use education instead of earnings precisely to alleviate endogeneity concerns, but you’re absolutely right—some people complete additional education after we observe them in the sample!

1 3

Reposted by Florencia Torche, Jeroen Van Bouwel

Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · May 29

For 40 years, Americans have lived shorter lives than people in other rich countries.

For 10 years, that's been rapidly getting worse.

New research: in 2022-2023, there were 1.5 million "missing Americans," who died--but wouldn't have, if America didn't have such uniquely high death rates.

Excess US Deaths Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

This cohort study examines trends in excess deaths in the US before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

jamanetwork.com

24 300 640