People

Center for
Retirement Research
at Boston College
Hovey House
140 Commonwealth
Chestnut Hill
MA 02467-3808

617-552-1762 TEL
617-552-0191 FAX
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People

The Center and its network of experts possess a breadth of knowledge on retirement issues virtually unmatched in the field. Our researchers include leading scholars at Boston College and at affiliated institutions, such as MIT, The Brookings Institution, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Urban Institute. In the eight years since its inception, the Center has established a reputation as an authoritative source of information on all major aspects of the retirement income debate. From the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal, from corporate board rooms to debates on Capitol Hill, the Center is the hub for expertise on this issue.

John B. Williamson

Professor of Sociology
Boston College

Background

John B. Williamson is a Professor of Sociology at Boston College. His primary research interests include aging policy and the politics of aging with a focus in recent years on Social Security policy, the proposed privatization of Social Security, and the comparative study of old-age security policy. Professor Williamson has published extensively in journals and has edited or authored more than a dozen books. He has served on the editorial boards of several journals and has been a reviewer or editorial consultant for numerous publishing houses. Professor Williamson has also presented his work at numerous conferences throughout the world and has chaired a variety of research committees.

Dr. Williamson earned his B.S. in Humanities and Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Harvard University.

Research Projects for the Center for Retirement Research

Completed
"Older Workers: Lessons From Japan" (with Masa Higo), Work Opportunity Issue in Brief, #11, June 2007.

"Why Do Japanese Workers Remain in the Labor Force So Long?" (with Masa Higo), Working Paper, #2007-11, May 2007.

"Assessing the Notional Defined Contribution Model" Issue Brief, #24, October 2004.

"The Notional Defined Contribution Model: An Assessment of the Strengths and Limitations of a New Approach to the Provision of Old Age Security" (with Matthew Williams), Working Paper, #2003-18, October 2003.

"The Role of Marital History, Early Retirement Benefits, and the Economic Status of Women" (with Tay K. McNamara and Regina O'Grady-LeShane), Working Paper, #2003-01, January 2003.

"The Effect of Unplanned Changes in Marital and Disability Status: Interrupted Trajectories and Labor Force Participation," Working Paper, #2002-05, September 2002.

"Why Some Workers Remain in the Labor Force Beyond the Typical Age of Retirement" Working Paper, #2001-09, November 2001.

"Social Security Privatization: Lessons From The United Kingdom" Working Paper, #2000-10, November 2000.

"Social Security Reform: Implications for Women" (with Sara E. Rix), Working Paper, #1999-07, December 1999.

"Privatizing Public Pension Systems: Lessons for the United-States From Latin America" Working Paper, #1999-03, November 1999.

Selected Publications

Williamson, John B. 2004. "Assessing the Pension Reform Potential of a Notional Defined Contribution Pillar." International Social Security Review 57(1): 47-64.
Williamson, John B. and Catherine Deitelbaum. 2005. "Social Security Reform: Does Partial Privatization Make Sense for China?" Journal of Aging Studies 19(2): 257-271.
Williamson, John B., Stephanie A. Howling and Michelle Maroto. 2006. "The Political Economy of Pension Reform in Russia: Why Partial Privatization?" Journal of Aging Studies 20(2): 165-175.