The James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Centre on Socio-Economic Inequality in Asia (SCoSEIA) at the University of Hong Kong is dedicated to the comparative study of income and wealth inequality. As the inaugural Stone Centre in Asia, it is led by a distinguished interdisciplinary team: Co-Directors Tarani Chandola, Professor of Medical Sociology; Uta Schönberg, Professor of Economics; and Ming Wen, Dean of Social Sciences.
The Centre’s mission is to bridge disciplinary and geographic divides, fostering a global research community to understand the nature, causes, and consequences of inequality. A core focus is comparing Asian experiences with those of North America and Europe.
To achieve this, the Centre draws on a wide array of data sources, including surveys, tax and administrative records, business registers, and open-source platforms. It is committed to building extensive internal and external networks and ensuring its research reaches stakeholders through concise summaries and public-facing outputs.
Our Vision and Mission
To be a global leader in inequality research, driving evidence-based solutions for Asia and beyond.
Our Core Mission
- Understanding the root causes and consequences of inequality in Asia.
- Identifying policies that mitigate inequality’s harm while promoting innovation.
- Fostering global collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and communities.
The James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation
The James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation is a philanthropic organisation based in the United States that supports innovative initiatives in education, the arts, and democratic community development. Founded by the Stone family, the foundation is particularly known for investing in projects that promote equity, creativity, and critical thinking. It often funds work that addresses systemic challenges and empowers individuals and communities, especially through education reform, youth development, and public service leadership.
The Stone Foundation currently funds wealth inequality research at thirteen institutions, including: Graduate Centre of the City University of New York, Harvard Kennedy School, Brown University, INSEAD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, University College London, University of Michigan, UBC’s Vancouver School of Economics, Paris School of Economics, and the University of Munich.