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Terri L. Friedline

Professor of Social Work

Terri L. Friedline

Dr. Terri Friedline writes, organizes, and teaches about racial capitalism, technology and the financial system. She is a professor of social work at the University of Michigan and is the author of “Banking on a Revolution: Why Financial Technology Won’t Save a Broken System” (Oxford University Press). Friedline’s writing draws on critical theories and is inspired by abolitionist politics. Her recent writings focus on debt as racialized and gendered violence, credit scoring as a carceral practice and financial technology (“fintech”) as invasive infrastructure. Her academic research has been published in top peer-reviewed journals, such as Social Service Review, Race and Social Problems, and Frontiers in Public Health, and her public writing has appeared in popular news magazines, such as Current Affairs, Ms., and The Intercept.

Friedline is active in policy. She has served as a member of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Academic Research Council, has volunteered on the economic policy council of a presidential campaign, and has been endorsed by the Progressive Talent Pipeline. Friedline has presented her research before financial system regulators, provided written testimony to congressional committees, and served as an expert witness in discrimination lawsuits against banks.

Friedline holds a BSW from Messiah College and an MSW and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

Research Interests/Focus

Racial capitalism, the financial system, technology, debt and abolition

Education

Year Degree   School
2012 PhD Social Work University of Pittsburgh, PA
2005 MSW Community Organization & Social Administration University of Pittsburgh, PA
2004 BASW Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, PA
Year Description
2022 “There is no winning”: The racialized violence of debt on health and how women resist. Paper presented at 2022 Association for Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Annual Meeting. Austin, TX. (National Conference). Friedline, T., & Morrow, S. (2022)
2021 Racism and the economy series: Focus on financial services. Invited keynote presentation to the Federal Reserve System Racism and the Economy Series: Focus on Financial Services. (National Conference). https://www.minneapolisfed.org/policy/racism-and-the-economy
2021 Bea, M., Amorim, M., & Friedline, T. (2021). Social safety nets and spatial predation: How state welfare environments shape high-interest lender geography. Paper presented at 2021 Population Association of America (PAA) Virtual Annual Meeting. (National Conference).
2020 Bea, M., Amorim, M., & Friedline, T. (2020). Social safety nets and spatial predation: How state and local welfare environments shape high-interest lender geography. Paper presented at the Society for the Advancement of SocioEconomics (SASE) Virtual Conference, Development Today: Accumulation, Surveillance, Redistribution. (International Conference)
2020 Friedline, T., Franklin, T., Morrow, S., & Kugiya, J. (2020). The promises and perils of community benefits agreements: Evidence from public comments to a large bank merger. Paper presented at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
2020 Friedline, T., & Chen, Z. (2020). The racialized fintech marketplace: Evidence from United States zip codes. Paper presented at 2020 MACRO Conference & Teaching Institute, St. Louis, MO.
2019 Friedine, T. (2019). Racialized costs of “traditional” banking in segregated America. Invited presentation to the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research. Ann Arbor, MI.
2019 Friedline, T. (2019). Describing poverty. Invited presentation to the Matrix Thought Leaders Meeting, Detroit, MI.
2019 Friedline, T. (2019). Racialized costs of banking: Evidence from the fintech marketplace and entry-level checking accounts. Detroit, MI: FDIC Alliance for Economic Inclusion Inaugural Meeting.
2019 Friedline, T., & Chen, Z. (2019). The racialized fintech marketplace: Evidence from United States zip codes. Paper presented at the University of Michigan Center on Finance, Law, and Policy Speaker Series, Ann Arbor, MI.
2019 Friedline, T. (2019). When banking goes digital. Invited presentation to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Academic Research Council, Washington, DC.
2019 Friedline, T. (2019). Emerging financial behavior and technology. Invited presentation to the FDIC Alliance for Economic Inclusion National Conference, Detroit, MI.
2019 Friedline, T., & Chen, Z. (2019). The racialized fintech marketplace: Evidence from United States zip codes. Paper presented at the Race in the Marketplace forum in Paris, France.
2018 Friedline, T. (2018, May 1). Racialized costs of banking: Evidence from #MapFinOpp on banks’ entry-level checking accounts. Kansas City, MO: FDIC Alliance for Economic Inclusion Quarterly Meeting.
2018 Faber, J., & Friedine, T. (2018). Racialized costs of banking in segregated America: Evidence from banks’ entry-level checking accounts. Paper presented at the Analysis for Public Policy and Management (APPAM) Fall Research Conference, Evidence for Action: Encouraging Innovation and Improvement, Washington, DC. (National Conference).
2018 Faber, J., & Friedine, T. (2018). Racialized costs of banking in segregated America: Evidence from banks’ entry-level checking accounts. Invited presentation to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, Washington, DC.
2018 Huang, J., Baker, A., Friedline, T., Zurlo, K. (2018). Key research agenda on building financial capability and assets for all. Roundtable accepted for presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference, Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice, in Washington, DC.
2018 Despard, M. & Friedline, T. (2018). Financial capability and asset building for all: The potential of postal banking for under-served low-income, minority, and rural communities. Paper accepted for presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference, Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice, in Washington, DC.
2018 Huang, J., Despard, M., Friedline, T., Peters, C., & Rothwell, D. (2018). Policies to promote financial inclusion among vulnerable populations: The role of social work research. Roundtable accepted for presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference, Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice, in Washington, DC.

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