Course #
40310

This course examines the causes and consequences of poverty in the United States and reviews the major social policies used to reduce poverty. It will emphasize U.S. policy approaches but will also include material on other countries for a comparative perspective. The course will emphasize research (both quantitative and qualitative) from a broad range of sources including economics, political science, sociology, developmental psychology, and public health.

The types of questions to be addressed include the following: What is poverty? Why is poverty so persistent? Why are poverty rates for certain groups so high? What is the causal impact of poverty on children and adults? What is the effect of social policies on poverty? What are the interrelationships among poverty, family structure, parental behavior, neighborhoods, education, labor market conditions, and public policies? Is poverty passed on from generation to generation?