Confronting Poverty

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In this course we ask: Why are people poor? We take an interdisciplinary look at poverty to better understand the forces that maintain poverty and the forces that resist it. From sustainability to social entrepreneurship, from economics to creative writing, we explore a variety of mindsets and methods for understanding, representing, and assessing poverty. Through academic and experiential learning, we gain a deeper understanding of the public and private programs and institutions that address poverty on the local, national, and global level. We also gain a deeper understanding of what has worked and what hasn't in domestic and international efforts to reduce poverty. Finally, students consider how they are called to address poverty in their personal and professional lives, exploring individual actions and careers that align with their skills and interests related to poverty. This course was formerly titled "Introduction to Poverty Studies." It counts as the gateway course for Justice & Society minors in the Poverty Studies curriculum and as an elective for those in the Justice & Society curriculum.