First-Year Seminar: Poverty, Inequality, and the American Dream

Despite its wealth, the U.S. has some of the highest poverty and inequality levels among rich democracies. This seminar uses a sociological lens to explore what it means to live in poverty and experience inequality in the "land of opportunity." Topics include perceptions, patterns, causes, inequality across different domains (e.g., housing, education, labor market, health etc.) that shape poverty, and implications. Throughout the course, we will discuss the significance of historical and place context as well as different axes of inequality (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, age, disability). Ultimately, this course highlights why the American Dream is difficult for many to attain.