“Why is there so much poverty in America, and what can we do about?”
Last spring, Matthew Desmond, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” retooled a large lecture course he had been teaching, to coincide with the publication of his latest book, “Poverty, by America.” The new seminar was capped at 15 students. Desmond’s goal: Have students tackle questions about American poverty head-on from multiple angles — and field-test real solutions with community partner organizations. He’s teaching it again this semester.
The class, by application only, attracts students from STEM to the social sciences to the humanities. “I’m looking for real serious engagement in the issue, but from a lot of different perspectives,” said Desmond, the Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology and principal investigator of The Eviction Lab. To read the full story.