Anthropology of Poverty

Why has urban poverty remained so entrenched in the United States, even amidst the unprecedented economic expansion of the postwar period? This course will seek to answer this question by exploring the relationships between race, public institutions, economic change and inequality within American society. In doing so, the course will examine the theoretical and practical dimensions of anthropology's engagement with poverty. We will begin by examining theoretical approaches for understanding the persistence of poverty in the United States, as well as the major policy frameworks that seek to reduce poverty. In addition, the course will cover anthropological critiques of these approaches and anthropological accounts of the everyday realities and struggles of poor people. Students will do internships in local organizations dealing with poverty and will use this experience to reflect on larger debates.