PUBPOL 2210

Poverty and Public Policy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

This course provides an introduction to social science research on poverty in the United States and public policies designed to reduce material hardship and economic insecurity. We will investigate different approaches to defining and measuring poverty, competing perspectives on the underlying causes of poverty, how poverty is distributed across social groups and transmitted intergenerationally, and how different explanations about the causes of poverty shape policy solutions. We will also examine major social safety net programs in the U.S. and the lived experiences of program participants.

Enrollment Information Enrollment limited to: undergraduate students. Recommended prerequisites: PUBPOL 2301.

Last 4 Terms Offered 2026SP

Learning Outcomes

• Explain how poverty is defined and measured, the strengths and weaknesses of different measures, and why some groups at unequal risk for poverty.
• Compare different perspectives on the causes of poverty and assess how the definition and framing of poverty shapes policy solutions.
• Identify and evaluate key social safety net programs to alleviate economic and material hardship and how they interact with other institutions that impact marginalized groups.
• Demonstrate awareness of the lived experiences of poverty in the United States and think critically about the impact of policies on reducing or perpetuating poverty.
• Contribute to an inclusive learning environment in which diverse approaches and points of view can help guide government actions.

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