Poverty and Economic Security
MIT OpenCourseWare presents this course on poverty and economic security in the United States, set against a global backdrop of economic restructuring and globalization. Students examine the lived experience of individuals, families, and households, tracing the history and geography that shape the likelihood of being poor in America. The syllabus covers debates over the shrinking middle class, the sources of rising inequality, and policy approaches aimed at expanding economic opportunity and security. Materials include readings, lecture notes, and assignments drawn from MIT's Urban Studies and Planning curriculum, free to access through OCW under a Creative Commons license. The course treats poverty not as an abstract statistic but as a condition produced by specific historical and structural forces, giving students the tools to evaluate competing explanations and proposed remedies.