Poverty and Inequality (EC 122)

MWF 10:00-10:50am, Sawyer 1021

FINAL EXAM Wednesday April 30^th 8:00am-9:50am

Dr. Benjamin Powell

Department of Economics

1 Bowdoin Sq. (6^th Floor)

bpowell@suffolk.edu (best way to reach me)

617-573-8023

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2-3pm and by appointment

This course will examine the causes of poverty and inequality and critically evaluate potential economic, governmental, and charitable/NGO solutions for the alleviation. The basic analytical “toolkit” of economics will be used throughout the course though no prior knowledge of economics is assumed.

The course will be broken into three parts. In the first part of the course you will learn the basic economic ideas, consider what poverty and inequality are and how we measure them. The second part of the course will study poverty and inequality in the U.S. and evaluate efforts at eliminating them. Finally the third part will examine poverty and inequality in today’s globalized economy. World Bank poverty alleviation programs in Africa will be a major focus of this final component of the course.

Grading

Final Exam 40%

3 Quizzes 30% (10% each)

Term Paper 25%

Participation 5%

There will be a quiz for each segment of the course. The final exam will be comprehensive. Term paper topics will be discussed in class about a month into the semester.

Required Books

Common Sense Economics by James Gwartney, Richard Stroup, and Dwight Lee

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

Myths of the Rich and Poor by Michael Cox and Richard Alm

The Elusive Quest for Growth by William Easterly

The Conquest of Poverty by Henry Hazlitt (Print Copy or free online at http://www.mises.org/books/conquest.pdf)

Academic Integrity

Any student caught cheating on an exam or plagiarizing will receive a grade of “0” on the assignment. I also reserve the right to report the offending student to the Dean of Students. Consult your student handbook for further information.

Tentative Schedule

Week of Topic Readings

January 14^th-18^th Introduction Vonnegut Handout

What are Poverty and Inequality?

January 21^st-25^th 10 Key Elements of Economics Common Sense Econ pp. 1-33

(No Mon Class)

January 28^th-Feb 1^st 10 Keys Cont. and Hist Perspective Conquest pp. 13-39, 66-84

February 4^th-8^th 7 Sources of Econ Progress Common Sense Econ pp. 33-75

February 11^th-15^th Quiz and Nickel and Dimed Discussion Quiz 1 Feb 11^th

Begin Term Paper Discussion Nickel & Dimed pp. 1-49

February 18^th-22^nd Measuring Poverty and Inequality Handouts

(No Mon Class) Nickel & Dimed pp. 51-119

Myths pp. 3-22

February 25^th-29^th Measuring Cont. Nickel & Dimed pp. 121-191

Myths pp. 23-90

March 3^rd-7^th Anti Poverty Programs Nickel & Dimed pp. 193-221

Barriers to Escaping Poverty Myths pp. 139-156

Handouts

March 10^th-14^th Cont. Quiz 2 March 14^th

Conquest Chaps 11, 14, 20

March 24^th-28^th 3^rd World Poverty & Aid Elusive pp. xi-46

March 31^st-April 4^th Education, Population, Loans & Debt Elusive pp. 71-138

April 7^th-11^th Africa: Who is to Blame? Video shown in class

Followed by discussion

April 14^th-18^th Freedom, Poverty & Inequality, and Handouts

Development Quiz 3 on April. 18^th

April 23^rd Conclusions and Questions Term Papers Due

(No Mon or Fri)

FINAL EXAM Wednesday April 30^th 8:00am-9:50am in Sawyer 1021