Teaching Poverty 101 Workshop

2018 Call for Applications | Previous Workshops

Teaching Poverty 101 is a workshop that offers strategies and resources for instructors developing college-level courses and lessons on poverty and inequality. The workshop brings together college faculty and instructors from across the United States to the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus for several days of intensive, collaborative work during which they will share their own teaching expertise and develop a model course syllabus. It is open to all college faculty and instructors in any postsecondary institution—university, college, or community college.

2018 Call for Applications

The Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) is accepting applications for the 2018 Teaching Poverty 101 Workshop, which is designed to help college instructors plan courses on the causes, consequences, and cures of poverty. The workshop is open to college faculty and instructors in any postsecondary institution—university, college, or community college. Applicants need not have prior experience in poverty studies, but should plan to include material from the workshop in future courses.

The workshop will be led by IRP Affiliates Marah Curtis and Harry Brighouse and will offer an overarching approach to teaching a course about poverty and inequality. The program will focus on three main components:

  • Strategies for teaching and engaging undergraduate classrooms when talking about poverty;
  • A detailed overview of current research on poverty and inequality in the United States from distinguished IRP scholars; and
  • Collaborative development of a model course syllabus drawing on lessons and materials from the workshop.

The workshop will be held on the UW–Madison campus from 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, through a closing lunch on Friday, June 15, 2018. Invited participants will be expected to attend the entire program. IRP provides tuition and fees, lodging, continental breakfasts, lunches, and one group dinner. Participants cover transportation, additional meals, and other expenses.

How to Apply

Please prepare a brief (up to 800 words) letter detailing your background, interest in teaching a poverty-related course, information about poverty-related courses you currently teach or plan to teach, and what you hope to learn in the workshop. Upload letters to the application form. 

Space is limited. Applications must be submitted by February 15, 2018, to receive priority. We anticipate notifying all applicants of their application status by March 15, 2018.

Questions can be directed to Dave Chancellor.

Previous Workshops

2015 Workshop

Agenda and presentations

2013 Workshop

Agenda, presentations, and poverty-related syllabi

Funding for this workshop was made possible in part by grant number AE000102 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), which was awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The views expressed in written event materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Institute for Research on Poverty; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or the Institute for Research on Poverty.