Content and objectives
Is the meaning of poverty the same everywhere? The course includes the historical trends in poverty and inequality in OECD economies as well as in developing countries. By first discussing the measurement of poverty and inequality, the readings and the related seminars guide the students through the explanations for the historical trends. The modern political economy serves as the backbone for the theoretical explanations and the role of economic and social policy is central in the approach. An international comparative analysis is crucial in order to understand why almost all economies show fluctuations in the extent of inequality between individuals and households. The technical and skill aspects of the course are concentrated around empirical research using household survey data and the role of important parameters in assessing inequality and poverty among households. The course equips the students with basic technical skills in order to design poverty/inequality reduction policies.

Literature

• Understanding Poverty, Pete Alcock, Palgrave Macmillan; 3Rev Ed edition (7 Jul 2006)
• Vranken, J. (2001). Unravelling the Social Strands of Poverty: Differentiation, Fragmentation, Inequality, and Exclusion. In Andersen, H.T. & Kempen, R. (eds), Governing European Cities. Social fragmentation, social exclusion and urban governance (71-88).
• Grusky, D.B., The Contours of Social Stratification, in D.B. Grusky (ed.), Social Stratification in Class, Race and Gender in Sociological Perspective. Boulder-San Francisco-Oxford, Westview Press: 3-38.
• Atkinson, A. B. & Bourguignon, F. (2000) Introduction: Income Distribution and Economics, in A. B. Atkinson and F. Bourguignon (eds) Handbook of Income Distribution, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, vol. 1: 1–58.
• Esping-Andersen (1990) The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Princeton University Press
• Andress, H.-J. (1998) Empirical Poverty Research in a Comparative Perspective, Aldershot, Ashgate.
• Atkinson, T., Cantillon, B., Marlier, E. and Nolan, B. (2002) Social Indicators. The EU and Social Inclusion, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
• Ringen, S. (1988) Direct and Indirect Measures of Poverty, Journal of Social Policy 17(3): 351-365.
• Rowntree, S. B. (1902) Poverty. A Study of Town Life, London, Thomas Nelson & Sons.
• Townsend, P. (1979) Poverty in the United Kingdom. A Survey of Household Resources and Standards of Living, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books.