Jennifer Warlick, Ph.D.

Spring 2010 Homework Assignments (send all assignments to jwarlick@nd.edu)

 

1. Assignment One, due January 13, midnight
   Compose an essay not to exceed two pages that that describes what you think it means to be poor in America.
   Your essay should be typed, double-spaced, normal margins in font size 11 or 12.
2. Assignment Two, due January 18, midnight

• Go  to the American FactFinder main page at the Census Bureau, enter your home state, city/town, county, and zip code alternately and record the number of families and individuals and their respective poverty rates for for each geographic area. These are listed under the subheading "Economic Characteristics."  Note that the sources vary across the geographical areas, so in addition to recording the number and percentage of families and persons in poverty, record the name of the data base and the year the data refure to.  When you are viewing the data for your zip code, Select the link to the "map" next and it will allow you to see the poverty rate for th e area around your home.  Record this number also.

• Assignment Three, due Jan. 21, midnight

  Submit two questions, one quotation, and a comment/observation on the text that reflect your thoughts of the reading assignments.

  Assignment Four, due Jan. 25, midnight

  Submit two questions, one quotation, and a comment/observation on the text that reflect your thoughts of the reading assignments.

  Assignment Five, due Jan.  27, midnight

  What dimensions of poverty does Amartya Sen identify that are not included in the official measure?  Does the HDI include all of these?  If not, which are omitted?  What is your reaction to the multifaceted measure of deprivation proposed by Robert Havemen?

  Assignment Six, due Feb. 1, midnight

  Submit two questions, one quotation, and a comment/observation on the text that reflect your thoughts of the reading assignments.

 

• Assignment Nine, Due in class on Tuesday, April 28
• Compose a two-page essay that explains how this course has shaped your understanding of poverty and its causes.  You may choose one specific lesson that affected you profoundly or a combination of different sources of information.