URBS-3456 United States Social Policy

This course is designed to give students a working understanding of some of the United States' most impactful Federal and State government policies. The course will explore a number of themes including the "submerged" aspects of the U.S. welfare state, the role of policy choices in shaping poverty and inequality, and the importance of federalism in how policies are structured. The course will be run in seminar format, and class sessions will primarily involve group discussions and activities. Assignments will consist of weekly memos, short papers, and a semester-long research project. (Also listed as SOCI 3456.) Prerequisite: take one lower-division Sociology course.