PS 47003 (Crosslisted with CSC 67003, see below)

Lawyer and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson says, “In too many places, the opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice.” This course will ask if that is true and will advance our understanding of how to abolish poverty in the United States. Matthew Desmond’s book Poverty, By America will provide a foundation for our discussion. Together, we will research programs and practices that have and have not worked to disrupt poverty, including our investment in mass incarceration. And together, we will develop our moral imagination for what could work to create a place where everyone has what they need to flourish and live a just life.

As part of the national Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, this course involves inside students (people incarcerated at the Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, IN) and outside students (people enrolled at Notre Dame, St. Mary’s, or Holy Cross) learning with and from one another and breaking new ground together. Most weeks of the semester, outside students will travel to Westville for class sessions with the inside students. All students are responsible for the same reading and writing assignments and participate together in class activities and discussions. Additional requirements for participation are outlined on the application form.

Instructor: Connie Snyder Mick, Ph.D.

Class Day & Time: Friday, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm
Class time includes travel to and from the prison, as well as the class session at the prison.

Application Process: Application is now closed
Application Deadline: November 30

Enrollment is limited to Employee Non-Degree, Graduate Non-Degree, Holy Cross College, Non-matriculating, St. Mary’s College, Undergraduate or Undergraduate Non-Degree level students.

Enrollment limited to students in the Main campus.

Credits: 3
Associated Term: Spring 2024

Course Attributes:

• CSTE – CST Minor Elective (CSTE)
• PSCE – Poverty Studies Experiential Learning (PSCE)
• PSCP – Poverty Studies Capstone Project (PSCP)
• PSIM – Poverty Studies Elective (PSIM)
• ZCSC – Commnty Engagmnt Course (ZCSC)

CSC 67003 – Enrollment is limited to Employee Non-Degree, Graduate, Graduate Architecture, Graduate Non-Degree or Non-matriculating level students.