Despite ground-breaking advances in science and technology and the enormous material wealth created over the past couple of centuries, a considerable part of the world’s population continues to be deprived of decent standards of living and has limited access to essential services and resources such as health, education, clean water, food, and shelter. Why is this the case? Why do we have prosperity at one pole and immiseration at the other? What are the patterns and extent of global inequality? How has the increasing cross-border mobility (of goods, services, capital, and people) been affecting living conditions in different parts of the world? Why does the impact of globalization vary so drastically among communities, regions, and countries? What is the role of collective agency in the history of global poverty and inequality? What are the strengths and shortcomings of existing initiatives, policies, and programs designed to address global poverty and inequality? How can ordinary citizens, development practitioners, activists, or global professionals meaningfully contribute to the solution of global poverty and inequality?

These are some of the key questions that will guide our conversations and engagement with course materials in this seminar. Throughout the term, we will explore the origins, contemporary manifestations, and the future of global poverty and economic inequality. When doing so, we will pay closer attention to the agency of people living in poverty and experiencing inequality and the different roles other actors can play to contribute to the solution of the problem.

The course is divided into three parts. The first part will provide a historical and conceptual background by examining the links between globalization, poverty and inequality from a historical perspective. In the second part, we will analyze contemporary trends, key actors, policy challenges, and the effectiveness of global governance mechanisms and tools in addressing poverty and inequality. In the third part, we will focus on new avenues and future directions. We will discuss the pros and cons of various policy proposals put forward for combating global poverty and inequality, including universal basic income, global wealth tax, working-time regulation, green growth and de-growth.

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: