Banning Christmas Dinner
Poor laws passed in Great Britain in the 1830s reversed a centuries-old tradition to forbid workhouses from serving roast beef and plum pudding at Christmas.
When Uptown Chicago was “Hillbilly Heaven”
In the 1960s, white Appalachian workers attempted to put down roots in Chicago by building an integrated model neighborhood called Hank Williams Village.
Cairo’s Zabbaleen and Secret Life of Trash
In Egypt's capital, members of an impoverished Coptic population strengthen community ties while making a living as ragpickers.
How Social Upheaval Gave Rise to the Picaresque Novel
How did the arcadian shepherd and chivalric knight-errant, centuries-old fixtures of European literature, give way to this witty rascal, the pícaro?
How Poor Women Shaped the War on Poverty
Bridging the gap between policy and people was a central aim of the War on Poverty. Often, women were the ones who linked the government to the community.
The Tragedy at Buffalo Creek
The historic Buffalo Creek flood tore through a region often exploited by industry—and stereotyped by outsiders.
Why Are Random Trials So Common in Anti-Poverty Work?
Three economists who have devoted their careers to studying poverty alleviation won the Nobel Prize in economics. How did their methods catch on?
The Continuing Controversy Over Baby Formula
Nestlé promoted formula in the developing world, even though they knew bottle-feeding with limited sanitation and refrigeration could be dangerous.
Global Food Security: A Primer
World hunger is not caused by our inability to produce enough food. The problem arises because of the economic inequality that distorts food distribution.
The Partisan Blame Game That Perpetuates Poverty
A sociological explanation for why the Bay's homelessness epidemic is so intractable.