Many of us tend to think of politics when we consider food stamps, Medicaid, or the minimum wage. But poverty in America has been a subject of public concern long before the advent of these Federal programs in the mid-20th century. This course will survey the debate about the meaning of poverty in the world’s richest nation and how it should be addressed. Participants will be urged to bring all their insights—religious, legal, social, cultural—to aid in the discussion.