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Banerjee, A., & Duflo, E. (2011). Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty. New York, NY: PublicAffairs.
Banerjee and Duflo, two economics professors from MIT, use randomized control testing to study what solutions work, and which do not, in combating poverty around the globe. Their research supported an observational method of study, where they listened and learned from those living in the dire situation of not having enough money to get buy.
Boo, Katherine. (2012). Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. New York, NY: Random House.
Many cities struggle with social inequality, but in Mumbai, this phenomenon is pronounced. Boo takes an in depth look into the social undercurrents that leave some wealthy and others with nothing.
Desmond, Matthew. (2016). Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. New York, NY: Crown Publishing group.
In Evicted, Princeton Professor Matthew Desmond looks at the lives of eight Milwaukie families, all struggling to pay their monthly rent. The book won a Pulitzer Prize and explores the housing crisis in America through the lens of social inequality and class antagonisms.
Fortin, N.M., & Schirle, T. (2006). Gender dimensions of changes in earnings inequality in Canada. In D. Green & J. Kesselman (eds.), Dimensions of Inequality in Canada. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.
The wage gap between men and women has been a well-recognized and contested area among scholars in Canada. According to these writers, women and their families in the upper deciles of the family earnings distribution have been enjoying rising incomes, while families in the middle, have seen their incomes eroded.
Kozol, Jonathan. (2006). Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America. New York, NY: Broadway Books.
This book looks at the lives of the men, women and children who are forced to live on the streets. Despite common ideas that the homeless are drug addicted with mental health problems, this book puts compassion and humanity back into the people whose lives are shaped by the homes that they lack.
Land, Stephanie. (2019). Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. New York, NY: Hachette Books.
As both a mother and a maid, Stephanie Land knows what it is like to live in the poverty-stricken neighborhoods of America. In this compelling memoir, she tells her story of getting by on food stamps and government supported housing, all well raising an unexpected baby girl.
Orwell, George. (1934). The Road to Wigan Pier. London, England: Victor Gollancz Ltd.
In this classic text, Orwell explores class relations in London, England through the bleak lens of the industrialized North end of Yorkshire.
Porter, John. (1965). The Vertical Mosaic. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
In this milestone book, Canadian sociologist John Porter considers the underlying currents behind income and social inequality in Canada. While Canada is looked upon globally as a country that takes care of its people, this book clearly establishes the role of power and class in determining the haves from the have-nots.
Sellars, Bev. (2013). They Called me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School. Vancouver, BC: Talonbooks.
Bev Sellars spent her childhood in one of many church-run residential schools in Canada. In this memoir, Sellars reflects upon the horrors that she experienced during her time in the school and sheds light on the unique Indigenous plight in Canada.
Turkle, Sherry. (2011). Alone together: Why we expect more from our technology and less from each other. New York, NY: Basic Books.
This book looks at how human relationships are negatively affected by the technological advancements we are encountering today.
Recommended Videos
American Factory, Higher Ground Productions, 2019: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81090071?trackId=13752289&tctx=3%2C1%2C54877ccc04bd466c3f193265f33d9f92083b9fac%3Ae75e36c77c9f621c7ab94fc3f7694b86e44e7684%2C%2C
When a GM factory closes down in Ohio, workers who could once afford a middle-class lifestyle are struggling to make ends meet. As the factory is reopened by a multi-national Chinese corporation, the film looks at the challenges of factory work and the grueling physical and psychological effect it has on underpaid employees.
Canadian Immigration: Finding Work, The Agenda, 2011: http://youtu.be/DxE0l1MCuUk
This episode of The Agenda with Steve Paikin is about finding jobs in Canada and how difficult it can be for newly-arriving immigrants.
Income Inequality Impairs the American Dream of Upward Mobility, Policy Alternatives, 2009: http://youtu.be/JrjIBbMPQw0
This is a debate produced by Intelligence Debates regarding the income gap in Western economies.
The Hidden World of Shadow Cities, Ted Talk, 2005: https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_neuwirth_on_our_shadow_cities?language=en
In this Ted Talk, journalist and author Robert Neuwirth talks about his time researching squatter communities outside of bustling urban centers. He argues for the legitimization of this form of living.
Welfare and the Politics of Poverty, NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000004377970/welfare-and-the-politics-of-poverty.html
The media portrays people on welfare as needy, dependent and lazy, but this documentary turns those notions on their head. The short documentary looks at the history of welfare in America and its effect on those living in poverty.
Recommended Websites
Canada Without Poverty: http://www.cwp-csp.ca
Canada Without Poverty provides facts about poverty in Canada, including which communities and demographics are at greatest risk.
Habitat for Humanity: https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/blog/2017/12/the-worlds-largest-slums-dharavi-kibera-khayelitsha-neza/
Habitat for Humanity does research on living in slums and homelessness, as well as providing on-the-ground aid for those living in dire conditions. Their website provides facts and statistics on poverty rates around the world.
Homeless Hub: https://www.homelesshub.ca
Homeless hub links academic research, policy makers, and local activists together through community outreach programs, dedicated research to homelessness in Canada and solutions to youth homelessness.
World Inequality Database: https://wid.world
The World Inequality Database uses research from hundreds of scholars across the globe to provide data on inequality. They provide an in-depth database of statistics country by country.
World Poverty Clock: https://worldpoverty.io/about/index.php?language=en
The World Poverty Clock displays real-time projections of income levels for every person in the world. It is funded by the German Government.