Search

During an extensive search for college curricula focused on rural poverty, the Rural Sociological Society's Task Force on Persistent Rural Poverty identified only a dozen such courses being taught in the United States today. This guidebook provides professors and instructors with a conveniently organized set of sample syllabi and instructional resources for introducing students to rural poverty in America. Parts I and II contain complete syllabi of four courses devoted entirely to rural poverty and of three courses that incorporate rural poverty as a major element. "The Economics of Poverty: Human Resources and Public Policy" (Refugio I. Rochin) emphasizes economic dimensions of rural poverty and public policy "remedies." In "Rural Minorities and Poverty in the U.S." (Gene F. Summers), students concentrate on rural counties characterized by persistent poverty and minority group population, and use theories of poverty to construct a public policy program. "New Challenges of Poverty in Appalachia" (Sally Ward Maggard) is a summer honors course taught by correspondence to students with first-hand experience of poverty. "Rural Minority Groups and Poverty" (Bruce Williams) is a summer course focusing on poverty among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta. "Social Psychology of the Disadvantaged" (Andre D. Hammonds) emphasizes theories of poverty causation and attitudes toward poverty of the poor and nonpoor. "Poverty in the United States: Social and Demographic Dimensions" (Leif Jensen) is a graduate course with an experiential element. "Social Problems" (Allison B. Lee) focuses on social stratification and consequent inequalities, and features student research and "reaction journals." Part III lists over 500 teaching resources, including textbooks; statistical resources; organizations concerned with rural poverty; films and videos (with annotations); bibliographies, journal articles, and book chapters (with topic index); and anthologies, books, and monographs. (SV)