Matthew Desmond, known for his Pulitzer-Prize-winning book 'Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,' discusses the systemic causes of poverty, impact of eviction on families, strategies to empower the poor, intertwined relationship between race and poverty, and reflections on COVID-19 economic policies.
Poverty is not inevitable but by design, impacting families and children disproportionately.
Eviction disrupts homes, education, possessions, and future housing opportunities for children.
Critiquing stereotypes, poverty's root lies in societal structures and exploitation by businesses.
Deep dives
The Eviction Lab and the Study of Poverty in America
Matthew Desmond, a sociology professor at Princeton University and the principal investigator at the Eviction Lab, discusses poverty and eviction in the United States. His book, 'Evicted,' follows the housing struggles of eight families in the Midwest, highlighting how poverty is not inevitable but rather by design.
The Impact of Poverty on Families and Children
Crystal, a young woman from Milwaukee characterized in Desmond's work, faced significant adversity from a young age, leading to diagnoses of PTSD and homelessness. Her story illustrates the urgent moral crisis of poverty, particularly its consequences for children.
Children and Families at Risk of Eviction
Desmond sheds light on the prevalence of children in eviction court cases, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on families. Evictions not only disrupt homes but also have lasting effects on children's education, possessions, and future housing opportunities.
Challenging Misconceptions Surrounding Poverty
Desmond critiques common stereotypes about poverty, highlighting how behaviors perceived as lazy may be survival strategies. By refocusing the narrative on broader societal structures and inequalities, he encourages a deeper understanding of poverty beyond individual responsibility.
Exploring Exploitation and Economic Inequities
Desmond discusses the exploitation of the poor in various markets, from financial services to housing rentals. He exposes how businesses profit from vulnerable populations through excessive fees and substandard housing conditions, while also implicating societal norms that perpetuate economic disparities.
Matthew Desmond is a professor of sociology at Princeton University and the principal investigator at The Eviction Lab, a research group that published the first-ever dataset of evictions in America, going back to 2000. His Pulitzer-Prize-winner book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City quickly made Desmond one of America’s most important thinkers and activists. His new book, Poverty, By America, broadens the scope of his research, demonstrating how wealthy Americans keep poor people poor. On March 27, 2024, Matthew Desmond came to the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco for an on-stage conversation with Bernice Yeung, the managing editor of Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program. Her first book, In a Day’s Work: The Fight to End Sexual Violence Against America’s Most Vulnerable Workers, was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize.
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