This course explores deprivations and inequalities in capabilities in global and local communities, and how they are situated in social, institutional, and political economic systems. Of particular focus are racial/ethnic and geographic disparities, gender inequality, and interactions with social norms, work structures, and the environment. For example, human life requires not just market work but also the difficult-to-measure, interdependent, non-market work: childcare, eldercare, and provision for personal needs. Those who work in markets still require that these activities be taken care of, either as their own extra work, by a family member, or a paid helper. In exploring these issues, the course also considers connections with other inequalities, such as ethnicity, race, caste, class, and sexual orientation. Readings consider policies designed to improve standards of living and enhance capabilities of all people.

Wikipedia Assignment Overview:

Wikipedia has increasingly become the first resource many internet users consult whenever they encounter an unfamiliar topic. This reliance on Wikipedia is simultaneously exciting in its potential to democratize the availability and production of knowledge and troubling given evidence of systemic bias in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Systemic_bias) and the possibility that inaccurate, and even malicious, information will be spread and reinforced through the site.

This semester you will have the opportunity to intervene in this social phenomenon by participating in the construction and revision of Wikipedia sites relevant to the themes of this course. For this assignment, you will propose and either (1) carry out a substantial revision of an existing Wikipedia article by rewriting it and creating additional sections, or (2) expand a “stub” for a topic that is not sufficiently covered on the site, or (3) create an entirely new article. Since new sections added to existing articles receive far more traffic than completely new articles, which can be orphaned in Wikipedia, you will need to provide a justification if you propose to create a new article rather than revise or expand upon an existing one.

Through this assignment, you will have the opportunity to educate readers about the topics discussed in class and be part of a worldwide conversation about these issues. You will also join the Article Talk page and WikiProject pages related to your entry, and participate in the discussions on these sites.

[The assignments, milestones, and other course features are under construction/revision; please check back for revisions.]