Established in the Fall of 2007, the Global Poverty & Practice (GPP) Minor—one of the largest and most popular minors on campus—gives students an opportunity to examine contemporary forms of poverty, wealth, and inequality through academic coursework and practical experience. Through GPP, students from across academic disciplines come together to think critically about issues of poverty and inequality, and investigate the ways in which the minor can supplement their major field of study.

Central to the minor is a six-week fieldwork opportunity—the Practice Experience—in which students connect theory with action  by partnering with nongovernmental or community organizations, government agencies, or other development programs domestically or abroad. The Blum Center offers funding support for students’ Practice Experiences through a competitive fellowship.

Students graduating with a minor in Global Poverty & Practice will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the following:

1. Scholarly approaches to understanding poverty, wealth, and inequality in an historical and global context.
2. Knowledge of international development and domestic poverty alleviation policies, programs, institutions, and social movements.
3. An ability to critically engage in public debates about poverty and poverty action through written texts as well as through the use of social, digital, and visual media.
4. Knowledge of the history and contemporary politics of poverty and inequality in a particular place or world region, in preparation for the practice requirement of the minor.
5. Analytical and practical skills gained through the Practice Experience in a particular sector of poverty action (e.g., agricultural and rural development, urban poverty, public health, human rights, legal systems, education, energy resources, and sustainable technology), at various scales (e.g., community, global) and in various forms (e.g., government policy, social movements).
6. An understanding of different modalities and relations of power involved in poverty action, developed through historically informed analytical skills, the practice experience, and critical reflection.

To declare the minor, submit a GPP Declaration of Intent form online.