Just Cash: The Politics, Economics, and Philosophy of Cash Transfer Programs

Catalog description

The world has never been so wealthy, and it has also never been so unequal. Could the simplest solution to eradicating poverty also be the most fair and effective? At the local, national, and international levels, various groups are studying, experimenting, and advocating for direct cash transfer payments as a solution to both poverty and growing inequalities. Unconditional cash transfers have become established as development tools for both national policy and international aid. Universal Basic Income (UBI), an unconditional and universal cash payment, has gained ground in wealthy countries too. What explains this wave of interest in cash transfers? What ethical values underpin these programs? What are some of the most significant objections and challenges facing these programs? This class will take students on a global, interdisciplinary study of unconditional cash, covering the international aid revolution through Give Directly, South Africa's Social Grants, the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend, Silicon Valley's UBI initiatives, the US mayor-led basic income support, and the global resources dividend proposal. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026. This course will be taught in Rwanda and will count as an Away J-Term course.