Basic income as poverty alleviation strategy? U-M workshop explores issue

May 11, 2018
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  • umichnews@umich.edu

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

DATE: May 18-20, 2018 (2-4:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday)

EVENT: The workshop will take an in-depth look at basic income as a poverty alleviation strategy and spur the next generation of research on basic income studies.

Among the experts taking part are: Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook, author and basic income advocate; Dorian Warren, social justice advocate and president of the Center for Community Change Action; and Yannick Vanderborght, basic income researcher, author and professor of political science at Université Saint-Louis in Bruxelles, Belgium.

Basic income studies seek to address poverty in the simplest way possible—by providing cash aid. In particular, interest is growing in a Universal Basic Income—unconditional cash stipends with no strings attached—and has gained support across the political spectrum.

Such a proposal, advocates argue, might address poverty, structural unemployment, growing inequalities, economic instability and automation in a disarmingly simple way.

Nearly 50 scholars from across the U.S. will also participate, and several talks and panels are open to the public.

PLACE: Friday, May 18: Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor; Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20: Rackham Graduate School, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor.

SPONSORS: Hosted by Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, in collaboration with the Stanford Basic Income Lab and with support from the Economic Security Project.

INFORMATION: Poverty Solutions. Watch livestream.