Social Work

The world according to Walter Palmer

The educator, organizer, and alumnus discusses his six decades of activism, growing up in the Black Bottom, studying and teaching at Penn, his work at CHOP, the student strike of 1967, the Vietnam War, Frank Rizzo, Donald Trump, school choice, gun violence, the Chauvin trial, and why he thinks racism should be declared a national public health crisis.

Greg Johnson

Fighting poverty with cash

Amy Castro Baker has helped deliver promising data out of Stockton, California, about the effects of giving people no-strings-attached money every month. Now boosted by a new research center at Penn that she’ll colead, more cities are jumping on board.

Understanding poverty and data

Regina Smalls Baker of the School of Arts & Sciences and Amy Castro Baker of the School of Social Policy & Practice explore how data can be better used to analyze and address poverty.

Brandon Baker



In the News


NPR

Places across the U.S. are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net

Stacia West of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the School of Social Policy & Practice says that guaranteed income payments improve people’s psychological wellbeing by reducing their distress. Amy Castro, also of the Center, points out that such programs are expensive, so important questions need to be asked.

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Irish News

New book examines sectarianism and the housing crisis in Northern Ireland

In her book “In Power, Politics and Territory in the New Northern Ireland,” Elizabeth DeYoung of the School of Social Policy & Practice says that sectarianism has contributed to the housing crisis in Northern Ireland and continues to influence decision-making on the needs for homes.

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LA Times

California says its new gun law is about public safety. But what about these women?

Susan B. Sorenson of the School of Social Policy & Practice says there is no evidence that carrying a gun makes women who have been abused safer.

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The New York Times

Can a big village full of tiny homes ease homelessness in Austin?

Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice says that tiny homes are better for homelessness than shelter but still don’t meet America’s housing standards.

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Governing

Guaranteed-income programs pick up steam

Researchers at the School of Social Policy & Practice released a report suggesting that a new approach to addressing poverty in St. Paul, Minnesota, has worked as intended.

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MarketWatch

Quality of life for older LGBTQ+ New Yorkers to be improved under new commission

According to research from Penn, people aged 65 and older are the fastest-growing group of people without housing.

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