Matthew Desmond, a UW–Madison alumnus and author of “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” will speak at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Memorial Union Theater.
“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” the best-selling book by alumnus Matthew Desmond, is the 2016-17 selection for Go Big Read, UW–Madison’s common-reading program. The Go Big Read program is an initiative of the Office of the Chancellor.
Demand for seats was great for last year’s Go Big Read event featuring Bryan Stevenson, author of “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.” Distributing tickets gives students the first opportunity to attend the event, now in its eighth year. For those who can’t attend, the event will also be streamed live via the Go Big Read website and archived. Many local venues will be hosting shared viewings of Desmond’s presentation as well.
As part of the 2016 Diversity Forum, Matthew Desmond’s presentation will be Live Streamed in the Marquee Theatre, Union South. To sign up for a seat, please go to: http://go.wisc.edu/92140y.
This year’s book tells the story of eight Milwaukee families faced with losing their homes and highlights the plight of those living in poverty.
Desmond received his doctorate from UW–Madison in 2010. He is an associate professor of sociology and social studies at Harvard University and an affiliate of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the UW. In 2015, he received a MacArthur “genius” grant.
Evicted is the story of eight Milwaukee families faced with losing their homes. It’s also a powerful analysis of a little-known epidemic affecting people across the country living in poverty.
“This book provides us an opportunity to talk about a little-understood facet of poverty and the profound implications it has for American families, particularly in communities of color,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank says. “I’m proud that an alum has brought this issue to the forefront and I look forward to conversations in our community about this important subject.”
In his book, he writes that in the early 20th century, evictions in the U.S. were somewhat rare and popularly contested. Now they have become a frequent occurrence for low-income families, especially those headed by black women.
Milwaukee, a city of roughly 105,000 renter households, sees roughly 16,000 adults and children evicted in an average year, Desmond’s research shows. This is equivalent to 16 eviction cases a day.
“Providing stable housing and lowering evictions is a human capital investment analogous to education or job training — one that has the potential to decrease poverty and homelessness and stabilize families, schools and neighborhoods,” Desmond says.
“‘Evicted’ is astonishing — a masterpiece of writing and research that fills a tremendous gap in our understanding of poverty,” says previous Go Big Read author Rebecca Skloot. “Beautiful, harrowing, and deeply human, ‘Evicted’ is a must read for anyone who cares about social justice in this country.”
Go Big Read has a history of choosing timely topics that are part of the national discussion. This past year’s Go Big Read book, “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, highlights racial inequality and the need to reform America’s justice system. That success offers a bridge to a campus dialogue on Desmond’s central question: “Do we believe that the right to a decent home is part of what it means to be American?”
Initially, “immigration and community” had been chosen as the theme for the 2016-17 academic year, but “Evicted,” with its new insights on strengthening communities and its relevance within and beyond Wisconsin, made it a timely selection, Blank says.
Planning is underway for how students, faculty and staff will use the book in classrooms and for special events. Desmond plans to visit campus and give a talk. Copies of the book will be given to first-year students at the Chancellor’s Convocation for New Students, and to students using the book in their classes. UW–Madison instructors interested in using the book can request a review copy.
For more information on this event contact: Sheila Stoeckel, sheila.stoeckel@wisc.edu, 608-265-2755 or go to https://gobigread.wisc.edu/.
Spotlight cover photo from The New York Times
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