“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” is the 2016-’17 selection for Go Big Read, the university announced in a press release Wednesday.
The best-selling book, written by UW-Madison alumnus Matthew Desmond, centers on eight Milwaukee families faced with losing their homes. Through this situation, Desmond analyzes how an increase in evictions has affected residents of America’s poorest cities.
“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 said in the release. “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.”
Copies of the book will be provided to all first-year students, as well as to students using the book in their classes. UW-Madison also plans to host Desmond for a discussion with students.
Desmond is an associate professor of sociology and social studies at Harvard University. He received his doctorate from UW-Madison in 2010, and he was also the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant in 2015.
The Go Big Read program is an initiative of the Office of the Chancellor. It began in 2009.
