Week six is asynchronous. In Edin and Shaefer (2016), you will read about the challenges faced by communities and families in extreme poverty, and there is a forum to share additional examples. The reading by Linquiti (2022) presents two lenses for analyzing policy: equity and economics. There are forums to discuss the content of the textbook and consider how you can apply the content to your policy analysis. Students submit one of the key assignments for SOWK 588, the policy analysis paper, providing an opportunity for you to demonstrate skill at assessing policy. Students have a lecture video to watch about giving some information about environmental justice.

Some of the learning objectives this week include:

• Describe the lived experiences of individuals and families facing extreme poverty.
• Apply the equity and economic lenses from Linquiti’s policy framework to analyze social policies affecting marginalized populations.
• Critically examine policy issues using ethical and human rights standards, including the NASW Code of Ethics and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Demonstrate competency in policy analysis by completing and submitting the Policy Analysis Paper, integrating theory, values, research, and practice to assess real-world policies.