Exploring Basic Income in a Changing Economy Teach-Out

The United States social safety net is a complex system with many programs and often difficult eligibility requirements. Many of these programs only deliver in-kind aid (not cash) to people living in poverty, a lot of whom can fall through the cracks and can’t make ends meet.

Basic income, the idea of providing people with a minimal level of cash support on a consistent basis, remains a point of debate in the United States and beyond. In this Teach-Out, you will join leading experts to explore the emerging idea of basic income and other associated social safety net programs.

The Teach-Out will answer:
- What is basic income?
- What is the difference between basic income and universal basic income?
- Why is basic income generating so much interest now?
- How does basic income work? What are the benefits and the challenges?
- How might basic income help create an inclusive economy?
- What is the social safety net? Who does it help and who does it leave out?
- How do we currently measure poverty and determine who is eligible for safety net programs?
- How do automation and a changing economy affect the basic income conversation?