Policies of Exclusion/Inclusion

In this course, we will examine the ways that several areas of policymaking have intentionally excluded certain groups from legislative protections, benefit access and/or opportunities for civic participation. Among the notable examples we will explore are the exclusion of farm workers from the Fair Labor Standards Act and other important worker protections; the use of a sub-minimum wage for tipped food service workers and for workers with disabilities; the limitations on SNAP benefit access imposed on legally present noncitizens (the “5-year bar”) and on those convicted of a drug felony; and state restrictions on voting rights of justice-involved individuals, among others. We will consider how these choices reflect assumptions of deservingness and how they influence the prospects for belonging and thriving for community members in these groups. We will then turn to strategies that communities and advocates have pursued to dismantle these barriers and build a more inclusive policy environment, learning from the successes and remaining challenges in these domains and considering how these lessons can inform more equitable policymaking in the future.