H. Luke Shaefer

H. Luke Shaefer is Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He is also a professor of social work and the director of Poverty Solutions, a university initiative that seeks ways to prevent and alleviate poverty. His 2015 book, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, coauthored with Princeton University professor Kathryn Edin, profiles some of the 1.5 million American households that struggle to survive on virtually no cash income. For his Carnegie project, Dr. Shaefer will zero in on six of America’s most vulnerable communities. He and Dr. Edin will supervise graduate students who will immerse themselves in these neighborhoods — attending services, volunteering, observing meetings, and engaging in local pastimes. Through a combination of this fieldwork and “big data” analysis, Dr. Shaefer aims to produce a vivid portrait of these communities and uncover factors that drive disparities in our country.