Accountability : Common Reader Books 2024-2026 : Evicted by Matthew Desmond

Penguin Random House Evicted Teacher's Guide

Random House Reader's Guide

data.census.gov - Population, housing, economic, and geographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

endpovertyusa.org - This website is designed to help families find services they need and deserve and connect people with organizations committed to fighting poverty. It also includes key poverty facts for each state. 

Syracuse Citywide Summer Book Club Readers Guide

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • One of the most acclaimed books of our time, this modern classic “has set a new standard for reporting on poverty” (Barbara Ehrenreich, The New York Times Book Review).

In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Hailed as “wrenching and revelatory” (The Nation), “vivid and unsettling” (New York Review of Books), Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible. 

Hardcover - ISBN 9780553447439

Ebook - ISBN 9780553447446

Audiobook - ISBN 9780147526793

Penguin Random House Book Page

Accountability Activities/Assignments

1. Poverty Simulation

• How does this teach accountability? By immersing students in the challenges and constraints faced by individuals living in poverty. Students gain insights into the systemic factors that perpetuate poverty and the ways in which individual actions and decisions intersect with broader structures.
• Focus on: Individual responsibility, understanding structural barriers, empathy and perspective-taking, and commitment to action.
  • Have assigned roles for students with specific characteristics such as income level, employment status, family composition, and access to resources.
  • Throughout the simulation students make decisions regarding basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, transportation and education.
  • Provide the student with various obstacles and unexpected events that might be seen in real life situations
    • Discussions
      • Emphasize the importance of fulfilling the responsibilities of the individual role such as paying bills on time, attending work or school, managing household chores and seeking out community resources when needed.
      •  Discuss consequences of actions or decisions made by the students during the simulation. This can highlight the importance of accountability in managing one’s circumstances
      • Reflect and debrief, discussing the experiences, decisions and outcomes the students faced. Focus on their actions or inactions to certain situations that had an impact on the family or individual
      • Discuss structural barriers and systemic factors that contributed
      • Emphasize the importance of seeking support and advocating for oneself and making informed decisions to overcome challenges and work towards positive outcomes.

2. Group Discussions

• How does this teach accountability? It encourages students to evaluate their attitudes, assumptions and behaviors. By discussing, students deepen their understanding of poverty’s impact and collective responsibility for addressing it.
• Focus on: Emotions, empathy, and perspective
  • Reflect on actions and decisions of the individuals and institutions portrayed in the book.
  • Critically analyze the situation and discuss what changes could have been made to have seen a positive outcome.
  • What outside resources might have been available for the individual and/or institution to come to an agreement?
  • Ask questions like
    1. If you were unexpectedly evicted from your home, what would the fallout be? How would this impact your education, employment, and relationships? How might a sudden change like eviction affect your physical and mental well-being?
    2. Propose solutions to getting back on your feet

Evicted-Academic-Study-Guide.pdf (prh.com)

2. • Discuss topics such as
     1. Individual responsibility
     2. Institutional Accountability
     3. Power Dynamics
     4. Transparency and Oversight
     5. Social Responsibility
     6. Restorative Justice
3. Assignments
   • Budgeting : Luxury vs. Necessity (Pre-reading assignment)

• How does this teach accountability? By deepening the students understanding on economic inequality. Students can examine the characters financial constraints and gain insight on difficult decisions individuals living in poverty must make to survive. Creating this kind of budget allows students to apply critical thinking skills to evaluate their own spending priorities and make informed decisions about resource allocation.
• Focus on: Applying lessons from the book to their own lives and becoming conscientious, compassionate, and accountable. Prioritizing essential needs over discretionary expenses, students recognizing the importance of living within their means, managing finances responsible, and planning future stability.
  1. 1. 1. Research
           1. Research various examples of luxury items and necessities. Consider goods and services that are commonly perceived as luxuries and those deemed essential for daily living
           2. Gather information on typical prices for these items in your area or use averages
        2. Budget creation
           1. Provide students with a monthly income and have them create a monthly budget spreadsheet/table that allocates this income to different expense categories
           2. Categorize into “luxury” and “necessity”
           3. Within each category breakdown specific expenses and their estimated costs, have students include a variety to represent the diversity within each category
           4. Ensure totals do not exceed total income
        3. Reflection
           1. Have student write a page or however long, reflection on their budgeting decisions. Discuss the factors that influenced the allocation of funds between luxury and necessity items
           2. Reflect on priorities and spending on luxuries versus meeting basic needs
           3. Reflect on any challenges encountered and strategies used to overcome
        4. Presentation
           1. You may have students present.
           2. Have a chance to see personal experiences and different perspectives on luxury and necessity
     2. Post-read – Discuss items seen throughout the novel that would be considered luxury and things that were necessities
     3. What challenges were faced, propose solutions

• • Eviction Stories
• How does this teach accountability? Provides real-life examples of consequences of systemic failures and individual actions. Depicts harsh realities and readers are able to gain insight into the structural injustices that shape individuals’ lives, as well as real struggles, fears and resilience.
• Focus on: How characters navigate difficult circumstances, make choices and confront the consequences of their actions.
  1. 1. Stories | Just Shelter
     2. Select real life eviction stories and discuss, create a prompt or reflect on who is accountable and how?
     3.  Potentially research the responsibilities of the individual and/or institutions/programs, laws, etc.