This course provides a historical and conceptual understanding of Community Action as an approach and framework employed by agencies that serve low-income clients and communities by promoting self-sufficiency. The course equips students with knowledge to relate personalities and agendas of key individuals to the decisions and policies implemented; chart the ebb and flow of government involvement (support) in assisting the poor from pre-Great Depression forward; compare and contrast past methods of assisting the poor historically with methods today and projected methods (to answer the question: What role does political will play in addressing poverty?); explain the role of leadership at the community, Federal and political level and analyze the role of political leadership and its effect on fighting poverty; and track the measurements of poverty (to answer the following questions: How do we measure poverty historically? Who is defined as "poor"? How should we measure it today and who is for or against the government taking on this role?).