We will explore the manifestations, depth, and reproduction of inequality and employment insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa, along with creative responses by governments, communities, and civil society.  Through the two-week stay in Cameroon, students will examine how inequalities are created, experienced, and reproduced across the life course—from cradle to grave. We will visit a range of institutions that create, reproduce, or mitigate inequalities at different stages of life: at birth (e.g., access to maternal health care); in early childhood (nutrition and food security); during childhood and adolescence (schooling and extracurricular opportunities); in adulthood (employment and housing); and in old age (social protection and security).

Students will encounter people and places at different points along the socioeconomic spectrum and examine how individuals perceive, experience, and respond to inequality. Particular emphasis will be placed on sustained interaction with Cameroonian students and other young people to explore how they navigate uncertain employment prospects, mobilize family and social networks, develop livelihood strategies, and imagine their futures.