205 Poverty Essay Topics & Examples

Poverty is one of the most pressing global issues affecting millions of individuals. We want to share some intriguing poverty essay topics and research questions for you to choose the titles of your paper correctly. With the help of this collection, you can explore the intricate dimensions of poverty, its causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Have a look at our poverty topics to get a deeper understanding of poverty and its implications.

💸 TOP 7 Poverty Essay Topics

1. Poverty as a Social Problem
2. Poverty: Causes and Solutions to Problem
3. “What Is Poverty” by Dalrymple
4. Poverty Effects on an Individual
5. The Eliminating Poverty Strategies
6. Degrading Consequences of Poverty in “The Pearl” by John Steinbeck
7. Poverty and Theories of Its Causes

🏆 Best Poverty Essay Examples

1. How Access to Clean Water Influences the Problem of Poverty

   Since people in some developing countries have insufficient water supply even now, they suffer from starvation, lack of hygiene, and water-associated diseases.
2. Relationship Between Poverty and Crime

   The paper makes the case and discusses inequality rather than poverty being the prime reason for people committing crimes.
3. Urbanization and Poverty in “Slumdog Millionaire” Film

   Boyle’s movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” is one of many successful attempts to depict the conditions in which people who are below the poverty level live.
4. Poverty Effects on Mental Health

   This paper examines the link between poverty and mental health, the literature findings on the topic, and proposes a potential solution.
5. Homelessness and Poverty in Developed and Developing Countries

   All states across the globe need to undertake all possible efforts to reduce the rates of poverty and homelessness.
6. Vicious Circle of Poverty

   In this essay, the author describes the problem of poverty, its causes and ways of optimizing the economy and increasing production efficiency.
7. Poverty and Its Negative Impact on Society

   Poverty affects many people globally, experiencing poor living conditions, limited access to education, unemployment, poor infrastructure, malnutrition, and child labor.
8. How Poverty Impacts on Life Chances, Experiences and Opportunities for Young People

   The paper specifically dwells on the social exclusion, class, and labeling theories to place youth poverty in its social context.
9. The Orthodox and Alternative Poverty Explanations Comparison

   Poverty has over the years become a worldwide subject of concern for economies. This essay will explore two theories- the orthodox and the alternative theories to poverty.
10. Global Poverty and Nursing Intervention

    It is evident that poor health and poverty are closely linked. Community nurses who are conversant with the dynamics of the health of the poor can run successful health promotion initiatives.
11. The Poverty as an Ethical Issue

    Looking at poverty as an ethical issue, we have to consider the fact that there are people who control resource distribution, which then leads to wealth or poverty in a community.
12. Poverty in Ghana: Reasons and Solution Strategy

    The analysis provided in the paper revealed some internal and external factors that deter better economic and human development in Ghana.
13. Effects of Divorce and Poverty in Families

    In the event of a divorce children are tremendously affected and in most cases attention is not given to them the way it should.
14. The Ideal Society: Social Stratification and Poverty

    The paper argues social classes exist because of the variations in socioeconomic capacities in the world; however, an ideal society can eliminate them.
15. Poverty from Functionalist and Rational Choice Perspectives

    Poverty is a persistent social phenomenon, which can be examined from both the functionalist and rational choice perspectives.
16. The Problem of Poverty in Art of Different Periods

    Artists have always been at the forefront of addressing social issues, by depicting them in their works and attempting to draw the attention of the public to sensitive topics.
17. The Government of Bangladesh: Corruption and Poverty

    This paper describes how constitutional, economic, educational, and legal reforms can eradicate absolute poverty and corruption in a developing country such as Bangladesh.
18. Poverty from Christian Perspective

    Christians perceive poverty differently than people without faith, noting the necessity for integrated support to help those in need.
19. Christ’s Relationships with Wealth and Poverty

    This paper attempts to examine Christ’s relationships with wealth, money and poverty and provide an analysis of these relationships.
20. Empowerment and Poverty Reduction

    The objective of this essay will be to highlight the health issues caused by poverty and the strategies needed to change the situation of poor people through empowerment.
21. Correlation Between Poverty and Juvenile Delinquency

    Crime significantly impacts the standard of life across the world, a case study of the United States reveals that crime has grown into a very expensive venture.
22. Diana George’s Changing the Face of Poverty Book

    Diana George’s book, Changing the Face of Poverty, begins with a summary of several Thanksgiving commercials and catalogs.
23. Effects of Poverty on Education in the USA Colleges

    It is clear that poverty affects not only the living standards and lifestyle of people but also the college education in the United States of America.
24. The Analysis of Henry George’s “Crime of Poverty”

    Reviewing Henry George’s Crime of Poverty, which was written in 1885, in its historical context can shed light on socio-political developments within the country.
25. Poverty and Inequality: Income and Wealth Inequality

    The Stanford Center of Poverty and Inequality does an in-depth job of finding causes and capturing statistics on poverty and inequality.
26. Child’s Development and Education: Negative Effects of Poverty

    Some adverse effects of poverty on a child’s development and education are poor performance academically, stagnant physical development, and behavioral issues.
27. Poverty and Social Causation Hypothesis

    There are two identified approaches to poverty on cultural and individual levels as formulated by Turner and Lehning
28. Global Issues of World Poverty: Reasons and Solutions

    The term ‘world poverty’ refers to poverty around the world and is not only limited to developing and under-developed nations.
29. Poverty in Young and Middle Adulthood

    According to functionalism, poverty is a dysfunctional aspect of interrelated components, which is the result of improper structuring.
30. Utilitarianism: Poverty Reduction Through Charity

    This paper shows that poverty levels can be reduced if wealthy individuals donate a part of their earnings, using the main principles of the utilitarian theory.
31. Poverty in “Serving in Florida” and “Dumpster Diving”

    “Serving in Florida” by Barbara Ehrenreich describes the harsh reality of living in poverty while concentrating on the pragmatic dimension of the issue
32. Poverty and Homelessness Among African Americans

    Even though the U.S. is wealthy and prosperous by global measures, poverty has persisted in the area, with Blacks accounting for a larger share.
33. Rutger Bregman’s Statement of Poverty

    The paper states that Bregman’s approach to poverty and the proposal of guaranteed regular income is more suitable for developing countries.

👍 Catchy Poverty Research Topics

1. Poverty Relation With Immigrants

   Poverty-related immigration is usually caused by population pressures; as the natural land becomes less productive due to the increased technology and industrial production.
2. Poverty in Puerto Rico and Eradication Measures

   Studying Puerto Rican poverty as a social problem is essential because it helps identify the causes, effects, and eradication measures in Puerto Rico and other nations.
3. How Does Poverty Affect Crime Rates?

   On the basis of this research question, the study could be organized and conducted to prove the following hypothesis – when poverty increases, crime rates increase as well.
4. Evaluating the “Expertness” of the Southern Law Poverty Center

   The Southern Law Poverty Center has garnered controversy for its list of so-called “hate groups” and how it spends its half-billion-dollar budget.
5. Chronic Poverty and Disability in the UK

   The country exhibits absolute poverty and many other social issues associated with under-developed states. The issue is resolvable through policy changes.
6. Inequality and Poverty in the United States

   One of the most common myths is that the United States (US) is a meritocracy, where anyone can succeed if they maintain industriousness.
7. Lessons Learned From the Poverty Simulation

   The main lesson learned from the poverty simulation is that poverty is far more serious than depicted in the media, which carelessly documents the numbers of poor people.
8. “Promises and Poverty”: Starbucks Conceals Poverty and Deterioration of the Environment

   “Promises and Poverty” talks about Starbucks’ working practices that promise good coffee with a better quality of life but conceal poverty and deterioration of the environment.
9. Love and Poverty in My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke

   The present paper includes a brief analysis of the poem ‘My Papa’s Waltz’ with a focus on imagery and figurative language.
10. The Link Between Poverty and Criminal Behavior

    Both deviance and crime represent a deviation from societal norms but become separated only by the degree of nonconformity to acceptable behavior.
11. Global Poverty and Human Development

    Poverty rates across the globe continue to be a major issue that could impair the progress of humanity as a whole.
12. Social Policy and Welfare – Poverty and Deprivation

    Poverty is a kind of deprivation where in usual needs that define the quality of life such as food, clothing, shelter and water are not given to people.
13. World Poverty as a Global Social Problem

    Poverty and the key methods helping to reduce it attract the attention of numerous researchers in different areas of expertise.
14. Poverty from a Sociological Standpoint

    Poverty is a complex phenomenon, in which many explicit and implicit factors are involved. Some individuals tend not to perceive this phenomenon as critical.
15. The Issue of World Poverty and Ways to Alleviate the Poverty in the World

    Poverty is defined as the state of deficiency of a certain amount of material wealth or money. World poverty figures have been rising since the second half of the 20th century.
16. Drug’s, Poverty’s and Beauty’s Effects on Health

    Some serious health outcomes emanate from frequent consumption of drugs, poverty, and a stringent adherence to the global trends of beauty.
17. The Issue of Poverty in Savannah, Georgia

    The paper addresses a serious issue that still affects Savannah, Georgia, and it is poverty. This problem influences both individuals and society.
18. Poverty: Resilience and Intersectionality Theories

    This paper assesses the impact of poverty on adult life, looking at risk and protective factors and the impact of power and oppression on the experience of poverty.
19. Economic Inequality and Its Relationship to Poverty

    This research paper will discuss the problem of economic inequality and show how this concept relates to poverty.
20. Racial Discrimination and Poverty

    Racial discrimination and poverty have resulted in health disparities and low living standards among African Americans in the United States.
21. Race, Poverty, and Incarceration in the United States

    The American justice system, in its current form, promotes disproportionally high incarceration rates among blacks and, to a lesser degree, Latinos from poor urban neighborhoods.
22. Global Poverty and Education

    Economic theories like liberalization, deregulation, and privatization were developed to address global poverty.
23. Poverty: Behavioral, Structural, Political Factors

    The research paper will primarily argue that poverty is a problem caused by a combination of behavioral, structural, and political systems.
24. Wealth, Poverty, and Systems of Economic Class

    By examining wealth, poverty, and economic classes from the perspective of social justice, the socioeconomic inequalities persistent in society will become clear.
25. Poverty: Causes and Reduction Measures

    Poverty is a global disaster and that a large percentage of the population has insufficient income or material possessions to satisfy their basic needs.
26. Marriage and Divorce: Poverty Among Divorced Women

    This paper aims at looking into the possible connection between divorce and poverty among women given that many women are employed and are financially independent.
27. Poverty and Homelessness in Canada

    Poverty and homelessness figure prominently in government policies and the aims of many social service organizations even in a country like Canada.
28. The Concept of Poverty

    This work is aimed at identifying the key aspects associated with poverty and its impact on the lives of people in different contexts.
29. Household Energy Use and Poverty

    In many developing countries, as well as among disadvantaged populations of the industrial states, the lack or absence of energy for household use is an everyday reality.
30. National Conversation about Poverty

    The success of every society is determined by values, cultural practices, and tendencies that can address the hurdles affecting its people.
31. Poverty in “On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner

    Essay “On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner evokes compassion and prompts individuals to think about social problems existing nowadays.
32. Poverty in the “LaLee’s Kin” Documentary

    In this paper, the author will analyse poverty as a social problem in the Mississippi Delta. The issue will be analysed from the perspective of the documentary “LaLee’s Kin”.
33. How Poverty Affects Early Education?

    A number of people live in poor conditions. According to the researchers of the Department of Education in the United States, poverty influences academic performance in an adverse way.

🧐 Thought-Provoking Poverty Topics

1. Response to How Poverty Ends by Bannerjee and Duflo

   The political backlash results in the emergence of populist politicians who promote remedies they claim would work like miracles.
2. Problem of Poverty in the United States

   The problem of poverty remains complex, multifaceted, contradictory, and intractable. The U.S. ranks first among industrialized nations.
3. Poverty as a Social Phenomenon

   This paper discusses the subject of poverty, its relationship to other social concepts such as knowledge, and the differences between different social classes.
4. What Does Poverty Mean?

   The paper states that poverty is not a problem for a person but for the whole nation. Poverty eradication is vital for the growth of the country.
5. Poverty: The Negative Effects on Children

   Poor children often do not have access to quality healthcare, so they are sicker and more likely to miss school. Poor children are less likely to have weather-appropriate clothes.
6. The Issue of the Poverty in the USA

   The most sustainable technique for poverty elimination in the United States is ensuring equitable resource distribution, education, and healthcare access.
7. Poverty and How This Problem Can Be Solved

   Poverty is one of the global social problems of our time, existing even in the countries of the first world despite the generally high standard of living of people.
8. Poverty: An Interplay of Social and Economic Psychology

   The paper demonstrates an interplay of social and economic psychology to scrutinize the poverty that has given rise to a paycheck-to-paycheck nation.
9. Refugees: Poverty, Hunger, Climate Change, and Violence

   Individuals struggling with poverty, hunger, climate change, and gender-based violence and persecution may consider fleeing to the United States.
10. The Extent of Poverty in the United States

    The paper states that the issue of poverty in the USA is induced by a butterfly effect, starting with widespread discrimination and lack of support.
11. Human Trafficking and Poverty Issues in Modern Society

    The problem of human trafficking affects people all over the world, which defines the need for a comprehensive approach to this issue from the criminology perspective.
12. The City of Atlanta, Georgia: Poverty and Homelessness

    This project goal is to address several issues in the community of the City of Atlanta. Georgia. The primary concern is the high rate of poverty and homelessness in the city.
13. Human Trafficking and Poverty Discussion

    This paper synthesize information on human trafficking and poverty by providing an annotated bibliography of relevant sources.
14. Discussion of Poverty and Social Trends

    The advances and consequent demands on society grounded on social class and trends profoundly influence poverty levels.
15. Life of Humanity: Inequality, Poverty, and Tolerance

    The paper concerns the times in which humanity, and especially the American people, live, not forgetting about inequality, poverty, and tolerance.
16. Poverty, Its Social Context, and Solutions

    Understanding past and present poverty statistics is essential for developing effective policies to reduce the rate of poverty at the national level.
17. Poverty in the US: “Down and Out in Paris and London” by Orwell

    The essay compares the era of George Orwell to the United States today based on the book “Down and Out in Paris and London” in terms of poverty.
18. Is It Possible to Reduce Poverty in the United States?

    Reducing poverty in the United States is possible if such areas as education, employment, and health care are properly examined and improved for the public’s good.
19. Poverty Among Seniors Age 65 and Above

    The social problem is the high poverty rate among older people aged 65 and above. Currently, there are millions of elderly who are living below the poverty line.
20. Poverty in 1930s Europe and in the 21st Century US

    The true face of poverty may be found in rural portions of the United States’ South and Southwest regions, where living standards have plummeted, and industries have yet to begin.
21. Poverty and Homelessness in Jackson, Mississippi

    This paper will review the statistics and information about poverty and homelessness in Jackson, MS. The community of Black Americans is suffering from poverty and homelessness.
22. Social Issue of Poverty in America

    The paper states that poverty is not an individual’s fault but rather a direct result of social, economic, and political circumstances.
23. Poverty, Housing, and Community Benefits

    The community will benefit from affordable housing and business places, creating job opportunities for the residents and mentoring and apprenticeship.
24. The Uniqueness of the Extent of the Poverty Rate in America

    The United States ranked near the top regarding poverty and inequality, and compared to other developed countries, income and wealth disparity in the United States is high.
25. Globalization and Poverty: Trade Openness and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

    Globalization can be defined as the process of interdependence on the global culture, economy, and population. It is brought about by cross-border trade.
26. Should People Be Ashamed of Poverty?

    People on welfare should not feel ashamed because the definition of poverty does not necessarily place them in the category of the poor.
27. Poverty, Politics, and Profit as US Policy Issue

    Poverty remains one of the most intractable problems to deal with, both in the international community and in the United States.
28. Bullying in Poverty and Child Development Context

    The aim of the present paper is to investigate how Bullying, as a factor associated with poverty, affects child development.
29. Christian Perspective on Poverty

    Several Christian interpretations have different ideas about poverty and wealth. This paper aims to discuss the Christian perspective on poverty.
30. Poverty and Problematic Housing in California

    The question is what are the most vulnerable aspects of the administrative system that lead to an aggravation of the situation of homelessness.
31. Global Poverty and Factors of Influence

    This paper introduces a complex perspective on the issue of global poverty, namely, incorporating economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors into the analysis.
32. Poverty Causes and Solutions in Latin America

    This paper aims to understand the importance of the interference of Europe in Latin American affairs and its referring to the general principles of poverty.
33. Gary Haugen’s Speech on Violence and Poverty

    In his speech, Gary Haugen discusses the causes of poverty and concludes that violence is a hidden problem that should be addressed and eliminated.

🎓 Interesting Poverty Essay Topics

1. The Child Poverty Problem in Alabama
2. Poverty Among Blacks in America
3. Hard Questions About Living in Poverty or Slavery
4. Solving the Problem of Poverty in Mendocino County
5. Wealth and Poverty Sources in America
6. Global Poverty and Economic Globalization Relations
7. Poverty Prevalence and Causes in the United States
8. Policy Development to Overcome Child Poverty in the U.S.
9. Global Poverty: Tendencies, Causes and Impacts
10. The Impact of Poverty on Children and Minority Groups
11. Habitat for the Homeless: Poverty
12. The Problem of Poverty Among Children
13. Poverty and Poor Health: Access to Healthcare Services
14. African American Families in Poverty
15. Poverty, Faith, and Justice: ”Liberating God of Life” by Elizabeth Johnson
16. Effects of Poverty on Health Care in the US and Afghanistan
17. “8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up” by Jason DeParle
18. Teenage Pregnancy After Exposure to Poverty: Causation and Communication
19. Poverty and Covid-19 in Developing Countries
20. Poverty and Mental Health Correlation
21. Poverty in America: Socio-Economic Inequality
22. Poverty and Its Effects Upon Special Populations
23. Carl Hart’s Talk on Racism, Poverty, and Drugs
24. Global Poverty and Education Correlation
25. American Dream and Poverty in the United States
26. Changing the Face of Poverty
27. The Cost of Saving: The Problem of Poverty
28. Sociological Issues About Social Class and Poverty, Race and Ethnicity, Gender
29. Speech on Mother Teresa: Poverty and Interiority in Mother Teresa
30. Federal Poverty, Welfare, and Unemployment Policies
31. Attitudes to Poverty: Singer’s Arguments
32. Aid Agency Discussing Different Solutions to Poverty in Urban Areas
33. Poverty Elimination in Perspective

🌶️ Hot Poverty Ideas to Write about

1. The U.S. Education: Effect of Poverty
2. Is Debt Cancellation the Answer to World Poverty?
3. Reduction of Poverty in the Rural Areas Through ICT
4. Trade Effect on Environmentalism and Poverty
5. Gay and Poverty Marriage
6. “Combating Poverty in Latin America” by Robyn Eversole
7. Are MNCs Responsible for Poverty and Violence in Developing Nations?
8. “Globalization, Poverty and Inequality” by Kaplinsky
9. Poverty in America: Issue Analysis
10. Economic Development in LDCs and Eradication Absolute Poverty
11. Economic Development in LDCs and Sufficient Conditions to Eradicate Absolute Poverty
12. Poverty in New York City and Media Representation
13. Global Poverty, Inequality, and Mass Migration
14. India’s Policies to Tackle Poverty and Inequality
15. Poverty and Inequality Reducing Policies in China
16. Donald Trump’s Policies of Poverty and Human Rights
17. Poverty and Homelessness: Dimensions and Constructions
18. Henry George’s “Progress and Poverty” Book
19. Poverty: “$2.00 a Day” Book by Edin and Schaefer
20. Poverty Among the USA Citizens and Reduction Efforts
21. Standards of the Ethical Code: Children and Poverty
22. Can Marriage End Poverty?
23. Grameen Banking System Alleviating Poverty
24. Brazil’ Poverty and Inequality
25. Child Poverty Assessment in Canada
26. Poverty and Welfare Policies in the United States
27. Poverty in “The Bottom Billion” by Paul Collier
28. Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Poverty
29. Poverty and Violence During the Mexican Revolution
30. Affordable Housing Programs in “Poverty in America”
31. School System: Poverty and Education
32. Poverty in “I Beat the Odds” by Oher and Yaegar
33. Inequality in Australia: Poverty Rates and Globalism
34. Immigrant Children and Poverty

❓ Research Questions about Poverty

1. Can Authorization Reduce Poverty Among Undocumented Immigrants?
2. Can Higher Employment Levels Bring Lower Poverty in the EU?
3. Are Private Transfers Poverty and Inequality Reducing?
4. Can Group-Based Credit Uphold Smallholder Farmers Productivity and Reduce Poverty in Africa?
5. Can Anti-Poverty Programs Improve Family Functioning and Enhance Children’s Well-Being?
6. Can Laziness Explain Poverty in America?
7. Are Social Exclusion and Poverty Measures Interrelated?
8. Can Increasing Smallholder Farm Size Broadly Reduce Rural Poverty in Zambia?
9. Can Crop Purchase Programs Reduce Poverty and Improve Welfare in Rural Communities?
10. Does Aid Availability Affect Effectiveness in Reducing Poverty?
11. Can Employer Credit Checks Create Poverty Traps?
12. Are the Poverty Effects of Trade Policies Invisible?
13. Can Foreign Aid Reduce Poverty?
14. Are Education Systems Modern as Well as Practical Enough to Eliminate Unemployment, and Thus Poverty?
15. Can High-Inequality Developing Countries Escape Absolute Poverty?
16. Are Inequality and Trade Liberalization Influences on Growth and Poverty?
17. Can Globalisation Realistically Solve World Poverty?
18. Are Urban Poverty and Undernutrition Growing?
19. Can Big Push Interventions Take Small-Scale Farmers Out of Poverty?
20. Can Civilian Disability Pensions Overcome the Poverty Issue?
21. Are Poverty Rates Underestimated in China?
22. Does Agriculture Help Poverty and Inequality Reduction?
23. Can Agricultural Households Farm Their Way Out of Poverty?
24. Are Income Poverty and Perceptions of Financial Difficulties Dynamically Interrelated?
25. Are Bangladesh’s Recent Gains in Poverty Reduction Different From the Past?
26. Can Cash Transfers Help Households Escape an Intergenerational Poverty Trap?
27. Are Remittances Helping Lower Poverty and Inequality Levels in Latin America?
28. Can Foreign Aid Reduce Income Inequality and Poverty?
29. Can Child-Care Subsidies Reduce Poverty?
30. Can Income Inequality Reduction Be Used as an Instrument for Poverty Reduction?