Mark R. Rank

"The economic injustice of poverty has been a motivation force that has shaped much of my work. If I can reduce such injustice in some small way through my research and teaching, my time will have been well spent."

View Bio

Mark Rank’s research has been reported in a wide range of major national media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. His most recent book, the widely acclaimed One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All, provides a new understanding of poverty in America.

"Injustice is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Pick up a newspaper or surf the Internet and you will find countless injustices every day. But the question is always what can we do about it? I decided that uncovering the root causes of injustice was an important avenue in being able to change the conditions. This has led me down the path of a research and teaching career in social work.

The classes I typically teach focus on poverty; inequality; and the social, economic, and political environment. I always view teaching as a two-way street — hopefully my students will learn a fair amount from me, but I also learn much from my students. The chance to discuss and debate some of society’s most pressing issues is a wonderful opportunity that comes out of teaching."

for questions about this web site, please contact