Freedom and Human Flourishing: Poverty, Prosperity and Quality of Life around the World

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The theme for the spring 2018 program was Freedom and Human Flourishing: Poverty, Prosperity and Quality of Life around the World. Participants discussed questions that examine the role of personal freedom, markets, and culture in promoting human flourishing.

More specifically, participants engaged scholarly arguments regarding the measurement and comparative analysis of poverty and prosperity, perspectives on changes in quality of life worldwide, the role of foreign aid in addressing poverty, the role of markets and governments more generally in combating poverty, changes in global inequality over time and the relationship between freedom and happiness. 

In February 2018, participants attended a summit hosted at Southern Methodist University (SMU) with participants from the programs at SMU, Baylor University and the University of Central Arkansas. The summit featured formal remarks from Prof. Donald J. Boudreaux focused on his research examining problems with the measurement of living standards in the United States, particularly what he terms as 'the myth of middle class stagnation.' Participants also engaged in interactive discussion groups on issues related to the program theme of the relationship between freedom and human flourishing.

The schedule of readings and topics of discussion for the spring 2018 McLane Teammates Reading Program can be found at the following link:

McLane Teammates Reading Program — Spring 2018 Reading List

Please contact the Free Market Institute with any questions by email at free.market@ttu.edu or by phone at 806.742.7138.

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More general information about the program and application process can be found on the McLane Teammates Reading Program page.